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Wigrams Turn Marina


Dave /Helen

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The same company that runs Wigrams Turn Marina also run Ventnor Farm Marina, just down Calcutt Locks. It depends on what you are looking for. Wigrams as a lot (the majority?) of liveaboards based there. Ventnor on the other hand is very strictly leisure only. Consequently the two have a bit of a different feel, we decided again both of them in the end and went for Calcutt.

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I used Wigram's only once when my wife fell ill. They were magnificent and very helpful. I've also met some of the company's staff at trade shows.

ALL without exception have been pleasant and helpful.

One of the advantages is that you can swap / visit other marinas in the group - excellent if you want to cruise / leave it there/ and return to base later (or not).

The difficult point to answer is what do YOU want which includes cruising area and anything else.

+ WT has a long length without locks

- some long pontoons with several boats on them

- services restricted on Saturdays when the hire fleets run amuck

- large marina

- car parking can be some distance from your boat

However are any of the '-' points really that bad. I don't think so, not a show stopper, but I like to think I'm flexible. Others may disagree. Makes it difficult to give a reasoned argument.

 

For me the ability to 'join the group' as it were and move between them would be the most significant point...

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The same company that runs Wigrams Turn Marina also run Ventnor Farm Marina, just down Calcutt Locks. It depends on what you are looking for. Wigrams as a lot (the majority?) of liveaboards based there. Ventnor on the other hand is very strictly leisure only.

 

We chose Ventnor this summer and cannot praise the tthem highly enough for there friendly and pleasant attitude to moorers, nothing seems too much trouble and I'm sure it's the same at Wigrams as Steve - the Mgr, and some of his team work at both.

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we went in for a few days.. we had no sooner stopped than a guy ran up with a power drill .. ready to move the mooring rings to line up with our ropes!!.. Told him not to worry cos we were only there for a few days ..but never the less the gesture was much appreciated

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We chose Ventnor this summer and cannot praise the tthem highly enough for there friendly and pleasant attitude to moorers, nothing seems too much trouble and I'm sure it's the same at Wigrams as Steve - the Mgr, and some of his team work at both.

 

Ventnor also has the advantage of a blacking service in their own dry dock.

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There's a lot of competition in that part of the network so it doesn't surprise me that the staff are falling over themselves to be helpful. All the marinas in that area have plenty of vacancies and all offer as slightly different experience so it's worth shopping around.

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Hi all

Been to Wigrams Turn Marina today with the possibility of putting out boat there was very impressed with the place, has anyone used it before ?

When we originally bought our boat we kept it at Wigrams Turn Marina for a couple of years. It was a good marina with friendly staff although I expect a few will have moved on by now as it was a few years ago. One thing that was good was that there was a mixture of liveaboards (including the harbour master) and holiday boats like us. On the whole I think this helps with security having eyes and ears around the Marina and also report any mishaps with boats sooner than later.

 

It was interesting given that the marina is on a large water volume pound that the level could rise and fall quite significantly if it rained heavily. So best not to tie a boat up too tight when the boat is left.

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There's a lot of competition in that part of the network so it doesn't surprise me that the staff are falling over themselves to be helpful. All the marinas in that area have plenty of vacancies and all offer as slightly different experience so it's worth shopping around.

Especially with Dunchurch Pools coming on line very soon from what I could see through the hedge on Sunday. I reckon thats another 350 berths on the same pound.

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Especially with Dunchurch Pools coming on line very soon from what I could see through the hedge on Sunday. I reckon thats another 350 berths on the same pound.

I understand that they have some good offers at Dunchurch if you are prepared to commit to being there for a bit of time. This is from a friend who is going in when they open saving against what he paid in the area last year.

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I understand that they have some good offers at Dunchurch if you are prepared to commit to being there for a bit of time. This is from a friend who is going in when they open saving against what he paid in the area last year.

Is your friend going to live aboard? Just wondered what their view is and are they allowing it.

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We popped in for a weekend at the end of October. We needed provisions, Tesco delivery, coal, logs, diesel, elsan.... all the usual. We were really impressed, and their diesel was very reasonable we thought.

 

While we were there we used their laundry facilities which was brilliant. They also have a field at the back especially for exercising dogs too.

 

This winter, being our first one living aboard, our idea is to continually cruise where we can, and hop into marinas for one or thrice weekends in a month. Wigrams is definitely one we'll be returning too.

 

The place appears to be run with military efficiency.... top marks!

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We stayed at WT for a couple of weeks last year, agree with all that has been said. The only downside for us was that phone/data signal was non existent in and around the boat.

 

You're right, forgot to mention that - our EE dongle was very unreliable. They do have their own wifi, but we didn't pay to use it, whether that's any better, I don't know.

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A long way.....

 

It's about halfway between them both. There is a bus service stops at the young offenders centre next to it though.

 

Another 60 berths also coming on line at the Clifton Arm which has just been dug out about another 1/4 mile.

If you don't treat your customers well in this area, you will soon lose them.

Edited by matty40s
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A long way.....

 

It's about halfway between them both. There is a bus service stops at the young offenders centre next to it though.

 

 

I believe that there is now only 1 bus per day (no. 13) in each direction, following the re-routing of the No. 12 service which runs between Daventry and Rubgy.

 

Chris G

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We looked at quite a lot of marinas before we bought our boat last month. We visited Wigrams and they had a couple of nice spots but it didn't seem as nice and quiet (you could really hear the road noise) as Ventnor plus a holiday company runs from there so we chose Ventnor and got a really quiet spot in Sunrise. The staff have been absolutely great, nothing is too much trouble, they have given us quite a lot of good advice and we have booked ours in for blacking & some paintwork with Rory next year at a very competitive price. It works for us but you have to feel the place you choose is right for you. The spot we chose is ours, one marina we visted, no names, said that if you are not actually moored there then they have the right to use your space for temps until you get back which we thought was a bit of a cheek,they were also roughly the same price but had no facilities. Also, as mentioned, you have use of the other Castle marinas, great for planning journeys, one even has gym and and indoor swimming pool........... can't wait to use them....... every morning I do 40 press ups, then I do the other eyelid.....rolleyes.gif

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