A National Campaign to Encourage Architects to Provide Decent Marina Facilities

There is a rumour that the Rybovitch marina at West Palm Beach, Florida is probably one of the best. It's a superyacht marina where all the yacht crew love to hang out. We went for a BBQ on a Friday evening, invited by friends who were captain and hostess on a very nice 75ft ketch.
It felt more like a 5 star hotel. Huge play area, indoor and out door swimming pools, gym, bars, numerous bbq areas. In a different world to anything we have ever seen. Every fixture and fitting was the highest quality. Never seen anything else anywhere that compared

Fr J Hackett said:

Faced with such conditions I would shower on my own boat in comfort.

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Don't the councils/marine authorities have regulations about discharging grey water harbours/marinas in Britain?

Home & Hotel Comforts - Soldiers Point Marina

Its about 70nm north of Sydney, a decent day's sail and Port Stephens (the water) itself is idyllic, About 12nm further north is a tiny group of islands, Broughton Islands, with empty beaches and good fishing, see image. They are actually the only islands with decent anchoring on the NSW open water coast.



Just scroll through the 'hotel comfort' images for the toilet facilities.

Not exceptional - there are marina 'chains' with similar facilities. We used to use the slipway to service our cat - but bureaucracy had them closed down (or they did think it was a good business proposition).

You do pay for the access.

Jonathan

rotrax said:

I normally change into shore clothes, whatever the time of year. Since changing eight years ago to our current boat with its huge heated pilothouse, my shore clothes ARE my sailing clothes.

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I am waiting for my Lotto winnings before splashing out on a Boreal 47 Mk I.

Sandy said:

I've recently returned from a week on Lake Solent. During the week we tied up in a few marinas. Shall I say the 'facilities' left a lot to be desired, given this is the UK capital of sailing.

This is what I'd like from a marina's facilities:

• Enough room to undress six layers of clothing
  Many of the shower cubicles had no room to swing a cat.
  
  
• Somewhere I can hang up my kit
  Piddly wee cloths hooks don’t hack it – I want somewhere I can hang up dripping wet olies and a life jacket.
  
  
• A seat
  To rest my weary bones, remove my sea boots and can place dry garments on it.
  
  
• A screen to stop the shower soaking my dry kit
  Fed up of narrow screens that don't shield your kit from the shower.
  
  
• A shower that you don't have to press a button every 10 seconds for lukewarm water
  I want something that I can control, be it a button and a decent amount of time to drench myself or a proximity switch. I want control of the water temperature – I might want a hot shower to warm up or a cool shower to cool down (on the one day of summer). A movable head is a great addition not something connected to the wall that delivers water at an odd angle.
  
  
• Somewhere to place my soap/shampoo
  At about chest level - I can't be faffed bending down to pick up a wet bar of soap or reaching beyond the screen and getting my kit any wetter.
  
  
• NO muzak
  This is not a lift

Please join this campaign to encourage architects to go sailing on a cold, wet, windy day - F7 through the Needles Channel was fun - then walk ashore for a hot shower and consider the above points.

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Why would they do that in the Solent?
Worse that that for suggesting it they will only put the prices up.

They make more money out of those that turn up in £500k plus boats with every bit of kit (Charlie, Vogue, Spencer). With the compulsory table booking for the most expensive restaurant.

The ones that happily qué at the showers to wash off the make up and hair gell from the previous night.
Not the salt from the sailing earlier in the day.

I can only guess the weather you are describing is why you got a berth in a marina.

The sole purpose of a marina in the south is to take as much money as possible from any boat owner that happens to be in the vicinity.

They have learned that being nice to said boat owners is required and enables more easement of money from them, so they do it with a smile.

Seriously the Solent is it's own thing. We have been out Saturday and Sunday.

Saturday sunny, light winds - Charlie, Vogue, Spencer
where out in a very shiny off the shelf boats. With top of the range foul weather gear that costs more than my boat.

Sunday grey with rain, arguably better sailing breezes -
most of the boats out where the @co.uk boats.
Sailing schools, charters, Flexi sail boats. 2 life rings on the stern and "something.co.uk" branded on the boat. Sailing gear mid range often matching, other than the instructor wearing a different colour.

In the meantime Charlie, Vogue, Spencer will of been frequenting the restaurant they read about whilst researching the port.

This may give give the reason that the facilities are what they are. Sailing as you describe us not something many do down here.

Turning up late in the evening after a long day's sail means your going to get turned away as they have no spaces left.

onesea said:

Why would they do that in the Solent?

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Sir, you miss my point, this is needed nationally.

I was only specifically mentioning the Solent as I had just spent a week sailing there and given the fact they market themselves as the Sailing Capital of the UK mentioned the generally poor facilities.

But, not to worry I score each marina and anchorage on different criteria, you know the sort of thing – technical ability and artistic representation.

Sandy said:

Sir, you miss my point, this is needed nationally.

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The facilities you describe would be nice, if available nationally.

However I fear that supporting sailers is about increasing margins not supplying useable facilities.

I just hope with an upcoming long overdue Solent escape planned, this is not a national disease.

Not sure where you’ve been in the Solent that was bad I can’t think of any except Cowes Yacht Haven and they have good reason to prioritise quantity over quality. Most other, even Beaulieu have good facilities and many have full bathrooms allowing easy changing in comfort without faffing between a toilet area then sink then shower. Haslar even have squeegees to dry the floor if you happen to go in after someone who can’t dry off in the wet bit.

Maatsuyker said:

Don't the councils/marine authorities have regulations about discharging grey water harbours/marinas in Britain?

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Have you not heard of holding tanks, they work for grey as well as black water.

Maatsuyker said:

Don't the councils/marine authorities have regulations about discharging grey water harbours/marinas in Britain?

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Yes, compared to the water authorities discharging raw sewage into river in the millions of litres, my shower water is a major problem

Maatsuyker said:

Don't the councils/marine authorities have regulations about discharging grey water harbours/marinas in Britain?

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Grey water discharge is OK, few if any leisure boats have holding tanks for grey water. Black tank discharge, no. But as @geem says, the water companies discharge millions of litres of raw sewage into the coastal waters, so a few boats won’t make a bunch of difference.

Sticky Fingers said:

Grey water discharge is OK, few if any leisure boats have holding tanks for grey water. Black tank discharge, no. But as @geem says, the water companies discharge millions of litres of raw sewage into the coastal waters, so a few boats won’t make a bunch of difference.

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Back in August 2021 I was on passage from Plymouth to Ramsgate, in very benign conditions. Peering down into the water between St Catherine's Head and off Selsey Bill there were white specs of something in the water that we suspected was bog roll.

geem said:

Yes, compared to the water authorities discharging raw sewage into river in the millions of litres, my shower water is a major problem

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Blimey, what are you using as soap?!

xyachtdave said:

Blimey, what are you using as soap?!

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A bar of sarcasm. It lathers up nicely

Sandy said:

I've recently returned from a week on Lake Solent. During the week we tied up in a few marinas. Shall I say the 'facilities' left a lot to be desired, given this is the UK capital of sailing.

This is what I'd like from a marina's facilities:

• Enough room to undress six layers of clothing
  Many of the shower cubicles had no room to swing a cat.
  
  
• Somewhere I can hang up my kit
  Piddly wee cloths hooks don’t hack it – I want somewhere I can hang up dripping wet olies and a life jacket.
  
  
• A seat
  To rest my weary bones, remove my sea boots and can place dry garments on it.
  
  
• A screen to stop the shower soaking my dry kit
  Fed up of narrow screens that don't shield your kit from the shower.
  
  
• A shower that you don't have to press a button every 10 seconds for lukewarm water
  I want something that I can control, be it a button and a decent amount of time to drench myself or a proximity switch. I want control of the water temperature – I might want a hot shower to warm up or a cool shower to cool down (on the one day of summer). A movable head is a great addition not something connected to the wall that delivers water at an odd angle.
  
  
• Somewhere to place my soap/shampoo
  At about chest level - I can't be faffed bending down to pick up a wet bar of soap or reaching beyond the screen and getting my kit any wetter.
  
  
• NO muzak
  This is not a lift

Please join this campaign to encourage architects to go sailing on a cold, wet, windy day - F7 through the Needles Channel was fun - then walk ashore for a hot shower and consider the above points.

Click to expand...

Did you spend a night at Berthon in Lymington? You might have found their facilities to your liking, but less so the cost.

Try Tarbert on the Kyle of Lochalsh. Excellent showers and loos, with separate washbasins. Free too! Long way from Lake Solent though.

Maatsuyker said:

Don't the councils/marine authorities have regulations about discharging grey water harbours/marinas in Britain?

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Yes but it's mostly ignored.....

Tomaret said:

Did you spend a night at Berthon in Lymington? You might have found their facilities to your liking, but less so the cost.

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Not been that far up river, but will keep it in mind.

crewman said:

Try Tarbert on the Kyle of Lochalsh. Excellent showers and loos, with separate washbasins. Free too! Long way from Lake Solent though.

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Portavadie on Loch Fyne has superlative facilities!

Sandy said:

I've recently returned from a week on Lake Solent. During the week we tied up in a few marinas. Shall I say the 'facilities' left a lot to be desired, given this is the UK capital of sailing.

This is what I'd like from a marina's facilities:

• Enough room to undress six layers of clothing
  Many of the shower cubicles had no room to swing a cat.
  
  
• Somewhere I can hang up my kit
  Piddly wee cloths hooks don’t hack it – I want somewhere I can hang up dripping wet olies and a life jacket.
  
  
• A seat
  To rest my weary bones, remove my sea boots and can place dry garments on it.
  
  
• A screen to stop the shower soaking my dry kit
  Fed up of narrow screens that don't shield your kit from the shower.
  
  
• A shower that you don't have to press a button every 10 seconds for lukewarm water
  I want something that I can control, be it a button and a decent amount of time to drench myself or a proximity switch. I want control of the water temperature – I might want a hot shower to warm up or a cool shower to cool down (on the one day of summer). A movable head is a great addition not something connected to the wall that delivers water at an odd angle.
  
  
• Somewhere to place my soap/shampoo
  At about chest level - I can't be faffed bending down to pick up a wet bar of soap or reaching beyond the screen and getting my kit any wetter.
  
  
• NO muzak
  This is not a lift

Please join this campaign to encourage architects to go sailing on a cold, wet, windy day - F7 through the Needles Channel was fun - then walk ashore for a hot shower and consider the above points.

Click to expand...

Chichester marina full fills all your suggestions