BLUEMOMENT

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. . . that there are virtually no charter companies in the UK operating outwith the South and SW coasts and Scotland?

I have only been able to locate a total of five companies offerring bareboat charter in the whole of E. Anglia, NE & NW England, Wales and the IOM:
http://www.bluemoment.com/charternorth.html

Does anyone know of any others?

The availability of charter yachts reflects the atraction of the areas. My parents had a year on the Humber out of Grimsby before they moved to Kip, it was rubbish.

The South, SW and Scotland are the only places worth sailing in, and I seriously doubt the first two.

There's not a lot on the East Coast for sailors. Leaving harbour, you can either turn left or right. That's it

Last year I sailed from Peterhead to the Tyne. I could write a saga of the voyage, but here's the summary:-

First stop was to be Arbroath, but due to fog, I didn't get away when I wanted to, and ended up stoping in Stonehaven. The inner harbour dries, so it was alongside the wall on the outer harbour. The one shower was in the disabled toilet. Not exactly first class

Entry to Arbroath is 3 hrs either side of high water, and only between the hours of 0700 to 2000. Electricity AND WATER are by token. The dearest place I was in. The showers here are in the fish market

Next stop was Eyemouth. There is one pontoon alongside the south side of the harbour, and it has no security. Showers are a bit of a walk, but are first class.

After Eyemouth, it was on to the Tyne. St Peters marina was a bit "tired", but very friendly people.

On the way back, I also stopped at Blyth & Amble. Both very friendly places.

Apart from the marina at Port Edgar, all the other harbours up the east coast are drying as far as I know.

That's the east coast in a nutshell, I think.

This year I'm thinking of either going through the canal to the Oban/Mull area, or up to Orkney.


There is one company, Moray Firth Sailing, that offers skippered charter out of Lossiemouth, but I think that most of there business is the sailing school.

Tayport harbour in NE Fife has around 1.5m at MLWS I believe, but I don't know what facilities it has.
Also, Dundee is supposed to be developing a marina. I don't know
how far this has got, but I have seen a mast or two in one of the
basins when heading to the Tay Road Bridge.

Dave

Firstly chartering:

Bob Moncur used to do skippered charter and training from St Peters in Newcastle, I think he's based in Hartlepool now. The Cirdan Trust operate from Hartlepool, some years ago they did sea school and skipperd charter under the name Faramir Trust.

There is Cool Breezes chartering a big motor cruiser from Royal Quays at Nth Shields. Hull has one or 2 companies chartering and/or sea schools - Can't remember the names. Day Melon learned to sail in Hull!

In terms of a cruising ground, although not in the scenic league of West Scotland it does have some attractive spots.

As for marinas, there are marinas with good facilities at Hull, Hartlepool, Sunderland, North Shields, St Peters (Newcastle) Blythe and Amble. As well as these there are marina type facilities at Grimsby (ok ok I know) Scarborough and Whitby. Acceptable harbour moorings at Bridlington and Eyemouth and Staithes, although the entry requires a sense of humour.

Perhaps some of the best features are the anchorages -

Filey - a bit exposed from South but pleasant
Runswick Bay - very good shelter in a pretty setting - nice pub
Port Mulgrave - Nice enough but not as good as Runswick
Skinningrove - Bit exposed but not bad - don't go there with much East in the wind.
Newbiggin - nice little bay off the town.
Druridege bay - Nice spot but not with any Easterlies
Hauxley - Bit complicated to get in - but worth the effort
Craster - Anchor behind rocks just of the little harbour - looks a bit scary but fine once your in. Nice view of Dunstanburg castle.
The Kettle - Inner Farne A sort of rite of passage place for this area. Actually its not that good - Terns squawking all day and seals howling all night - and trip boats whinging in between.

Plenty of others that I haven't been in. The RNYC do an excellent pilot book - goes all the way to Rattray Head so you will be able to get back home!

And of course the best of the lot - Lindisfarne. Beautiful anchorage - guess you know the rest

Really the best of this bit of coast is going in the small harbours and anchorages. To get the best of it a boat that can take the ground has advantages, but many do cruise in fin keelers.