Where can i launch my boat

[craigyboy]

Hi all i hve just bought my first boat and havent got a clue.
can any one tell me are there any local clubs and where could i lauch my boat. any help would be appreciated.

thanks, Craig

[alan]

Hi mate,what did you buy ?
heres a site to get you started
http://www.planadive.co.uk/slipways.html

[KeithB]

South Shields Sailing club (I think it\'s called??) have a good slip

[craigyboy]

Cheers alan.

[mark]

by no means comprehensive but

http://www.boatlaunch.co.uk is useful

the beach at cullercoats is ok, apart from the smegging jetskiers

ther\'s a good slip at sundrland marina as well

[TC]

The slipway at So Shields is (I think) a public slipway, belonging to the Council. I f I remember rightly, I think you get your ticket to use it either at the library or the Tourist Information Office.

I\'m sure there\'s a few of the lads from the Board have used it (I think Marc has).. They\'ll be able to give you more info on the one at So. Shields

[KeithB]

We used it on Thursday, we just turned up and launched the boat, didn\'t know anything about tickets - Whoops!!!

[craigyboy]

Cheers lads any info i good to me as i know nowt about boats.
Its a shetland 535 any 1 know owt about them?

[mark]

the \'oficial\' line at shileds is that you are supposed to have valid public liability insurance as well (minimum cover 1,000,000 quid!) don\'t how may bother though

as for the 535\'s theu have a pretty good reputation and can be scary fast with a big lump behind, there\'s a lad I know in scotland with a 85hp mariner behind his, scared the pants of me doing 35mph in a 25year old 17foot boat.

[craigyboy]

This one has a 20hp mercury thats fast enough for me lol

[welly]

my mate keeps his at willington boat club it has its own slip way and warehouse storage and they do insurance aswell

[Marc]

Most of it has already been covered but here it is in one go.

South Shields slip is just beside the groyne at you\'ve guessed it, South Shields.

I haven\'t used it for about 2 years now but on saying that, haven\'t used the boat much either.

The annual launch ticket is available from the Central Library or the Tourist office in Shields and the last one I bought ( 2 years ago ) was £27.00. You also got a pass included in this to allow you to park your car and trailer in the car park all day, all year. Thinking about this it might just be worth it for the parking for shore fishing.
You do have to have a copy of your insurance for the boat for at least 1 million public liability before they will issue the permit though.

The slip belongs to South Shields Council and NOT the yacht club as they think it does, they have no priority over any one else with a permit to use it\'s don\'t let them mess you about telling you that they have and you will have to wait.

It does get busy down there in the summer so it\'s best to launch early ( my early, before 9am, Not their early, 6am, Norman, Dave and the Boys
)

I\'m sure you can launch on all tides as-well as it goes quite a way down.

Cullercoats beach is the other one I\'ve used, I think it is free on the south side but you have to pay on the north (life boat side). Be careful about launching in the middle of the beach though as the sand is quite waterlogged and soft there, I would imagine you could nearly lose your wife\'s brand new Rav 4 ( week old ) to Neptune if your not careful , but that may be just a rumour.

If you need a hand launching for the first time give me a shout, I may not be able to show you how to do it properly, but I can show you how not to do it

Big must, you will need a pair of waders.

If you want a hand, give me a shout.

[Norman]

great informative post marc ..... could you expand a little on the rav 4, I remember you giving it a slight mention a while ago but not the full story?

[Marc]

I couldn\'t possibly do that Norman, I\'ll leave that for some other sod to do.

Bet you it dosn\'t take long

[Charlton]

Your lucky marc, if i knew that was you i would have gone for the camera, i normally have one on me most times i am out and about. Amazing how many boay owners just drive down onto a beach without having a look first. You always learn by your mistakes, i did.
Craigy Boy, if that is your first boat suggest you have a look at the article i wrote on small boats. Look in the original site info.