Best Boat Ramps in the UK

[Vandad]

Guys, need your help and especially those who launch/recover their ribs with a 2WD not 4x4.

Can you please name a few sites that you HAVE TRIED yourself, and found it easy to launch/recover with a 2WD? Any advice on parking availability etc. is also welcome.

Mainly south coast and Wales (North/South), but also West Coast, East Coast and of course Land of Lochs and Glens!

Thank you.

[Polwart]

I assume you are familiar with Boatlaunch?

I only ever launch and recover with a 2wd, now neither my boat nor car is massive. I've never* had a problem with launch recovery with 2 people and a rope anywhere in Scotland. (I don't launch across shingle / sand). So you could end up with a very long list. I'd focus on where you want to go, rather than on where you can go.


* technically that is not true - I did have a very tricky recovery once using a rope because there wasn't enough nose weight on the trailer to keep the bow down - but since I improved the trailer set up its been fine.

[CJL]

1. Calshot Spit - Good parking - Nice gentle slipway
2. Lymington Town Quay (I think its called this) Good parking (expensive) - Nice slipway
3. Plymouth (Mt Battern Centre) Free parking - nice gentle slip - wooden sleepers at the bottom very slippy.
4. Plymouth Queen Anne's Battery - Plenty of parking (Expensive) - Excellent slipway
5. Marlow (River Thames) - Lots of parking a short walk away - Good slipway
6. Walton (River Thames) - Lots of parking at Cowey Sale - Good slipway, can get slippy at the bottom.
7. Hamble Point Marina (Expensive!) Good parking and slipway
8. Torquay (Well steep) No parking and felt almost vertical
9. Exmouth Lifeboat Slip (Dont bother!) Very sandy and pay and display parking
10. Knott End - Very shallow and has parking nearby.

[Pikey Dave]

Bridport (£15 ish)
Portland(expensive!! round about £30)
Whitby (£20.20 includes parking)
Brixham(£ don't know, it's been a long time)
Ty Calch (about £15, tractor launch, not worth getting your car wet, bargain!)

[9D280]

As pol says. I also use a mid size 2WD to tow, and guess I have about an extra 100-150Kg on the back compared to Pol.

For "non paved" slips I have a pneumatic jockey wheel and a long rope. Having said that, if you are travelling all the way up here, boatlaunch & the locals can point tyou at a "decent" slip when you have narrowed down your location.

[Paul Cannell]

[QUOTE=Pikey Dave;423861]
Portland(expensive!! round about £30)
QUOTE]

Portland Castletown slip, Free , concrete>sand/shingle. streetside or pay & display next to Aqua Hotel, used by locals & dive boats.

[Scrottocks]

Also have a 2wd (Mercedes E280) and have launched and recovered my 5m RIB with no problems at Littlehampton (in front of the RNLI station), Rye Harbour, and at Dover in front of the RYA (?) - very narrow slipway and slippery lower down (use a rope). Parking within 100m in all cases.

Had a couple of weeks on Skye and loads of places. Best of all is that when you're towing the RIB on single-track roads everything else gets out of the way - buses and lorries included!!!! Not sheep though.

Happy RIBing.

Arthur


PS. From 'Pikey Dave' - Portland Castletown slip, Free , concrete>sand/shingle. streetside or pay & display next to Aqua Hotel, used by locals & dive boats. The entrance is very narrow, blocked by big concrete blocks. But little used, so quiet. Only use near high tide as the shingle is very soft and even 4WD have a problem.

[250kts]

Agree with above plus, Christchurch Quay (you only pay for the car park (£8ish), Weymouth Harbour (trailer park, car has to go else where), Baiter Park Poole(£9)
Steve

[Markyboyo]

Falmouth watersports centre. Probably the best slip in Cornwall.
£10.50 to launch and a fiver to park the trailer so not the cheapest but I think the best.

Stole this pic of the net but it gives you an idea.....

View image: P1000315 ( Large)

[Downhilldai]

Neyland public slipway, nr Milford Haven.

Room for 6 or 7 boats side-by-side, free to launch, free to park, a pontoon during the summer months and yacht club facilities on site.