Where to launch - thames estuary

[searider12]

Hi all, can't work out if this is the right part of the forum for this. Have my boat in London for a couple more weeks and was thinking of taking her out this weekend. Not keen to pay for a whole year's membership to use a big slip like Herne Hill - are there any slips around Whitstable/Sheppey that would cope with a car launch but don't insist on annual registration?

Thanks!

[paulbrown22]

Whereabouts in London, and do you want to launch in London itself or Kent? There are a few public slipways in East London for the brave hearted as they tend to be covered in shingle and/or shopping trolleys, and a very good one accessible through Greenwich Yacht Club.

[searider12]

I guess I was hoping to get a bit further out of London...but maybe Greenwich is the best bet! A lot of the medway ones look like they wouldn't cope with a bigger boat and trailer.

[Wave Rider]

North Kent coast no good.
Alternative concrete slips daily chargeable.
In essex there is burnham marina or Bradwell marina.
In Suffolk there is Suffolk yacht harbour.
Enjoy your weekend.

[paulbrown22]

Originally Posted by searider12

I guess I was hoping to get a bit further out of London...but maybe Greenwich is the best bet! A lot of the medway ones look like they wouldn't cope with a bigger boat and trailer.

I guess it depends where you want to explore and what you want to do! On the Thames and out into the estuary I don't think there's that many decent adhoc options east of Greenwich for larger boats/trailers that need vehicle launching. As above, there's good options further out in the Essex/Suffolk rivers, or on the South Kent coast. Personally I love Burnham and the Suffolk rivers (Orwell/Stour/etc.) as there's various options to stop and visit, but not necessarily the best for RIB's due to speed limits! From Greenwich you can do the 12kn thing up through London, or once you've gone through the Barrier and past Margaretness, the speed limit is no more and you can have a decent run downriver.