SIBing around St Ives - any tips...

HUMBER P4VWL · 07 January 2019, 19:45

Staying right in middle of town for a Week in August this summer:
- can you launch on any of the beaches?
- can you land/beach on any of the beaches?
- can you leave tied up anywhere in the harbour?
- are there launching fees if you can carry the boat?

Any sites/tips welcomed...

maverick58 · 07 January 2019, 20:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by HUMBER P4VWL

Staying right in middle of town for a Week in August this summer:
- can you launch on any of the beaches?
- can you land/beach on any of the beaches?
- can you leave tied up anywhere in the harbour?
- are there launching fees if you can carry the boat?

Any sites/tips welcomed...

Interested in this also. [emoji1417][emoji41]

HUMBER P4VWL · 07 January 2019, 20:23

I assume that as little inflatables are allowed, (possibly outside the safe flags bit) especially the harbour, and you can carry your sib/Rib, then why not. Perhaps at worst you have to row out a little before starting your engine...

Clearly there are swimming zones on the main beaches where you wouldn't use your engine.

maverick58 · 07 January 2019, 20:37

From what I observed there last year it’s not really set up for boating. I hardly saw any out there even during the hot spell. there’s a slipway in the harbour but that drains dry at low tide so U’ll need wheels to get it back in. I was told there’s a public slipway somewhere on the river too?? Personally I would not want to carry my gear across Cornwall’s terrain to launch from the beach especially if it’s got 2-3ft breakers and a few angry surfers!!! Can anyone else elaborate??

HUMBER P4VWL · 07 January 2019, 20:50

I can carry my 2.5m RIB on my shoulders from the roof rack to the water. Was hoping to launch in the harbour on a calm day to just potter about, swim from etc have a spin in the bay, the 8hp gets it to about 20mph on the flat. There's not much surf usually at all on St Ives' beaches.

There's plenty of yellow sibs for hire from the harbour. Just £££ for every 20 mins!

Fenlander · 08 January 2019, 00:13

Over the past few years I've researched most areas of the UK for sibbing potential. I've visited St.Ives as a tourist on foot but never with a boat.... but this is what I found out.

There is a part time Harbour Master for the St Ives area on 01736 795018 who can give advice.

As said by others above there is a slip centrally in the harbour near where the yellow hire sibs and their payment stalls are located (£50/hr). I think this slip is HW+/- 2hrs and a longer "turtle back walk" for HUMBER PAVWL (or longer transom trolley for others) outside these times. The harbour dries and some... way beyond the harbour wall ends at very low tides.

There is a notice that says to contact the Harbour Master before launching from this slip but I never found out if there was a fee for hand launches. There is no parking close to the slip but I reckon it would be possible to briefly stop and throw a small sib off the roof and OB out the boot then park the car elsewhere while someone minds the kit.

Having said all that I decided it would be impossible to do with our 3.8m and all the kit so discounted that location for us.

A better possibility might be the road that slopes down to Porthgwidden beach adj the cafe. This is only 200m or so North of the harbour. There is a decent car park at the top of this road too so with an early start a space might be possible. See this Youtube drone video and freeze at 1min 11sec

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1zMB9epN6k

You can see the road to the beach bottom left of frame. At peak times though the beach is so crowded anything more than carrying a tiny sib or kayak might be impossible with the density of sunbathers.

When looking for sibbing launch points I often use online resources meant for the kayak guys as with transom wheels or a carry similar places can be used.

See this map for the St.Ives area with potential kayak launch sites marked inc Porthgwidden beach.
... https://www.britishcanoeing.org.uk/u...yaking_map.pdf

HTH

maverick58 · 08 January 2019, 09:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fenlander

Over the past few years I've researched most areas of the UK for sibbing potential. I've visited St.Ives as a tourist on foot but never with a boat.... but this is what I found out.

There is a part time Harbour Master for the St Ives area on 01736 795018 who can give advice.

As said by others above there is a slip centrally in the harbour near where the yellow hire sibs and their payment stalls are located (£50/hr). I think this slip is HW+/- 2hrs and a longer "turtle back walk" for HUMBER PAVWL (or longer transom trolley for others) outside these times. The harbour dries and some... way beyond the harbour wall ends at very low tides.

There is a notice that says to contact the Harbour Master before launching from this slip but I never found out if there was a fee for hand launches. There is no parking close to the slip but I reckon it would be possible to briefly stop and throw a small sib off the roof and OB out the boot then park the car elsewhere while someone minds the kit.

Having said all that I decided it would be impossible to do with our 3.8m and all the kit so discounted that location for us.

A better possibility might be the road that slopes down to Porthgwidden beach adj the cafe. This is only 200m or so North of the harbour. There is a decent car park at the top of this road too so with an early start a space might be possible. See this Youtube drone video and freeze at 1min 11sec

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1zMB9epN6k

You can see the road to the beach bottom left of frame. At peak times though the beach is so crowded anything more than carrying a tiny sib or kayak might be impossible with the density of sunbathers.

When looking for sibbing launch points I often use online resources meant for the kayak guys as with transom wheels or a carry similar places can be used.

See this map for the St.Ives area with potential kayak launch sites marked inc Porthgwidden beach.
... https://www.britishcanoeing.org.uk/u...yaking_map.pdf

HTH

Stunning drone video fenlander, such a shame all that beauty isn’t really accessible for boating. There’s a site called boat launch if anyone’s interested, it details all public launch sites within an area and gives some detailed info regarding that slipway. Worth a look!!!

http://www.boatlaunch.co.uk/#/map

Fenlander · 08 January 2019, 09:40

Yep drone footage (not mine btw) on Youtube is a great resource for pre-planning sib holidays.

There is a webcam on that harbour slip too. Looks quiet now but in the summer add in crowds of folks and the hire boat stalls which almost block the top of the slipway and it would be a different matter.

https://www.skylinewebcams.com/en/we...s/st-ives.html

There's a webcam on the cafe at Porthgwidden beach too. The road that slopes to the beach is just out of screen bottom right but you can get an idea of launch conditions at different times.

https://carbisbayholidays.co.uk/Webc...n-cafe-webcam/

Quicksilver mike · 08 January 2019, 09:47

I launched my Quicksilver 380 in St. Ives last summer (inflated on slipway from car boot 1st thing in the morning when its quiet), the slipway where the yellow inflatable boat hire operate from is best.

The boat hire people do seem to consider the slipway there territory but once they understand you know what you're doing the become a bit friendlier. With the harbour being tidal people were driving into the harbour to launch when the tide was out but i did notice that the sand is very gradual so launching/recovery at low tide you would need a long rope if using a trailer.

There was a small fee around £20 and the harbourmaster will assign you a visitors mooring in the harbour, they were quite particular regarding insurance etc, as in the summer the hire boats are all over the place.

simonl · 08 January 2019, 11:21

With a prevailing SW St Ives Bay is often quite sheltered. There's generally more swell than the south coast but that's perfectly manageable in almost anything as long as you keep clear of the breakers. They allow idiots in hire boats to go quite some way out of the harbour so it's typically a low risk area. There's minimal rocks in the bay & no nasty suprises as long as you keep out of the white stuff. In good weather you could easily head across to Hayle, but I would only recommend crossing the bar on a rising tide & with minimal swell. Avoid if you've got strong wind against tide. Having a look from the seaward side of the bar you can easily assess it - what you see from there is what you get.
There's an NCI Coastwatch station on the island - might be worth popping in to see them for any tips & asking them which channels they monitor.

Even if the tide's out the sand is hard in the harbour.

HUMBER P4VWL · 08 January 2019, 12:32

Cheers all. Great info.

Fenlander · 08 January 2019, 12:58

>>> allow idiots in hire boats to go quite some way out of the harbour

I'm quite surprised they do this... wonder if they get incidents? Do they run a safety boat around while they have hires on the water?

HUMBER P4VWL · 08 January 2019, 14:34

I hired one 3yrs ago, speed limited 6hp Suzuki 4s. They just plod about at displacement speed and have a prop guard. Even if you rammed another boat you're in an inflatable. Can't really cause much damage. There's a marker buoy a few hundred metres off the harbour that you can't pass. There's one boat out there watching.

Celticfox · 12 February 2019, 20:29

I see this is an older thread, but thought I'd add a couple of "curve balls" in - while I've always enjoyed St Ives & Carbis Bay on foot, for anything more boat related, I much prefer the South Cornish coast. Absolute favourite is Falmouth Bay, with a wonderful mix of creeks, big safe deep bay and plenty of interesting coastline to explore. Some of the finest boating waters in the country, and lots of places to get on the water. Personal favourite "start point" is Mylor harbour - a free public slipway (parking pretty inexpensive), the Mylor Harbour slipway for a small fee, use Restronguet Sailing Club (you can do short "holiday" temp memberships and they are very welcoming or from Windsport. Great little cafe and Castaways restaurant with chandlery and surf shop too. From there the bay completely opens up to you - head up the many different creeks (take care on tides if you want to avoid being dried out!) as far as Truro , Falmouth & Penryn or head over to St Anthony lighthouse and some wonderful beaches. Stop into St Just or St Mawes for great places to eat/grab an ice-cream. You can happily spend a week or two exploring and never have to hit the same place twice. Even in higher winds, you can usually find nice sheltered corners to play! Probably 40 mins drive from St Ives, but well worth the effort. Lots of slips, harbours & clubs all round the bay from which to get onto the water - which most locals do at every opportunity!

Alternatively, head towards Marazion & St Michaels Mount. Some good options for pottering with Cornwall's own "Mont Saint Michel", and I believe there is a public slip somewhere around Marazion. Not as sheltered nor with as many "nooks & crannies" to explore, but with its own charm - and only 10-15 mins drive.

But for me, Falmouth Bay and the coast east & west of it are almost impossible to beat!

paintman · 12 February 2019, 21:07

If you're in Falmouth bay it's well worth a trip to the Pandora Inn.
Moor up to their pontoon.
Welcome to the Pandora Inn

Celticfox · 12 February 2019, 23:25

Indeed! A while since I've been in the Pandora, but was always good. Lots of nice eateries/pubs/galleries in Falmouth - and the Maritime Museum also worth a visit.

Fenlander · 13 February 2019, 10:39

Massive thanks Celticfox for highlighting the Falmouth bay area... somewhere I'd not considered in enough detail before. I've just spent an hour pouring over Google maps, the charts, Visitmyharbour website and cottage/B&B reviews.

We are always looking for future holiday ideas where we can get accommodation within a couple of minutes SIB trundle of a slipway.... and most important where that slip is pretty well all states of the tide launch.

Also for our interests using a SIB we don't want to just launch with nowhere else to go other than straight out to sea where the only interest is running up and down coast then return to launch point. We want beaches to pull up... pontoons to stop at to visit pubs, fish & chips, shops etc plus more sheltered bad weather options.

It appears Falmouth bay may meet these needs.

We've worked out that staying adj the Mylor Yacht Harbour or Falmouth Haven and using their facilities could give us a good holiday.

Limecc · 13 February 2019, 11:15

Hi Fenlander, Hurst View Lymington has static caravans and the Solent looks to be a great area. We are really looking forward to going. Plenty of places to explore, moor and order food.

Fenlander · 13 February 2019, 12:27

Thanks LimeCC… where will you launch from there and/or keep the boat moored?

Celticfox · 13 February 2019, 12:28

Hi Fenlander,

Given your criteria, I think Falmouth Bay is really hard to beat. There are no end of accomodation options in & around the bay (from high end luxury retreats to National Trust and private cottages to some lovely caravan & camp sites.

From Mylor Harbour, you can pretty much get on & off the water easily in any tide, facilities for watersports/craft are excellent everywhere, and there are endless nice pubs, restaurants, pretty villages, grand waterside houses to ogle and dream about etc. While the Solent offers equivaelnt variety, I've always found Falmouth bay much prettier, friendly and down to earth - less "yachty toffs / all the gear, no idea" types, just lost of friendly folk in well-used gear and boats of all shapes, ages and sizes having fun on the water!

Also very dog friendly (only a couple of the main beaches with stricter dog restrictions) - plenty of options for tying up on a sandy beach / sheltered bay, getting the barbie out and chilling, scrambling, walking the coastal paths etc.

If you're thinking at the other end of the country, the Clyde estuary can also be very beautiful with all the sea lochs off it. My favourite is a bit further beyond, around Loch Coalisport/ Loch Sween / Loch Fyne. Infrastructure outside the small towns (large villages!) of Tarbert, Ardrishaig, Lochgilphead etc is VERY limited, weather can change in an instant, care needed on rocks/reefs/tides in some areas (charts and tapping into local knowledge strongly advised) and the midges are ferocious, but on a good day, you can't beat if for rugged, majestic beauty. Places to consider staying are the log cabins at Camas, Ormsary (beaches/bay launching for boats), Port Ban Caravan site (quiet, but right on the water's edge), I think there are still a couple of cottages in Kilberry & the excellent Kilberry Inn for food and a wee dram, or base yourself in Tarbert which gives you easy access to waters on "both sides" of the peninsula.

Have yet to do it with a boat myself, but Loch Ness and the Great Glen will offer you some stunning SIBing opportunities - more forgiving than the open seas off the west coast, though similar limited infrastructure and demonic midge warnings apply!

Hope that gives a couple of ideas!