SHETLAND OWNERS ASSOCIATION

Hi
I bought a suntrip last year, and have just fitted a 60 hp Mercury. I had booked Power Boat 2 course in Anglesey, but due to persistent problems and escalating costs of fixing a trailer up, I have missed the sessions and don't know when I'll get another booking (though it will happen!).

I have a couple of friends who just learned to sail, and was wondering if there was a safe and easy place for us to just get my shetland in the water to get to know the motor, launch/recover, pootle about and familiarise myself with the boat before doing the training proper.

I live in Shrewsbury, so the mid and north wales coasts seem most promising, but I am looking for safe and easy!

Any help gratefully received

Neil

What about somewhere in the Severn near you? I am in a similar situation to yourself and am going to try Chester slipway in Sandy Lane for the Dee in a couple of weeks. Got to get a safety cert and licences first though.

There's a slipway in Menai Bridge, the Porth Daniel boat yard net door will launch/recover your boat, park your car & trailer for £26. The Menai Straits is nearly always calm and with a little bit on care/knowledge safe too once you're aware of the hazards, charts or a chartplotter are all you need to be aware of these. If you're doing you course in the Straights then you'll see all this first hand. The good thing about the Straights is that not only is it a brilliant place in its own right, it gives access to either side of Anglesey/North Wales coast so whatever the weather within reason you can get a good weekend out

I like the sound of that. I'll definitely be doing that later this year.

Definitely worth the trip from Wrexham, are you into overnighting onboard? If so there are a few free buoys you can hijack here and there, we often do, usually the evenings are very calm and a pleasant night can be had. There are a couple of marinas too at Caernarfon and Y Feliheli. Fuel can be had at Menai Bridge, Caernarfon and Beaumaris (practically on the beach). The only area for real care is the Swellies between the two bridges but once you're aware of the tide and of where Cribbin and Platters rocks are there is no problem at all, they take ships through there occasionally after all.

Hi,

Have you considered the milford haven waterway in pembrokeshire? 22 miles of sheltered estuary in a national park with loads of slips, jetties and waterside pubs, and when you get more adventurous there is the open celtic sea and the offshore islands with the puffin colonies, seals and dolphins. I've kept my boat there for 8years and travel down from derbyshire for two weekends a month.

Chris