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What's the story here?

Northney Marina is located in the northwest corner of Chichester Harbour, 3½ miles within the entrance and on the north side of Hayling Island. It is accessed via the deep Eastney and the moderately deep Sweare Deep channels, making it one of Chichester Harbour's two marinas that are accessible to most vessels at all states of the tide.

The marina has 228 berths and can accommodate yachts up to 24 metres in length and 1.8 metres in width. It has good water depth in its approach channel, typically around 2.5 metres at Mean Low Water Springs (MLWS), ensuring suitable conditions for most pleasure craft. The marina maintains a set of berths reserved for visitors, but these are not permanently labelled visitor pontoons. Rather, it operates a flexible visitor‑berthing system, in which specific berths are assigned on arrival, depending on availability, vessel size, and tidal conditions. Consequently it is avisable to make contact in advance: Northney Marina (MDL Marinas) northney@mdlmarinas.co.uk, +44 (0)23 9246 6321, [VHF]: Ch. 80 [Northney Marina], Northney Marina Website .

Daily Visitor Berthing [2026]

• • Up to 12.5m: £5.55 per metre


• • 12.6m – 18m: £7.00 per metre


• • 18.1m – 24m: £7.80 per metre


• • 24.1m +: £8.50 per metre

Short Stay Berthing (Up to 4 hours)


• • Up to 15m: £13.10


• • 15.1m +: £19.30 flat rate

Typically, MDL visitor berths are metered and charged for shore power separately, payable via your digital account or at the marina office. Berths should generally be vacated by noon on the day of departure. If arriving after 5 p.m., it is recommended to inform the marina.

How to get in?

Northney Marina is located about 3½ miles from the entrance to Chichester Harbour and is accessed through the Emsworth Channel and thence through Sweare Deep. The approaches to the entrance, with its tidal flow, are detailed in Navigating Chichester Harbour .



Proceed up Chichester Harbour's entrance channel towards the Fisher south cardinal mark at the head of the channel – it is located 400 metres north when Hayling Island Sailing Club draws abeam. This cardinal marks the junction where the entrance channel divides into the harbour’s two main arms, the Emsworth and Chichester channels. Here, the Emsworth Channel continues northward, and the Chichester Channel branches off to the east.

Enter the Emsworth Channel by passing to port of the small craft moorings north of Black Point and the entrance to Sparkes Marina, and to starboard of the Fisher Channel Mark south cardinal; the NW Pilsey and N Pilsey buoys mark the south-western end of the drying Pilsey Sands.

From its entrance, the Emsworth Channel runs north by northwest for 2¼ miles to the Emsworth south cardinal beacon, Q6 + L Fl 15s. At this point, the channel forks, with Sweare Deep leading to Northney Marina. The Emsworth Channel is wide, has a charted depth of at least 2.7 metres in the fairway, and is well marked and lit to the beacon. However, currents in the channel can reach speeds of 2 knots.



A ½ mile north of the Fisher South Cardinal mark is the Mill Rythe port red buoy, situated off the Hayling Island side of the channel. The Mill Rythe buoy marks the southern side of the entrance to a drying channel that branches off north-westward to the Hayling Yacht Company.

After Mill Rythe, the Emsworth Channel is free of moorings. It is marked by red piles with can top marks on the Hayling Island side, green piles with conical top marks on the Pilsey Sands to Thorney Island, and then onward to the Emsworth south cardinal beacon.




At the Emsworth south cardinal beacon, the channel divides. The Emsworth Channel continues north by northeast for a ½ mile to Emsworth's floating pontoon. After this, it leads to the town quay and marina, entered over a sill, a further ½ mile above, but it increasingly narrows and becomes shallow until it eventually dries.




Sweare Deep forks off at 45° to port and north-westward. It passes around Hayling Island’s north-eastern corner for just under a mile to where the entrance channel to Northney Marina opens. The marina's roof and forest of masts will be visible at this point. Enter Sweare Deep by passing the Emsworth south cardinal beacon to starboard and a lit port pile mark to port, Fl(2)R 10s 8m.




Sweare Deep, at least 10 metres wide, is well-marked with red and green half-tide piles on its drying banks, plus three substantial lit port pile beacons within the channel. The first of these port piles is opposite the Emsworth south cardinal beacon. All of these piles flash at 10-second intervals.




The channel has at least 2 metres up to the second port pile marker, located half a mile northwest, Fl(3)R. Between this and the final mark, Fl(4)R, situated at the entrance channel to Northney, and in the entrance channel itself, expect depths of 1 to 1.5 metres chart datum. At low water, best depths are to be found by following the moorings on the north side of the channel, rather than tracking a straight line between the port hand beacons.




At the Northney port-hand pile beacon, turn sharp to south into the marina's entrance channel, marked by red and green perches. Enter the marina via a short channel dredged to 1 metre chart datum.




It is essential to call on VHF Ch. 80 or by mobile for a vacant berth before arriving. Upon arrival, berth as directed by the marina office.



Low air draught vessels may pass between Chichester and Langstone harbours at high water. This may be achieved by continuing westward past the entrance to Northney Marina and passing under Hayling Road Bridge connecting the island to the mainland. The bridge has an airdraft of 1.3 metres, and the passage underneath it is 9 metres wide. Beyond it, there are the ruins of the old railway connection with a well-marked pass.



Once under the bridge, continue through North Lake on the Langstone side to connect with the head of the Langstone Channel. Although dry at LWS, North Lake has a depth of 3.7 in at MHWS.

Why visit here?

Northney Marina is owned and operated by Marina Development Limited (MDL) based in Hamble Hampshire. The company owns and manages eighteen coastal marinas and boatyards in England which includes Sparkes Marina at the entrance to Chichester Harbour. It has other facilities in France, Italy and Spain and the company provides its berth holders with freedom to roam between their extensive range of facilities without berthing fees when space is available.

The settlement of North Hayling was first documented as Heglingaigaen' in 956, and in 1256 as Northeneye from which the current name descends. The northern part of Hayling Island is the richest in terms of human inhabitation. One of Hailing’s most significant archaeological monuments, the remains of the Hayling Island Roman temple, were excavated in Touncil Field, mid-way between North Hayling village and the Havant Road. The excavations also indicated Saxon settlement activity on the site. Northney’ evidence of human occupation however dates back to at least the Bronze Age. For this area was the site of the important ‘Wadeway’ that has provided access to the Island for countless millennia.




The ‘Wadeway’ was a raised trackway that was exposed three hours either side of low water. It offered pedestrians, carts and horse riders a pathway from Langstone Village to a point on the Northney shoreline close west of where the marina is sited today. This three-quarter mile long track served the island as early as the Bronze Age. A piece of timber with an ancient axe cut found at the Hayling end of the ‘Wadeway’ was carbon dated to be 1,000 years BC. This provided an indication of just how early this route was established and the ‘Wadeway’ continued to service the island until as late as 1924. In that year a deep water channel called ‘New Cut’ was dredged through the ancient raised trackway to enable the barges of the ‘Portsmouth to Arundel Canal’ touched upon in the Birdham Pool entry. The ‘Wadeway’ was likewise obsoleted that year by the island’s first wooden bridge. Eventually, a toll bridge was built, and then came the railway with its own bridge situated close west of the road bridge.

The 300 metres long rail bridge was constructed in 1867 to carry the Hayling Billy Line. Complete with a lifting bridge section it was made of timber piles driven into the alluvial mud, that were later encased in concrete. ‘Puffing Billy’ was very popular with holidaymakers from London during the summers of the 19th and 20th centuries running from Havant to the sandy beaches on Hayling’s southern shore. By the 20th century Hayling Island was at the forefront of the pre-war holiday camp boom that was well serviced by trains. The camps created perfect accommodation for the many thousands of service personnel drafted in to the Island during the second world war. Then the pre-war population of around 3,000 inhabitants increased to over three times that number, all being shipped in on the former Hayling Billy line. Despite its summer popularity the line was scarcely used in the winter after the war and proved uneconomical to run. It was closed in 1963 due to the prohibitive cost of replacing the then decaying railway bridge that was itself demolished in 1966.


Despite its through-traffic Northney stayed rural with a significant concentration of early farmsteads, particularly in the 17th century, that reflected its good agricultural soils and sheltered position. Much of the land was farmed under an open field system and became enclosed by the 1870s. The area was predominantly arable with orchards around Northney and today remains comparatively little changed by 20th century development.

What has remained constant for Northney, and the harbour area as a whole, from as early as the Bronze Age is salt making by the process of evaporating seawater. Situated on the sheltered north-western shore Northney was one of the largest in the region. The activity continued on the island until the late 19th century when these systems were obsoleted by mined salt sources particularly from the salt mines of Cheshire. It is the legacy of the salterns that has created Northney Marina. For Northney Marina is built into the original footprint of what was the Northney saltern. Around the marina one does not have to look far for tangible evidence of these systems through the survival of some of the banks. Small areas of salt marshes still exist on the mudflats around the harbour today.

From a sailing perspective Northney is one of the two all-tide-access marina’s available to most visiting vessels. The very modern marina has all up-to-date facilities in a secluded location, with much of the island’s history tangible via a short walk from the pontoons. The meeting point of Langstone Harbour and Chichester Harbour is generally taken to be the position of the present road bridge, the only bridge crossing to the island, which is about 15 minutes’ walk from the marina. Large sections of the old railway bridge can be seen today close west of the present road bridge which replaced the original wooden bridge in 1956. The ancient ‘Wadeway’ is still visible today particularly at low tide. It can be seen extending between the Royal Oak at Langstone and Northney shore with oak stumps marking part of the route. It is now marked by the line of a public right of way between Langstone village and North Common. The 12th century St Peter’s church is located 20 minutes’ walk from the marina, about a mile south along Northney Road which converges with St. Peters road. It is the oldest surviving church and one of the loveliest buildings on the Island.

What facilities are available?

All pontoons have water and electricity, with facilities for waste disposal. Waste oil can be disposed of ashore near the marina office. The marina has excellent showers, toilets, a launderette and a clothes dryer. WiFi is available throughout the marina area. Diesel can be supplied through the marina office.

A travel hoist can lift vessels weighing up to 35 tons, and there is hard standing for up to 200 boats ashore. The marina has a modernised slipway with an adjacent access pontoon, providing easy access to the water for trailer sailors, along with ample space for car parking and trailer storage. There are good facilities ashore for boat owners wanting to carry out boat repairs or maintenance, with many marine-related tradesmen available. The nearby Shell garage has a mini market that provides some basic provisions.

The only way to and from the island from land is over Hayling Bridge. The nearest railway station to Hayling Island is Havant, just onto the mainland, 2 miles from Northney Marina. Alternatively, Portsmouth and Southsea is another railway station, used for connections to Bristol (Temple Meads) and Cardiff.

Dining Options Near Northney Marina
Langstone Quays Waterside Restaurant (Waterside dining located adjacent to Northney Marina)
reservations@langstonequays.co.uk | +44 (0)23 9246 5011
Address: Northney Road, Hayling Island, Hampshire, PO11 0NQ.

The Ship Inn (Historic waterfront pub with harbour views near Langstone Bridge)
Ship.Langstone@fullers.co.uk | +44 (0)23 9247 1719
Address: Langstone Road, Langstone, Havant, Hampshire, PO9 1RD.

The Royal Oak (Traditional 18th-century waterside pub overlooking Langstone Harbour)
+44 (0)23 9248 3125
Address: 19 Langstone High Street, Havant, Hampshire, PO9 1RY.

The Yew Tree Inn (Traditional country pub located a short walk south of Northney Marina)
+44 (0)23 9246 5391
Address: 111 Havant Road, Hayling Island, Hampshire, PO11 0PY.

Other Local Useful Contacts
Northney Marina (MDL Marinas) | northney@mdlmarinas.co.uk | +44 (0)23 9246 6321 | [VHF]: Channel 80 (Call sign Northney Marina) | Northney Marina
Address: Northney Marina, Northney Road, Hayling Island, Hampshire, PO11 0NH.
Itchenor Harbour Office: +44 (0)1243 512301 | [VHF]: Channel 14 (Call sign [Chichester Harbour Patrol])
| Harbour Office, The Street, West Itchenor, Chichester, West Sussex, PO20 7AW.
Hayling Rescue (for boats): +44 (0)7748 997105

Sea Start: +44 (0)800 885500

Environment Agency: +44 (0)3708 506506

HM Custom and Excise Portsmouth: +44 (0)23 8079 7000

Chichester Police Station: +44 (0)845 6070 999

Solent Coastguard: +44 (0)23 9255 2100

Hospital Chichester: +44 (0)1243 788 122

Dentist: +44 (0)844 5769 676

Any security concerns?

Never an issue known to have occurred to a vessel berthed in Northney Marina.

With thanks to:

Phil Walker Deputy Harbour Master. Photography by Michael Harpur.