England Ireland Find Havens
England Ireland Find Routes
Boat
Maintenance
Comfort
Operations
Safety
Other



Adjacent Haven WNWAdjacent Haven E

WicorMarine Yacht Haven

Tides and tools
Overview





WicorMarine Yacht Haven is situated on the south coast of England, on the east side of The Solent, in the northwest corner of Portsmouth Harbour. It provides walk-ashore pontoons and swing moorings in a quiet part of the harbour and will happily accommodate guests.

WicorMarine Yacht Haven is situated on the south coast of England, on the east side of The Solent, in the northwest corner of Portsmouth Harbour. It provides walk-ashore pontoons and swing moorings in a quiet part of the harbour and will happily accommodate guests.

Located at the head of the protected natural harbour the moorings provide good protection. Safe access is available in all reasonable conditions, day or night and at all stages of the tide.
Please note

It is advisable to make contact in advance of any intended stay.




Be the first
to comment
Keyfacts for WicorMarine Yacht Haven
Facilities
Waste disposal bins availableDiesel fuel available alongsidePetrol available alongsideGas availableShop with basic provisions availableSlipway availableLaundry facilities availableShore based toilet facilitiesShowers available in the vicinity or by arrangementHot food available in the localityBoatyard with hard-standing available here; covered or uncoveredMarine engineering services available in the areaRigging services available in the areaElectronics or electronic repair available in the areaSail making or sail repair servicesRegional or international airport within 25 kilometres


Nature
Visitors moorings available, or possibly by club arrangementBeach or shoreline landing from a tenderJetty or a structure to assist landingSet near a village or with a village in the immediate vicinity

Considerations
Note: could be two hours or more from the main waterwaysNote: strong tides or currents in the area that require consideration

Protected sectors

Current wind over the protected quadrants
Minimum depth
3 metres (9.84 feet).

Approaches
5 stars: Safe access; all reasonable conditions.
Shelter
4 stars: Good; assured night's sleep except from specific quarters.



Last modified
May 18th 2019

Summary

A good location with safe access.

Facilities
Waste disposal bins availableDiesel fuel available alongsidePetrol available alongsideGas availableShop with basic provisions availableSlipway availableLaundry facilities availableShore based toilet facilitiesShowers available in the vicinity or by arrangementHot food available in the localityBoatyard with hard-standing available here; covered or uncoveredMarine engineering services available in the areaRigging services available in the areaElectronics or electronic repair available in the areaSail making or sail repair servicesRegional or international airport within 25 kilometres


Nature
Visitors moorings available, or possibly by club arrangementBeach or shoreline landing from a tenderJetty or a structure to assist landingSet near a village or with a village in the immediate vicinity

Considerations
Note: could be two hours or more from the main waterwaysNote: strong tides or currents in the area that require consideration



Position and approaches
Expand to new tab or fullscreen

Haven position

50° 50.361' N, 001° 8.988' W

This is set at the head of WicorMarine's jetty.


What are the key points of the approach?

The entry and the run-up thorough The Solent and Southampton Water are covered in
The Solent and Isle of Wight Route location coastal description. Approaches to Portsmouth Harbour and its entry can be found in the Gunwharf Quays Marina Click to view haven entry and the run up Fareham Lake is described in the Fareham Marina Click to view haven entry.


Not what you need?
Click the 'Next' and 'Previous' buttons to progress through neighbouring havens in a coastal 'clockwise' or 'anti-clockwise' sequence. Below are the ten nearest havens to WicorMarine Yacht Haven for your convenience.
Ten nearest havens by straight line charted distance and bearing:
  1. Portsmouth Marine Engineering - 1 nautical miles WNW
  2. Fareham Marina - 1.2 nautical miles WNW
  3. Hardway Sailing Club - 1.6 nautical miles SSE
  4. Port Solent Marina - 1.8 nautical miles E
  5. Royal Clarence Marina - 2.5 nautical miles SSE
  6. Gosport Marina - 2.8 nautical miles SSE
  7. Gunwharf Quays Marina - 3.1 nautical miles SSE
  8. Haslar Marina - 3.1 nautical miles SSE
  9. Stokes Bay - 3.6 nautical miles S
  10. Hill Head - 3.7 nautical miles WSW
These havens are ordered by straight line charted distance and bearing, and can be reordered by compass direction or coastal sequence:
  1. Portsmouth Marine Engineering - 1 miles WNW
  2. Fareham Marina - 1.2 miles WNW
  3. Hardway Sailing Club - 1.6 miles SSE
  4. Port Solent Marina - 1.8 miles E
  5. Royal Clarence Marina - 2.5 miles SSE
  6. Gosport Marina - 2.8 miles SSE
  7. Gunwharf Quays Marina - 3.1 miles SSE
  8. Haslar Marina - 3.1 miles SSE
  9. Stokes Bay - 3.6 miles S
  10. Hill Head - 3.7 miles WSW
To find locations with the specific attributes you need try:

Resources search

Chart
Please use our integrated Navionics chart to appraise the haven and its approaches. Navionics charts feature in premier plotters from B&G, Raymarine, Magellan and are also available on tablets. Open the chart in a larger viewing area by clicking the expand to 'new tab' or the 'full screen' option.

Expand to new tab or fullscreen



What's the story here?


WicorMarine Yacht Haven is situated in the northwest end of Portsmouth Harbour, about 3½ miles above its entrance and at the head of Fareham Lake. In this quiet and rural area of the harbour is a traditional boatyard with a range of yacht services fronted by walk-ashore pontoons and swing moorings.

WicorMarine Yacht Haven can accommodate yachts of up to 20 LOA in depths of up to 3.5 metres. It holds a 16-metre pontoon as a designated visitor berth, and will also happily accept visitors in any other vacant spaces on the mid-river walk-ashore pontoons. In 2019 these were connected to the shore via a jetty - our photos predate this extension. The landing stage has also been removed and launching is from the new walk-ashore link called 'the Causeway'. It is advisable to make berthing arrangements in advance by contacting the yard on P: +44 1329 237112.


How to get in?


Convergance Point The Solent and Isle of Wight Route location coastal description provides approach details. Approaches to Portsmouth Harbour and its entry can be found in the Gunwharf Quays Marina Click to view haven entry. The run-up Fareham Lake and approaches to WicorMarine Yacht Haven are described in the Fareham Marina Click to view haven entry located a mile above.

Haven location WicorMarine Yacht Haven’s downstream swinging moorings can be found westward of Peewit Island and on the starboard side of the main channel between green fairway piles 47 & 48. There are further downstream swing moorings on the opposite western or port side of the channel between red fairway piles 25 & 26.




The main body of mid-river pontoons and moorings are found 150 metres above Bedenham Pier. Berth as directed by WicorMarine. Pontoons have letters displayed on top of their piles. Individual berths are numbered along the top of the pontoons.




Access to and from the shore is by dinghy, and storage of a tender is on the main dinghy pontoon. There is a dinghy channel that runs from the end pontoon which provides access at most states of the tide. At low water on big springs the channel may dry out for an hour at most at the bottom of the tide.



The landing stage should be kept clear at all times and only used for launching and recovering of dinghies. The landing stage should not be used for coming alongside, please use the main dinghy pontoon.




Vessels that need to load a large amount of equipment or fill water tanks can come alongside the Main Dinghy Pontoon, not the dinghy landing stage. There should be enough water at the Main Dinghy Pontoon approximately 2 hours either side of high water. Vessels should not come alongside other vessels without prior permission being granted.


Why visit here?
WicorMarine Yacht Haven takes its name from the small village of Wicor situated ten minutes’ walk inshore. Previously known as Feltham’s Boatyard it was purchased by the family that runs it to this day in 1966.


WicorMarine is situated in a green and natural pocket of coastal plain
Image: Michael Harpur


Set into a discrete parcel of coastal plain it appears an unlikely oasis of calm in the busy Portsmouth Harbour. Sandwiched between the urban fringes of Downend and Portchester, this unlikely green and natural pocket of land features the extensive parkland and woodlands of the Cams Hall Estate, patches of farmland or undeveloped private land, areas of open amenity landscape, fringe pasture and some coastal industry to the east. This small area of nature along with the banks of the estuary at Fareham are the only parts of Portsmouth Harbour that are not built over. Only here can the natural setting of wooded banks and grassland that would once have surrounded the harbour be seen.


WicorMarine Yacht Haven's SALT Café
Image: Michael Harpur


This entire area, including the golf course at Cams Hall, the Wicor recreation ground and various other areas of accessible open spaces, are linked by footpaths that lead along the coastline. WicorMarine Yacht Haven and its convenient SALT Café External link is ideally situated at about the midpoint of a walk from Fareham to Porchester which comprises two paths. To the west, the mile-long Fareham Easy Access Trail surfaced pathway takes a walker into Fareham town centre Fareham Marina entry Click to view haven around the Cams Hall golf course and along the eastern side of Fareham Creek. To the east, The Alan King Way long distance footpath, which runs through the middle of the area, leads to Portchester Castle, that is covered in the Port Solent Marina entry Click to view haven.


WicorMarine Yacht Haven picnic area
Image: Michael Harpur


With these important heritage features easily accessed at either end, WicorMarine Yacht Haven makes an ideal berth for coastal cruisers carrying any draft who intend to visit both. Alternatively, it can be enjoyed for what it is, a charming, sheltered family-run oasis of bygone sailing values. A place where one can just as easily let it all go, avail oneself of the produce of the SALT Café, or BBQ in the dedicated picnic area on the foreshore beside the foot of the jetty. Put aside some time to take in the attractive views out across Portsmouth Harbour to Portsdown Hill and breath in deep the estuaries characteristic salty smells.


What facilities are available?
The pontoons have no power but have water. The toilet and shower block is located beside the office & chandlery and is open 24 hours a day. Freshwater is available from blue hoses at each end of the jetty and at various points around the boatyard. Vessels can come alongside the Main Dinghy Pontoon at high water to fill a tank but do not use the dinghy landing stage.

WicorMarine will fill fuel containers with red diesel at the slipway. Fuel cans, funnels, fuel maintenance products and filters are available in the chandlery. They also stock Calor Gas and Camping Gaz in most sizes but no other brands. Trolleys are available for carrying gear to and from the Main Dinghy Pontoon and are stored at the foot of the jetty.

Council bins can be found at the foot of the jetty for general rubbish with a large tank alongside for waste oil and dirty diesel. WicorMarine Yacht Haven will dispose of any redundant 12v batteries that are left alongside. A scrubbing berth is available for DIY, drying-out and work below the waterline.

The site has a chandlery that is open seven days a week and carries a basic range of fittings, tools, painting consumables, rope, hose and fastenings. Specialist parts and equipment can be ordered for those not in a hurry. They also stock some foodstuffs, confectionery and soft drinks. WicorMarine Yacht Haven maintains a comprehensive list of contractors with public liability insurance who have permission to work on owners vessels in the boatyard. Sails, outboards that require service or repair can be left in the chandlery for collection by prior arrangement with sail repair companies. ’The Paddle Club’ offers stand-up paddle board and kayak hire.

SALT Café is open from Tuesdays to Friday 9 am until 4 pm, Saturday and Sunday 9 am until 5 pm for great coffee, sandwiches and cake. The café is also licensed so you can enjoy a beer, or glass of wine, on the sun deck with fine views across the harbour. There is a dedicated picnic area available all year round on the foreshore beside the foot of the jetty with tables and BBQs. SALT also runs frequent ‘Dining Room’ and Pizza nights, details of which are published on their Facebook.


Any security concerns?
Never an issue known to have occurred to yachts moored off WicorMarine.


With thanks to:
Michael Harpur S/Y Whistler. Photography with thanks to Michael Harpur and WicorMarine Yacht Haven.
















































WicorMarine Yacht Haven Aerial



A photograph is worth a thousand words. We are always looking for bright sunny photographs that show this haven and its identifiable features at its best. If you have some images that we could use please upload them here. All we need to know is how you would like to be credited for your work and a brief description of the image if it is not readily apparent. If you would like us to add a hyperlink from the image that goes back to your site please include the desired link and we will be delighted to that for you.


Add your review or comment:

Please log in to leave a review of this haven.



Please note eOceanic makes no guarantee of the validity of this information, we have not visited this haven and do not have first-hand experience to qualify the data. Although the contributors are vetted by peer review as practised authorities, they are in no way, whatsoever, responsible for the accuracy of their contributions. It is essential that you thoroughly check the accuracy and suitability for your vessel of any waypoints offered in any context plus the precision of your GPS. Any data provided on this page is entirely used at your own risk and you must read our legal page if you view data on this site. Free to use sea charts courtesy of Navionics.