Visiting sailors are being encouraged to moor in Plymouth, thanks to developments by Cattewater Harbour Commissioners. An extended pontoon now offers walk ashore moorings, while toilet and shower facilities have been updated ashore. Visitor swinging moorings are available a short dinghy-ride away, with a free-to-use dinghy landing pontoon for those on the moorings.

Cattewater Harbour Commissioners have also taken out a 30-year lease on the land and boathouses of the Commercial Wharf area in order to develop facilities and attractions, as well as offering space for events such as Pirate’s Weekend and the annual Sardine festival. The Commissioners are also open to discussing ideas for hosting new sailing or shoreside events.

Visiting yachts can pre-book overnight, or stop for an impromptu 4-hour daytime visit. Photo: Cattewater Harbour Commissioners

Boathouses are available for rent, with tenants currently including the PDSSA (Plymouth and Devon Schools Sailing Association) with Sailability, a coffee shop, a sauna with plunge pools and The Boathouse seafood restaurant.

The new Mayflower Pontoon, first installed in 2024 and extended in 2026, now offers 120m of alongside mooring, with 60m on the inside and outside edges.

A central section offers a low-freeboard area for smaller vessels, while a higher pontoon section at the northern end can accommodate larger vessels. All berths offer a minimum of 3m depth at chart datum. Berths include fresh water and 240V electricity (the latter charged at £10 per day).

New facilities at the top of the walk-ashore ramp include changing rooms, toilets and showers with disabled access. Photo: Cattewater Harbour Commissioners

Shoreside facilities include showers, toilets and changing facilities including disabled access, all of which are available for 50p entry fee. Berthing is charged at £3.60 per metre per night, with booking recommended for overnight stays, while a four-hour short stay costs a flat fee of £10 on a first-come, first-served basis.

New facilities at the top of the walk-ashore ramp include changing rooms, toilets and showers with disabled access. Photo: Cattewater Harbour Commissioners

Bars, restaurants and cafes are immediately ashore and a short walk in the Barbican, Plymouth’s old town that includes the largest collection of cobbled streets in Britain and 100 listed buildings.

Several supermarkets are also within easy walking distance. Attractions abound, starting with the Mayflower steps, from which the iconic ship set sail in 1620 just yards away, with Plymouth Hoe, the National Marine Aquarium, the Tinside Lido, and Plymouth Gin Distillery all close to hand.

The nearby Barbican, Plymouth’s cobble-street old town, includes the Plymouth Gin distillery. Photo: Cattewater Harbour Commissioners

Fuel is available 100m away on the seaward end of MDL’s Queen Anne’s Battery marina, where there is also a chandlery and other marine services. 

Cattewater Harbour Commissioners decided to invest in the project in response to a lack of easily and consistently available visitor moorings in Plymouth, as Sutton Harbour Marina immediately to the north and Queen Anne’s Battery marine to the east are dominated by resident moorings.

Swinging moorings for boats up to 40ft and 1.5m draught or ten tonnes are available mid-stream in Cattewater, just inside the Mount Batten breakwater, and the new facilities improve shoreside access for those coming ashore by dinghy.

Cattewater Harbour Commissioners are responsible for the waters east and north of a line from Plymouth Hoe (eastern end) to the end of the Mount Batten breakwater. Photo: Cattewater Harbour Commissioners

Cattewater Harbour Commissioners control the waters from the end of the Mount Batten Breakwater to the south-eastern tip of Plymouth Hoe, up to the entrance of Sutton Pool, down to Hooe Lake, and NE as far as Laira  Bridge across the Cattewater. This represents three of the four largest leisure marinas in Plymouth, as well as numerous sail training, fishing, commercial, cruise and industrial stakeholders.

More information can be found at plymouthport.org.uk

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