Cruisers

There is an active cruiser section. Many of us meet in the club Bar on Wednesday evenings for an beer, catch up, trip planning and boat repair advice, this is all year round but is best attended during the winter storage months. For the summer we have scoured the Bristol Channel for events to sail to and have set up a range of dates to (weather permitting) cruise in company to a range of destinations. Look for CIC on the clubs handbook tide time pages or for Cruising In Company (CIC) on the clubs online calendar where more details can be found. Most of our regular and last minute communications and planning happens on our Over-The-Bar WhatsApp group within the NDYC WhatsApp community.

Our Sailing Grounds

Sailing is possible in the river for up to six hours over the high tide. Many of the cruisers are twin keeled, there are some catamarans.  In summer boats are moored in the river, most moorings drying out at low tide.  In winter the club boat park offers space, with electricity and water available, to members only with booking and pre-paying.

The day cruising grounds are mainly in the bay with Clovelly, Lundy, Shipload Bay, Bucks Mills and at a stretch Ilfracombe within a day sailing to return at the next high tide.

Further afield there are many possibilities in the Bristol Channel.  The Welsh coast offers refuge at Milford Haven, Tenby, Swansea, Cardiff as well as many smaller places in between.  The English coast includes Bristol, Watermouth, Watchet or Portishead, to the east, Padstow, St Ives and the Isles of Scilly to the west. Ports from Padstow, Milford to Cardiff are within an easy days sail.  The Bristol Channel Pilot is incredibly helpful.

Pilotage

There are clear navigation marks in the river to mark the deep channel. There is one area to be avoided on neap tides - Crow Rock, due east of Inner Pulleys at approximately 51 ͦ04N, 04 ͦͦ12W and extending in an arc around to Crow Point where a spit of shallower bank has developed in recent years. Most boats will be fine at high water but getting stuck involves at best an embarrassing wait for the next tide, at worst - damage or being neaped out until a larger tides occurs.

The Bar is dangerous in rough weather and the marks must be observed to the Inner Pulley buoy, when suggested passage times are two hours either side of HW.  In calm weather the Bar is no problem and is passable over a longer time, however the tide runs fast at half tide.

Visitors

The river offers a safe refuge for visitors.  Pilotage follow the navigation marks from the Bar Buoy.  Overnight can be had alongside at Appledore Quay beware of the tidal range but on firm mud at low water.  Alternatively, in most weather it is also good to anchor at Instow North of the existing moorings on the beach towards the Instow Arms where you can take the ground on sand.  Both villages offer a range of good pubs and restaurants. Visiting sailors are welcome at NDYC and showers are available at the club, phone or e-mail the office in advance. Other adventures and shelter can be found at Crow Point, Alongside the port of Bideford or with very careful navigation and a good tide even up towards Barnstaple or Braunton.

NDYC Membership Card - Clovelly and Lundy

The Club benefits from a group Season Ticket to Lundy Island and Clovelly Harbour.  Members are eligible to this discount by showing your Membership card on your phone - We recommend taking a screenshot before setting off to avoid any signal issues on arrival. Your membership card entitles you to free landing on Lundy and free berthing inside Clovelly Harbour.

Your membership card can be found on your phone by logging in to you account and clicking on 'Membership Card'.  We recommend taking a screen shot incase there's intermittent service.

Last updated 10:07am on 5 March 2026