Marina Information

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Bangor Marina

Your Comments: 13 Read or add your comments

Courtesy Flag

Flag, Red Ensign

Waypoint

Safe Offing to N of Marina 54:40.4'N 5:40.6'W

Charts

AC 1753

Rules & Regulations

Three red (vert) Traffic signals on the North pier; when lit the harbour is closed. There is a 4 knot speed limit

Hazards

Constant fast ferry traffic in Belfast Lough, danger of wash at anchor and when launching/recovering.

Tidal Data Times & Range

MHWS: 3.5m MHWN: 2.9m MLWN: 1.1m MLWS: 0.4m at Belfast   (links)

This site is designed for slower, roaming broadband connections, like you would get at sea, so it needs JavaScript enabled to expand the text.

General Description

Contacts
Harbour VHF 11
Marina  028 9145 3297 VHF 80

Bangor Marina is run by the Boatfolk organisation and lies on the south shore of Belfast Lough, centrally within the town of Bangor. It's one of the largest marinas in Ireland and is one of only 35 marinas internationally to be awarded "Five Anchors".

Bangor Harbour, once a commercial port was always very exposed to the North until the construction of the North Breakwater, (Eisenhower Pier) in 1984. By 1990 the commercial harbour had given way to the newly constructed  marina, which now boasts 560 berths.  Entry is easy at all tides in reasonable weather, and shelter is excellent once within.


With four well-known yacht clubs close by all holding various regattas and events, plus the ample facilities of the town close to hand, Bangor could well be a place worth stopping off at.

In settled weather from the south, anchorage can be had in Ballyholme Bay not far from the Royal Ulster and the Ballyholme yacht clubs
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Approach

Approach and entry to Bangor Marina is made via Belfast Lough.

The lough is busy with commercial traffic approaching and leaving Belfast docks, and the traffic includes many large and fast ferries. A sharp lookout is needed.

Tides within Belfast Lough basically run in and but with a definite anticlockwise set that could slow your approach to Bangor if following the South shore of the Lough four to one hours before HW Belfast. If following the South shore tidal flows will be in your favour from about one hour before high water Belfast to 2 hours after high water Belfast.  See the animated flow diagram in "More Info" section.

Coming from the South leave the NCM Briggs buoy (Q) on your port side, give Ballymacormick point a good offing, pass Ballyholme Bay, and make your approach to the Marina when it is bearing south (and you are directly to the north of it).

If coming from the North, pass Black Head with its lighthouse (see photo gallery), and give the Cloghan Jetty a good offing by leaving the green conical Cloghan Jetty buoy (Q.G), on your starboard side. The tide will be sweeping you quite strongly southwards towards the Marina if you make this approach five hours to two hours before high water Belfast (as opposed to inwards towards Belfast).

The closer approach to Bangor Marina is simple enough, between the North Breakwater (lit Iso.R.12s), and Pickie Breakwater, c/w  large dolphin structure  (lit  2F.G(vert)). This can be seen in the photo gallery, and is followed by a green pile beacon (Fl.G.3s). Leave to Starboard, make your turn to starboard leaving the smaller Central Pier to port, you are now in the marina.

Fishing vessels and other larger craft use the outer harbour between the North Pier and the Central Pier.

The harbour authority works on VHF channel 11 ("Bangor Harbour") and the marina works on VHF 80. callsign "Bangor Marina" (Ed Note.   You are required to contact the Harbour to advise them of your intentions before entering the harbour.

It is advisable to clear away for harbour and talk to the Marina well before entering harbour as it is fairly tight and you will be too busy to chat to them about berthing arrangements once inside the harbour. (we include a marina plan in the gallery to assist you)

Berthing, Mooring & Anchoring

Bangor Marina offers 560 sheltered and secure pontoon berths with 24 hour staffing and 24 hour tidal access.  

Prices worked out at £3.20 per metre for visiting boats in the summer of 2022.

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Facilities

Full facilities will be found here with water and electricity (£3.00 per night) on the pontoons.  Showers (free), toilets and laundry facilities (tokens from marina) are available, together with holding tank pump out plus fuel, diesel and petrol.  Wireless broadband is available, and the marina has a slipway available for trailer sailers. Both Calor Gas and Camping Gaz refills are available at the marina office at rock bottom prices.

Boatyard services are available on site.

Contact them on 0289145 3297, fax 0289145 3450, or see website below:


Bangor Marina | boatfolk

More Info

This animated diagram shows the tidal flows around Belfast Lough
 


You can save this to your desktop by right clicking it , then "save as".

Eating, Drinking & Entertainment

There is a wealth of pubs in Bangor but we have had no indications from members as to which might be recommended. Try this link for a choice:

http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs/results.shtml?l=bangor

Restaurants

Restaurants in Bangor - Updated June 2022 - Tripadvisor

Links

Your Ratings & Comments

13 comments
Update July 2022
Written by Don Thomson 3 | 6th Sep 2022
Thanks for the heads up on that NCM I've corrected the text.
Port Hand Lateral Briggs Buoy replaced with North Cardinal Buoy.
Written by Warjs | 31st Jul 2022
The approach from the south has changed in 2016. The Red lateral mark at Briggs is now a North Cardinal Buoy.
1 of 1 people found this helpful
UPDATE JULY 2022
Written by Don Thomson 3 | 27th Jul 2022
I notice that Carrickfergus Marina also uses #80 and wonder if they have decided to use #11 here is because of that?
UPDATE JULY 2022
Written by Don Thomson 3 | 27th Jul 2022
I reviewed these notes in July 2022. Prices up a bit and shore power has gone up to £3.00. I have been informed that everyone has the channels the wrong way round in the pubs - I'm looking for clarification because that differs from the International allocations.
Update Early Summer 2021
Written by Don Thomson 3 | 17th Jun 2021
These notes were reviewed in June 2021. This marina has been taken over by Boatfolk but little else has changed. There has been a slight increase in tariff.
Update Spring 2019
Written by Don Thomson 3 | 1st May 2019
These notes were reviewed in May 2019. Apart from a slight increase in prices there are no changes. We've updated the charts in the gallery.
UPDATE APRIL 2017
Written by Don Thomson | 5th Apr 2017
These notes were reviewed by Don in April 2017. The price per metre has gone up. (the note below was the winter price for 2016/17) Other than that nothing has changed.
Charges
Written by Macboatmaster | 17th Jan 2017
Planning visit for 2017. Charges now listed at £2.70 per mtr including vat
Comments re- Bangor Marina
Written by Smuntl | 25th Aug 2016
Visited Bangor Marina on a couple of occasions en route to West Coast of Scotland and return. Apart from an easily accessible marina with top quality pontoons the staff could only be described as fantastic.
Nothing was too much trouble, they were so helpful.

On my return home I sent an e-mail to the manager to express my appreciation of the staff and their professionalism. He responded via e-mail thanking me for the 'thank you'. Speaks volumes about the marina and its staff.

Top marks for Bangor

1 of 1 people found this helpful
Update 2015
Written by dononshytalk | 17th Mar 2015
These notes were reviewed by Don in March 2015. Have updated the prices for the 2015 season
Update November 2013
Written by dononshytalk | 5th Nov 2013
These harbour notes were updated by Don Thomson on the 4th November 2013. Some additions were made and the prices updated to 2013 levels
1 of 1 people found this helpful
Don't miss the Titanic
Written by RobJ | 4th Nov 2012
I had a couple of days in Bangor waiting for a weather system to pass through in the so called summer of 2012. It's a well equipped and shetlered marina. If you are there, take a half day ashore and the train to Belfast where you can visit the Titanic exhibition. It's well worth the trip.
3 of 3 people found this helpful
Can't fault this harbour
Written by Miura | 30th Apr 2011
I keep my yacht here. The marina is well managed & secure. Staff are extremely helpful and there is an on-site boatyard with an accommodating & efficient manager (Gareth). All required facilities are offered and the harbour itself is perfectly sheltered and accessible at all states of tide.
The town has a bit of character and there are numerous restaurants and pubs near the marina. I have never had an unacceptable meal in any of them. Todd's chart agency is nearby and their standard of service has been flawless in my experience.
Bus & rail links are excellent and Belfast City Airport is a 15-20 min taxi ride.
I normally try to balance an article with a few negatives about the destination. However, I can't really identify any areas for criticism about Bangor. It is well worth a visit and for me it has been a good choice as a base as I can easily access a rich variety of cruising areas
4 of 4 people found this helpful
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