Barmouth

Before launching your craft it is vitally important for your own personal safety and the safety of others that you take the time to read carefully the

Rules & Regulations as set out by Gwynedd Council. Please adhere to these rules and regulations at all time.

Barmouth is one of the most popular resorts in the county and a very busy destination during the summer months. The resort caters very much for the tourist market and there are a number of shops, cafes and restaurants located in the town and close to the launching facilities.

There a two launch areas in the town both, located close to the Harbour Master’s office at the seafront Harbour area. Launching in Barmouth is dependant on tidal conditions, and you are limited to approximately 3 hours each side of high tide.

The first and main launch area is a wide slipway leading into the main Harbour. The ground at the end of the slipway is made up of a mixture of silt, sand and mud. It is not recommended that you take your vehicle off the slipway.

The second slipway is located directly opposite the the Harbour masters office and only 100m from the main launch site.

We understand that you are and able to take a vehicle onto the beach here for the purpose of launching your craft, and permitted to leave you trailers on the beach next to the slipway, so long as the do not obstruct the launch area.

Any vehicles taken onto the beach here should be there only for a short period of time, and for the purpose of launching. It is not a good idea to take your vehicle right down to sea level. Park on the hard sand and push your craft down to the water just in case your vehicle should get stuck.

Once you have launched your craft please take your vehicle to one of the numerous car parks on the seafront.

A speed limit of 4 knots applies in the main harbour and until you reach the open water marker buoy.

*NAVIGATIONAL HAZARD NOTE*

There is a large reef in this area, by the name of Sarn Padrig. It extends some 20km into the sea from the Southern End of Shell Island. At low neap tides, large areas of this reef are uncovered. There is a Marker Buoy showing safe/ navigable water to the South West area of the reef.

The reef is a known hazard to watercraft, so you would be well advised to seek advice from the Harbourmaster at Barmouth if launching or riding here for the 1st time. You do not want to collide with it on your watercraft!

River Mawddach area

Barmouth / Fairbourne offers a unique option of not taking your craft to sea but instead, you can go up the river Mawddach. If you wish to do this please study the exclusion zone map carefully.

You will see that a 4 knots speed limit applies in the inner harbour, and all the way until under the railway bridge and until you are inside the yellow buoys i.e. the “Power Craft Area”. You will notice that the “Power Craft Area” is marked clearly by a line of Yellow Buoys across the channel as you enter and exit the zone. Upon exiting the zone on either side, a 4 knots speed limit is in place and must be adhered to at all times for the safety of all those using the area.