Local News - Sparkes Marina

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Maiden's coming home! An iconic yacht, a world tour and an historic race, all for a world changing cause

18 April 24

Thirty-five years ago, the yacht Maiden, with the first ever all-female crew made history and came home to a huge ‘unexpected’ welcome never seen before both on the water and on land with an estimated crowd of 50,000 in Southampton and a flotilla of hundreds of boats accompanying Maiden on her approach up Southampton Water.

MDL prepares grand homecoming parade for iconic yacht Maiden and her all-female crew

16 April 24

We are thrilled to announce that the South Coast & Green Tech Boat Show 2024 will feature a special welcome home parade for the crew of Maiden on Saturday 20th April, marking a jubilant highlight at this year’s show.

Standout debuts at the South Coast & Green Tech Boat Show 2024

15 April 24

Set against the spectacular backdrop of our flagship Ocean Village Marina, this year’s South Coast & Green Tech Boat Show is playing host to several impressive debuts across our exclusive selection of global power and sail brands.

Optima Yachts to showcase major strides in green innovation at South Coast & Green Tech Boat Show

11 April 24

Optima Yachts is proud to be exhibiting at the upcoming South Coast Green Tech Boat Show, where they will be located at Berth No.7.

Cockwells’ Hardy 50DS explorer marks world debut at the South Coast & Green Tech Boat Show 2024

10 April 24

We are delighted to announce the world debut of Cockwells’ Hardy 50DS explorer yacht at our prestigious South Coast & Green Tech Boat Show 2024, taking place between 19 and 21 April at Ocean Village Marina in Southampton.

Taking your boat to new cruising grounds

09 April 24

Steve from Universal Yachting gives some great advice on taking your boat further afield outside of your normal cruising grounds and what you should do to prepare for this.

Winter Maintenance brought to you by MDL Marinas - Safety Equipment Prep & Servicing

15 March 24

As the new boating season is nearly here (hurrah!), this month our winter maintenance series focuses on onboard safety equipment and getting it ready for your upcoming on-water adventures.

This Marina Life Podcast: South Coast & Green Tech Boat Show 2024

14 March 24

The South Coast & Green Tech Boat Show brings to Southampton a range of global power and sail brands, along with new innovative eco-friendly products, all at the same great venue for three days this spring.

This Marina Life Podcast: Boat Preparation and Fault Finding Part 2

23 January 24

The second half of this 2-part show is all about Boat Preparation and Fault Finding with the main aim to cover some of the most common issues we as boat owners experience.

Winter Maintenance brought to you by MDL Marinas - Rigging Checks

15 January 24

This month, our winter maintenance series focuses on rigging checks – an important pre-season job for sailing boat owners.

Dry Berthing at Sparkes Marina, Hayling Island

27 December 23

Our popular Hayling Island marina now has 20 ground racks available for customers with boats up to 9 metres to ‘berth’ their boats out of the water, on the shore.

A guide to anchor types and their uses

21 December 23

In our latest video, James Tudor-Williams from Force 4 Chandlery at our Shamrock Quay marina in Southampton talks use through anchors and anchoring.

This Marina Life Podcast: Boat Preparation and Fault Finding Part 1

08 December 23

This special 2-part show is all about Boat Preparation and fault finding with the main aim to cover some of the most common issues we as boat owners experience.

MDL Marinas' 50 years of success is underpinned by continuous investment

05 December 23

Celebrating our 50th anniversary this year, we’re proud to continue to invest significantly across our marinas and products.

Sparkes Marina Berth Holder News

21 November 23

We’d like to start off by saying a massive thank you to all our berth holders for keeping your boat with us this year.

Winter Maintenance brought to you by MDL Marinas - Antifouling

16 November 23

This month, our winter maintenance series focuses on antifouling – a crucial job when maintaining your boat to prevent the growth of marine life on your hull.

Winter Maintenance brought to you by MDL Marinas – Engine Winterisation

15 November 23

As the main boating season comes to a close, we’ve joined forces with some of our onsite marine tenants to share some top tips on all the necessary winter tasks which need to be done to make sure everything onboard is in peak condition ready for the spring.

Nominations are open for MDL's Sail Training Awards 2024

06 October 23

Each year, these unique awards offer twelve inspirational young people the opportunity to experience a life changing sailing trip with the Ocean Youth Trust South.