yacht haven turnchapel wharf

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The Port of Plymouth is a thriving trust port, located on the South Devon Coast.

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Victoria wharf.

Victoria Wharf handles dry cargo vessels both discharging and loading a variety of cargoes, including salt, clay, fertilisers, wood chips and project cargoes.

The dock is dredged to 6.0m. For more information click here

Cattedown Wharves

Cattedown Wharves, operated by the James Fisher Group, handles a variety of cargoes including our bulk liquid products, such as Petroleum Tankers, along with a variety of dry bulk and project cargoes.

The west and east berths are dredged to 7.6m and 6.3m respectively. To visit the James FIsher website click here .

Corporation Wharf

Corporation Wharf, operated by the Victoria Wharf group, is the cement terminal for Plymouth, with vessels arriving mainly from Santander, Spain.

The berth is a declared NAABSA berth and is dredged to 2.0m. For more information click here .

Turnchapel Wharf

A thriving marine business park owned by the Yacht Haven group, Turnchapel Wharf is the centre of excellence for autonomy, and a hub of maritime development and technology in Plymouth.  For more information click here .

Barbican Landing Stage

The Barbican Landing Stage operates as a declared facility for cruise ship tenders, and is operated by the Cattewater Harbour Commissioners. Vessels wishing to use this facility should contact us to discuss your requirements.

Wider Port Berths

Millbay docks.

Millbay Docks, owned and operated by Associated British Ports (ABP) hosts the passenger handling facilities in Plymouth. A regular Brittany Ferries service runs from Millbay, along with cruise ship calls through the summer season. Find out more about the facilities and services available at ABP Millbay by clicking here .

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Ports of Call: A Haven Found

A recent visit to plymouth yacht haven aboard pbr’s my horizon revealed a fresh discovery for hms, despite him being a west country boy through and through ….

Turnchapel: Plymouth Yacht Haven with Turnchapel background.

I   like to think I know the West Country well. I was born and bred down in these parts and therefore am familiar with most of its nooks, crannies and hidden places. Nevertheless, there is at least one place that’s escaped my attention, despite the fact it’s been right here, ‘under my bows’, all this time.  

Of course, you will all have heard of Plymouth Sound, its famous ‘Hoe’ and perhaps the likes of Drake’s Island and the Barbican, but how many of you have heard of Turnchapel? Few, I suspect. Though the name was familiar to me, I confess, I too was largely ignorant of the place itself. That was until this summer past when we stopped with our friends at Plymouth Yacht Haven for a few days on the banks of Plymouth’s Cattewater and happened to venture upon a particularly colourful little part of the built-up shore just north of the marina – a village within a village, if you will, but with no distinct boundaries or observable borders, yet nonetheless manifestly existing there all the same and possessing something of a Cornish fishing hamlet appearance about it. It was as if by accident that we had strayed upon an intriguing archaeological site, half-hidden and at first not altogether discernible among its surroundings. This, then, was Turnchapel, one of Plymouth Yacht Haven’s closest neighbours and, by all accounts, a place steeped in history.  

Wharves & whalers

Horizon at YH.

Local knowledge reveals that the Baron of Boringdon, John Parker, also known as the 1st Earl of Morley, established Turnchapel Wharves as a highly respected shipyard during the 17th century, with the yard being used to repair the king’s ships. Parker and his son were influential in shaping many aspects of eastern Plymouth, being the driving force behind the iron bridge between Laira and Pomphlett, as well as creating the several wet and dry docks around Turnchapel Bay.

As we were to discover, the Parker name lives on to this day, with several pubs being named after the Parker family. The family coat of arms, too, appears in various locations across the city, and even the chief road through Turnchapel village is named ‘Boringdon’. Some of the largest sailing vessels ever commissioned by the Royal Navy were built in Turnchapel and launched from the Cattewater’s then largely undeveloped, natural shoreline into the protected waters of the River Plym. Mighty whaling ships from foreign ports would sail here too for their refits. Indeed, as early as the late 1700s and early 1800s, Turnchapel’s yards had earned a fine reputation for their shipwrighting abilities, and the boatbuilding trade established here was significant. One can only imagine the community that once thrived here. Like so many similar communities of the time, it would have been a hive of activity, a place whose very essence and existence was fed and watered by the tide.

Dressed for battle

Yacht Haven Quay dry stack

With the Turnchapel station being opened in the late 1800s, the wharf became an attractive location for the Admiralty and the Royal Navy, who acquired the site in 1903 along with a parcel of land in the disused Hooe Lake Quarry. Used as a naval oil depot during the Second World War, Turnchapel was not immune to the Luftwaffe’s ferocious bombing of Plymouth, and as a consequence, in 1940, the wharf was badly damaged, and the adjacent train station was also destroyed. Nevertheless, as can still be witnessed by means of the nearby slipway, troops from the US 29th Division used the wharf to board their tank-landing ships ahead of the Normandy landings in 1944.

The Royal Marines made RM Turnchapel their base in 1993 upon the 539 Royal Assault Squadron being based at the site. The squadron remain part of 3 Commando Brigade and are specially trained to use landing craft and undertake amphibious assault missions. In fact, the squadron are named after the 539 Assault Flotilla, which played a key role in the D-Day landings in 1944, specifically on Gold Beach in Normandy. Nevertheless, in 2013, the Ministry of Defence decided that RM Turnchapel was surplus to requirements and the squadron relocated to the city’s main naval base in Devonport.

Development begins  

Turnchapel Wharf Princess Motoryacht Sales PMYS

RM Turnchapel was purchased by Yacht Havens Group in March 2014 – one of the UK’s leading marina owners, developers and operators, who already owned the adjacent Plymouth Yacht Haven and dry stack marina Yacht Haven Quay. The site was renamed ‘Turnchapel Wharf’ and the company set about redeveloping the naval buildings into modern facilities for maritime businesses as well as a range of state-of-the-art autonomous vessel projects.  

Within a few years, the site had been transformed, with state-of-the-art facilities for a wide range of local, national and global marine businesses, including Princess Motor Yachts. The old ammunition stores were refurbished into offices and the site’s hangars repurposed into workshops for pioneering marine autonomy. In 2017, The Guard Room café was built and opened to cater for the growing number of businesses using Turnchapel Wharf, as well as providing a waterfront eatery for the local community.

A marina community

Yacht Havens Group purchased Clovelly Bay Marina in 1995, and then, after an ambitious redevelopment project, reopened as Plymouth Yacht Haven in 1998 with all the marina facilities we see today. It’s an impressive modern facility by anyone’s standard, with a total of some 450 berths suitable for all manner of powered and sailing craft. In speaking to some of the berth holders upon the occasion of our visit aboard PBR’s MY Horizon, they spoke of the marina possessing a strong community atmosphere, quite different in feel and nature to those equivalent facilities found, for example, in and around the Solent. But then again, Plymouth as a sailing and boating hub is quite unique in terms of Britain’s south coast. There is a more relaxed, a more ‘regional’ feel about the place, and besides the location and its wonderful coastline benefiting from some of the finest cruising grounds in the UK, perhaps its history and past glories are what contribute so greatly to making this lesser-known corner of Plymouth’s maritime offering so very special.  

Local services

Turnchapel Wharf Yacht Haven – Plymouth. Google Billionaire’s yacht Elfje fuelling ready to depart.

Plymouth Yacht Haven Marina Office: www.yachthavens.com/plymouth-yacht-haven/contact

Mount Batten Boathouse (chandlery and outboard servicing):  www.mountbattenboathouse.co.uk  

Plymouth Marine Centre (main brand outboard dealers, boat sales & servicing): www.plymouthmarinecentre.com

Turnchapel Wharf Marine Business Park: www.turnchapelwharf.com

The Guard Room Waterside Café, Turnchapel Wharf: www.facebook.com/turnchapelwharf

Cattewater Harbour Commissioners: [email protected]

Mount Batten Ferry & Water Taxi Services: www.mountbattenferry.co.uk

Plymouth Derriford Hospital plus A&E: www.plymouthhospitals.nhs.uk/contact-us

The Clovelly Bay Inn, Turnchapel: www.clovellybayinn.co.uk

The Boringdon Arms, Turnchapel: www.boringdon-arms.net

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Plymouth Yacht Haven

Plymouth yacht haven is a 450-berth, naturally protected marina in this historic sailing city.

Visitors to the city shouldn’t miss the charm of the old Barbican area, with the Mayflower steps nearby, from where the Pilgrims started their journey to the New World; the Hoe and Smeaton’s Tower with their views across Plymouth Sound; and the Grade-I Royal William victualling yard, which has been redeveloped with cafes, restaurants and art galleries.

The city hosts maritime races, regattas and events. This year it was the start point for the Transat bakerly and every other year Plymouth Yacht Haven is the finishing port for the Fastnet – a particularly busy time.

The Yacht Havens Group has invested heavily along the Plymouth waterfront and today caters for customers with boats and budgets of all sizes. It has recently developed a new Marine Business Park at Turnchapel Wharf next to Plymouth Yacht Haven, offering a host of opportunities for marine businesses looking to relocate or expand.

Plymouth Yacht Haven is a 450-berth marina that is naturally protected from the southwest by the lie of the land.

The marina gets busy in the summer and booking is advised. It has hosted rallies of Hallberg-Rassys, Drascombe Luggers, and Jeanneau and Legend yachts.

It sponsors the annual 26-mile  Eddystone Charity Sailing Pursuit, which this year raised £78,000 for charity.

There is a whole host of yacht services on site, from upholsterers to electricians, with the workshops and shipwrights housed in Second World War flying boat hangars. “We have got everything on site that you could want for your boat,” says marina manager Steve Kitchen, who adds that he thinks of the marina and berth holders as a community, and therefore tries to anticipate their needs. “When boats come in we take their lines; we are there for them.” The number of staff has doubled in recent years.

yachthavens.com/plymouth/

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New Turnchapel Café to be run by local food entrepreneur

With two eateries already running successfully in Devon, local food and beverage entrepreneur Emily Bohnet is taking on a third project – opening The Guard Room Café at Turnchapel Wharf.

Emily is the founder and owner of the  Lazy Cow in Modbury , which also operates  The Mess Room café at Yacht Haven Quay in Plymouth , and a growing online business; The Lazy Cow Cake Company.

"Turnchapel village is a beautiful location for our new premise"

Commenting on the announcement of the new venture, Emily says: “We’re delighted to be taking on this new project of The Guard Room. Turnchapel village is a beautiful location for our new premise and Turnchapel Wharf is becoming a real hub of industry which we’re proud to be supporting.”

Emily continues: “We’ve learnt so much since we opened  The Mess Room at Yacht Haven Quay  and we’re going to be taking lots of the popular elements with us to The Guard Room. This will include trying to keep the environmental footprint of the entire building as low as possible. We’ll therefore be installing lots of upcycled fittings in addition to the main construction including eco-friendly sourced timber. Inside, our main ethos will always be creating great tasting food by using locally-sourced, quality ingredients. In addition to our popular homemade breads and cakes, we will always keep our Specials Menu refreshed using seasonal produce and recipes to match the weather.”

"She was the obvious choice when we were looking for a partner to build and develop a new eatery in Turnchapel"

The new café is Emily’s second venture in partnership with Yacht Havens Group following on from The Mess Room at Yacht Haven Quay which opened in late-2015. The Guard House will be based at Turnchapel Wharf, the former home of the MoD 539 Royal Marines Assault Squadron which has been converted into a modern marine business park with a wide range of blue chip companies and growing local businesses.

On behalf of Yacht Havens Group, Yacht Haven Quay Marina Director Will Rahder, says: “We’ve been working with Emily for several years now and we’ve been so impressed by her enthusiasm, creativity and passion for food. She has made The Mess Room one of the best, and most unique, cafes in Plymouth and it is now the central hub of the Yacht Haven Quay marina community. She was the obvious choice when we were looking for a partner to build and develop a new eatery in Turnchapel and we look forward to working together to make The Guard Room a real success.”

The Guard Room café, located where the old MoD Guard House stood at the edge of Turnchapel Wharf, is due to open in the autumn this year.

For the latest menus, opening hours and events, visit The Guard Room's website

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Boaty McBoatface visits Turnchapel Wharf, Plymouth

State-of-the-art underwater robot, Boaty McBoatface, arrives at Turnchapel, Plymouth, following a 2000km autonomous test.

Underwater robot Boaty McBoatface has arrived at Turnchapel Wharf, Plymouth, following a 2000km underwater test as part of its Autosub Long Range (ALR) programme.

The vessel arrived in Plymouth after a five week test which saw it dive to depths of over 1,000m, surfacing every 24 hours to send and receive data from the control centre. The vessel is managed by the National Oceanography Centre based in Southampton, with their Marine Autonomous Robotic Systems Development Group leading the UK's road to net zero oceanographic capability.

The vessels unique name came as the result of an online #NameOurShip poll for naming a new£200m polar scientific research vessel. The humorous name quickly became an viral sensation with over 100,000 votes. Eventually, the ship was named RSS Sir David Attenborough , with the compromise that the new submersible vessel would be given the name Boaty McBoatface,  or Boaty for short!

• Vessel type: Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (USV) also known as an Autosub Long Range (ALR)
• Max Depth: 6,000m
• Length: 3.62m
• Weight: 700kg
• Mission range: 2,000km
• Home: National Oceanography Centre, Southampton

Article below first published on NOC.ac.uk news on 14 June 2022. Link

Boaty McBoatface returns to Plymouth to monitor impacts on UK’s coastal ecosystems

Engineers and scientists from the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) have successfully recovered the renowned state-of-the-art underwater robot, Boaty McBoatface, from Thales Turnchapel Wharf in Plymouth, where it completed its most recent deployment out in the Southwest Approaches. This latest expedition is the longest journey undertaken the Autosub Long Range (ALR).

The deployment focused on proving the endurance and data gathering capabilities of Boaty McBoatface, to ensure it is prepared for scientific deployments anywhere in the ocean. Over a period of five weeks the autonomous vehicle travelled from Plymouth out to the continental shelf edge south of Ireland and back to Plymouth, covering a distance of almost 2,000km whilst venturing to depths of over 1,000m. Unaccompanied by a support vessel, Boaty was surfacing roughly every 24 hours to telemeter sensor data and receive new piloting instructions from the team in Southampton.

Capable of being deployed for up to three months, the fleet of six Autosub Long Range (ALRs) vehicles are opening new opportunities for low-cost shore-launch scientific missions and under-ice exploration. Development of these long-range, low-power, robots will also allow scientists to research areas that could not previously be reached by ships, such as unexplored and technologically challenging environments such as under-ice and the deep-ocean. The Plymouth deployment demonstrates new technologies that will be used to deliver planned future ground-breaking science expeditions, such as exploring under the sea ice in the Weddell Sea or monitoring the long-term environmental impacts of decommissioned oil and gas infrastructure.

"This latest expedition is the longest journey undertaken by Boaty and marks a number of significant achievements for the Oceanids development programme"

Dr Alex Phillips, Head of the MARS Development Group at the National Oceanography Centre

The NOC has been leading the UK’s road to net zero oceanographic capability with the Marine Autonomous Robotic Systems (MARS) Development Group. Scientists and engineers at the NOC are using autonomous underwater vehicles to provide information and data to assess the impact that investments into clean energy may have on coastal ecosystems, such as the impact of offshore wind farms in areas that the UK depends on for fish, transport, leisure & wellbeing, as well as energy extraction.

Dr Alex Phillips, Head of the MARS Development Group at the National Oceanography Centre said: “This latest expedition is the longest journey undertaken by Boaty and marks a number of significant achievements for the Oceanids development programme. The ALR has managed to follow a challenging and hazardous pathway from the UK shore out to the continental shelf break, covering a distance of several thousand kilometres before making a safe return to Plymouth. During this time, it has dived to depths over 1,000m, collecting data that informs us of the changing currents, structure and productivity of UK seas.” 

Dr Matthew Palmer, Chief Scientist of Marine Autonomous Robotic Systems at the National Oceanography Centre said: “Although a technical trial, Boaty has collected information that will help link how physical conditions and changes in UK waters impact marine ecosystems and ocean health. New state-of-the-art sensors will monitor currents, temperature, changes in the seabed, and how phytoplankton and oxygen levels change over space and time. The long-range capability from shore to deep ocean will also contribute to our understanding of how short and long-term changes in our oceans and the UK’s coastal seas are a result of human actions such as pollution, fishing, and industry, as well as climate change factors.”

This mission presents a new level of capability for low-carbon technology to meet global marine monitoring requirements alongside UK Government targets. It delivers a highly capable autonomous submarine that can deliver data for scientific research, environmental monitoring, meeting licensing requirements and undertaking industry surveys, at a fraction of the cost of using specialist ships, showcasing autonomous underwater vehicles as a potential solution to governments and industry partners aiming to meet  net-zero  capability. The fleet of robots also offers a realistic solution to sustainable management of the marine environment to nations unable to invest in traditional ship based monitoring programmes, contributing to UN Sustainable Development Goals.

“We’re developing an exceptional oceanographic capability with autonomous platforms that will be a key enabler for future marine scientific research,” Matthew continued. “Technology is at the heart of transitioning to a carbon neutral research capability. These achievements mark the success of the NOC-led programmes in delivering world-leading robots and autonomous solutions that present a major step towards meeting the UK's Net-Zero and Digital Environment targets.”

Photo Credits: National Oceanography Centre and Alexander Philips, Head of Marine Autonomous and Robotic Systems Development, National Oceanography Centre.

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Princess Yacht Service: Turnchapel Wharf, Plymouth

Tuesday 17th August 2021

Yacht Service and Maintenance in Turnchapel Wharf, Plymouth.

Based in Turnchapel Wharf on the waterfront, a former Royal Marines military installation steeped in naval history, lies our Princess office and showroom. In this modern purpose-built facility, we can offer our owners a bespoke service no matter the query – buying or selling your yacht, upgrading features on board, general maintenance and servicing – and such close proximity to the stunning Devonshire coastline makes this the ideal spot for sea trials.

Our showroom facility has on offer a range of the most innovative and up-to-date technology available through our central Retrofit team, who are also conveniently based in Plymouth to talk through your yachting needs. From a brand-new Princess yacht being delivered from the factory, through to the rigorous onboard inspection, to the final handover and ongoing maintenance, the journey of your Princess yacht can take place all under one roof.

The site here at Turnchapel Wharf enjoys excellent access to nearby Plymouth Sound, and is an easy-to-reach point for owners in the South West and Cornwall. We have access to deep water moorings large enough for any Princess in the range, up to and including the 40M. As well as a 50-tonne travel hoist, we also have access to hardstanding storage and a 3-tonne tender crane. Our experienced and multi-skilled team of Princess factory-trained engineers here in Plymouth can assist with just about anything – from GRP paint jobs and shrink-wrapping for transport, to retrofit installations and water toys and tenders.

If you’re in need of a bespoke service package, ensuring those annual checks are complete to a rigorously high standard, or if you want to upgrade your ownership experience – give us a call.

“We bought a Siren Marine unit in 2018 for our Princess V48. It was supplied and installed by the Princess team in Plymouth – it took less than a day to do and the team kept me up to date throughout. Once installed, they helped me to load the app with the parameters I required, making set up really straight forward.” Noel Pollard

As your local point of contact in Plymouth, Sam is on hand to not only assist with any service and maintenance enquiries, but also to advise on great local cruising spots. Sam is incredibly passionate about her role and truly cares for the customer. She will ensure each and every problem is solved and will go to any length to give excellent customer service. A familiar and friendly face to our local owners in Plymouth, Sam is at the end of the phone for a catch-up as well as advice. It is this relationship that she has gained with countless owners over the years that makes her role so enjoyable and rewarding – it’s like a ‘Princess’ family.

In her spare time, you’ll usually find Sam sitting back reading a gripping thriller or out walking the local Devonshire countryside with friends. She’s a volunteer at the local Cats Protection charity, and an avid festival-goer; she already has three booked for this Summer!

If you’re a Princess owner in the South West, contact us to discuss your servicing needs. Call our team on +44 (0)1752 600657 or email [email protected]

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Maritime Training & Consultancy

Searegs is moving to turnchapel wharf.

From late May, SeaRegs training will be moving to Turnchapel Wharf – Barton Road. Our newly built facility located near Plymouth Yacht Haven and Yacht Haven Quay is just undergoing its final adjustments and we hope to be able to move in within the next few weeks. 

The new unit will house a large purpose built workshop as well as 3 further training classrooms on the top floor. There will be storage for our rib with easy access to a slipway as well as plenty of on site parking. With so much extra space, this is a really exciting move for SeaRegs and we can’t wait to get started over there. 

If you’re booked onto an upcoming course then don’t worry, we’ll let you know if there are any changes to your original joining instructions. If you don’t hear from us then your course will still be run at our current site on Billacombe Road and we look forward to seeing you at Turnchapel for any courses you may do in the future!