Shipyards and refit
Eleven yards between Falmouth and Shoreham can lift or dock a large yacht. We book the slot, plan the approach with the harbour and the pilots, and look after the work until she is back afloat.
What we arrange
- 01
The yard slot
The lift or the dock booked to suit the yacht's length, beam, weight and draught, with each figure confirmed with the yard first.
- 02
The approach
Planned with the harbour authority and the pilots, including any bridge clearance, tidal window or notice the harbour requires.
- 03
Contractors
Contractors on site scoped, supervised and signed off on your behalf, each invoiced at cost with the invoice attached.
- 04
Refit
A full refit managed from specification to sign-off, under a separate engagement.
- 05
Inward Processing Relief
For a yacht under Temporary Admission, arranged before the work starts.
Dry docks of up to 253 metres at Falmouth.
Yards by capacity
- Pendennis Shipyard
- Falmouth Docks
- 800 t
- Balaena
- Falmouth Docks, formerly A&P
- 253 m
- Plymouth Yacht Haven
- The Cattewater
- 75 t
- Noss on Dart
- River Dart
- 75 t
- Saxon Wharf
- River Itchen
- 200 t
- Shamrock Quay
- River Itchen
- 75 t
- Berthon
- Lymington River
- 75 t
- Cowes Yacht Haven
- River Medina
- 50 t
- Trafalgar Shipyard
- Portchester Lake
- 877 t
- Endeavour Quay
- Gosport
- 180 t
- Shoreham Port dry dock
- Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex
- 50 m
Falmouth
- Pendennis Shipyard
- Two 75m enclosed dry docks, usable as one of 150m by 24m, an 800 tonne hoist and a non-tidal wet basin, in the south-east corner of Falmouth Docks. Call Spindrift on VHF 11 and Falmouth Pilots on VHF 09 before arriving.
- Balaena
- A commercial ship repair yard, formerly A&P Falmouth, with dry docks of 253m by 40m, 220m by 27m and 172m by 26m. The docking controller answers as Spindrift A on VHF 11.
Plymouth and the Dart
- Plymouth Yacht Haven
- A 75 tonne hoist to 6.5m beam from a deep-water dock in the Cattewater, with superyacht berths to 45m. Pilotage over 50m; Plymouth VTS on VHF 14.
- Noss on Dart
- A 75 tonne hoist, the largest on the river, above the Higher Ferry. Pilotage over 50m in the outer zone and over 30m above the Anchor Stone, on 72 hours' notice.
Southampton, Lymington and Cowes
- Saxon Wharf
- A 200 tonne hoist on the River Itchen, above the Itchen Bridge, which clears 23.0m above highest astronomical tide. Pilotage at 61m; Southampton VTS on VHF 12.
- Shamrock Quay
- A 75 tonne hoist and berths to 70m, 1,300m above the Itchen Bridge. Bridge clearance and pilotage as for Saxon Wharf.
- Berthon
- A 75 tonne hoist to 6.5m beam, a 120 tonne boat mover and a 28m paint booth on the Lymington River. No pilotage; Berthon on VHF 80.
- Cowes Yacht Haven
- A 50 tonne travel lift and a 22 tonne crane on the River Medina. Pilotage at 48m in the inner harbour; the harbour on VHF 69.
Portsmouth Harbour
- Trafalgar Shipyard
- A syncrolift to 60m, 877 tonnes and 14m beam, on Portchester Lake about a mile north of the entrance. Pilotage at 48m; the King's Harbour Master on VHF 11.
- Endeavour Quay
- A travel lift to 40m and 180 tonnes in Gosport, just inside the entrance, with 5m at all states of tide. The yard is on VHF 80.
Shoreham
- Shoreham Port dry dock
- 50.2m long, 45m at the blocks, with 5.4m draught over the blocks; your own contractors may work in it. Docking over 30m is GBP 2,100, then GBP 475 a day, at the 2026 tariff. Pilotage over 50m.
Sources
Pendennis Shipyard; Balaena; Falmouth Harbour passage plan and pilotage information 2026; Premier Marinas (Trafalgar Shipyard, Endeavour Quay, Noss on Dart); Portsmouth Port pilotage; MDL Marinas (Saxon Wharf, Shamrock Quay); Southampton port users' information and navigation guidelines, September 2026; Lymington Harbour Commissioners; Berthon; Cowes Harbour Commission navigation and pilotage directions 2026; Shoreham Port dry dock, Pilotage Directions version 5 and tariff 2026; Cowes Yacht Haven; Yacht Havens; Plymouth pilotage directions; Dart Harbour. Checked 23 September 2026.
Questions
Which UK shipyards can lift or dock a superyacht?
Eleven yards between Falmouth and Shoreham, from a 50 tonne hoist at Cowes Yacht Haven to the 877 tonne syncrolift at Trafalgar Shipyard in Portsmouth Harbour and dry docks of up to 253 metres at Balaena in Falmouth.
Does a yacht under Temporary Admission need Inward Processing Relief for yard work?
Yes. We arrange Inward Processing Relief before the work starts.
Is there a dry dock for yachts in the south east of England?
The Shoreham Port dry dock takes yachts to 50.2m, with 45m at the blocks and 5.4m draught over the blocks. Docking over 30m is GBP 2,100, then GBP 475 a day, at the 2026 tariff.
