Littlehampton Harbour welcomes a wide range of visiting vessels — from leisure craft and small commercial vessels to larger workboats. Whether you’re stopping overnight or using the harbour for short-term operations, the Harbour Board provides a variety of facilities and services to ensure your visit is safe, convenient, and enjoyable.
The public slipway is on the eastern side of the harbour off Surrey Street and is adjacent to the RNLI Lifeboat Station.
There is no charge for the use of the slipway but all vessels must register with the Harbour Office and pay harbour dues before going afloat.
This can be done online via the button below, by contacting us harbour@littlehampton.org.uk or +44 (0)1903 721215, or by visiting the Harbour Office in person.
Slipway users are reminded that the slipway is also used by the RNLI and access is required at all times. You are therefore requested to ensure that there is access for the lifeboat to be launched.
There is a public car park with trailer parking bays situationed immediately behind the lifeboat station.
The main part of slipway is concrete and the lower part is constructed of caged rock. Ideal times for launching are between 2 hours before and after high water. Caution should be taken when launching below approximately 3.5m height of tide, as the lower part of the slipway is covered in soft silt which regularly causes vehicles to become stuck.
85 metres of visitor pontoon moorings are located below the Harbour Office, the prominent white building north of the first line of pontoons on the east side. After berthing please visit the Harbour Office for the security code for the pontoon walkways and shower/toilet block.
BOOKING: To avoid disappointment, advanced booking is strongly recommended. You can request a visitor mooring via our online form:
or contact us – harbour@littlehampton.org.uk or +44 (0)1903 721215
If you expect to arrive and/or depart outside of normal office hours (or at weekends from October to March), please contact us by telephone and select the option to be put through to the on-call Duty Officer.
Rallies are welcome, but please contact us as far in advance as possible, as our visitors pontoon can only accommodate around 20 yachts (when rafting).
The minimum water depth at spring low tide alongside the visitor’s pontoon is 2.2 metres except for the northern 3x pontoon sections which yachts of greater than 2m draft should avoid. Please note that the harbour entrance bar’s impounding effect plus the river’s drainage means the height of tide almost never falls below 0.9m above datum (whatever the forecasted height of tide at LW).
Vessels over 2.3m draft can be accommodated but should be with the advice of the Harbour Master and will likely need to be rafted so they sit further into the channel in deeper water.
Fresh, hot showers are available for all visiting vessel crews and passengers, providing comfort after a day on the water. Facilities are maintained to high standards for hygiene and convenience.
Clean and accessible toilet facilities are provided on-site, with separate provisions for male and female users. Conveniently located near the visitor berths.
Drinking water is available to visiting vessels on all stanchions and also in the visitor ablutions.
The Visitor berths offer shore power connections, giving visiting vessels the ability to recharge batteries, and run essential systems safely and efficiently.
16 Amp power outlets are available on all stanchions and splitters are available if required.
A retractable footbridge with 3.6m clearance at Mean High Water Springs (MHWS is 5.9m at Littlehampton) and 3.0m clearance at Highest Astronomical Tide (HAT is 6.5m) provides access north of the footbridge and to Littlehampton Marina for vessels under pilotage and for masted craft.
It is opened by request to the Harbour Office received before 16:30 the previous day (excl. Sundays and Bank Holidays).
