Approaches
In daylight, the entrance to Manchester is easy to negotiate. The dredged channel is narrow, it can seem barely wide enough to pass an oncoming boat, but it is clearly marked with a string of nuns and cans. Over the past few years we've seen a controlling depth of about 10 feet at low, with (perhaps?) a little better depth on the red side. Expecting the channel to degrade between dredgings, a deep-draft boat will treat both edges with respect.
Sailors unfamiliar with Manchester should avoid arriving at night. The channel marks are unlit, as are the prominent ledges around Solly (or Sauli) Rock, Whaleback, and the Halftide Rocks. The prominent tower outside the harbor is a great daymark, also unlit. It's a WWII era observation post re-styled in a lighthouse motif.
Note that in 2006, the green daymark on Sauli Rock broke off. A stump of the pole still shows on the ledge, and a new green can is located just to the south.
The harbor is incredibly crowded. Moored boats hang fenders off their transoms to soften the blow when they don't swing precisely in time with their neighbors. The distinction between fairway and mooring field is not always obvious. Room to maneuver is scarce; the widest spot is usually off the fuel docks, in front of Manchester Marine's big red complex near the head of the harbor.
Anchorages
There is no room to anchor inside Manchester Harbor. You can anchor in Manchester Bay, clear of the outer moorings, with reasonable protection in summer weather. Or go a little further out and anchor off Great Misery.
Moorings
Manchester Marine has several transient moorings inside the harbor; they "highly recommend" reservations during peak season.
The Manchester Yacht Club, immediately inside the entrance, is not actively in the business of transient moorings, although their launch may have a vacant member's mooring.
Slips
There are no transient slips per se in the harbor. Manchester Marine may have tie-up space at their docks, but it's primarily a service yard.
