Please recommend a town by the sea - love watching boats

I doubt it! You wouldn’t get near the sea in Sussex if that is the budget, unless a very dilapidated street (yes, there are a few) separated from sea by an industrial estate or similar. Northumberland? Teesside?

I also love the South Hams part of Devon for that too

Anything with a sea view is £££s! Especially with 3 bedrooms and a garden.

Come to Lowestoft - the most easterly place in the UK - so we get the sunrise first every day. Plenty of properties within your range, good transport options, Pakefield and Kessingland are good areas to settle. Shops, theatre, and plenty of places to eat. If you are into groups like WI, there are 10 in the area and being a port we have lots of boats to watch.

how about poole in dorset? i moved here from torquay in the late 80s and now i wouldn't live anywhere else.
cafes, pubs, shopping, hospitals, boats in the second largest natural harbour in the world, easy to travel north, west and east - or south by ferry to the channel isles.
there's loads to discover here - i haven't seen it all yet!

Weymouth. Exmouth

Filey … great coastline and sandy bay… good value houses… train station too… or Scarborough I you’d like a bigger town with more activities

I live in Broadstairs
We see boats on the sea ! but Ramsgate has a harbour and marina and is a bit cheaper .. it’s a town of mixed residents - a lot of dfl and the inevitable deprivation also but it’s architecturally lovely and there are loads of boats .. trains are high speed and the whole coastline is lovely sandy beaches and cliffs . Margate is a much younger vibe and I find it a bit soulless and bleak
As there is a lot of deprivation but also a fabulous creative buzz but it’s great to visit . Brilliant restaurants .

Northumberland ,North East Coast has the friendliest people and great coast line ...Whitby much more for your money in the North .
North Wales also very nice but not Rhyl or Prestatyn I agree.
Anglesey, Conwy,

Interested to hear comments about Margate. My father's hometown and where we spent all our childhood holidays. But I would not associate it with boats. I think you need a decent marina/harbour for that.

Hastings used to be nice many years ago, it’s a very deprived and sad town now tho with lots of crime. Eastbourne is nice, or just up the coast is Seaford, a smaller seaside town.

Malta.

Have a look at Bexhill/St Leonards/Hastings.

Falmouth has a huge harbour full of boats but it's pricey. It has a train station too.

Brixham, or another town in Torbay, loads of fishing boats, mussel boats etc, small yachts and cruisers in the marina and historic vessels like Brixham trawlers

Southsea or Gosport.

For me it would have to be Whitby. It has everything! Great walks, the beach, fabulous places to eat and drink.

Then why not look at Northumberland - such a beautiful county. My dad wanted to move to either Amble or Alnmouth but sadly died at the age of 58.

County Durham is another beautiful county with lots to offer and the houses are not too expensive.

I moved from Derby to Cumbria over 30 years ago, now live on an island just off the lake district coast. Get to the island by bridge so easy to access. Would under no circumstances would I move from here. Look north its cheaper, and with your budget you would get something really nice.

Hunstanton or Sherringham or Cromer on the East coast!

We love Ramsgate in Thanet. It has the only royally appointed harbour in the country and you can while away hours watching the boats come and go. You can also get a days rail return to London St Pancras for around £20. It's a really beautiful town and has a wonderful vast sandy beach.

What about Norfolk or Suffolk? Houses are definitely a lot cheaper there than where I live ( admittedly in the expensive SE) and there are some lovely small towns by the sea - Aldeburgh, Southwold etc.

henetha

Teignmouth is a lovely little seaside town.

Agree that Teignmouth is a good choice - with the sea front as well as the estuary there, plenty of boat watching to be had, plus property prices are comparitively reasonable. Also the weather in the SW is generally milder than in the North.

I should have said £20 fare with a senior rail card.

We live in Lytham St Annes on the Fylde coast. It has its own micro climate and there are lots of eateries. There is a station and plenty of buses. It is south of Blackpool which is OK for a visit but we rarely go. The problem would be the only boats we see regularly are on Fairhaven Lake as the tide only shows itself twice a day. House prices would be within your range. [email protected] is worth a look if you fancy Lancashire.

Lyme Regis - but probably expensive, unless you can get a small apartment. Very nice town - and fossils too!

Wells-next-the-sea Norfolk very pretty I would love to live there.
As for the seaside in towns some are ok but from the sound of you I don't think you would like Hastings or Margate all kiss me quick hats and litter! And the bank holidays in Hastings you can not move for motor bikes. But good luck with what ever you chose.