A practical question about Studland Bay.

[doug748]

By coincidence I am planning a trip to the Solent in the summer for the Contessa 50th celebrations. First time in the area in my own boat.

I will take it as the weather serves but had planned to break my trip at anchor in Studland Bay at some point. I don't know the area well but have been past a few time and know the general arrangement.
I can see it would be untenable in any significant wind or swell from the East but for those who know it better:


1) If I entered in a brisk S to SE breeze, with modest swell from that direction would I find reasonable shelter in the mid point of the bay (ie outside the proposed zone) ? Would it be much better in weather from the SW assuming I am allowed to move in closer to the W shore

2) In the same S to SE 20 kt conditions would anchoring conditions be good in the SW corner (ie within the proposed no anchor zone)?

3) What wind strengths and directions would you consider are the limits of shelter in those two spots?

4) Are there better alternative offshore anchorages (ie apart from Poole which I will avoid if possible, esp if dark) and in what conditions?

I want to avoid entering the Bay and finding no shelter at the end of a passage, bearing in mind this may be at the end of the longer 20 hour overnight trip from Dartmouth.
32ft sloop, I will be singlehanded. All information gratefully accepted, thanks.



Lastly, and slightly off topic:

Would you consider looking for shelter at the end of a 20 hour ish passage in these circumstances justifies entering the "no- anchor" area? This is not so much a debating point about the proposals but of real practical interest to me in July.


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[LadyInBed]

I don't know what the no anchor area is, but I normally anchor around 50 39.10'N 01 56.90'W. I draw 1.5m
Your ok with the wind from S through W to NW but it is uncomfortable with wind from N through E to SE unless it is calm.
Alternative coming from W is Lulworth Cove but uncomfortable if wind is from S, keep away from SE corner as it's full of kelp, as close as you can get to the N shore is good.

 

[TernVI]

If there's any East in the breeze, it can be unpleasant in Studland.
In July, it can be crowded.

In my view it's a long way off a sensible track from the Bill to the Solent anyway.
I would consider a) getting a crew, b) nipping around to Brixham to lop a few miles off the trip and/or c) stopping off at Weymouth if progress isn't enough to get you into the Solent.

If the wind is safely in the West, then Swanage is IMHO nicer and a whole lot nearer to your planned track.

Lulworth is a lovely place, but I wouldn't use it as a refuge, it seems to fill up easily as boats gyrate in the wind eddies? If you find it untenable, you've added a lot of miles to your trip.

I would feel that chucking the hook in a 'no anchoring zone' in a genuine emergency is one thing, having it as your 'plan B' when Plan A is perhaps ambitious is really not the same at all.

 

[dom]

In my view it's a long way off a sensible track from the Bill to the Solent anyway.......................

Really? From Gammon Pt outside Salcombe to the Needles Bridge Buoy is 85.5m and a diversion to Studland adds 2m to that.

Standing a few miles off the Bill if its rough might add a mile or so more, whereupon a refresher stop in Studland to recharge/take stock might make even more sense in a small boat.

Weymouth on the other hand is miles off course.

 

[TernVI]

Really? From Gammon Pt outside Salcombe to the Needles Bridge Buoy is 85.5m and a diversion to Studland adds 2m to that.

Standing a few miles off the Bill if its rough might add a mile or so more, whereupon a refresher stop in Studland to recharge/take stock might make even more sense in a small boat.

Weymouth on the other hand is miles off course.

Weymouth is a big diversion, but it's a decision you take when progress is slow.
It gets the job done reliably over 2 days instead of 1, with no issues whatever the forecast.

If you're aiming to do the passage in one hit, you are probably going to be passing a long way South of Studland to use the tide. Obviously if it's a beat, everything changes but Studland's no use then anyway.

It would be better to look at real passage plans for the days in question, but my approach has generally been to take Eastgoing tide from off Portland up through Hurst, which tends to make Studland irrelevant.

It depends at what point you are going to make the decision to go to Studland. When aiming to get back to the Solent in one hit, when a dying wind has told us we're not making the pub in Yarmouth, Studland has been a big diversion.
And if the forecast is uncertain you might end up having to carry on to Poole.

 

[Tranona]

Agree that Studland is not good with any east in the wind. I remember one very fast passage single handed from Cherbourg with a F5 SE on August bank holiday passing Studland that was deserted. Normally it would be wall to wall boats! Remember it is also very shallow (less than 5m) so waves build up quickly.

On your planned passage if there is any east in the wind it could be slow going , so you may want to break further west anyway, and the only sensible places for shelter and a good night's sleep are Portland or Weymouth. A big diversion, although not so bad if you can time it for the inside passage round the Bill. Good jumping off point to take the tide to the Solent.

Nothing difficult about entering Poole at night. Very well lit and wide deep channels. Downside is that the anchorages are mostly accessed via poorly lit or unlit channels and none particularly good in east winds.

I shall being going out to Studland next Tuesday if the forecast holds to make sure it is still there and get maximum use of it while we can. Last few years I have anchored there maybe 20-30 times a year for my lunch stop or odd overnight to take an early morning tide up to the Solent . I usually anchor well out in what I think will be just outside the proposed NA zone as I tend not to want to go ashore these days.

 

[doug748]

I don't know what the no anchor area is, but I normally anchor around 50 39.10'N 01 56.90'W. I draw 1.5m
Your ok with the wind from S through W to NW but it is uncomfortable with wind from N through E to SE unless it is calm.
Alternative coming from W is Lulworth Cove but uncomfortable if wind is from S, keep away from SE corner as it's full of kelp, as close as you can get to the N shore is good.

Thanks for that. from looking at my tiny chart that puts you just roughly to the north of East from Knoll House, around the start of Studland Beach.

Depending which model is adopted, I think you would be clear of the zone in that spot.

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[pyrojames]

Chapmans Pool for an easterly. breaks the passage round the Bill nicely.

 

[LadyInBed]

If you're aiming to do the passage in one hit, you are probably going to be passing a long way South of Studland to use the tide

I don't think you are as far South of Studland as you suggest, the tides are strongest inshore.
This shows from 5nm S of the Bill to N Head

 

[Mark-1]

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[Stemar]

I've sat out a strong southerly off Goatshorn point (go into the harbour and turn left), but in a strong Easterly, I'd be inclined to go in and look for an empty mooring in the bay to the east of the entrance. If it's really nasty, go a bit further and stay in Salterns Marina

 

[Yealm]

In a faster previous boat I’ve done Dartmouth to Yarmouth in a long day’s hop, but in our Contessa, personally I think I’d break the journey in Weymouth, and make it less of a slog if single-handed. But I guess depends a lot on conditions.

 

[Blueboatman]

Tucking into Studland for a few hours sleep after Dartmouth -Studland makes perfect sense . Watch out for the lines and pots off old Harry if it is after dusk..
And if there is an E and a S component to the wind I would definitely just heave to in lieu , and you won’t be giving away your upwind advantage for the sake of rolling around on the anchor for a few hours .. IMO !
Nothing finer than sailing into the Solent at sunrise , well rested ?

 

[Ian_Rob]

I've sat out a strong southerly off Goatshorn point (go into the harbour and turn left), but in a strong Easterly, I'd be inclined to go in and look for an empty mooring in the bay to the east of the entrance. If it's really nasty, go a bit further and stay in Salterns Marina

But shallow as you hang a left from the main Channel and really only on a rising tide.

 

[Tranona]

I've sat out a strong southerly off Goatshorn point (go into the harbour and turn left), but in a strong Easterly, I'd be inclined to go in and look for an empty mooring in the bay to the east of the entrance. If it's really nasty, go a bit further and stay in Salterns Marina

If taking the marina option then Town Quay or Poole Yacht Club are much better bets, particularly at night as plenty of deep water in the well lit main channel