A weeks sailing in the Solent

[Flying Fish]

Hi,

I`m planning a 5/6 day sailing holiday around the Solent in my Centaur with my wife and two children (9 & 6). Its our first season in the Centaur having moved up from dinghies and we are looking for a bit of advice.

Our starting point is Chichester Harbour and are planning shortish sails most days to hop around the Solent, with maybe a day off to explore The Isle of White by bus.

Mrs FF has requested every other night must be in a marina and although I`m not averse to anchoring overnight, at the moment our bower anchor is a danforth that I`m not confident with on a changing tide, and I`m not sure I can budget for a new generation anchor this season. ( If I can is a 11kg the right size?)

Any must sees, should avoids and top tips very greatfully received,

Thank you,

FF.

 

[rickym]

Welcome to the forum

As nobody has replied I will give you a 'heads up'. You don't say when you are going but avoid this Saturday as it is RTIR!

First with a centaur you will not be punching tide so plan around the tides. The western solent can be a breezy place as the wind funnels up from the needles and the ebb fairly whistles down on springs. That said it is not far from Cowes to Yarmouth.

Friday, Saturday and Sundays are always busy but with a bit of planning you can always get in especially with a little un.

Plenty to explore on both sides of the Solent.

Here are some of my favorites

Bembridge - As a bilge keeler you can dry out on the beach inside the harbour - lovely walks beach etc
Bosham - alongside the quay.
East head - BBQ on the beach
Fareham - by Trafalgar Yacht services you dry but a short walk to town
Newport or the Folly/ Island harbour - nice walks or at Newport you are in the Capital!
Cowes - Take your pick we prefer Shepherds wharf
Newtown creek - beautiful!
Lymington - SWMBO loves the shops! a lovely town
Yarmouth - A short sail from Lymington! - Walk to Freshwater, needles, underwater museam
Portsmouth - Submarine, Explosion museams expensive marina's but good facilities or Hardway Sailing club?
Beaulieu river? - not sure??
Hamble - pretty but a bit of a boat park. Watch the tides!

http://www.troppo.co.uk/tightwad/owers.htm

See this link

Have fun!

 

[Kwik Decision]

Excellent suggestions from Rickym. I'd add:
Ashlet Creek, where as a bilge keeler (I've assumed, did Westerly make a fin keeled Centaur?) you can dry out along side. In spite of being very close to Fawley, it is a lovely spot, with a wellcoming sailing club (with toilets and showers) and a good pub.
Anchor off White Cliff Bay (E end of the IoW, just round from Bembridge) if the wind is SW, and let the children have a play on the beach, and an ice cream from the cafe. Can be a bit wet getting the dinghy on and off the beach though.
Wootton Creek. Again dry out along side at the very friendly Royal Victoria YC (with toilets and showers) and go for a stroll to Quar Abbey.

WRT anchors, I could be opening a can of worms here but... We've got a 10 kg delta, which is probably the oldest and hence cheapest of the new gen anchors. It has always set quickly and effectively, and can (according to the PBO tests from 2002) cope with turning tides well. Some may say it is a little undersized for a 29 footer, but we have used it quite a lot and it has never let us down. I'd recommend it for your Centaur.

 

[Topcat47]

Beaulieu River is wonderful and quite challenging to sail up. It comes with a downside which is Buckler's Hard (I strongly reccommend you do not eat or drink in the Master Builder). At HW you can get up as far as the motor museum and there's a concrete grid to dry out on. Even if you decide to use the marina in Buckler's Hard, there a nice riverside walk up to Beaulieu where you will find a decent pub and, if you're lucky, the odd NF pony or two.

 

[Topcat47]

Oh I forgot, there's also Keyhaven. You can anchor in the shelter of the castle. I'm not sure if the club have any visitor's moorings but there's a nice pub in the village (or it was last time I was there).

 

[BuzzFan]

make it a stickie?

Hi,

I`m planning a 5/6 day sailing holiday around the Solent ...snip...any must sees, should avoids and top tips very greatfully received,

Thank you,

FF.

Wouldnt this thread make a great start for a stickie?

100% agree with above posts, here are a few more ideas:

explore the island by boat not bus - unless you fancy the walking bigger downs in the middle - you can reach virtually all other places from your vessel! Also cycles for hire at Cowes and a few other places.

Seaview Yacht Club - worth a drink from the rock-perched outside bar if sunny, and I'd recommend the food at the Seaview Hotel bar. Watch out though if using the SYC moorings, their charge is £££ even for a few hours.

Carisbrooke Castle, 20 min walk from Newport Town Quay

Osborne House, 10 min walk from east Cowes

Scrub your bottom whilst drying out overnight at Bosham Sailing Club - prettiest club & bar in the Solent imho!

Avoid the bigger marinas, and Cowes on a friday/sat night - most smaller places have a few council or other semi-public moorings/walls/trotts you can use, esp if planning ahead. Cowes moorings get cheaper as you go upstream.

Book any restaurants well ahead if dining out on a saturday

Fishbourne Creek worth a visit.

Tiny Harbour in Ventnor is one of my favourites - it's ideal for a bilge keeler, weather permitting. Ventnor's terraced town & tropical gardens are one of Englands best kept secrets.

Hurst Castle & Keyhaven Yacht Club

 

[Spuddy]

Your inland excursion could take in the donkey sanctuary. Lots of contented donkeys needing a scratch - good for kids (and me).

 

[Flying Fish]

Thanks very much, great suggestions, this is just what I`m looking for. I love the idea of anchoring off White Cliff Bay, never thought of that. And Ventner sounds like a real gem.

We are, weather permitting, planning Monday July 11th to the following Sat/Sun. I was origionally planning on going as far as Poole, but then thought that it may well be a tad to far for the kids. At the moment they love the boat and I`m desperate to not put them off with, to them, long boring passages.

I actually posted this thread yesterday lunchtime (22nd) as this is my first it went via the moderater and only got put up this afternoon. In the meantime Angele posted a very similar thread so my apologies if it seems too similar.

A couple of quick questions, sorry sounds stupid but can you book a visitors berth or is it first come first served? And for the engine experts, the previous owner seems to have seriously over-filled the engine oil in her orgional MD11C, is this a problem?

Thanks FF

 

[Angele]

In the meantime Angele posted a very similar thread so my apologies if it seems too similar.

Hello!

Heard my name.

Isn't it wonderful. There is loads to do in the Solent and the forum is a really good way to bring ideas together.

As you are avoiding the busiest times (i.e. not RTIR or Cowes Week), you should have not any problem getting a berth anywhere apart from, possibly, Yarmouth, but even there it will be fine midweek. Some places will allow you to book ahead, but not much point really.

We had a great time based in Island Harbour marina on the Medina last summer. I'd thoroughly recommend using that as a base and exploring from there (on foot, by bus or by taxi).

Have fun.

 

[Topcat47]

Regarding the Volvo, if there's still too much oil in it, drain a little off. Fortunately these are big old engines and can stand a lot of abuse, but the levels are there for a reason.

 

[Flying Fish]

Hello Angele,

Yes loads, and most importantly short trips...... happy kids, happy parents

Funny though, been thinking for a while about posting a thread about a week in the Solent and when I finally get round to it you post an almost identical one

FF

 

[mcframe]

I've done several of these from Chi - in a bilge-keeler with younger children.

To add to what others have said:
Step 1 is Ryde - beach and wander eastwards up to Puckpool park.

Step 2 is up the Medina - stop at Shepards in Cowes for a couple of hours, then take the tide up to Newport - once there get bus to Blackgang Chine - staying at least two nights.

Step 3 is round to Newton Creek or Yamouth/Lymington.

Step 4 is the stop at Porchester or Gosport/Gunwharf (comparatively cheap for small boats and has free washing)

Step 5 is anchoring off East Head or Priory Bay for the last night.

Check the tides so you can sail early or late - arriving/departing at lunchtime isn't conducive for doing tourist things unless you're just crossing Beaulieu/Cowes or Portsmouth/Ryde.

 

[Flying Fish]

Thanks Topcat,

I can see a trip to the Chandlers for a oil syphon as well as a new anchor!

 

[Angele]

Yes loads, and most importantly short trips...... happy kids, happy parents

Exactly so.

And, most importantly, don't scare them. If it is windy, stay in harbour. You are lucky in that you have a very big harbour to play in.

If you have an iPhone / Blackberry / whatever that gives you access to the net whilst onboard then check out Chimet/Bramblemet before you venture out. Big mistake I made last summer was trusting the Met Office: 3 or 4 occasionally 5. Got a nasty shock when I left the Hamble and it was blowing a 7. Should have turned back immediately, but I thought Cowes is only an hour away (to windward).

I had fun, but I think I have scarred the 3 of them for life!

 

[mcframe]

Exactly so.

And, most importantly, don't scare them. If it is windy, stay in harbour. You are lucky in that you have a very big harbour to play in.

Slight disagreement - if it's the *right* wind and you're doing a short hop, for no more than 2 hour - and reef early, for a sheltered arrival - then it can be enjoyable for all concerned.

 

[Angele]

Slight disagreement - if it's the *right* wind and you're doing a short hop, for no more than 2 hour - and reef early, for a sheltered arrival - then it can be enjoyable for all concerned.

I think a force 7 for a six year-old, as in my example, is into scary category no matter how hard you reef down. (Especially if your destination is to windward, as mine was).

To me that is a blast. Had similar conditions going to the Buckler's Hard last weekend for Chrissie's BBQ, but I will avoid anything more than a five with the family on board until I know they understand the boat won't flip over!

 

[Flying Fish]

If you have an iPhone / Blackberry / whatever that gives you access to the net whilst onboard then check out Chimet/Bramblemet before you venture out. Big mistake I made last summer was trusting the Met Office: 3 or 4 occasionally 5. Got a nasty shock when I left the Hamble and it was blowing a 7. Should have turned back immediately, but I thought Cowes is only an hour away (to windward).

I had fun, but I think I have scarred the 3 of them for life!

Very good advice. I had a similar experience, luckily with a couple of sailing buddies not the family although my inexperience was partly to blame Left chichester harbour, wind over tide, knew it was going to be rough until we got out passed the bar. Problem was it was almost as bad out in the solent.......one crew member became seasick almost immiediatly and I couldn`t turn round and go back in until the tide changed. I thought about Bembridge but wrong tide and Portsmouth was a long long beat in force 5/6. I learnt alot that day, but I did gain alot of confidence in my little boat.

 

[Flying Fish]

Thanks mcframe,

I`d never thought of going all the way up to Newport, I guess it dries out completely up there? Do you moor up to a wall, pontoon or out on a mooring?

FF

 

[mcframe]

I think a force 7 for a six year-old, as in my example, is into scary category no matter how hard you reef down. (Especially if your destination is to windward, as mine was).

True, but our 3+5 year olds were far less fazed by a NW 7 run from Beaulieu-Cowes than mum & dad were ;-)

 

[mcframe]

Thanks mcframe,

I`d never thought of going all the way up to Newport, I guess it dries out completely up there? Do you moor up to a wall, pontoon or out on a mooring?

Dries out /almost/ completely - bilgers on a walk-ashore council pontoon(cheap electricity available) on soft mud, fin-keelers to the walls. ~£13 for 27', and a couple of mins walk from the bus station (& a big Morrisons supermarket and a Maplin (for 12v electrical bits)).

Best plan is to nudge up on an evening flood tide, spend the next day doing tourist things, then head out the following morning.

Toilets are, well, what you paid for 'em; harbourmaster is nice, but it's a long walk to the lanudrette (hence go to Gunwharf later