advice on Christchurch to Littlehampton

[lilianroyle]

This Sunday I am hoping to get from Christchurch to Littlehampton. The boat should be able to manage 5 knots.What is the best timing/route to get the best out of the 6 hour flood and is there a way to minimise the effect of the ebb, should I go inshore after Selsey Bill or stay out. At 5 knots how long should this trip take (There will be a 5 month old baby on board which means a 10 hour passage is much more than 2 hours longer than an 8 hour passage)

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[Clive_Rigden]

I'd go A35 & M27.

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[AndrewB]

I don't have charts to hand so this is from memory. Christchurch to Littlehampton has to be a good 50 miles, so there is no way you can do it in a single flood tide at 5 knots.

There are also some conundrums for you. Both harbours are tidal. You'll almost certainly need to leave Christchurch near high water, when the tide outside is turning westwards against you: also you need to arrive at Langstone at high water (From memory the window is about 2 hours either side in both places, but of course Christchurch is specially complicated). And ideally you need the tide with you all the way. but particularly going past the Needles/through Hurst narrows, and again going through the Looe Channel. It is impossible to achieve all these desiderata.

At 5 knots I can't see this taking any less than 10 hours, from one high to the next. On Sunday I'd aim to leave Christchurch as late as you can after the morning high tide, say about 3am, depending on your draft (I'm assuming you know your way through the Run in the dark). Inshore eastwards to North Channel then buck the last of the ebb tide through Hurst - but with a spring tide that isn't going to be funny. Then by the time you pass Lymington the tide is beginning to pick up with you, with luck you'll cover the remaining 35 miles or so in 6 hours arriving about 2pm on the high tide, having gone through the Looe Channel en route.

If the winds are strong (F6+) you have two additional hazards. Avoid (i) the Trap at Hurst (go right across to IOW side after exiting North Channel), and (ii) the Looe channel specially with wind against the tide - it isn't safe without prior knowledge.

 

[Twister_Ken]

Problem is you can only get out of C'church close to HW which implies westgoing tide for 6 hours. Once out of C'ch though tides in the bay ain't too strong so head for N. Head buoy and the North Channel, where, given a decent breeze, you'll be able to get yourself into the Solent against the ebb by hugging the shingle on Hurst, only ducking out at the last minute if the echo sounder makes it seem you might encounter the Trap.

So you'll be in the Solent say 3 hours after departure, still with 3 hours of ebb to buck, so stick to the Hampshire shore and work the shallows.

I'd then overnight somewhere as far down the Solent as poss before the milk-converter gets too fractious - maybe you can make Gosport?, then finish the next day, when you should be able to carry a tide all the way to L'hampton and enter near HW.

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[Boathook]

Just get out of Christchurch as early as possible and head East. Another option is to get out as late as possible and anchor off until the tides turns east and get the flood up for 6 hours. Littlehampton is an unknown to me so if tidal there may be restrictions that again mean playing tides.
Good luck and a safe voyage.

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[billmacfarlane]

You're going to have to buck the tide somewhere along the way if you need to do the passage in one day. I'd personally do it in two. I don't know Christchurch at all only that the entrance is tricky and shallow. So if you leave any time near high water you're stuck with a west going tide albeit the tide is weak in Christchurch Bay but that changes dramatically at Hurst. You're either going to have to hang about and wait for the ebb to slacken or grin and bear it in the Solent, keeping as close inshore as you dare until the flood starts. A couple of points to note: In winds F5 and above and against a spring tide the Looe Channel can be an unpleasant place to be especially with a young one on board. Overfalls are more pronounced at the west side of the channel before and after the Boulder and Street buoys. There is a bar at Littlehamton entrance and half tide and above is the best time to enter. The River Arun is a very swift flowing river and you'll have real trouble trying to berth in a spring ebb especially if you're mooring at Arun Yacht Club.

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[Woody]

Agree with a number of the previous posts. Doing this over 2 days would make it so much easier. Because of the tidal constraints it is likely to take 10-11 hours in one go which will mean either departing or arriving in the dark.

I would depart Sat around midday or as early as you can safely exit Christchurch Entrance (HW1240BST) and go North Channel staying close into Hurst Castle to avoid The Trap. This should get you to Yarmouth or Lymington by 1430, just as the tide turns. If you get away earlier and make good time go on to Cowes (can be busy on a Saturday) or you could make Gosport by 1900.

Sunday leave Yarmouth 0700 and should make Littlehampton Entrance around HW1459BST assuming 5 kts average and using Looe Channel (check timing and weather). If from Cowes depart 0800 or from Gosport 0900 arriving just before HW at Littlehampton Entrance.

The above based on personal experience and a quick calculation using Neptune Passage Planning on the train this morning. I accept no responsibility for the above, so please do your own calculations.

Have a great trip.



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[BobE]

Just picked up this thread after a day at SBS...
Q1 How much do you draw?
Q2 Are you actually already in Christchurch harbour ( Dorset not NZ)?
Q3 If so where?
Q4 Average cruise speed please?

Then I might just be able to help..
Cheers Bob E..

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[ChrisE]

Erm, Woody staying close whilst rounding Hurst Castle puts you into The Trap! I'd take it about 30-40 metres off.

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[Capt_Marlinspike]

It all depends on when you can get out of Christchurch. If you can get about 1 hour before first high (you can only do this if you draw less than 1 metre) then you will still have enough of the flood tide to make it through Hurst. I would then stop off at Lymington or Yarmouth and wait for slack water before heading on eastward.

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[Woody]

Re: Comment from Chris_Enstone

Re-read my post, agree not worded well. Meant to write stay in close to Hurst Castle BUT avoid the Trap. I stay about 50m off.

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[brianhumber]

Re:Looe to Littlehampton

Like others do not think you can do this in one tide, better to pop into Haslar and leave at first flood East.
Having had a fishing boat at Littlehampton and wintered my yachts there for 10 years can suggest the Looe is a much better way then round the Owers. With a SW wind and flooding tide it will be quite flat.
Make sure you get to Littlehampton before tide turns east, keep out of the Park and off shore from Bognor ( mulberry harbour cassions and clay nodules called Bognor Rocks.)
Block of flats at Littlehampton is visable from the Mixon on an adverage day.
No need to go through the Street and Bouder bouys but they are a surprising way offshore as you approach from the Forts
Finally watch out as you enter Littlehampton, shoal gravel bank has grown close to the West wall just south of where the West Wall turns into Lattice work half way along and if you are a little late the West Tide will sluice around the end of the East Wall to flood up uhe river for the last hour or so before High Water.

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