Am I jumping the gun?

[Happy1]

I have had a chat with my wife about the Bank Holiday weekend coming up and we have decided that it would be nice to take the boat to the South Coast. 'Am I jumping the gun' or is it managebale down there? We have been off our maps in all directions at Chatham and felt it was time to explore, I spoke with Ocean Village marina and it seems we can park the car trailer and boat there (boat in water on pontoon). I looked at boat launch and saw a slipway at 'Floating Bridge Hard' East side of Itchen bridge on the South. It states you can launch at all times of the tide, I think it is very near to Ocean village.

So all you experienced people out there what do I do? I would like to have a look around before the Hamble meet, we would stay two nights like gypsies / travellers on the cuddy in the marina, but use the ablution blocks of the marinas and restaurant toilets.

If anyone can give advice on the slip especially after my last experience it would be appreciated, and are there going to be any other people around that weekend just in case I break down (alarm wires missing) or run out of petrol!! Is it too dangerous in the Solent for a small 6.14mtr cuddy?

Cheers,

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple> "You only see what you recognise, and you only recognise what you know" <font color=purple>

 

[jon_bailey]

For someone who was expressing such adamant opposition to trailering you appear to have come round to the idea pretty quickly!

I am not familiar with the Floating Bridge Hard slip.

Opposite side of the river is the Crosshouse Hard slip that is closer to Ocean Village, although I have never launched from her (wrong side of Solent), I have inspected it closely and it looks fine. Last time was from the water at lowish tide the Sunday before last and looked OK, if a little green. There was plenty of room in the car park but if the Saints are playing at home then forget it. There is no mooring nearby so you'll have to launch and go, not a problem.

Make sure you know where you are going before driving to either of these slips as they are both a bit fiddly to get to and a car and trailer is not so easy to manoeuver for the inexperienced.

Why not launch at the marina you will be staying at? Mercury, Hamble Point + others all have slips and although the MDL charges can be extortionate they may be reduced if you are staying in the marina. Some of them also offer assisted launch and recovery although make sure you book this beforehand.

After previous experience why not consider a lift in and out?

Once launched, Southampton water / the Solent will be no problem particularly if its not too blowey (less than F5). Just keep out of the way of the ferries and make sure you have a decent CHART, e.g. admiralty folio, and have studied it well before you set out.

As my flying instructor impressed PPPPPP (prior planning prevents piss poor performance). This is particularly true of launching and recovery.



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[BrendanS]

You've joined PPC haven't you?

Why not join them for the Shakedown event, unless I've got the wrong weekend?

Experts to show you how to launch and recover, and then spend the weekend cruising the Solent with people who know the area, which will take the planning and hassle away. Plenty of people to look at your setup, and fix problems or even tow you in if you do have problems. That's what shakedown weekends are for.

Stay in the marina with all the facilities, and 'camp out' in you cuddy with hot meals a few minutes walk away. Everyone else doing similar.

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[jon_bailey]

Good idea.

Now where's that application form?

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[DavidP]

Hi

Have a look at Calshot ,
The main slip excellent for all tides except springs at low water and the other smaller one at the back very sheltered but only to be used at high water.. able to leave trailer with security.
Have a look at
http://www.hants.gov.uk/calshot/

Dave.

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[BrendanS]

I don't trailer, so no use to me. We do often meet many club members who launch there, and the members that use it praise it. We've also held flare training/RNLI training etc there. Facilities are good, but the food is incredibly bad <s>

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[BrendanS]

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.ppc.org.uk>http://www.ppc.org.uk</A>
Left hand side is 'the club' . click on the that, then click on 'join'

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[Happy1]

Brendan,

I found the forms all filled in but not posted, tut, tut, but I have been busy doing risk assesments and the like!! I wonder if it is too late to join for the year, it would be nice to meet some gypsy / travellers for the weekend /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif Well I guess if you can't beat them join them. I've seen enough shopping trolleys, bed springs, full black bin bags, logs e.t.c. for a few weeks in the Medway, time for a change. I will get the dust off the trailer and see about getting the boat craned on to it. I just ned to employ someone to drive it down to Southampton.

Where are the travellers staying for the weekend? I can use any MDL marina with my vouchers, but need to get organised for the launching lark. Perhaps if I gave one of the travellers £50 they would put it in for me /forums/images/icons/wink.gif

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple> "You only see what you recognise, and you only recognise what you know" <font color=purple>

 

[BrendanS]

Not too late, meeting at Mercury.

See risk assesment post in your honour

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[jon_bailey]

Forms now filled in so providing I can prise a cheque out of wife's handbag they will be in the post tomorrow.

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[terryw]

Happy,
The slip you want if going to Ocean Village is on the West side of the bridge. It is free, and where my 25' boat was launched from last year (and the main one used by exhibitors at SBS). I would suggest that you try to hit High tide +- 2 hours as it is not very steep. You will need at least two people however, as once the boat is in the water you cannot get back off it to park the car.
I am in Ocean Village, and will be there all over the holiday weekend. As this will be our first weekend on the new boat we will not be going too far, just getting used to her. Will probably have quick spin to the Needles, and blast round to Portsmouth or Shanklin, but just for the day.
Will probably try and get into Yarmouth for a night. Once you have spent a night there you will never want to return to East Coast again.
Anyway, bottom line is if you want to join us for the weekend we would be pleased to have your company, and I know most of the great restaurants in Southampton.
Let me know what you are doing.

Terry

<hr width=100% size=1>If your nose is running, and your feet smell, you are upside down.

 

[jhr]

Saints

<There was plenty of room in the car park but if the Saints are playing at home then forget it>

Saints are playing at home on 19th, so parking will be a bit of a problem that day...... I agree with Jon; launch at one of the MDL slips.

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[terryw]

Re: Saints

Or launch on the Friday and make the most of the long weekend

<hr width=100% size=1>If your nose is running, and your feet smell, you are upside down.

 

[adarcy]

Re: Hamble Point

dirty great runway of a slip and pootle round to your MDL pontoon (100 yds) + plenty of parking. Must check if they have space as a lot of the berths are leased out but there are still quite a lot of boats out of the water (including ours)
Can get a bit busy around Hamble Lane roundabout if you arrive midday on a home game day but still VMB than trying to get to Crosshouse hard and much more help about.

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[Confused]

Re: Hamble Point

A potter deep up the Hamble is a must if visiting the area.

Must disagree with previous post about OK up to force 5

The Solent suffers from wind / wave against tide at many times and can get very hairy with steep chop, further confused by so much traffic wash , and this chop can further amplify over shallow water of which there is plenty- all of this even in a force 3/4

Many people think that it is sheltered by the Island , to a degree the larger sea swells are sheltered, but because the tide wips through it causes some nasty waves

However it will appear like paradise compared to Chatham and then you'll want to keep your boat down here

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.bettsy-lou.cjb.net>http://www.bettsy-lou.cjb.net</A>

 

[hlb]

Re: Hamble Point

Solent rough!! It's just a boating lake for wusses.............................................................................................................................................................................................>
>
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>>> Wheres my Hat!!........../forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

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Haydn

 

[adarcy]

Re: Solent chop

Can't agree with you Haydn,

The Solent can chop up much more than the forcast suggests and considering Grumpy is in the steep part of the learning curve, I'd suggest he doesn't try much of the Solent in a 4 if he's got babe family etc on board until he's got more experience.
A 20fter is not like a Prinnie after all

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[Happy1]

Re: Solent chop

Anyone know the weather forecast for next weekend? Can you imagine me sinking in the bloody Solent after paying for a safeish marina in Chatham. I think you lot are trying to put the willies up me!! I have ordered the maps for the area today, so will spend the weekend plotting my route around the area.

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple> "You only see what you recognise, and you only recognise what you know" <font color=purple>

 

[hlb]

Re: Solent chop

But Happy's been to university. Works in the city. Earns more money than the rest of us put together and is far more inteligent................/forums/images/icons/smile.gif

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Haydn

 

[jon_bailey]

Re: Hamble Point

I agree that a force 5 can be problem in certain areas, with certain wind direction and certain tidal states particularly with regard to lack of experience and 21ft boat!

I assumed from Grumpy's first post that he was just coming with his wife.

I was just trying to get over the point that even in a F5 it is still worth coming because still possible to amble up the Hamble or idle up the Itchen and still better than Chatham.

Hope that clears it up.




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