Any good sailing NW Devon/Cornwall?

[fisherman]

St Ives is a surprisingly good anchorage until the local fishermen wake you up and ask you to move so they can drag a net through the anchorage!

Can't imagine what for....unless you are close enough to obstruct a beach seine operation

 

[PCUK]

Depends on your budget. If you can afford the South Coast, then go for it. Otherwise Watchet may be your nearest mud berth.

 

[ash2020]

Depends on your budget. If you can afford the South Coast, then go for it. Otherwise Watchet may be your nearest mud berth.

I'd have to sell the boat, she's a fin keeler and, at the moment, no-one is interested in buying.

 

[lustyd]

Can't imagine what for....unless you are close enough to obstruct a beach seine operation

We were in the marked anchorage on the chart, they just wanted the whole bay. It meant we got up at 6am and set sail for Scillies so wasn’t too bad for us.

 

[PCUK]

Couldn't you tell them to eff off if your in a designated anchorage?

 

[FairweatherDave]

I'd have to sell the boat, she's a fin keeler and, at the moment, no-one is interested in buying.

Fin keeler. I wouldn't be looking at the north coast. I would look at the Tamar. It is all about drive times versus quality boat time.

 

[lustyd]

Couldn't you tell them to eff off if your in a designated anchorage?

I could. But they need to earn a living and it wasn’t much trouble so we moved.

 

[Tranona]

We're hoping to move to the North West coast of Devon or Cornwall and I'm wondering if I have to give up sailing?
Any good places between Ilfracombe and St Ives? If not, why not?

Bored with Poole already?

 

[fisherman]

Fin keeler. I wouldn't be looking at the north coast. I would look at the Tamar. It is all about drive times versus quality boat time.

Calstock is pleasant

 

[fredrussell]

Oh dear, that sounds offputting.

Try this: From Hartland point to Pendeen light, a watery paradise day or night.

Kind Regards,
Fred Russell
Devon and Cornwall Tourist Board

 

[oldmanofthehills]

I sailed the bristol channel for 30 years. Its a day say round the bay, or 6 hours downtide followed by 6 hours waiting for 3 hours tide rise to get you into harbour or 6 hours to return home. You do mega miles but tire. Watchet is probably dead though nothing wrong with it for a fin if they even get it going again. No safe haven anywhere at low tide

We moved boat to Tamar opposite Plymouth.

Tons to do popping along coast for a few hours or just playing in the sound. We miss Lundy and stop there on way to Ireland, but otherwise dont miss the BC

If you cant take the ground really the BC is not for you except on the welsh side

 

[nortada]

There is the North Devon Yacht Club at Instow. Watermouth Cove is a delightful spot at high water.

Padstow had several yachts in the harbour when we visit a few weeks ago.

The reason why is geology.

The south coast is not that far and is a delight, France (with decent coffee) is only a days sail away.

North Devon/Cornish coast to France.

St Ives to a very rocky Bretagne North Coast about 160nm - a very interesting long day sail

 

[srm]

We're hoping to move to the North West coast of Devon or Cornwall and I'm wondering if I have to give up sailing?
Any good places between Ilfracombe and St Ives? If not, why not?

If you are seriously thinking of making the move then while you are house hunting take a drive along the north coast. Its a pleasant route and will answer your question as to why not. The cliffs are quite impressive when seen from seaward.

I have anchored in St Ives bay a few times, it is wide open to the north.

 

[fisherman]

The problem with St Ives, apart from being tidal and a hard bottom, is ground sea, as with all the N coast. That's why boats are on fore and aft chains, they don't attempt to moor alongside much. So you get a weather system, SW strong wonds, a low passing through and up comes a SW swell. You anchor off St Ives. As the system heads E the wind swings to NW, ("First rise after low, foretells a stronger blow")
......and so does the swell. Now you can't take the ground in St Ives with all that swing, and you want to go into Hayle, that needs care, and it's untenable except on the flood, ebb tide and ground sea/N wind has caused accidents and taken lives. You may need to follow a local boat for the channel, which varies. We lost our wheelhouse windows twice, and a 44ft FV was capsized. N coast fishermen used to run for Padstow, the Gannel at Newquay or Hayle or Lelant. It has become easier because boats are GRP and not so susceptible to damage so they stay in the harbours at St Ives and Newquay a lot more.
Anything from NW round to E can be rough.

 

[Sandy]

North Devon/Cornish coast to France.

St Ives to a very rocky Bretagne North Coast about 160nm - a very interesting long day sail

At 160 NM you can do more miles in a day that I can, I usually average about 130 MN. Last time I visited St Ives it was on the north Cornish coast.

Perhaps I did not explain myself clearly enough. What I meant to say was: Look at the south coast of Cornwall, the sailing is better as there are more places to visit and just a days sail away are the delights of France where the coffee is much better than the muck that the UK coffee shops sell.

There is a very alternative coffee shop in Falmouth that does sell decent coffee that reminded me of the coffee I drunk in Sicily.

 

[mattonthesea]

Having the boat in Bristol means that I think of the Bristol Channel as something to get past!

 

[Gumpy]

There is more water for more time in an East Coast estuary than is in my local estuary (Taw/Torridge).
After 4 years I still haven't decided what to do about a boat, leaning towards a Drascombe so I can just potter round the estuary when there is some water.

 

[B27]

We're hoping to move to the North West coast of Devon or Cornwall and I'm wondering if I have to give up sailing?
Any good places between Ilfracombe and St Ives? If not, why not?

As others have said, it's a lot easier on the South Coast, many more decent harbours and anchorages.
Driving anywhere can be a pain in Summer.
Most sea sailing packs up for Winter.
But then most activities in Devon seem to involve a half hour drive.


What kind of sailing are you looking for?
There is dinghy racing at St Ives, Rock/Padstow, North Devon YC, probably others.
I'm told the racing in Crabbers or Shrimpers in the estuary at Padstow is very good.
There are a few cruisers in every little port, but as an incomer, don't expect to get a mooring any decade soon.

Falmouth and Plymouth have everything available.