Are you all mad in the Solent?

david_steward

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Last Sunday whilst returning from the Channel Islands we motored through the Solent from West to East, with a quick stop at Cowes for fuel.

I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT.

It was utter chaos, boats of all shapes and sizes all over the bloody place. Worse than the M25 on a Friday teatime.

I thought boating was about relaxation and getting away from it all. No chance at all in this neck of the woods.

What struck me most was the appalling manners and seamanship displayed by so many. Several times we were forced to take avoiding action when we were so obviously the stand on vessel. This from power and sail in equal numbers.

We witnessed some very large power boats on the plane almost scraping the paint off of some very small yachts. I was sure a collision was imminent at one point.

We do our boating from Ramsgate, when we leave harbour we are straight into the North Sea or the Dover Straight. There is no such thing as a quick trip in a sheltered ditch.

Probably the most criminal events we witnessed were going into Cowes for fuel. There was no wind but the wash appeared to be about Force 7 from all directions.

Where do people keep their brains?

Why are they sunbathing on the foredeck at 20 knots? Or on the foredeck of a tiny yacht? Not a lifejacket in sight, in very disturbed waters. Only lifesaving equipment seemed to be Ambre Solaire and a pair of Oakley sunnies.

What took the biscuit though, was the several instances of yachts towing dinghies full of kids without lifejackets. No worries at all about the Red Funnel ferry thundering past with a three foot wash. If the dinghy flipped they would all be DEAD.

I will not pretend to get everything right, but it was very shocking indeed.

No wonder you have so much boat rage and power v sail nonsense down there.

And it costs an absolute fortune to keep a boat there anyway.

You can keep it,






<hr width=100% size=1>We don't want a sports cruiser, totally impractical. Err ok then.

Dave S
 

DepSol

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And there you were so chilled out when you were in Guernsey.

Looks like you had good weather for the crossing.


<hr width=100% size=1>Dom

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tcm

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Provincial types can\'t take the pressure?

You total wimp!

Seriously, i think when there are elevated numbers of boats, it is near-impossible to stick rigidly to colregs, cos whilst standon for one vessel you are arguably give way to another, and there are narrow channels and etc etc. But agree there are some very lame brains. Some policing is needed imho, with people warned once, and second offence hauled off for a long chat and a fine. tis just in the solent/poole super-congested areas.

But what's wrong with sunbathing on foredeck at 20 knots - or wasn't the boat big enough and sea flat? That's what those cushions at the front are for innit? Though i admit, nobody in their right mind wd ever try it in uk...

Though solent is mild compared with elsewhere. In larger med marinas (where you should be!) 100+ boats exit per hour at weekend mornings, and they all try and come back in at 5pm. Much simpler and easy peasy in Ramsgate where one boat is entering or leaving at any one time or (ooer!) perhaps two.

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D

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The popularity of the Solent is down to the fact that it is such a fine cruising area with a large number of destinations reachable in virtually any weather. Basically there is always somewhere to go whatever shit the weather gods are throwing at you plus the fact that many of the ports are very attractive places in their own right. Yeah OK, its crowded at weekends and you see stupid things but, on the whole, accidents are very rare
Although I'm not there now, I spent many years boating in the Solent and I have to say that there's no way I would swap the Solent for the 'delights' of Ramsgate. Each to his own, I suppose

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byron

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David, its the fact that they are doing their boating on a Sewer, the inherent diseases strike at their brains. /forums/images/icons/wink.gif

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ccscott49

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When I was cruising in the UK, I went through the solent twice, it was bloody frightening, I went round the island after those times, about 20 times, never again! I would only enter to vbisit Yarmouth, out of season! The Ballearics are very, very queit at the moment, shouldn't be but are, there is just nobody about, Maybe threats of terrorism, I dont know, but figures for tourism are down approx. 30% thats from those that should know, Ibiza is empty by all accounts. I'm holed up in Mallorca whilst working, then off to SOF, Matt and onwards.

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Observer

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Dave,

I'm not saying there aren't plenty of things happening that shouldn't happen but you should realise you're taking the perspective of somebody who's not used to the bustle. In other words "it's all relative".

Similarly, a driver who spends most of his/her time driving on rural roads would be likely to find London traffic (say Marble Arch roundabout) a nightmare.

As for the wash at the Medina entrance (same at Portsmouth harbour entrance), it's simply a fact of life. Sure it may be made worse than necessary by some, but even if all boats stick to a reasonable speed (say 5-6 knots which is necessary to maintain steerage in many large cruisers) the effect of many large boats pushing a lot of water at displacement speeds in a relatively small area would make for very confused and lumpy conditions.

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Jerbro

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It was much the same at Poole it the weekend (see my earlier post). Funny thing was when returning to sleepy Weymouth approaching the bridge on tick-over, some mad bloke flapping his arms like a seagull was shouting at us from the quay. He wanted us to slow down for some reason - then noticed he had a little sailing dinghy tied to the side of the lumpy old harbour wall or somthing. Nothing I could do (unless you count slipping in to neutral and drifting elegantly into rows of fishing trawlers). Silly bu**er I thought, should try visiting Poole.

<hr width=100% size=1>Jerbro
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Steve_D

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Mind you the pierheads at about 10am Sunday was heaving. a steady line of yachts out racing across the harbour mouth and powered vessels heading off in all directions. I spent an tense 5 mins watching my mate trying to get out through the rush hour.

REgards

Steve D

<hr width=100% size=1>Now I've got to think of another sig....
 

joanne2

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We are at Hythe and every time we go across it freaks me out it is complete madness. However, when I ask Nick if he is worried about it he says it is no different to going throught Bourne End Sailing school on the River Thames.

If he's not worried I'll let hime get on with it a just close my eyes!

Joanne

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oldgit

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Those of us outside the Solent wish to express to you our heartfelt thanks and long may your point of view be held by all solenteers./forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

<hr width=100% size=1>/forums/images/icons/laugh.gif in memorium of H1.
 
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