Beach and day cruising inspiration from Brighton- South Coast

[Brookjames]

Hi,

I have just bought a 23ft cuddy cabin and plan on taking a weeks holiday on it at the start of August.

We are based in Brighton Marina so I am looking for some ideas for day cruising nearby- good beaches, other marinas and towns to visit.

But also planning a few days a bit further afield along the coast maybe staying at other Marinas overnight or hotels. I have been considering Chichester, Isle of Wight or further along to Poole/Bournemouth. We can cruise at around 30knots but I don’t really want to do more than an hour at a time, maybe two hours with a stopover.

I am not the most experienced and still getting used to the boat so I am looking at ‘easy’ places to visit where I won’t get caught out in difficult areas.

If anyone has any tips or suggestions for a young family for both day trips and further afield that would be much appreciated. We won’t be staying on the boat so any marinas would have to be near town with good pubs and hotels.

Thanks,
James.

 

[colhel]

I think your idea to head West is a good one, but having said that I don't know the area around Brighton at all, so perhaps others may pitch in.
On the Eastern side of the Isle of Wight there's Bembridge, St Helens, Whitecliffe Bay and Priory Bay all good for a beachy day out or longer. For marina's in the Solent, well the choice is huge and varied.
What I would say though is, there are a few navigational hazards to be aware of as you enter the Solent from the East and once in the Solent but these are generally clearly marked so don't be put off and ask on here if you're unsure.

 

[Brookjames]

I think your idea to head West is a good one, but having said that I don't know the area around Brighton at all, so perhaps others may pitch in.
On the Eastern side of the Isle of Wight there's Bembridge, St Helens, Whitecliffe Bay and Priory Bay all good for a beachy day out or longer. For marina's in the Solent, well the choice is huge and varied.
What I would say though is, there are a few navigational hazards to be aware of as you enter the Solent from the East and once in the Solent but these are generally clearly marked so don't be put off and ask on here if you're unsure.

great thanks. Would you recommend staying in the Solent then and day tripping to IoW or both? If so what marina would you recommend?
Re the hazards will be GPS tracker help with this too if they are clearly marked?

 

[colhel]

The GPS will certainly help.
How much experience have you got of reading charts and passage planning? Also what boat do you have?

 

[Sticky Fingers]

Day cruising out of Brighton you have Newhaven, Littlehampton, Seven Sisters, Birling, Beachy Head, Eastbourne all within sensible reach at your preferred cruising speed and duration.

The trip from Brighton to Chichester or the Solent will involve the Looe Channel, or going south of Owers. Neither is terribly appealing in a small boat except on the kindest of days. OP, if you are inexperienced at passage planning and navigation, that might be a step too far especially with a young family on board.

As others have said, plenty of marinas in Chichester Harbour, and in the Solent especially, but they do get busy in the summer. By which I mean, full, especially at the moment because most are not allowing rafting so capacity is reduced. You may well have to book both the marina berths and the accommodation well in advance, which will put you under pressure to make the legs even if the weather is not ideal.

We don't know your level of experience and knowledge, so I counsel caution. If I'm teaching grandmother here, just say so

 

[Brookjames]

No really experience at long passages just coastal day cruising at moment. I have a 23ft Maxum Cuddy cabin.
Would you advise against it then? I don’t really want to stay in Brighton for a whole week, but obviously will if it is not safe for me to head along to the Solent or IoW

 

[colhel]

I wouldn't advise either way as you're the Skipper and ultimately the responsibility is yours. We can advise on the hazards, but to narrow it down to specifics could possibly be seen as encouraging you to do something you're not ready for. It's a tough call, but from how you're (very sensibly) sounding cautious, I'd say you could do with some time with an instructor or have a more experienced person on board to assist and show you how.

 

[Sticky Fingers]

EDIT: Echo what colhel said.

I jumped in here because I've done that journey many times and know the waters to some extent. My boat berthed in Chichester until last August.

My point was that the journey from Brighton to the Solent, or into Chichester Harbour, is more challenging than a pootle along the coast, so this is really about how prepared you are both in terms of planning and execution; and how ready your boat is for that journey (reliability, fuel, safety equipment, communications, navigation, emergency equipment). Etc. That size and design of boat will happily do that trip in the right conditions, that's not a concern.

Safety is relative. That's a safe journey if properly planned, and executed on a benign day in a well found boat by an experienced boater. On the other hand (to make the point) someone with minimal experience, who did no planning, but just set off from Brighton and turned right, on a day with a stiff breeze blowing wind over tide, in a boat with an unreliable engine and a frightened wife and child on board, could end up on the news for all the wrong reasons. And put others' lives at risk enacting a rescue, always assuming they could actually call for help.

I'm not saying you shouldn't do it. I'm suggesting you should plan it properly, and then decide when (or if) you can execute it safely, and what you need to do to ensure your own and your family's safety.

 

[Brookjames]

Ok great thanks really appreciate the advice. I have another training day on the boat with an instructor so might do a trial run first. How long would it take cruising at 30knots?

 

[Brookjames]

And if I do do it where would be the best marina to stay in Cowes and the Solent for a family?

 

[Sticky Fingers]

....How long would it take cruising at 30knots?

This question proves to me that you’re not ready for this trip. Sorry to say but this is a nursery school q. If you can’t figure that out then you should not consider making this journey unassisted.

 

[Sticky Fingers]

And if I do do it where would be the best marina to stay in Cowes and the Solent for a family?

See above. But if I had a favourite for this it’s W Cowes.

 

[colhel]

Ive got no boating qualifications but Ive been around boats for as long as i can remember, though I didn't buy my first sea boat until just over 30 years ago when i was 20ish. The advantage back then, there was no internet so all my mistakes remained relatively private ?.
I started in Poole Harbour, found the shallow spots and danger areas either by a sharp thud or being shouted at.
Once i knew that area a little i went a little further, Swanage for instance. The boat was a 16ft ish Microplus.
My first trip to the Isle of Wight was completely unplanned, we launched from Christchurch and turned left and as i never had a depth sounder i followed other boats and if i got a funny expression back I'd alter course until the expression changed. We ended up in a harbour, I asked where we were, "Yarmouth" was the reply. I thought this was up north somewhere... "Are we on the Isle of Wight?" I asked.
Then about 10ish years ago I bought a sailing boat, and for the first time, some charts.☺. An advantage now, there was internet to learn from and ask questions.
My point is, small steps worked for me. You'll know Brighton better than me because I've never been and I'm sure there's hazards around there where a local like you could advise people like me. Now I can understand a chart and plan a course i could still get there unassisted, and its that bit of extra knowledge that makes boating so much more fun, rekaxing and safer.