Cat nap

steveh

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16 May 2001
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Could any multihull owners suggest suitable stopovers in the Solent for newbie cat owner with single outboard - need lots of space for manouvering!! Also no wish to pay premium for size. Always liked Yarmouth but madhouse at weekends.
 

jamesjermain

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Newtown - go above popular anchorage in eastern arm or right up to the end of the western in shallow water. Avoid the oyster beds In settled westerly conditions you can anchor just outside the harbour. Also in settled westerlies, try the lee of Hurst Spit or just inside the Keyhaven River in the pool. Stansore Point to the east of the Beaulieu River entrance is another possibility. You can also anchor in Beaulieu Riverin the first reach before the turn inland at Needs Ore Point
In Bembridge Harbour the beach just inside the entrance is popular with cats - you take the ground on hard sand. There is also an attractive anchorage just outside the harbour in Priory Bay - another popular multihull spot but exposed to the east except at low water. In Chichester Harbour you can anchor of East Head though this is very crowded during the day and in high season.
In settled easterly or northeasterly conditions you can anchor overnight in Alum or Totland Bays. The swell tends to put off monohulls, but won't affect you too much.
For a bit more adventure, sail across to Poole Harbour and anchor off the west end of Brownsea or in shallower water to the south of the Island in Blood Alley Lake, There is also a whole range of anchorages in the creeks on the southern side of the harbour, for example off Goathorn Point, under Furzey Island or Green Island in South Deep. In the Upper Wych Channel you can anchor off Shipstall Point You can also get up the Frome to Wareham Quay (assuming you are not more than 20-odd feet in beam) where you will be able to lie afloat in company with other shoal draught and lifting keel boats.
I believe it is also still possible to anchor in Christchurch Bay under Hengistbury Head (north side!), where the old Roman harbour used to be. But the area may be taken up by moorings now - it's been many years since I was last there.


JJ
 

pkb

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As someone thinking of moving from a monhull to a cat of around 40 feet or so could James advise on how easy or not it is to find visitors berths in UK and French marinas for such an animal.
 

jamesjermain

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Although I'm a cat sailor I am not a cat owner and I have no direct experience of trying to get a cat into French, or even UK marinas as a visitor. I hope some owners will post with specific experiences.

However, from reports from cat owners, visiting marinas in the UK is virtually a no-no unless you have a deep pocket and are lucky enough to find a marina with very wide berths and/or a free hammerhead.

Having said that, I have heard that some specialist visitor marinas are more tolerant of cats, specially out of season and mid-week. On the whole, though, cats look for moorngs and anchorages.

In France I believe they are more accepting of cats though simple issues like space play a part. This is particularly true of larger cats (I regard 40ft as larger).

JJ
 
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