Christchurch to Portsmouth

[l'escargot]

Not when going thru Hurst & with a 3 kt boat speed, this + 0.75 against on way toward Hurst, will be significant & makes little sense!.

Portsmouth HW is 1537 and 4.2m on April 9th so not quite neaps. I would reckon on the ebb starting soon after 1400 and probably getting on for a knot and a half on the Hurst side by the time the OP gets there. If it is breezy from the west it will probably be getting a bit sloppy which could make things slower still.

 

[Boathook]

The other option only drawing 2'3" or there abouts is to go out 2 hrs after LW. Thats my normal routine when heading east unless the start time becomes unsocial !

 

[MissIsle]

The other option only drawing 2'3" or there abouts is to go out 2 hrs after LW. Thats my normal routine when heading east unless the start time becomes unsocial !

Now we're cooking!
Leave Christchurch entrance about 10:00 BST before the flood gets going & the tide will be with me all the way to Lymington.
If I leave Lymington at low tide on the 10th I can run the tide all the way accross to Portsmouth & up to our mooring at Fareham.
All I need now is decent weather.

 

[Seajet]

MissIsle,

then Good Luck, have a great trip and let us know how you get on.

 

[Boathook]

Now we're cooking!
Leave Christchurch entrance about 10:00 BST before the flood gets going & the tide will be with me all the way to Lymington.
If I leave Lymington at low tide on the 10th I can run the tide all the way accross to Portsmouth & up to our mooring at Fareham.
All I need now is decent weather.

10.00 hrs is only 1hr 20mins after LW but you should be ok (would of been in 2010) as long as there is no proper swell. You best bet is to visit at low water closer to the time when hopefully the channel is marked to get an idea of depths, etc. The main problem could be actually in the harbour with lack of water but if you run aground there just wait a bit and float off ....

 

[MissIsle]

Thanks everyone, & fair winds.

 

[l'escargot]

Now we're cooking!
Leave Christchurch entrance about 10:00 BST before the flood gets going & the tide will be with me all the way to Lymington.
If I leave Lymington at low tide on the 10th I can run the tide all the way accross to Portsmouth & up to our mooring at Fareham.
All I need now is decent weather.

Good luck, there will be barely a metre of water at the entrance at that time (assuming that the winter storms haven't piled up the sand outside the Run!).

 

[l'escargot]

Well how did the trip go, as planned or an alternative?

 

[MissIsle]

It turned out to be a great trip. We left central Christchurch 1½hrs after low tide so the tide was on the flood in The Christchurch Race, but as it was neaps it was actually dead easy. They had bouyed the bar the Tuesday before, so crossing the bar was a sinch as well. The only problem was getting down the river from Christchurch town quay. We actually struck a mudbank in the centre of the bouyed channel, right by the dinghy sailing club, but 2 smashing lads in the club safety boat gave us a timely tug as the tide rose & we came off OK. The tide from Christchurch to Hurst was running easterly accross the bay so we made Lymington in about 3 hours.
We are back in home waters of Fareham now, & enjoying the new boat with the kids, there can be no better familly time than cruising, & since the kids are 8 & 10 the Solent is an ideal playground for us.
Thanks everybody for your advice, in unfamiliar waters it is a wise man who seeks a second opinion.

 

[l'escargot]

Glad you had a good trip and it came together on the day.

Sounds like you got stuck at Blackberry Point so you now have honorary membership of the Christchurch Ploughing Club.

 

[VicMallows]

I spent 5 days in the 'anchorage' two weeks ago and watched numerous boats ground on a spit which has formed into the channel just about midway between the two seat benches on the eastern side. The buoys had not yet been adjusted.

Coming back to Solent, I find I can make it in one tide on most springs (1.2m draft), but on neaps need to anchor up somewhere for around 3-4hrs.

Vic

Edit: the spit extends from the western (anchorage side) into the channel, so pass close to eastern shore!!

 

[Boathook]

I spent 5 days in the 'anchorage' two weeks ago and watched numerous boats ground on a spit which has formed into the channel just about midway between the two seat benches on the eastern side. The buoys had not yet been adjusted.

Coming back to Solent, I find I can make it in one tide on most springs (1.2m draft), but on neaps need to anchor up somewhere for around 3-4hrs.

Vic

Edit: the spit extends from the western (anchorage side) into the channel, so pass close to eastern shore!!

I found that bit quite a few weeks ago. I suspect it is slowly being 'dredged' as boats pass through. They also recently repositioned the entrance buoys. That has given more depth as you approach the 'bar'. Still not particulary deep though.

 

[Seajet]

They also recently repositioned the entrance buoys. That has given more depth as you approach the 'bar'. Still not particulary deep though

Thanks for the detailed information with figures and bearings, depths to chart datum, I will now come in full steam ahead thanks to the advice...

 

[l'escargot]

The buoys are "unofficial" and put out by the local fisherman mainly for their own benefit and moved throughout the season as necessary. Because of this they do not feature on charts and there is no detailed information. Afraid it is old fashioned pilotage by eyesight or follow a local boat to enter Christchurch harbour.

 

[Boathook]

The buoys are "unofficial" and put out by the local fisherman mainly for their own benefit and moved throughout the season as necessary. Because of this they do not feature on charts and there is no detailed information. Afraid it is old fashioned pilotage by eyesight or follow a local boat to enter Christchurch harbour.

The local boats try to keep inbetween the red and green things.

As far as I'm aware a local fisherman is paid to place the buoys and adjust their position as required during the season. This has already happened this year and depending on the weather may happen a few more times. Quite a few years ago the entrance used to run along the car park at Mudeford before heading out. Another year you went a few hundred yards along the beach as well.

 

[VicMallows]

This has already happened this year and depending on the weather may happen a few more times.

....and those of us who love the harbour are most grateful for their efforts!

Certainly not a place though for anyone of a nervous disposition when it comes to depth.

 

[l'escargot]

The local boats try to keep inbetween the red and green things...

I know, but they also tend to know of any recent changes between the red and green things such as the one mentioned by Vic - I have overtaken a boat at Blackberry Point with the same draught as me when he was stuck in the middle of the channel and I was almost outside of it. I was just making the point that at the entrance to the Run in particular you need to turn up and look for the buoys as they are moved regularly, as you say, and not to rely on any quoted position.

As far as I'm aware a local fisherman is paid to place the buoys and adjust their position as required during the season. This has already happened this year and depending on the weather may happen a few more times. Quite a few years ago the entrance used to run along the car park at Mudeford before heading out. Another year you went a few hundred yards along the beach as well.

I wonder who foots that bill then? I remember the year it came along the beach and close to the quay, you could talk to the kids crabbing as you came in. I don't think I have ever followed the same course in from one year to the next.

 

[grumpy_o_g]

The buoys are maintained by the Christchurch Harbour Association, (made up of local fisherman, boatyard chaps, etc. effectively). A very small amount from the moorings and I believe the pontoons as well are given to the CHA for this purpose. CHA also deals with dredging, etc. It's official but all a little shoestring and suits Christchurch perfectly. To quote Charles Rossiter "the buoys are always in exactly the right place but sometimes the channel gets it wrong". They're only out during the season which can make some of the best runs up the river and out during the crisp winter months quite exciting. This time of the season the channel's in pretty much the right place but the entrance can move over the season or even just after a spell of bad weather.