Dart and/or Torbay to avoid the Westerlies

Ru88ell

Ru88ell

Well-Known Member
Joined
14 Oct 2010
Messages
2,354
Visit site
Im trying to make the most of my trailer sailer, but this weekend's planned Solent trip is in doubt looking at the weather. However, with the wind in the West how protected would either Torbay or The Dart be for Fri to Mon? Would a passage between them be viable in a westerly F5/6 in a small boat? Would anyone local care to comment?
 
Either should be fine.... I would stick to the dart as its nicer and you can potter around up river, but you can also get out into start bay, which should be pretty flat...

If you want to get around to torbay then i would stay close inshore and make sure the there isnt any wind over the tide.... But you can stay very close inshore and stay out of anything coming around from the sw.... (well most... ).

Thats my experience. Anyways...
 
Cheers! There's a launch site just up from Dittisham with a decent ramp and pontoon too, so I reckon we'll do this. If anyone is around give us a wave - white hull, tan sails, very nervous SWMBO. :eek:
 
Ru88ell said:
Cheers! There's a launch site just up from Dittisham with a decent ramp and pontoon too, so I reckon we'll do this. If anyone is around give us a wave - white hull, tan sails, very nervous SWMBO. :eek:
Click to expand...

if swmbo is really nervous take your time pottering around in dart is good start until trust in you is gained.
 
Just beware in a small boat that sudden gusts can hit you in the Dart as the wind funnels down the various valleys. If you're aware you should be able to cope and avoid putting herself into a panic. Lots of nice places to visit - Totnes, Stoke Gabriel, Bow Creek (tie up alongside the Maltsters Arms for a drink or meal), Dittisham, Greenway (Agatha Christie's house).

I spent a couple of nights at anchor in Torbay recently, sheltering from a F9 aboard a square rigger. A pleasant enough place but much less interesting than the river.
 
Ru88ell said:
Im trying to make the most of my trailer sailer, but this weekend's planned Solent trip is in doubt looking at the weather. However, with the wind in the West how protected would either Torbay or The Dart be for Fri to Mon? Would a passage between them be viable in a westerly F5/6 in a small boat? Would anyone local care to comment?
Click to expand...

Sounds as though you're making perfect use of a trailer sailer - weren't you in the Clyde a couple of weeks ago? We sail in Scotland now, but had a Corribee based in Plymouth for five years or so. The Dart will be perfect, plenty to explore. While a passage from there to Torbay would be doable in a W5/6 in a small boat, It'd be quite rolly and not something I'd do with nervous crew onboard.

Plymouth would also be a very reasonable sheltered spot, with passages up the Tamar and Lynher rivers good fun. And, of course, Falmouth is probably the ultimate large sheltered sailing area in that general direction, but likely to be further than you want to drive.

Cheers
Patrick
 
Ru88ell said:
Cheers! There's a launch site just up from Dittisham with a decent ramp and pontoon too, so I reckon we'll do this. If anyone is around give us a wave - white hull, tan sails, very nervous SWMBO. :eek:
Click to expand...

If SWMBO is very nervous is it a good idea?, unless of course you are trying to put her off sailing for good. :D
 
NDH said:
If SWMBO is very nervous is it a good idea?, unless of course you are trying to put her off sailing for good. :D
Click to expand...

She's nervous because I made the mistake a few years ago of taking her out in my Laser 2000 and she really hated it - far too tippy for her. However, the Cape Cutter has 400kg of ballast and a flexible sail plan so I she should feel totally different. She did Hamble to Cowes and back with me last year, and enjoyed Sanguinet lake in SW France last August.
 
YachtAllegro said:
Sounds as though you're making perfect use of a trailer sailer - weren't you in the Clyde a couple of weeks ago? We sail in Scotland now, but had a Corribee based in Plymouth for five years or so. The Dart will be perfect, plenty to explore. While a passage from there to Torbay would be doable in a W5/6 in a small boat, It'd be quite rolly and not something I'd do with nervous crew onboard.

Plymouth would also be a very reasonable sheltered spot, with passages up the Tamar and Lynher rivers good fun. And, of course, Falmouth is probably the ultimate large sheltered sailing area in that general direction, but likely to be further than you want to drive.

Cheers
Patrick
Click to expand...

Yes, that was me - Clyde a couple of weeks ago and the Dart this weekend. We're doing a week in Falmouth in early August too. :)
 
Good for you. Falmouth is lovely - fond memories of sailing our Corribee round there and the Helford river one summer with our first daughter aged about nine months on board.

Oh, and in answer to your original question, desirable though it might be, I don't think you can avoid the Westerlies, there were just too many of them made ;)

Cheers
Patrick
 
Last edited:
I agree about Falmouth, it's a really lovely place with a lot of places like Percuil to visit, and the 'Chain Locker' in Falmouth town is a must, more of a museum than a pub.

There is also the Seal Sanctuary at Gweek on the Helford to visit, by car if it's a grotty day; I can't imagine any SWBO with a heart failing to fall for the big eyes of a Seal or Otter as they pop up to check out if you have any fish snacks !

If it's too far, I'd think about Fowey, Dartmouth or Brixham, good places but no big harbour to sail in ( Brixham has a very good slipway next to the marina though ).

It has to be said, Torquay has had a drunken violence problem in the past at weekends, I tried it and thought I'd tied up in Beruit !

For that reason have steered well clear, so it might be Nirvana nowadays; I'd keep a cutlass, 40mm Bofors and Kalashnikov handy until convinced, though. :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mawObchMnCE
 
Last edited:
Did you visit during pirate week?

Seajet said:
I agree about Falmouth, it's a really lovely place with a lot of places like Percuil to visit, and the 'Chain Locker' in Falmouth town is a must, more of a museum than a pub !

If it's too far, I'd think about Fowey or Brixham, good places but no big harbour to sail in ( Brixham has a very good slipway next to the marina though ).

It has to be said, Torquay has a drunken violence problem at weekends, I tried it and thought I'd tied up in Beruit !

For that reason have steered well clear, so it might be Nirvana nowadays; I'd keep a cutlass, 40mm Bofors and Kalashnikov handy until convinced, though. :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mawObchMnCE
Click to expand...

Sadly not just at weekends, but not as bad as it has been at times and no worse than many other seaside towns. A lot of the Hen & Stag do's seem to have moved abroad nowadays. We had the Young Farmers a few weeks back and even that passed without too much bother, so please don't be put off! I'm kinda biased as a local and born in Brixham, but there really is some outstanding coastline to explore!

Would second the comments on the Dart however - we never get bored. Dart to Torbay is certainly do-able in anything 14' or above much of the time. Check the NCI weather station and webcam at Froward Point before you venture out - it overlooks the Dart entrance and Start Bay... http://www.nci-frowardpoint.org.uk/weather.htm
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top