Do you get bored in your catchment?

[zefender]

I berth in the Solent. I do so because it's closest to where I live and there's lots of places to visit locally. Alongside others of course, I grumble about how crowded it can be and how top dollar it is to keep the boat there.

I go down to the boat pretty much every other weekend - all year round and I've done so now for two seasons. My trouble is that I've visited most of the places in the immediate catchment quite a few times now and navigate around by sight, rather than at first, glued to the charts. I'm getting a bit bored (but not with the sailing of course). I've found that I stretch my catchment in order to try out less visited places, but I know I'll run out of these too!

So my question is, for how long do you sail in the same area before you get a bit bored with it? Is it a matter of not going so often ? Is this a Solent phenomenon or more general! Should I leave and try out another area?

 

[steve_cronin]

It\'s entirely your own decision.....

...like buying a particular house, no matter how much advice you take it's your decision. What anyone else has done might give you some ideas as to the possible alternatives but YOU have to live with it in the long term.

Could there be some places you havn't visited? Been to Chapman's Pool, Lulworth, Lime Regis, or east to Shoreham or Bognor? Tried the other side by splitting the outward & return trips into two weekends. Say Barfleur, St Vaast, Honfleur, Deauville?

I lasted 30 years in the Solent & Poole areas. Miss it sometimes though but not the weather & the cost.

I think that if you want to do it you will!

Steve Cronin

 

[tcm]

Re:Variation, or racing?

Yes the weekend splitting thing is a good idea i think. Flights and such to lots of N france places.

To balance it up if you are londonish, come round the east coast to st kats - quite fun to have a flat near the centre of town for a while? Premier will (or used to) give back 75% of rental fees if you stay out for 3 months or longer.

Otherwsie its time to have more to do, like try some racing?

Or move to somewhere totally different like the med - but be warned, you may not return....

 

[Trevor_Smith]

Yes, I moved this year to Portugal and will explore around there. It was interesting to bump into many other yachts doing the same thing. Including two from the pontoon in Haslar that I had left!

1910060902kh

 

[Guest]

Years and years

I'm 46 yrs old .... sailed since 5 and mainly in Solent ... OK I have boats etc. eslewhere - but I always hanker back to Solent.

I have sailed in and out of most bolt-holes on the island / mainland and frankly speaking see changes in them over time that still brings interest. I think that one aspect that has helped me to remain is the change of berthing from Marina to Club, to another Club and then back to another Marina .... creating a different 'adventure' in getting out into the solent.

I also work abroad which makes me 'ache' to get back and on board ..... my girlfriend loves boating making it even more enjoyable .... so ....

I don't think that different scenery is the total answer .... but only a temporary solution. It comes down to the actual pastime and how you use it ... what you do with it etc.

My lass loves Ryde Marina ..... I think its a good stop, but not my 'cup of tea' ... she has been there so many times that you'd think that sea-front novelty of it would have worn of .... not a chance !!

My advice .... ?? Maybe a boat exchange ..... some owners do it and rekindle their interests !!

 

[Spacewaist]

Sailing or Sightseeing

I guess it depends whether you go down to the boat for sailing or sightseeing. It also depends whether your home water is also your destination.

We sail for the sake of sailing - the scenery is relevant something to look at on the water and our preference is peace and tranquilty at anchor.

I agree these things are difficult to find in the Solent. It is indeed very crowded. It doesnt trouble us though because although we are berthed in the Hamble, the Solent is rarely our destination (not at the weekend anyway). We always aim for ports outside - some have been mentioned below - in that way you get a proper sail there and back, and then really appreciate how calm the waters in the Solent actually are - and by doing it early morning or late evening - when the others are not yet up or have gone to bed.

 

[Twister_Ken]

Do something different

Have you:

Tried to get into Christchurch?
Had ice cream on the beach at Totland, while the boat lies at anchor?
Used HWS to chart some of the more inconvenient shallows so you can get across them when there's less water? GPS and an echo sounder is all you need to 'plot your own chart'.
Been to the museum in Newport at HW?
Been up to Keyhaven?
Spent a sunny afternoon at anchor off Lepe beach?
Watched the catamaran racing at Lee-on-Solent?
Tried Ashlett Creek?
Done your very own Round the Island? If the wind's got some north in it there are one or two places suitable for an overnight anchorage.
Spent a couple of days exploring Chichester Harbour?
Ditto Langstone?
Been up to Fareham?
Used your dinghy to go under the bridges and on to the top of the Hamble?

More ideas, anyone?

 

[AndrewB]

Moving around - a lost pleasure?

I sympathise with you.

Up until around 1980 I never maintained a single base, preferring instead to sail the yacht from one port to another each weekend, and then on again. In this way we would cover much of southern England in a season.

At one time British Railways (as then was) sold special return weekend tickets that allowed you to return from a different station from where you had arrived. In those days the rail fare was the largest cost in this style of cruising.

Of course, since 1980 this has become virtually impossible. Mooring charges are not only far higher but marinas have introduced price structures to provide a huge cost disincentive to such mobility. There are very few places left that maintain traditional low-cost visitors swinging moorings where a yacht can be safely left for a week. Even insurance companies get shirty about no 'permanent' berth. A great shame.

 

[nicho]

We had five years of motorcruising in the Solent (based at hythe), and were frankly reaching saturation point. - we did, of course, go further afield as well (e.g. C.I. and West Country). We were planning to base the boat in Brixham, in order to find new cruising grounds, especially as we were both approaching retirement. In the end, a combination of foul weather and several marine style "rip off's", dissillusioned us to the extent we sold the boat last January. Like you, we used to go to the boat over the winter months as well. - living in the Midlands, we used it as a holiday home if the weather precluded us from going out. In fact, we have as many friends down South as we do up here!

Of course, it is different with a motor cruiser, because you feel you HAVE to arrive at an end destination - unlike sailing, it is not much fun running around the Solent without finally reaching a harbour.

Frankly, selling the boat was a bad move - we were not ready to be boatless. So we are returning with a sailing boat (Bav 36 as you know!). This will hopefully give us a new lease of life, and we will get renewed enjoyment out of sailing locally next year. If we leave the Marina and come back the same day, we will have thoroughly enjoyed the sail itself. However, we do plan to extend our cruising in 2004 (once our sailing ability improves) and plan a 3 to 5 month extended tour of the West coast of France.

Perhaps you might consider a move further West, and open up the likes of Salcombe, Falmouth and Dartmouth for weekend visits - problem is of course the journey involved if you still have to be in the office on Monday morning.

 

[sailbadthesinner]

the points raised are right
you can still stretch yourself in your own areaaltho i am as guilty as anyone of reverting to my few routes.
the point is then made that do you have ten years experience or ten times the same year?

Maybe, just once, someone will call me sir without adding, you're making a scene.

 

[tcm]

Re: Not that bad london-swest

Of ccourse, its a nightmare if you try to drive out of london from lunchtime. But not so bad if you leave it till later, after 7.30. Means a late arrival weekends, but the same late return ona sunday makes the trip much shorter.

 

[steve_cronin]

At the risk of \"stirring it\"...

Yes Ryde "Marina" is more "Cup of Tea" than G & T isn't it?

Steve Cronin

 

[robp]

Re: Do something different

Row as far as poss up the Yar on the flood - walk to the pub for a couple of pints. Row back on the ebb.
Ditto from Bucklers Hard to Beaulieu.
Rent bikes at the grocers in Yarmouth, if you don't have them on board.

 

[Celena]

We've been sailing in the Solent for more than twelve years now; most weekends. We try to visit everwhere once per season between Chichester and Weymouth but never do...We have never been bored, but we are now very dissolutioned it's just too crowded at weekends so we're taking off next year for 4 months to somewhere where there is no Sunsail, limited yacht racing and motor boat wash!

 

[zefender]

Re: Nice list Ken

No, I haven't done them all either!

Maybe what's needed is a kind of "Where to Go and What to do in The Solent" book. More than (just) a pilot but a big tome with loads of little bits and pieces of info to stop a habit forming Cowes/Yarmouth/Beaulieu routine. Maybe reliable pub recommendations too!

The split weekend thing is a good idea too.

As for the Med well.. I took the boat to Portugal and back and, whilst in the Algarve, was sorely tempted to leave it there awhile. But then I thought about the inevitably less frequent trips I'd make to sail it.

 

[tcm]

Boat games

Also try beach hockey (you've got kids yes?) using cut-down (black usually) roller-blading sticks. You have to mark out a pitch. Miles better than cricket, footy and gives options for lazy types to slog from the goalmouth or super-active types to dash around in midfield. Sandtown best, langstone ok but sloping near high tide , Wittering bit too soft. Bit of exhausting activity will make you more optimistic and happy! This is one of the few things you cannot do in tideless med boating.

 

[Guest]

My story is very similar to yours and I've sometimes had the same thought. However, SWMBO and I get over this by making the boat our base for other things - wlking mainly as the Isalnd could not be more perfect for this being so quiet, slow and lets face it, about 20/30 years behind the mainland - and all the better for it.

We also try to get as many friends and family on the boat as poss as this brings the pleasure of showing (and sometimes even teaching them new things).

Having said all that - its would be difficult to beat Newtown at any time, anywhere. Yarmouth somehow still manages to remin quaint. Chichester harbour on a sunny day with sparkling waster is simply wonderful. And, it has to be said that the sight of hundreds of sails light by bright sunlight is beautiful too - with the added interest of actually avoiding one another (tongue in cheek!).

As Mr Twister below mentions (in his excellent list) - going into places you might have avoided (perhaps too much trouble etc) can liven things up as you have to do a bit of pilotage (rather that from memory) - I've started doing this lately - such as Wootton, Bembridge etc.

I think the absolute over-riding PITA is the cost of berthing/mooring simply everywhere. At approx £20 say for eaxh weekend it very (very) soon mounts up and that extra - £1K - £2K per year maybe is something we all probably didn't budget for when we first got a boat. Somehow we've got to do something about that - but I am having some ideas on the subject which I intend to put on this forum in the future.

Best of luck with it though.

Geoff W

 

[SimonD]

Re: Nice list Ken

Agreed - a great list. I like the idea of a book. It would be helpful on a personal level, but also, if successful, may help spread out the huge number of boats in the Solent. (Or should we keep it quiet so that they continue to clog up Cowes, Yarmouth, Lymington etc.) I'm getting increasingly fed up with not being able to go to these places on spec. You either have to get there before lunch or book in advance. Seems to defeat the freedom of sailing the wide blue yonder.

 

[zefender]

Re: New Project Ken?

You're the writer (and the provider of lists). How about putting it together?

SimonD, agree about the 'spreading out point' and the bore of calling up and booking even lunchtime stops. Makes me feel a bit like Joseph and Mary....rat-a-tat-tat etc etc

 

[AndrewB]

Re: Nice list Ken

Adlard Coles book 'Creeks and Harbours of the Solent' was a bit like this, partly pilotage, partly narrative. But it was written when places like Ashlett Creek and Newtown Creek were still little known.

I'm afraid there is little room left for spreading out in the Solent. The only way to find the remaining out-the-way spots is to get a small yacht with a lowering mast and a lifting keel. A Wayfarer is ideal.