down channel advice

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owen

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passage from southanpton to falmouth- would you make directly for salcombe or keep inshore anchoring if necessary to make tidal gates. any adv experience gratefully received

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Depends on the wind strength - with a favourable wind I'd plug opn outside all the headlands. If weak or adverse winds I'd tuck into the bays and await the tide to get around the headlands.

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I am not sure where you would anchor without going a fair distance out of your way. Salcombe is a lovely place but there is an entrance at the bar which is a bit dodgy in decent S or SW winds and is also only navigable at certain tidal heights. Dartmouth is easier in this respect but for the lobster pots which make a night approach somewhat difficult.

Personaly as the other contributor said if you have favourable winds I would keep clear of the headlands and go for it in one hit.

I suppose it depends on your schedule really.

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are you out to get there as quickly as possible or enjoy the cruise? if the former, get out and stay out. with headwinds you could also consider tacking via cherbourg or alderney. it also depends on the boat and the experience of the crew (hint: fill in your profile and people will be able to give you more relevant advice).

as for tides, as long as you keep out of the races, you'll still get there sooner by plugging the tide rather than anchoring

we plan a similar trip in the next month and will be aiming to stop frequently, probably at poole, weymouth, dartmouth etc. our usual style is to go for the long passages so we're looking forward to a more leisurely trip.

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A lot of assumptions needed. Yacht or power, if sail do you motor/motorsail to keep speed up and/or for headwinds, boat size/speed, how much time do you have, do you not want to admire the flowers along the way, is this at neaps or springs.....



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weather and crew strength

Try for one hop, starting with a good slant. If the wind draws ahead which it probably will at some point given the tendency to veer, put in somewhere for a rest when you get tired.

A good night's sleep at anchor is worth while after a couple of days at sea, but if you do it each night you lose an awful lot of time and add a lot of distance.

Main thing is to set off with a fair wind; if this means waiting around for a day or two before starting that is OK.

I've noticed that professional delivery skippers, with vastly more experience than I, follow this tactic as well.

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If you plan to take your time getting down to Falmouth, there are great places to stop along the way. We took a week last season to get to Plymouth from Southampton, calling at Weymouth, Dartmouth, Totnes, Salcombe, Newton Ferres. If you've never been to Newton Ferres, 'bout time you did!

Larry

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Anchoring

There are a number of 'traditional' anchorages along this coast that used to be used by yachts and sailing vessels waiting for the tide, which are beginning to get used again The advantage of these is that they do not require the diversion of putting into port and so do not lose time of putting into port - as well of course of saving money.

Much depends on your confidence in using an anchor and so the ability to sleep easily for a few hours while waiting.

The following along this route I can recommend from personal (overnight) experience while 'waiting for the tide':

Yarmouth Roads (E -> SW)
Hurst (inside Solent) (S -> N)
Swanage Bay (S -> N)
Worbarrow Bay* (W -> E)
Lulworth Cove (All except strong S)
Lyme Regis* (SW -> NE)
Beer Roads* (W -> NE)
Babbacombe Bay (SW -> NW)
Brixham, Elberry Cove (All except E)
Start Bay (Hallsands) (S -> NW)
Hope Cove* (N -> SE)
Cawsand Bay (All except SE)
Looe* (Off the Banjo) (SW -> NE)
Gorran Haven* (S -> N)

Direction of shelter is shown, expressed clockwise.
*Settled weather only, as they may be exposed to swell or tricky to leave in certain conditions. For that reason I've omitted places like Chapman's Pool.


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Yes, but....

They all do involve a certain amount of diversion. Cawsand Bay, for example, is one that I have used a couple of times, but whilst you certainly are not flogging all the way into Plymouth it does put perhaps 12 miles (say 2-3 hours) on.

I'd agree that these are the places to put into to catch up on sleep, but I would still recommend standing on as long as you have a fair wind, then dodging in for an anchorage when you have had enough, rather than hopping from one to the next.

To anchor with a fair wind, even with a foul tide, is not the best plan, I think.

| would still try for a slant (no reason not to sit inside Hurst waiting for it!) and bash on as long as it holds.

With a headwind the number of possible stopover anchorages suddenly drops - just when you want one!

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Portland Bill

I've regularly anchored in Freshwater Bay, which is OK while waiting for the tide, but too exposed to leave the yacht to its own devices. Holding isn't that brilliant either.

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Re: Yes, but....

I'd hate to accuse you of owning a motorsailor ;). But with a 1½ - 2kt spring tide along most of the coast, shorthanded cruising under sail is just plain frustrating against the tide and with a very light or contrary wind. Hence the importance of the anchorages, unless you are prepared simply to turn on the motor. Even then, the prospect of motoring for the better part of two days without a break from Southampton to Falmouth, is pretty daunting.

Luckily, nature helps out here. The most difficult tides occur around the headlands, but when going west in almost every case there is a comfortable anchorage tucked in just before the headland is reached, offering protection from the prevailing headwind. For this reason I would generally recommend coasthopping rather than standing well out for this passage, unless as you say one can be sure of a fair wind. Also, apart from at the headlands, the tides tend to be weaker closer to the English coast than in mid-Channel.

Of course, this strategy does require care and good timing at the headlands, particularly Portland Bill. In strong winds it would be better to stand out and keep well clear.
 
Er .. no. Off Southwell on PB.

I'm fairly sure that's the right name. It may also be called Church Cove. Like you I don't have charts to hand.
 
Re: Yes, but....

I don't think we are really disagreeing about the fundamentals of the thing.

However, my whole strategy is based on waiting for a slant and then using it, and I agree that I am inclined to stand well offshore.

I don't find light winds frustrating; if you get a few light days on a long passage you just find things to do, so why should a coastal passage be different?

Even with a light fair wind, one ought to manage more than two knots, so it pays to keep on going, because the foul stream only reaches that sort of speed for a couple of hours.

(I admit that my sail locker contains an assortment of ghosters; they take up very little room and were all acquired secondhand! I can usually get three knots
and very often four. But a gaff cutter has more places to hang fancy kites from!)

With a light headwind, however, I would do as you suggest.

I agree - in strong winds, stand well offshore.

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