Escaping the Solent, sans trailer at last. All grown up or first real steps...

[solent clown]

Now we have after our own fashion mastered this Trident, we are planning our first forays out of the Solent as non trailer sailors - it was a simple matter to drive somewhere with a dinghy or microcruiser for a quick sail before, but now we have to negotiate the Solent first (always an absolute pleasure) then strike out for coastal destinations new.
We are looking for recommendations on a couple of things.
Destinations, places relatively quiet to moor or anchor at. At some point Lulworth is a must, as we hail from there originally, and I want to take Dad back to see it from the water before he pops off. Apart from that we are open to suggestions.
We are still old fashioned with charts, so just purchased Imray C9 - beachy head to IOW, C5 Portland to Salcombe, and C4, Needles to Portland. I had fantasies of joining these all to the Solent map on my office wall, but they are alas different scales. Is there a largish scale chart of the coastal area available either in parts or as one at the same scale for an affordable price. I am not concerned with fine detail, more a large overview to stick pins in.
We also have absolutely zero experience of booking and staying over at other marinas as we always beached and camped out. I understand this is not complicated, but the unwritten etiquette of this would be good to know.

 

[solent clown]

Please exclude the IOW in this - not prejudiced, but we have done a good deal by dinghy already, and are looking at striking out along the coast

 

[solent clown]

wife likes retro/antique shops, national Trust places, good places to eat, for me, military history, engineering, general man stuff.

 

[jac]

I would stay close to home for your first few trips.

Ignoring the Solent - Christchurch is a possible - narrow entrance, shallow and strong tide but pretty inside - maybe one for later though.

If you want something that feels very different - try Weymouth. It's a good day sail from the western solent and is a proper harbour but does have pontoons to moor to. Be aware that if Lulworth gunnery range is active you will need to take a detour as indicated in the almanac.

For Weymouth - simply call them on CH 12 before you arrive in the harbour and they will tell you where to go. I would normally suggest engine on & dropping sails just outside the harbour as you will have more room. Then when ready - head in and radio them. For your size you will be in the cove. Position lines and fenders as you go up the harbour.


If you're going alongside another boat and someone is onboard then custom suggests you ask for permission and prepare for the standard - "we're off at 4am" response. If directed by the HM though I would perhaps phrase it as " The HM has told us to raft up to you i'm afraid. Hope that's OK?"

Make sure fenders are at the widest point where boats will touch - don't leave shed loads of line on their boat and set shore lines. Also - when going ashore - go via the foredeck. Nothing else etiquette wise.

If you don't fancy Weymouth - then Poole is ok. Marinas there are pricey though. Technically - visitors should go to Dolphin Haven (Town quay) which is good for getting into town. Others are a bit away from the action and have less space for visitors. With all of them - Call Ch 80. Again - get sails down, engine on then call. Ideally you want to be 5-10 minutes away when you call - enough time to rig lines and fenders but not so much time that other boats get there first and mess up all the plans!

No special etiquette if going to a standard pontoon marina. Only tip I would say is make sure you get the gate code and spot the keypad to get back in.

If you wanted an anchorage - Studland bay is nice and easy. Just use echo sounder to get into your chosen depth at LW and anchor. SW corner of the bay is most popular. Etiquette with anchoring is that the early boat has "right of way" i.e. it's down to you to anchor well clear. No real facilities but the Banckes Arms is on the shore and has fluctuating reviews. Studland is no good in anything with any easterly though.

Other alternatives are various anchorages in Poole Harbour. Tend to be more isolated but take the same approach as Studland.


At any anchorage, make sure you have a good dinghy and outboard to get ashore and don't go until you are sure the anchor is holding. Even then - I wouldn't leave the boat for long / over a turn of the tide until I had been satisfied over a couple of tide cycles that all was holding well.


Other alternatives - Portland - fairly sterile Marina not close to anywhere else but nothing wrong with it.


Going East - few harbours / Marinas a sensible distance from the eastern Solent and IMHO none as nice as Poole / Weymouth.


You mentioned Portland to Salcombe.

Some great harbours on the other side of Lyme bay - Salcombe, Dartmouth, Brixham are all picture postcard destination. Torquay is a fairly bland modern marina and a slightly run down town. Lyme Regis and West Bay are both possible in the right conditions - sheltered, light offshore winds.


However - the run across Lyme bay is a long one. It's 40 miles and you need to factor in your trip down to the Bill which can be another 2 hours from Weymouth or 3-4 from somewhere like Studland. Perfectly doable in your boat but maybe not on your first trip!

Wherever you go - have fun and let us know.

 

[dunedin]

We are still old fashioned with charts, so just purchased Imray C9 - beachy head to IOW, C5 Portland to Salcombe, and C4, Needles to Portland. I had fantasies of joining these all to the Solent map on my office wall, but they are alas different scales. Is there a largish scale chart of the coastal area available either in parts or as one at the same scale for an affordable price. I am not concerned with fine detail, more a large overview to stick pins in.
.

Regarding the chart for the wall I would suggest getting the Admiralty 2675 for the English Channel - ideal for dreaming/planning and sticking pins in. Ideally second hand but seem to be sold out in the source I generally use so perhaps eBay ... http://www.chartsales.co.uk/product/2675-english-channel/

We have the one for Scottish West Coast framed and on the wall at home. Plus multiple similar scale charts marked up with cruise voyages over many thousand miles - all since we first bravely escaped the local area (the Clyde in our case).
Happy voyaging!

 

[johnalison]

What a great reply. I would only add that hoping for an overnight stay in Lulworth may be optimistic within a short break, but a lunch stop could be very satisfying. I say this because I've never done it.

 

[solent clown]

Jac, thanks for your comprehensive answer. We are in a hurry, but we do not want to trip up, so your voice of caution is one we shall heed.
Dunedin, that looks perfect, thanks!
Last few days have been moving workshops and no sailing for about two weeks, a first for us, so thinking ahead is a real tonic

 

[solent clown]

What a great reply. I would only add that hoping for an overnight stay in Lulworth may be optimistic within a short break, but a lunch stop could be very satisfying. I say this because I've never done it.

yes, we were thinking of dad driving to Lulworth, and us picking him up in a tender. i have so many fond memories as a child of him rowing us out and looking at the sea floor crystal clear, being fascinated for about 30 seconds, then feeling guilty about enjoying floatingthe cheap plastic toy boat we made him buy from the post office shop.
We must soon take him out there, but it will be a meet as part of a longer trip

 

[solent clown]

Jac, Interesting what you said about Lulworth ranges they were both playgrounds and later military work areas for men and boys of our family for three generations. It is funny now to think we will be having to take heed of the gunnery. We hail from School Lane, Lulworth - grandad had a fair bit to do with the development of the first decent tanks after ww1, and next two generations we carried it on. I cannot wait myself to see Lulworth from the sea, especially with my father regaling me with his tales of growing up there, something I missed with the move to the Solent

 

[Tranona]

Poole is a great trip as you can do it comfortably on one tide. Start from just inside Hurst and leave as the tide turns west. Use the North Channel close to Hurst then it is 14 miles to either Studland or East Looe to go straight into Poole. Plenty of places to anchor or for a marina Poole Yacht Club is best.

Buy a copy of Channel Pilot which is full of useful information. Lulworth is ambitious in one go. Best to do Studland stay overnight. Tides going west in daylight are neeps plus wind is against you so can be hard work in a small boat.

 

[Roger52]

Poole is a very nice run and anchoring off Pottery Pier is a must. Can go ashore to Brownsea Island and then onto Poole town. Poole Quay Boat Haven is very central.

 

[Lucky Duck]

Poole is a great trip as you can do it comfortably on one tide. Start from just inside Hurst and leave as the tide turns west. Use the North Channel close to Hurst then it is 14 miles to either Studland or East Looe to go straight into Poole. Plenty of places to anchor or for a marina Poole Yacht Club is best.

Sadly when we were last in Poole a couple of weeks back we were unable to get a response via VHF or the published phone number.

 

[[70521]]

We ventured from Exe to Portland last year, only because we had a SW for two days then an E set in and we could down wind sail both ways!

I liked Portland marina, all shiny and new. Lulworth was sheer magic, we spent the night at anchor before drifting back to the Exe.

You are aware that once you pass west of Portland there are massive sea serpents, mountains seas, Cornish wreckers and big point rocks that eat ships.

 

[solent clown]

You are aware are that once you pass west of Portland there are massive sea serpents, mountains seas, Cornish wreckers and big point rocks that eat ships.

Yes Sandy, I saw them on the chart :encouragement: We do feel well prepared though, as we have have just watched Jason and the Argonauts on dvd.

 

[solent clown]

a few votes for Poole already. Might be our first trip out then

 

[solent clown]

Sadly when we were last in Poole a couple of weeks back we were unable to get a response via VHF or the published phone number.

maybe they were on the loo

 

[rotrax]

Lots of good advice given.

First Mate and I have just returned from 14 days aboard.

We went to Chichester Harbour, 1st overnight on the Emsworth visitors pontoon, then we anchored below Itchenor, then 3 nights in Chi Marina-we were doing " Kids on the Water "- then back to the Itchenor anchorage for another night before catching the flood to Littlehampton. 3 nights on the HM's pontoon, back to Chichester where we spent some more time on the hook before we were lifted at Hayling Yacht Company Saturday morning.

Like you, there is little in the Solent we have not experienced and going East made a nice change.

Littlehampton is a bit like a smaller Weymouth. The Arun is the fastest flowing river in England, entry times are important if engine power is low.

Whatever you decide, Good Sailing!

 

[dragonvc]

You have a yacht that will go to sea so go for it.A friend with 24 ft bilge keeler he keeps in Chichester Harbour goes most years to the Isles of Scilly,he has long holidays!! his worst problem was a broken tiller between Lands End and St Mary's he did not have a spare.Best was he spent nothing on mooring fees for the whole trip.Another trip was made by a Limbo 21 from Brighton to do the race from Penzance to the Scillies.At least 2 23ft boats sailed to Dartmouth for the Regatta.So small boats still making voyages out west as they have been doing since the fifties.Forty ft boats are not required just more comfortable .The dragons generally lurk round the headlands Needles Channel in a big breeze,St Albans Head ,Portland Race just keep 5 miles off if timings do not suit.Start point to Bolt Tail can be rough.However all the stuff you need to know is in the Channel pilot books together with anchorages you might pass by.As a recent convert to Solent sailing from the West Country the Solent demands constant attention to tidal streams especially in a small yacht.The real plus for heading west is that the sea is blue when the sun is shining and when you come back you may be able to fly the spinnaker all the way back.Look forward to your adventures.

 

[lw395]

I like Weymouth, but you need a day each way and a day there really.
Studland at a weekend is often hideous. Like the worst elements of the Solent more crowded together.
If the wind is steady in the W, or a bit North W, then Swanage is worth a look.
Poole I tend to keep for those times when you're hoping to get somewhere else, but decide the weather's wrong after all.
What Rotrax says is worth a look.
I've never taken a yacht into Little'Ampton, AKA LA, but have raced dinghies there. The tide can flow out quite strongly even when it's rising! Water coming down the river.

Langstone Harbour is the forgotten option, you can anchor and watch the terns or something. Lots of mud and few facilities but peace and quiet. Just be aware that dredgers use the channel.

 

[Pete7]

A womble up the River Frome to Wareham is quite interesting, the boatyard and YC both have visitors moorings or stop on the quay at Wareham.