First Timer - W solent exit to Poole

[nicho]

bugger should have been far left.....land mass, thats swanage keep it on you bow or just off starboard bow until old harry seen.

you would keep it on your right hand side if running the coast. girly moment..

Sorry Julie, I didn't spot the "girlie moment" either - it was compliment, not sarchasm!

 

[gjgm]

Hi All,

Using this years almanac, cruising guides, internet and all other sources available to me at present, I have yet to get a passage plan I am confident in for exiting the Solent and crossing Christchurch Bay to Poole.

The crossing is for this summer and therefore I have the option to try things out, but I was wondering what most solent boaters do for this trip. Just cross in open safe deep water or keep in close to the coast? My draught is on 1m, so is doing following the channel all the way out and crossing the open water overkill?

Thanks for any advice.

Relax
If the sea is calm enough for yout to want to go ahead, I think you could reverse to Poole without any issues in 39ft! Please, don't get too hung up on passage plans etc (if you are...)
I would also go close to Hurst (ie the mainland). There is plenty of water there, so you can go really close . If the tide is under way, you will find a bit of chop about 250-100 metres before you get to the castle. As you pass the castle, swing along the shingle bank for a short while and then head for the white cliffs of Old Harry south of Poole, as a rough visual.
Personally, I prefer to keep well clear of Christchurch ledge. Have alook at your chart or plotter and mark where the ledge (under the sea) peters out- probably a few miles south of the mainland. This will mean that you are more likely to clear the various moored fishing boats (they want the ledge), the lobster pots, and if there is any sea churn, you will miss the bumpiest bits.
Mark pretty much the outer end of Poole channel on your plotter (it is about a mile out) and head for that. Then just follow the channel in. This way you will miss and chop and shallower water etc, and if you are unfamiliar, it is always good to be with other boats rather than wondering why the hell you are the only boat over here!!
Keep an eye out for the fast ferry from the CI's. It slows right down a mile or two south, but it is pretty big, and if you are unsure, just mill baout a bit and let it go ahead. Saves the worry!
It can get bonkers in the channel with boats going everywhere, but just keep your course and don't make any unpredicatable moves without a good lookout. The chain ferry has right of way. The chains will not drop away that fast, so do not get too close, and it isnt that smart to decide to nip in front of it !
That was the easy bit. Poole is somewhat confusing first time. Essentially a few hundred metres into the harbour you swing hard to the right for a while and then swing in a very large few mile arc to the left. Plenty of boats and inner and outer bouys, but locals go all over the place and it is easy to get a bit confused. After 10-15 minutes entrace to the town quay opens on the right, and inside there it can get even more manic!!
The shallows really do dry out in Poole, so do not cut across corners and bouys; stick to the main channel (or just follow a fair sized boat) and watch for ferries etc.

Poole Bay can get a bit choppy, so unless it is pretty calm, I would leave /come back with the wind and tide in unison, and preferably behind you.
This is eyeball pilotage..appreciate it is your first time, but you can get from Solent to your marina in Poole just by eyeball and a bit of advice. With a plotter, I would put one waypoint well south of Christchurch ledge and one at the south entrance to Poole Channel.
If the sea is good, on leaving Poole, you should nip along the west coast for an hour.Stunning.

 

[alant]

Relax
If the sea is calm enough for yout to want to go ahead, I think you could reverse to Poole without any issues in 39ft! Please, don't get too hung up on passage plans etc (if you are...)
I would also go close to Hurst (ie the mainland). There is plenty of water there, so you can go really close . If the tide is under way, you will find a bit of chop about 250-100 metres before you get to the castle. As you pass the castle, swing along the shingle bank for a short while and then head for the white cliffs of Old Harry south of Poole, as a rough visual.
Personally, I prefer to keep well clear of Christchurch ledge. Have alook at your chart or plotter and mark where the ledge (under the sea) peters out- probably a few miles south of the mainland. This will mean that you are more likely to clear the various moored fishing boats (they want the ledge), the lobster pots, and if there is any sea churn, you will miss the bumpiest bits.
Mark pretty much the outer end of Poole channel on your plotter (it is about a mile out) and head for that. Then just follow the channel in. This way you will miss and chop and shallower water etc, and if you are unfamiliar, it is always good to be with other boats rather than wondering why the hell you are the only boat over here!!
Keep an eye out for the fast ferry from the CI's. It slows right down a mile or two south, but it is pretty big, and if you are unsure, just mill baout a bit and let it go ahead. Saves the worry!
It can get bonkers in the channel with boats going everywhere, but just keep your course and don't make any unpredicatable moves without a good lookout. The chain ferry has right of way. The chains will not drop away that fast, so do not get too close, and it isnt that smart to decide to nip in front of it !
That was the easy bit. Poole is somewhat confusing first time. Essentially a few hundred metres into the harbour you swing hard to the right for a while and then swing in a very large few mile arc to the left. Plenty of boats and inner and outer bouys, but locals go all over the place and it is easy to get a bit confused. After 10-15 minutes entrace to the town quay opens on the right, and inside there it can get even more manic!!
The shallows really do dry out in Poole, so do not cut across corners and bouys; stick to the main channel (or just follow a fair sized boat) and watch for ferries etc.

Poole Bay can get a bit choppy, so unless it is pretty calm, I would leave /come back with the wind and tide in unison, and preferably behind you.
This is eyeball pilotage..appreciate it is your first time, but you can get from Solent to your marina in Poole just by eyeball and a bit of advice. With a plotter, I would put one waypoint well south of Christchurch ledge and one at the south entrance to Poole Channel.
If the sea is good, on leaving Poole, you should nip along the west coast for an hour.Stunning.

Going into Poole, don't forget the speed limit & the small ships channel (from Aunt Betty going in, its on your port side).

 

[Wavey]

We did the West Solent to Poole run (and back) last summer for the first time and not being 100% sure of the northern route I opted to go more or less straight across the bay from the Needles and head for the outermost buoy of the Poole channel. From the posts above do I get the impression this isn't the route most people take?

 

[kcrane]

We did the West Solent to Poole run (and back) last summer for the first time and not being 100% sure of the northern route I opted to go more or less straight across the bay from the Needles and head for the outermost buoy of the Poole channel. From the posts above do I get the impression this isn't the route most people take?

Nothing wrong with that route, but it can be bumpy in the wrong wind/tide combination

 

[powerskipper]

Sorry Julie, I didn't spot the "girlie moment" either - it was compliment, not sarchasm!

xxxxxx