Help planning trip Lyme Bay

Moonshiners

Moonshiners

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www.speedandstrip.co.uk
Just starting to plan across Lyme Bay in a 20ft Bilge keeler so looking at cruising speeds of 5kn, giving fairly limited distances with favourable tides.

We are hoping to sail from Lymington to Exmouth and return later in the week. Could anyone give advise on suitable achorages/shelters or Harbours in Lyme Bay, or is it better to just hack straight accross from Weymouth?

And if going straight accross what harbours/anchorages would you use as a bolt hole?

Any advise or reccomendations especially from people with similar craft would be appreciated.
 
Can recommend Mark Fishwick's book 'West Country Cruising'
What I would do in your situation depends a lot on the wind, plus time of tide. You've got the right boat for Lyme Regis, but in a fair wind I would try for Brixham or Dartmouth from Weymouth or Portland.
 
We crossed from Weymouth to Dartmouth in a 24.5' footer in 14hrs. Wind was just too much on the nose to tack properly so most of the time we motor sailed at about 5.5k through the water.
The only mistake we made was to go into Weymouth marina , that meant we could not get out until 08:00 (first bridge opening) and we really needed to be out at 06:00 to avoid foul tides.
We spent about 2hrs making nothing to the West , then watched our SOG slowly go up until we had a fair tide.
Just some thing to be aware of in your tidal planning.
 
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Just starting to plan across Lyme Bay in a 20ft Bilge keeler so looking at cruising speeds of 5kn...

And if going straight across what harbours/anchorages would you use as a bolt hole?

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Best plan on 4kn. Head for Brixham, I think Exmouth is too difficult for a visitor in a small boat arriving possibly in the dark after a long passage.

I don't think there are any viable boltholes. If the wind picks up from the North those boltholes will seem too far away upwind and from other directions the approaches could be difficult.

Suggest you watch the world go by from the Weymouth town quay, don't get boxed inside a raft, then pick your moment.

Once across you can then visit Teignmouth and the Ex in optimal conditions after a shorter passage from Torbay. There are times I wish I had your draft, one day I am going to get over the Teignmouth bar but probably in a different boat.
 
You might do 5kn on a reach in a good wind but that is way too optimistic for passage planning in a 20 foot bilge keeler!

My cat is capable of doing a steady 12 knots on a reach in a F4 and I have the luxury of a couple of diesels to fire up if it falls light, but I plan using 7kn.
 
I'd agree that 5knots is optimistic. We did it from Dartmouth to Weymouth a couple of years ago in May and it took 10 hours. We had 20 knots of wind SSE all the way, 3 reefs and a lively sail. I recall it was about 54 miles (outside passage round P. Bill). This is in a Moody 31 fin. I didn't think there was any bolt hole - wait for suitable weather and go for it.
 
I did Weymouth to Brixham last year in a 23 footer bilge keeler, motorsailing due to winds. I averaged 5.6 knots SOG (just reading my log book) and it took 9 hours.

It's a matter of getting the tides right.

West Country Cruising Companion gives you all the necessary info as to when to leave Weymouth to get round the Bill, and as someone has said, use the HM pontoons at Weymouth so that you can get out when you want to.

The other alternative is to follw the coast to Lyme Regis, which is what some members of the VOA prefer to do. It will be a shorter run, Or maybe even Bridport, except like Lyme Regis you will be governed by the tides for access.
 
thanks for the info guys, the 5kn. was more an idea of our general cruising speed rather tan expected SOG - i know alot of people on here have much higher averages.

best get myself down the book shop!

thanks for all the positive advise.
 
Weymouth gets extremely busy in the season. IMHO you are better off anchoring on the northside of Portland Harbour just outside the local moorings.

This way you will be certain of a quick get away in the morning.

Go inshore the Race at the Bill. Aim for Lyme Regis with a bilge keeler you will be extremely snug inside the harbour.

Any doubts read Inshore Along the Dorset Coast by Peter Bruce.
 
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I think Exmouth is too difficult for a visitor in a small boat arriving possibly in the dark after a long passage.

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Just to qualify that, I'd say that Exmouth is fine <u>if</u> you arrive on the top half of a rising tide or can get in past the dock entrance into the river proper on the first third of a falling tide, even at night without local knowledge. In a 22' bilge keeler, you may not have the engine power to speed you against the ebb, especially if there's been a lot of rain over Devon or its a spring ebb. With a bit of care, the old channel is ok at night (if you are in the top half of the tide), but if you do arrive at night and are tired, you can anchor quite safely off Straight Point (about 50deg 36' 46"N 3deg 21' 00"W or thereabouts) if the wind is north/west and wait for the tide. If you can't get into the marina, and <u>this</u> can only be done in daylight, there's a visitor's pontoon on the south side of the river by Dawlish Warren directly opposite the dock entrance - all nicely visible on Google Earth. Don't be tempted to cut the corners between the bouys!. Over 1000 boats use the River so it isn't that difficult. For latest information on the entrance, ring the Dockmaster. If really knackered, theres a great cheap water taxi, which starts running soon in April I think. All numbers in Reeds.

I'd use a 4 knot average in planning. Getting round Portland will be your toughest tide gate, and you can always get into Brixham, and I think Torquay, no matter what else is happening.

Last year, a yacht manged to prang themselves on the beach at night, but left it for an hour before they alerted the Coastguard - most people here thought it was an insurance job. I'd say pm me for better info but the Dock office is the most informed here!

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The speed you do is less than 5 knots. If you go all the way in one go you will be out there for too long.

Without bilge keels Lyme Bay was basically a single long slog.

From Weymouth the problem is that you spend quite a while getting round Portland Bill. On one occasion we passed close round the Bill , and all of the flat water was filled with row after row of lobster pot buoys all with miles of floating warp on the slack tide.

Something like 15 hours later we arrived at Darthaven Marina.

On the way back, we did 0500 at Dittisham to 2230 off Yarmouth IOW in one go in Forethought a couple of years back . We should have turned in to Poole and avoided spending a miserable evening surfing off waves in the twilight and making about 3 knots over the ground with the engine on and the main pulling.


The buoy off Yarmouth was very welcome even if the wind and tide conspired to have it smacking the side of the boat by my head all through a night of exhausted sleep.

On another occasion we helped a small boat arriving in Brixham that had just come all the way from Lymington, they were so tired they forgot the fenders and warps when they came alongside. ...


Because of the Dittisham to Yarmouth fiasco, the family wont come cruising again...
 
When heading to the west country from the solent I used to catch a fair tide out of the solent and across to swanage. Then anchor in swanage and grab a few hours sleep then catch the first of the tide around St Albans and given a fair breeze and or the engine be clear and to the west of portland before the tide turned foul. But at least you can postion your self to be in a weaker stream. I must admt I cannot remember if I passed close in or not, probably did. Then headed for Dartmouth or Torquay as my first port in the west country.

Some of the pots of the Portland Bill used to be mine: When I was at school I shared a beach boat on the chisel beach and would go as far as the bill with oars and a seagull outboard.
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Lyme, 20 miles from the Bill is the obvious choice for a small boat if you dont fancy making the full 35 miles or so to Exmouth.

Both ways the key point is getting to the Bill during the tidal 'window', whether from Portsmouth or Swanage.

Going west if you are heading for Lyme you need to go through the Bill at LW. a) the currents east of the Bill are much stronger than in Lyme Bay, and the ebb will carry you out of Weymouth or round St A's to the Bill at a good rate, but if you are bucking the last of the flood for a HW pass it will take a lot longer. b) If you are considering Lyme as a stop over it dries at LW, and you will have to hang around for several hours if you are crossing Lyme Bay on the ebb. Running against the flood from the Bill inshore passage, the currents weaken rapidly as you go west and will not substantially increase passage time.

I regularly used to do it in a 20 footer, and later a 22 footer. Unless you have strong head winds allow around 4 - 5 hours to make from Bill to Lyme, by which time it will be near HW Lyme and you can go straight in. Round the Bill at Hw and you will get to Lyme an hour or so before LW and have to wait several hours - there are mooring buoys you can pick up while you wait, but its can be uncomfortably rolly.

Last time I came up from the west I made Dartmouth to Swanage single handed in 11.75hrs with a nice F4 just off the beam. I timed to round the Bill at LW, so as to pick up the strong east going stream as I cleared the Bill, which whooshed me at incredible speed up past St A's into Swanage. That time I planned to clear the Bill around 5 miles off, unneccessarily as it turned out as I got there at almost exact slack water. An almost perfect passage for once, arriving at all the right places at the right times!
 
West Bay is a potential if necs, but not v pretty and can be tricky entrance, they also have visitors bouys outside Lyme if you dont want to be stuck in the harbour
 
Hope youi have a great sail...
'jakeroyd' is correct about Weymouth Marina and the first bridge lift being at 0800.
We locals who are berthed 'above' the bridge usually go thru the night before a trip and pick up an empty mooring buoy round in Portland harbour for the night and then have the great pleasure of sailing off it the next morning at whater time you deem 'right' to catch tides etc.
The peace, solitude and freedom to do your own thing are all free!!! I can recomend it!
Sailing is all about planning ahead and geting it right not being stuck in a poxy marina waiting for a bridge lift and then punching a foul tide for half the day!
Good luck
 
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Once across you can then visit Teignmouth and the Ex in optimal conditions after a shorter passage from Torbay. There are times I wish I had your draft, one day I am going to get over the Teignmouth bar but probably in a different boat.


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Went into Teingmouth last year just after the Fastnet gale (Draft 1.5 mtr). There was big swell running dowm to the entrance, but we approached about 2 hours before HW springs, so entrance was fine. If you have a standard pilot, do not follow the advised route in from due south close to the western entrance. According to the harbour master it has not been dredged for years. The dredged ship channel comes in from the south east and is well marked.

It is well worth a visit - tide runs like an absolute banshee throug the entrance in springs!
 
I keep a 20 foot bilge keeler (a Vivacity 20) at Axmouth harbour. I agree with the previous posters: plan on 4 knots max. as average (tides can run at 1.5 to 2 knots around Springs, so this can make a big difference): I usually plan on 3.5 knots as a safety margin. All the harbours in Lyme Bay until you get to Brixham require you to do your tidal sums, and some are pretty critical: you would be welcomed at Axmouth (a pretty harbour, very good shelter and a fine new clubhouse), but you would need to get your timing right and the narrow entrance can be a little nerve-wracking the first time in: check out the website which has very good pilotage notes at http://www.axeyachtclub.co.uk/. Teignmouth harbour also has a very helpful pilotage guide at http://www.teignmouth-harbour.com/.

In settled weather, anchoring can be an option; the anchorage off Beer Head gives reasonable protection in settled conditions, and in quiet sea conditions a tender ride ashore gives access to the pretty village and a good pub! Lyme Regis also can be a nice stopover; West Bay has visitors' pontoons, although I can't say the town itself is quite as enjoyable as Lyme Regis. The main problem with the Exe is the very strong currents that run on a spring ebb, but in the right conditions and at the right state of tide (best to arrive about HW -1hour at the East Exe buoy which will allow you to arrive at the marina around slack water) it is not as bad as it sounds, and if you have the time, a day or two pottering up the river to Turf lock (great pub with good food & visitors' pontoon) and a mile further up to Topsham (mooring at Trout's boatyard, or drying out beside the quay) can make a pleasant cruise. Lyme Bay harbours are largely ignored by the sailing fraternity because of the perceived difficulties, but if you are prepared to put in the time to do your passage planning with care (and draw up your tidal graphs in particular), you will find a lovely and, at least by Solent standards, uncrowded cruising ground. Fair winds!

Ned
 
Only one thing to add: Give these guys a ring before leaving Weymouth and they will give you a good description of conditions in the inshore passage round the Bill. But you will need a good lookout for lobster pots. Don't try the inshore passage in the dark!
 
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