How bad is the Solent, Really??

[ShipsWoofy]

If I sailed down there to see what all the fuss was about would I require proof of equity before tying up.

I am quite happy to use visitors moorings or anchor, can I do this in all the popular areas, or is it pontoons only?

Will I be slaughtered for owning a cat?

I am a little worried due to 'waiting lists' 'pre booking' '£30 per night'

To stay on the wall up here costs me about £7.00 a mooring a little cheaper.

 

[stevebirch2002]

I sail in The Solent and if youy know your way around then it can be cheap. Dont expect to go into the marinas for cheapness coz they aint. Sailing is fantastic as you get every weather in teh space of three days, sheltered sailing but can get up quite quickly. Try the local clubs for night moorings, pick up the occassional buoy (spelt correctly) or anchor. Keep away from Beaulieu unless you want another mortgage. Very busy at weekends but you cant have everything....

 

[alahol2]

Even Beaulieu isn't too bad on the piles or a buoy up the river. (or it wasn't last year but that may have changed...)

 

[BrendanS]

It's both mad and wonderful. Everyone is out at peak times, and it can get a little busy, but if you're used to it, it's part of the attraction. Having said that, if you sail after 6 weekend evenings, or any other time, it's nearly empty. I've been out of a summer weekday evening, and never seen another boat.

Marinas and moorings at prime locations during summer weekends - you need to have a place by 3:30 at latest or no chance, but if you are willing to go a bit further up river (eg on hamble) then plenty of spaces normally - everyone seems to want to go for the same prime positions so they don't have to venture to far. If you plan on coming, let us know when, and we can point you at places you can get into, tho you will be limited more by your beam than many

 

[starboard]

If your idea of fun is walking up the M25 give it a go........if not come and sail in peaceful heaven here on the Clyde.

Paul.

 

[T_S]

To be honest with you Woof most of the people on this forum give the impression that the Solent area is only for Hardy Atlantic blue water sailors or the 'Tea Club'. IMHO With all that nice deep water and no shifting mudbanks your cat I am sure will find it a doddle!

Its only the stiff upper lipped whom make sure by changing tack they become the 'stand on vessel' crossing close to the bows of RAM or CBD that cause problems in the solent for shipping and the CG m8.

And if you want to know more about the 'Tea Clubs' shorebased habitat around that area, just ask me.........Its not the image you may have pictured! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[T_S]

P.S I think BrendanS will see you ok though Woof! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[boatmike]

No probs Woofy. A bit like playing marbles on the motorway at weekends especially with all the racing going on and MoBos ploughing up and down but nothing you couldn't handle. Watch the very strong tides especially around the needles and avoid Marinas that are expensive. Anchorages in Alum bay, outside Newtown and elsewhere free in settled weather. Lymington town, Yarmouth and Folly Inn welcome multihulls without surcharge still (I think around £10-£15 a night for you?) If you are here at this time of year mid week when all the yuppies go back to work it's actually quite peaceful! Come and play!

 

[Peppermint]

Re: It\'s rarely dull.

Deceptively trickey. Often too busy and I like it well enough. If you like solitude and the quiet life, it's not for you. If you like watching people & boats and some decent views it's great. You get to sail most days. My 25ft cruiser can handle almost any conditions that might occur, though an easterlie gale+ is a bit much.
Free moorings can still be found and anchorages. I moored in Cowes last Friday for £12.

 

[capt_courageous]

Went out for a sail yesterday (Friday) from Gosport. Lovely sunny day with a nice breeze. Just about had the place to ourselves - apart from Sunsail doing their usual thing. As Brendan says evenings are always quiet The Solent is good since there a fair number of nice places in easy reach for weekends and several pleasant anchorages for lunch. If you want more room a trip out to the Nab, round the Island or across to Poole are possibilities. If it does blow up a bit you are never very far from shelter. The downside is that it does get crowded at weekends and most of the marinas are expensive. The ones on the Island get full most Saturday nights. Most weekdays are still pretty quiet apart from the peak summer (school) holiday time. Come and see for yourself.

 

[ShipsWoofy]

Sounding a little more inviting.

Planning our trip down to warmer climes now and would like to crawl along the Sarth coast on the way. Maybe even picking up an ICC on the way.

So might get to meet a few of you later in the summer.

Just waiting for a few bits of paperwork and we're off.

 

[fastjedi]

Previously a trailer sailer owner we have enjoyed sailing in many places around the UK. Circumstances have resulted in our first year of 'fixed' yacht ownership being on the Solent (we will be moving on next year) ... and we have had a fantastic year so far. Yes, there are too many boats, especially inconsiderate Gin Palaces, but its reputation for being expensive or easy and unchallenging are absolute rubbish ..... and you would be hard pushed to find anywhere else where there are so many great weekend sailing locations. We will miss the Solent

 

[arTThur]

Hey Woofy,

The Solent isn't bad, if it were then me and the thousands of others would be somewhere else I think.

It does depend on what you want out of it, if your idea of fun is sailing for days without seeing another boat and trying to get into closed sailing club bars, then its not for you. But if you want to sail where there are over 30 different places to moor at reasonable prices within a 30nm sail (not including marinas), there is more to see than you could see in a lifetime; if you don't mind sharing the water with other leisure-boaters, then come along - you will definitely have some fun.

I do wonder about the poeple who complain all the time about marina prices and there being too many boats in the Solent - I have had 5 full seasons there and have always found places to moor, anchor or tie up and it is the people and boats that make the place so interesting.

See you there.

arTThur

 

[Guest]

[ QUOTE ]
if you want to sail where there are over 30 different places to moor at reasonable prices within a 30nm sail (not including marinas)...

...I do wonder about the poeple who complain all the time about marina prices

[/ QUOTE ]

The Solent has many attractions, and I genuinely love it as a cruising area. The biggest attractions is being in the presence of so many other interesting craft.

But I don't think that anyone could call the prices reasonable! Even at the decent anchorages you have to pay (Newton, Beaulieu) to use your own anchor. No doubt with shoal draft there are ways of avoiding it, but the fee for ONE NIGHT for my boat in any deep water Solent marina is almost the same as an entire month on a visitor's berth in the marina (centre of capital city, free electricity etc.) where my boat is now...

 

[castaway]

I once did a weeks holiday on my 29ft Pacesetter (fin keel) with my then young familly for £35 quid, Must have been 10 years back...

Read Alahol2's tightwad sailor site and you will see that its only the daft who ever need to pay ridilulous rates for marina berths, ( I cant remember the last time i went into one).

I and a bunch of other forumites have just returned from a little meeting at the Folly Inn on the Medina (Cowes), and for a midstream pontoon berth bang opposite the pub, I was charged £9.80... I don't think anyone could call that expensive.!!

All best Nick

www.yachtsite.co.uk/fairweather

 

[Guest]

By Solent standards that's really great value, even for a mid-river mooring. Are hot showers included?

But this SHOULD be, and in most of the rest of Northern Europe is, the price for a full service marina berth in the centre of a town, with electricity etc thrown in.

 

[BlueSkyNick]

£9.80 is a good price to stay overnight, but they also charge £4 to stop for an hour at lunchtime, or a fiver to walk ashore from the pub's pontoon even when you are buying drinks !!

 

[castaway]

I've got to say that I dont actually think that £4:00 is bad for the facility to be able to moor up and go ashore for lunch, I guess that if you are only in the pub for a hour it may look a bit pricey, but if a lot of boats are probably there for a stop of several hours...

All best Nick

 

[castaway]

No the Folly fees do not include showers,, they do have 'em but I think they are a quid or so...

Regds Nick

 

[arTThur]

Hi chaps,

Some mixed feelings as always on Solent prices!

But come on, if you have say a £30grand bateau (and that's at the cheap end as we know) to be used for your pleasure, does the cost of an overnight mooring or marina berth (if you are that way inclined) really matter so much? - I think not.

I weekend sail with a 3 week cruise in the summer. I reckon to spend £4,000 on my hobby per year - does the difference between a £6 anchorage or a £22 marina overnighter really make that much difference for the number of nights that I use the facilities? Not to me! Sure I would like to pay less, but what can you get for £20 these days?

Intererstingly, some of the people who avoid marinas on grounds of over-pricing will then spend more than a nights fees on a round in the pub! Yer pays yer money and takes yer choice.

Each to his own - I still prefer the Solent as a weekend crusing ground to some barren coast line with no refuge for 40 miles and crummy facilities and there are enough of those around the UK coast.

See you in the Solent!!