Ipswich to Solent - Dover or Ramsgate for stoppage?

vandy

vandy

Well-Known Member
Joined
4 Oct 2010
Messages
301
Location
London UK
Visit site
Hi, we are sailing from Ipswich to Solent this week. Thinking to stop at Ramsgate (shorter first day) or to Dover (longer day but may then be able to go and stop at Brighton the 2nd day). What’s people experience of the marinas? Facilities? Etc. Anyone who’s done the passage and any experience is appreciated.
 
Ramsgate is easy to get in and out at all stages of the tide as is Dover. Personally I prefer Ramsgate, the town is nicer than Dover with several good places to eat, if you like curry try Flavours by Kumar (superb), Italian- La Magnolia. THe Royal Temple Yacht club is nice for a drink. The showers are OK but not lovely, I‘m not sure about the Dover showers since they’ve been building the new marina. Fuel is available in both.
 
I have done Ipswich to Gosport about 12 times. Going west singlehanded, I try to make Dover then Brighton. Coming back east, I try for Eastbourne then Ramsgate, but have done Eastbourne to Orwell in 16 hours.
Brighton and Eastbourne both have good facilities, not sure about Dover at the mo during redevelopment. Also check depths in Brighton at LW. Looe channel a god bet in reasonable weather. Newish windfarm at Brighton. You can still sail through the London Array at Foulgers Gat. Look out for pots in the Gullstrem Channel at the Goodwin Fork, and on the approach to Eastbourne.
 
Minn said:
Dover is not a bundle of fun in a southwesterly with an ebb tide. Probably all in the mind but I don’t like it.
Click to expand...

In my experience, it's sometimes very bouncy immediately outside the entrances (particularly the eastern one) in any tide and wind, but hold on to your hat and you're very quickly through.

Contrary to several posts above, I have a soft spot for Dover, and prefer it to Ramsgate for berthing. Being left to your own devices to hunt up and down the aisles at Ramsgate for a suitable space is rather nerve wracking in a long keeler! (I also got literally rammed at Ramsgate, by another boat. I didn't realise until too late that it hadn't been my transom he'd hit (I was below when he hit, no damage visible there, so I accepted his apology), but saw later he'd bent a stanchion beside the cockpit.)

Agree, though, that Ramsgate is more generally scenic.

Dover staff, including Harbour Radio, patrol boat, and marina have always been great though. There is/was also a great cafe for all-day breakfast and more just yards from the basin, and more, I think, in the way of marine engineers and such businesses. Sadly the chandlery's gone.

I don't know current state of play with Dover redevelopment.
 
It depends on how much progress you are making. Other things being equal, if I get to N Foreland and there is going to be enough tide to make Dover I will carry on. Leaving Dover it is normally possible to round Dungeness with the tide, and later to round Beachy Head to make Brighton in one longish, 60 mile, day. Going west is all about getting the tides right, but you are always at the mercy of conditions of course.
 
For me it is all to do with tide.
If you hit Ramsgate just as the tide is turning against you can have 6 or 18 hours off , and this never fits with my plan, if the tide is still with you making for Dover has to be the best bet.
If yo make Dover as it turns against again you have 6 or 18 hours off as an option.
I normally aim for somewhere 10 miles north of North Forland at slack tide, this gives 6 hours to suck me, or is it blow me, through the Dover bit. So I end up past Dungeness as it turns.
End result is I always sail in one hit and have an extra day in the Solent.
 
johnalison said:
It depends on how much progress you are making. Other things being equal, if I get to N Foreland and there is going to be enough tide to make Dover I will carry on. Leaving Dover it is normally possible to round Dungeness with the tide, and later to round Beachy Head to make Brighton in one longish, 60 mile, day. Going west is all about getting the tides right, but you are always at the mercy of conditions of course.
Click to expand...
I agree.
 
Eastbourne is possibly a better option than Brighton, Ramsgate or Dover. It might be a longer first day, but a equally doable second with the tide. Eastbourne always a good entrance except in the very worst of Easterlies, and more than pleasant enough inside, far nicer than Brighton which is also to be avoided in any good wind other than from the north.
 
If you want a quick passage and don't mind 13-14 hour days.. Dover->Shoreham otherwise Ramsgate/Eastbourne/Shoreham: (Dover and Shoreham have locks, so timing is important.) Brighton entrance can be bad and the marina is, to my mind, unpleasant -when I visited last year they were so unhelpful I left immediately and carried on to Shoreham (where there's a nice gastro-pub called The Schooner just outside the "marina" (aka boatyard).
 
iLens said:
If you want a quick passage and don't mind 13-14 hour days.. Dover->Shoreham otherwise Ramsgate/Eastbourne/Shoreham: (Dover and Shoreham have locks, so timing is important.) Brighton entrance can be bad and the marina is, to my mind, unpleasant -when I visited last year they were so unhelpful I left immediately and carried on to Shoreham (where there's a nice gastro-pub called The Schooner just outside the "marina" (aka boatyard).
Click to expand...

Dover - has tidal area as well, so all tide.
 
If single-handed, I find Ramsgate a bit of a challenge, mainly due to the limited sheltered space to sort out fenders and lines, together with the random "help yourself" berthing instructions. In contrast, Dover is easier, as there's lots of sheltered room to amble along on autopilot whilst doing fenders and lines, and they actually allocate you a specific berth. From my point of view, they're both quick stopovers, so the attractions of the towns are irrelevant (although I was once gale-bound in Ramsgate for a week, which wasn't the most pleasant experience).

From Ramsgate/Dover, my next usual stopover is Eastbourne, although I'm unhappy about the proliferation of pot markers around there.
 
I used to 'commute' from Pin Mill to Falmouth every summer in my Sadler 29. The secret can be summarised by 'set off, and don't stop 'til you get there'. Why on earth would you stop at Ramsgate? Or Dover? Just carry on past both. If you leave at dawn from Shotley say (we could anchor there in those days before the Felixstowe extension) you'll be past Dungeness by dark, and at the Nab around mid morning. A pretty easy passage: only a wuss would stop.

Edit: I now note it's 'this week' so daylight will be shorter. But still, why not carry on? If the weather is good diverting into a port just eats up the hours for no forward progress.
 
Last edited:
Going east you want to leave near LW to take the tide.
Dover tend to put you in the Granville dock... which is closed when the tide turns to your favour.
I suggest contact Dover in advance and ask them if you can stay in the all tide basin.
There is a very good curry house on the left just before the underpass.
 
I am based at Bradwell so have a different departure point. However, I carry the tide correctly I will want to have the tide take me to Ramsgate on the last part of the trip. That means south going tide is later in the day.
That means if I stop at Ramsgate it will be against me next morning.
So I always try to make Dover on the last bit of tide if I can, because that stretch of tide can be quite strong. This can be hard work with a SW wind.
However, I normally make for Boulogne after that, so gate openings in Dover do not worry me.
I agree that Ramsgate is much nicer though.

When will the new Dover marina be opening??
 
Last edited:
jdc said:
I used to 'commute' from Pin Mill to Falmouth every summer in my Sadler 29. The secret can be summarised by 'set off, and don't stop 'til you get there'. Why on earth would you stop at Ramsgate? Or Dover? Just carry on past both. If you leave at dawn from Shotley say (we could anchor there in those days before the Felixstowe extension) you'll be past Dungeness by dark, and at the Nab around mid morning. A pretty easy passage: only a wuss would stop.
Click to expand...

I stop because I'm usually single-handed and after 12 hours or so I've had enough, not to mention the restriction imposed on single-handing by my insurance.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top