Needles Channel or South about and East Channel next week?

[Drumm]

I will be sailing from Plymouth across to Southampton next week, all being well. The forecast is suggesting a possible departure on Fiday morning. Winds currently looking light but on the back of the current high winds we're experiencing a residual swell is likely. I'm not hugely familiar with the Solent although have sailed there a number of times but conditions have generally been fairly calm. The question I'm pondering is whether the Needles channel will be viable at 4 a.m. (slack) or should I accept a longer passage and pass South of the island and then up the East channel? Making a tidal gate 20+ hours away is always tricky!

 

[wonkywinch]

The Needles Channel race is short lived but more importantly your timings seem a tide out.

Assuming a 5kt sailing vessel by your 20 hour comment ..

You might be better leaving Plymouth on the flood to suffer foul tide across Lyme Bay to then arrive at a point an hour west of 5nm south of Portland Bill just as the tidal stream turns east (roughly 1600 Fri or 0400 Sat) so you carry the strong stream off Portland/St Albans up to the Needles Channel arriving at the end of the flood.

Get inside the Solent then anchor at Hurst or outside Newtown Creek if you have any flood left. Sit out the ebb then catch the next flood to Southampton. The stream will be running at c 3kts inside the Solent next weekend.

Handling traffic density in Southampton Water on a Saturday morning won't be fun if you've been awake for 24 hours.

If you were heading to Portsmouth, south of the island could work but it's a long way round to get up to Southampton. Another 21nm (4 hours) in fact.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

If the timings all go pear shaped, dive into Christchurch bay and use the North Channel. Whatever happens, it’s very much shorter and quicker via the western solent.

 

[Stemar]

Hurst with a foul tide isn't going to happen on pretty much anything that doesn't plane If you go that way, the North Passage is the way to go coming from the west. Just head for the green North Head buoy and pass it either side. As you go round the corner, keep 50 yards off Hurst Castle to avoid the worst of the overfalls. We set the record for our Snapdragon 24 there at over 11 knots with a spring flood!

 

[Chiara’s slave]

You have to make that call before you get to the shingles of course.

 

[ashtead]

I cannot see any reason to enter via Bembridge end of island unless you are worried about wind and tide being in opposition as you enter needles and wind having some strength(what that strength is tends to depend on vessel and crew but I guess if contra at needles you might not set off anyway) given you need to address Portland tides first why not work out your eta there as a starter and go from there? You could call in at Portland marina?

 

[Boathook]

The OP doesn't mention what speed he can cruise at.

I'm with @wonkywinch though, to arrive off Portland so that the flood tide then takes you up into the Solent. Whether I went up through the Needles channel or to the north of the Shingles to north head buoy is a decision I would make as approaching Poole bay.

 

[wonkywinch]

I cannot see any reason to enter via Bembridge end of island unless you are worried about wind and tide being in opposition as you enter needles and wind having some strength(what that strength is tends to depend on vessel and crew but I guess if contra at needles you might not set off anyway) given you need to address Portland tides first why not work out your eta there as a starter and go from there? You could call in at Portland marina?

I've done this journey quite a few times.

Although I highly recommend Portland as a good stop heading west as it gives you the opportunity to time the race and take the inner passage round The Bill, eastbound is more tricky and time consuming.

You'll add a minimum of 10 miles to your journey then have the added hassle of exactly timing the inner passage, the races at St Albans and Durlston as well as possibly having to avoid Lulworth Ranges.

If you have to give Portland Bill a 5-6 mile offing for weather, you might as well keep going and stop in Swanage, Studland, Alum Bay etc before waiting for the next flood in through Hurst.

 

[wonkywinch]

The OP doesn't mention what speed he can cruise at.

It was the comment "Making a tidal gate 20+ hours away is always tricky" that gave the game away. Plymouth breakwater to Needles Channel is 100nm.

 

[Drumm]

I've done this journey quite a few times.

Although I highly recommend Portland as a good stop heading west as it gives you the opportunity to time the race and take the inner passage round The Bill, eastbound is more tricky and time consuming.

You'll add a minimum of 10 miles to your journey then have the added hassle of exactly timing the inner passage, the races at St Albans and Durlston as well as possibly having to avoid Lulworth Ranges.

If you have to give Portland Bill a 5-6 mile offing for weather, you might as well keep going and stop in Swanage, Studland, Alum Bay etc before waiting for the next flood in through Hurst.

Thanks for the advice, much appreciated. I have done Southampton to Plymouth a number of times but the planning is certainly more difficult Eastbound. My concern is that I could arrive late at the Needles or indeed for the Southbound route and find myself going backwards! Yes I tend to plan on 5 knots.
I will time my departure from Plymouth to arrive 5Nm off Portland Bill at the start of the Eastbound stream and head to Swanage or Studland, take a break and then head for the North Channel or Needles dependent on how it looks at the time. Failing that I'll divert to Pool Harbour and moor up until the next opportunity.

 

[wonkywinch]

Thanks for the advice, much appreciated. I have done Southampton to Plymouth a number of times but the planning is certainly more difficult Eastbound. My concern is that I could arrive late at the Needles or indeed for the Southbound route and find myself going backwards! Yes I tend to plan on 5 knots.
I will time my departure from Plymouth to arrive 5Nm off Portland Bill at the start of the Eastbound stream and head to Swanage or Studland, take a break and then head for the North Channel or Needles dependent on how it looks at the time. Failing that I'll divert to Pool Harbour and moor up until the next opportunity.

That would be my plan. Studland on a ball close in will be less rolly than Swanage with it's swell licking round the headland.

If you're in Studland then Christchurch Ledge and north channel.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Christchurch ledge kicks up a steep short chop for a few hundred metres. Stow your crockery propely.

 

[wonkywinch]

After Start Point, Portland Bill, St Albans Head and Durlston Head on Friday there may not be any breakables left to sweep up.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

After Start Point, Portland Bill, St Albans Head and Durlston Head on Friday there may not be any breakables left to sweep up.

Its when you get those right, then get surprised by it. Obviously in the scale of things, it’s not much. Just unexpected.

 

[Boathook]

Christchurch ledge kicks up a steep short chop for a few hundred metres. Stow your crockery propely.

Items should always be stowed properly when going to sea. I keep underestimating wash that makes Christchurch ledge smooth !

 

[Seven Spades]

My advice is to time you arrival off the Bill to arrive at low tide. Punching the tide across Lyme Bay is no big deal but if you time your arrival at low tide you will get the full benifit of the tide going to the Solent. If your journey is slow you can always stop at Studland or Hurst if you arrive late.

 

[wonkywinch]

I will be sailing from Plymouth across to Southampton next week, all being well. The forecast is suggesting a possible departure on Fiday morning. Winds currently looking light but on the back of the current high winds we're experiencing a residual swell is likely. I'm not hugely familiar with the Solent although have sailed there a number of times but conditions have generally been fairly calm. The question I'm pondering is whether the Needles channel will be viable at 4 a.m. (slack) or should I accept a longer passage and pass South of the island and then up the East channel? Making a tidal gate 20+ hours away is always tricky!

Wonder if the OP made it? Not logged in since the 16th.

 

[oldharry]

My advice is to time you arrival off the Bill to arrive at low tide. Punching the tide across Lyme Bay is no big deal but if you time your arrival at low tide you will get the full benifit of the tide going to the Solent. If your journey is slow you can always stop at Studland or Hurst if you arrive late.

Agree. Coming up across Lyme timed to reach Portland at or soon after LW and the next 15 miles to Anvil if you are turning into Poole, or straight on for the Needles will be on the flood when you most need it.