Noob anchoring in the Solent

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Eightlivesleft

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Hello,
Having never anchored before we'd like to find somewhere in the Solent to do a few test runs. Can anyone recommend anywhere where it's relatively easy and we won't cause too much chaos? I have checked out Osbourne Bay but I'm not sure that's a good idea during Cowes Week?
Thanks in advance.
 
I don't know that anywhere is good during Cowes Week. Newton Creek is sheltered and normally a good first anchorage. Similarly the inside of Hurst Spit is good except in a North Easterly. It rather depends on how much your vessel draws. Portsmouth and Langstone Harbours have places where you might try, even Chichester Harbour isn't too far from Hamble.
 
Beauleiu river. It's where we had our second go. 1st wasn't a great success. All my fault.

But you can anchor near the visitors bouys, which offer an escape route. Mind you when it blew up f6 east I found they had all magically got taken. But we held anyway.
 
I have fond memories of crawling into Newton Creek for my first night at anchor in my first 'big' boat a Jaguar 22. It was April so it was not crowded.

Hook down, Pop top up, Tilly lamp hissing away, Fray Bentos Steak and Kidney pudding on the stove and a couple of bottles of Theakstons Old Peculiar to wash it down. I fell asleep as I had so many nights before listening to the shipping forecast. Missed Wight of course.

It was the first of many.
 
Take a look at the chart, find some sandy bottom in an area where you will have about three meters under the keel, go there and sling your hook :)
Wait about half an hour to prove to yourself that it's set, haul it up, then go and do it again.
Once you have got the hang of it, go and do it at about an hour before turn of tide and hang around till about an hour after the turn.
Getting the anchor to set isn't the hard part, becoming confident that it has set is!
 
Eightlivesleft said:
Hello,
Having never anchored before we'd like to find somewhere in the Solent to do a few test runs. Can anyone recommend anywhere where it's relatively easy and we won't cause too much chaos? I have checked out Osbourne Bay but I'm not sure that's a good idea during Cowes Week?
Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

If conditions are right, you can anchor almost anywhere inshore between Hill Head and Gilkicker. Not many people do (except for a few off Stokes Bay) and it's an area not frequented by shipping, so it's a good place to practise. During Cowes Week, make sure you don't anchor anywhere within 100 metres or so of a yellow racing mark, or other navigational buoy, unless you want a front row seat!
 
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LadyInBed said:
Take a look at the chart, find some sandy bottom in an area where you will have about three meters under the keel, go there and sling your hook :)
Wait about half an hour to prove to yourself that it's set, haul it up, then go and do it again.
Once you have got the hang of it, go and do it at about an hour before turn of tide and hang around till about an hour after the turn.
Getting the anchor to set isn't the hard part, becoming confident that it has set is!
Click to expand...

Look for somewhere on the chart, with an anchor.

Be carefull about anchoring too shallow in places like Osbourne Bay, because after the passing of any large container ship, the resulting tsunami wave, will lay you over on your side, with spreaders getting a soaking & crew pitched out of bunks (ask how I know).
 
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