Passage Plan - Hamble to Dartmouth

jcwads

jcwads

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Hi All

Appreciate this has probably been covered 1000's of times already but help specific to my ability and boat would be massively appreciated.

Planning a weeks trip from Hamble to Dartmouth and back again in September. Its in my 28ft sports cruiser diesel. Still new to power boating and relatively inexperienced but, have some prior sailing experience and am fine with navigation, sea conditions and basically not going out in the wrong weather!

Initial plan is to sail from Hamble to Weymouth in one stretch. Stay overnight and then if conditions allow, get out the next day past the Bill (understand there is consideration here with when and how to go past), and stop for the night in Exmouth. Then onto Dartmouth the following day.

My questions are firstly, would that itinerary be realistic time wise. Also how long would each stretch take? Could I do Weymouth to Dartmouth in one stint?

And advice is always well received.

Thanks

Jonathan
 
Not sure I would bother with going into Exmouth. Not only is it a biggish deviation from the direct course, but it is a dodgy channel to enter. If you find Dartmouth a bit of a stretch then Brixham is a better alternative.
 
Each leg is roughly 50nm. We did Hamble to Weymouth in just under 3hrs averaging 19knts so figure likewise for Weymouth to Dart. As long as the sea state's kind and you time it for comfort then imo, it's very realistic. Enjoy and I hope the weather's kind for you.
L
:)
 
Delivery skippers would get you from the Portsmouth to Plymouth in one day, but its more about getting the boat from A to B, I think the OP might like a bit more pleasure out of it. Also if you give yourself time you also get more options in planning around the weather etc. Stopping at Weymouth or Portland makes a lot of sense, the others like Brixham are fairly close to Dartmouth so you might want to miss them out, unless you want to explore when in the area.
 
In other than very benign conditions, you are likely to find it too long for one go in 28ft, so I would set off in the morning, have a break in Weymouth, and then hit Lyme Bay.
In many conditions Portland Bill is OK if you stick 75 metres off the very tip..and I mean 75 metres max. Frankly if you think the Bill will be too messy, Lyme Bay will be an ugly slog. You really do not want that stretch wind over tide, or to be going into much of a head sea, because it is a long way and you don't really have any options but to keep going. If the sea is like a lake in Lyme Bay, then it only adds about 15 miles to mosey along the coastline.There is a small pontoon outside the harbour in Lyme Regis if you need a break. I always seem to find messy water heading up towards Torquay for some reason.
So in F2 you can easily do this in a day,but F4 is likely to be something of a long tiring journey if you are battling into it all day. Two runs of a 2-3 hours each in good weather, so hopefully you find it. Likelihood is that on the return trip the wind will be behind you, so that helps a bit on sea state in Lyme Bay
Read up on the various headlands because you can stumble into some grim overfalls if you are unaware/unlucky.
 
We did Plymouth to the Hamble in 1 stint on Saturday, running from about 16-22 Nmph. Took about 7 hours, 125 Nm. Lyme Bay is quite a long stretch, so it might be nicer to follow the coast. We took the straight path. Portland Bill was quite choppy, but not much more than we encountered, enering the Solent.
 
Share most people comments, this year done portsmouth, weymouth then falmouth (promise I will write report and post on here) Weymouth to falmouth was 7.15 hours this was very tiring especially as SWMBO will not helm, and so Dartmouth will be 3 hours ish at 18 knts. I was in a single engine boat 30ft. I went straight across Lyme bay. Got to say the first half of Lyme bay was a slog down to 10 knts but the tide and weather got better as we got across. Have a good trip
 
Thanks for all the replies on this. All really helpful information. So the plan would be Hamble to Weymouth, overnight stay and then across Lyme Bay to Dartmouth if we have a nice fair day (hmmm).

A little nervous about Portland Bill, so will need to do some extensive planning and research. If anyone has done it in a small sports cruiser like mine (Monterey 275CR) then do let me know which path you took (Inshore or Offshore) etc.

Thanks!!!!
 
Done it many times in an open 28ft twin diesel.

I use Yarmouth as departure point, fill tanks and wait for weather window.

20 knots cruise boat speed, try to go with the tide.

Offshore and St Albans.

Inshore at Portland.

Don't bother planning to go into Weymouth, to big diversion, use it as a fall back if after rounding Portland the bay is too lumpy.

By the time TQ or Brixham are in sight you'll be so elated at crossing the bay you'll carry to Dartmouth.

None of the stop offs on route are worth doing compared to Dartmouth.

Save Brixham for on the way home as departure point.

Darthaven Marina and buy a book of foot passenger tickets for the lower ferry.
 
jcwads said:
Thanks for all the replies on this. All really helpful information. So the plan would be Hamble to Weymouth, overnight stay and then across Lyme Bay to Dartmouth if we have a nice fair day (hmmm).

A little nervous about Portland Bill, so will need to do some extensive planning and research. If anyone has done it in a small sports cruiser like mine (Monterey 275CR) then do let me know which path you took (Inshore or Offshore) etc.

Thanks!!!!
Click to expand...

In regards to portland you can pass close and miss the race, in regards to it it does move depending on what time of tide. If it's a good day you can see the worst parts and simply avoid the worst parts
 
So, I have attached a rough looking Google Maps journey plan to this post for you all to see. Will have it all set into my chart plotter and done manually on my admiralty maps prior to departure. (I don't use Google Maps to navigate on a boat - I do have sanity........)

Final plan for the big trip is Hamble to Weymouth with a WIDE berth of St Albans which I feel more comfortable to do with this particular obstacle. 3NM out seems to be what has been recommended to me by most.

Sharp change in course up to Lulworth Cove so me and the SWMBO can stop for a rest and enjoy the views. Then steam along the coast past Durdle Door and into Weymouth for the night.

Then, up early and inshore round the bill keeping it tight to the coast. We will then take a slightly longer route across the bay so we are not really more than 4 miles offshore at any given time - SWMBO is happier with that on our single engined boat. Then into Dartmouth, high five and have a beer.

Tides are a bit of a pain, both days are needing very early starts (6:30ish) due to tide streams en route. Only thing now is the weather. Planning departure on Saturday but there are winds looming which are strong and in the wrong direction. But if kinder weather fairs we will make it. Or alternatively be sat in Port Hamble Marina for a week....

Any comments on my plan would always be well received as I am a complete newbie at this...

Screen Shot 2016-08-23 at 16.26.12.jpg
 
jcwads said:
So, I have attached a rough looking Google Maps journey plan to this post for you all to see. Will have it all set into my chart plotter and done manually on my admiralty maps prior to departure. (I don't use Google Maps to navigate on a boat - I do have sanity........)

Final plan for the big trip is Hamble to Weymouth with a WIDE berth of St Albans which I feel more comfortable to do with this particular obstacle. 3NM out seems to be what has been recommended to me by most.

Sharp change in course up to Lulworth Cove so me and the SWMBO can stop for a rest and enjoy the views. Then steam along the coast past Durdle Door and into Weymouth for the night.

Then, up early and inshore round the bill keeping it tight to the coast. We will then take a slightly longer route across the bay so we are not really more than 4 miles offshore at any given time - SWMBO is happier with that on our single engined boat. Then into Dartmouth, high five and have a beer.

Tides are a bit of a pain, both days are needing very early starts (6:30ish) due to tide streams en route. Only thing now is the weather. Planning departure on Saturday but there are winds looming which are strong and in the wrong direction. But if kinder weather fairs we will make it. Or alternatively be sat in Port Hamble Marina for a week....

Any comments on my plan would always be well received as I am a complete newbie at this...

View attachment 59534
Click to expand...
At Hurst you will need to go one or other side of the Shingles. I would probably take the North Channel.

You also need to think about the gunnery at Lulworth. I should be inclined to go outside the range area, myself. There again, a chum was involved in an incident where a fin round was fired at an elevation more appropriate to a hesh round and, in all probability, the splash was nearer the French than the English coast so you never can tell where safety might lie. :cool:

Notwithstanding others' comments, if not stopping at Lyme Regis or Exmouth, I would also be inclined to go offshore at Portland and straight across Lyme Bay, but obviously as conditions dictate.
 
jcwads said:
So, I have attached a rough looking Google Maps journey plan to this post for you all to see. Will have it all set into my chart plotter and done manually on my admiralty maps prior to departure. (I don't use Google Maps to navigate on a boat - I do have sanity........)

Final plan for the big trip is Hamble to Weymouth with a WIDE berth of St Albans which I feel more comfortable to do with this particular obstacle. 3NM out seems to be what has been recommended to me by most.

Sharp change in course up to Lulworth Cove so me and the SWMBO can stop for a rest and enjoy the views. Then steam along the coast past Durdle Door and into Weymouth for the night.

Then, up early and inshore round the bill keeping it tight to the coast. We will then take a slightly longer route across the bay so we are not really more than 4 miles offshore at any given time - SWMBO is happier with that on our single engined boat. Then into Dartmouth, high five and have a beer.

Tides are a bit of a pain, both days are needing very early starts (6:30ish) due to tide streams en route. Only thing now is the weather. Planning departure on Saturday but there are winds looming which are strong and in the wrong direction. But if kinder weather fairs we will make it. Or alternatively be sat in Port Hamble Marina for a week....

Any comments on my plan would always be well received as I am a complete newbie at this...

View attachment 59534
Click to expand...

Hmm. Subject tide and wind, I wouldn't go offshore at St Albans, if sea conditions permit then I'd go tight inshore. I'd similarly go tight inshore round Portland Bill, but dyor on the best time ref wind/tide to go round. And I'd go straight across Lyme Bay, I wouldn't go round the inside, it's a long detour. As BJB says, check for range activity at Lulworth (although they normally don't operate on summer weekends).

We used to do Brighton-Dartmouth in one hit back in the day, five hours, south of the island, great fun. Have a good trip - look forward to reading about it here! PS When heading to Weymouth we always used to time our arrival to just *miss* the town bridge - thus leaving time to tie up at the waiting quay and get chips from Bennetts; fab :D
 
We did it about this time last year, early September to avoid the busyness of the regatta at Dartmouth.

We are a little larger and heavier than you, a Hardy 42, and first time I have been west of Weymouth since childhood.

Off shored at St Albans and Portland, smooth trip save a bit lumpy on the last mile, averaged 15knt in the prevailing force 3, a dirty bottom slowing us a little.

A week later the return trip was vile. Sea state slight said met office. Ha. Tossed around like a cork as soon as we left Dartmouth alas, and RN pushed us out 10m so they could play with their guns. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, with it I may well have gone a lot more inshore when we started getting beaten up and/or held my ground with RN for free passage over Lyme Bay.

My partner is the one who normally succumbs to sea sickness, but this time it was me and I was knocked right out - there were only two of us on board, and she isn't as experienced as me by far. I was close to a Pan Pan for assistance into Portland or Weymouth!

I think that was exceptional, but I would suggest having an alternative passage plan for Weymouth on the way out and back, and allow an extra day for the return journey unless very benign. Also make sure crew have a good passage briefing in case you are unwell, that was something I should have done.

Having said all of that, have a good trip, Dartmouth is a lovely stop over, and Portland / St Albans aren't that dramatic if planned well.
 
Excellent @girlofwight. That has boosted my confidence no end!! LOL.

I honestly feel more comfortable doing an offshore on St Albans. I have read a zillion threads on this, and it seems better for me. Regarding Lyme bay, the extra miles are fine with me, I would rather a calm and content wife for an extra hour closer to shore if necessary over a worried wife crossing that is quicker. She would not like being so far out to sea.
 
jcwads said:
Excellent @girlofwight. That has boosted my confidence no end!! LOL.

I honestly feel more comfortable doing an offshore on St Albans. I have read a zillion threads on this, and it seems better for me. Regarding Lyme bay, the extra miles are fine with me, I would rather a calm and content wife for an extra hour closer to shore if necessary over a worried wife crossing that is quicker. She would not like being so far out to sea.
Click to expand...

It's all about the sea state, obvs :D. By way of contrast to girlofwight's experience, here's a couple of short vids that I've posted before of our experiences of Lyme Bay:



 
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