Planning a run from Littlehampton to Poole.. Any advice?

[wipe_out]

Looks like we have pretty much decided to move the boat down to Poole this year.. Visiting a couple of potential places to keep her on Thursday..

Boat is a 26ft Larson Cabrio and my guess is it's about a 3h run (and a whole lot of petrol ) from Littlehampton where she is currently to Poole.. Would be good if we could use the tide to help us along for a run this long..

This will be the longest "voyage" I have done and I have never been out in the areas I am going to have to cover so looking for advise, suggestions, warnings or anything else from those that know the area.. Best times to leave Littlehampton to use the tide and get past any problem areas there may be along the way would also be very useful..

We are also debating whether to make it a two leg trip and spend a night in Cowes but that shouldn't affect the plan too much unless we take a route around the south side of the IOW but I am guessing The Solent would have calmer water..

Anyway, thanks for any advise or suggestions..

 

[rhino_mac]

Not sure about Littlehampton to I.O.W, but we wary of Hurst Point. Try to head through on slack water or with the tide - don't go against the tide! We did this in a Monterey 250 one time and it was wet and uncomfortable. Keep close to the beach past Hurst and you should be fine. It can be rough going past Hengistbury Head but if it's smooth at Hurst, again you should be fine.

From then on it's an easy run following the coast. When you get near to Poole there are two channels to come in through - the Swash channel which is a little further out or the one that leads you in avoiding Hook Sands which starts just by Sandbanks beach. I'd go in through here myself rather than run out to the Swash. There is a 10 knot speed limit printed on one of the buoys and this remains in the harbour. This channel will lead you in past the chain ferry. If it's about to move, the black ball will hoist and there is a flashing strobe light. Safe to pass behind it but it has right of way in the harbour.

Depending on which marina you're moving to you'll either need the main channel or the North Channel. If you're at Cobbs, Poole Quay, Davis or Lake Yard, take the main channel. If you're at Salterns or Parkstone Bay you'll need the North Channel.

If you mention where you are heading to maybe I can give a little more information - I moored at Parkstone Bay for 2 seasons.

 

[wipe_out]

Thanks rhino_mac..

Yes, Parkstone Bay is one of the places I am visiting tomorrow morning.. Looking at a swing mooring just not sure about how low the water gets at spring low tide.. I need to find out if I need to leave the out drive trimmed up all the time and how safe it is to do that because it will leave the shafts of the hydraulic rams exposed to the salt water..

So note 1 - Slack water or with the tide past Hurst point and Hengistbury Head..

Apparently it's best to round Selsey Bill at slack water as well so might be running with the tide about 1h30m after slack past Hurst point if we do it in one day.. If we do it in two days I can try and time it to pass both points at slack water..

Anyone know the area around Selsey and what the timing is for slack water?

 

[PEJ]

Keep a good look out for lobster pots in Poole Bay and around Portsmouth. The Poole Bay ones are like little ball fenders but the Portsmouth ones are often black former liquid containers.

 

[Tranona]

Would be a shame to miss out on the Solent. Breaking the trip by either going into one of the harbours - Yarmouth would be good particularly in the week when it is quieter or anchoring in somewhere like Newtown River would be good. Set off at slack high water just as the tide turns west and you will have a good run to Poole.