Plymouth to Weston-Super-Mare

[karl74]

Hi,

Plymouth to Weston-Super-Mare

Anyone done this trip or similar and got any tips or info on stop overs, safe anchorages or a reasonable time to do the trip.
I ask as we will be bringing my recently purchased boat round in March. We're in no particular hurry to do the trip and was thinking of going via the scillys for a stop over and may be even crossing the channel and going via Tenby for a night ashore.

Karl

 

[Allan]

Hi,
Plymouth to Weston-Super-Mare

Anyone done this trip or similar and got any tips or info on stop overs, safe anchorages or a reasonable time to do the trip.
I ask as we will be bringing my recently purchased boat round in March. We're in no particular hurry to do the trip and was thinking of going via the scillys for a stop over and may be even crossing the channel and going via Tenby for a night ashore.
Karl

I've done similar trips a number of times, although I finish at Cardiff. Most have been non-stop but we have stopped at both Falmouth and Newlyn. My preference is Newlyn, as it allows you to leave at exactly the right time for rounding Lands End and getting the best tides up the Cornish coast.
I have a boat to bring round from Plymouth in the near future. My plan will be Plymouth-Newlyn then Newlyn-Cardiff with a stop at Watermouth to wait for the tide, if required.
Three years ago I took a couple of weeks to bring my boat around from Poole, just daysailing and stopping at some of the nice places on the way.
It just depends one the time you wish to take.
Allan

 

[sarabande]

Mobo or raggie, and what size please ?


Any deadlines ?


Any crew just adding sea miles ? How many Dazed Kippers on board ....

 

[karl74]

Mobo or raggie, and what size please ?


Any deadlines ?


Any crew just adding sea miles ? How many Dazed Kippers on board ....

Hi

Boat is a 30' raggie. There will be 4 of us onboard 1 a YM and 3 crew albeit a bit rusty. However we plan on doing a few days shake up in Plymouth sound to shake out the cobwebs before we set off. We've got about a week set aside for the trip but that is flexable.

 

[karl74]

Hi allan,

Thanks for the advise. We was initially thinking of stopping off at Falmouth for our first stop, being ex matelots it holds a bit of a soft spot for us. But like your way of thinking about Newlyn and will probably take your advise if we decide against going via the scillys.

Karl

 

[sarabande]

thanks, just a bit of a reference to the banned thread about Hot liquid. BTW. Not having a go.


A week sounds reasonable, but you must be prepared to sit in Brixham or somewhere for a few days longer and eat crabs. The Plymouth - Round Land's End is likely to be hardest bit obviously, but is very exhilarating working out the best tides and weather slots.

Unless you know the N coast of Cornwall and Devon, I'd think of staying towards the S coast of Wales where there are many more havens unless the weather is fair. Places like Padstow are tricky. Ilfracombe and Minehead dry out. Instow is the only deep water haven (probably my favourite stop) , but the bar is tricky with strong SW and W. Porlock is not possible at low water, and there might be a berth or two early in the year. If you can take the ground, then Watermouth Bay (near Combe Martin) is a good secret place for a fair weather stop.


Are you heading for Weston Bay YC?

 

[karl74]

thanks, just a bit of a reference to the banned thread about Hot liquid. BTW. Not having a go.


A week sounds reasonable, but you must be prepared to sit in Brixham or somewhere for a few days longer and eat crabs. The Plymouth - Round Land's End is likely to be hardest bit obviously, but is very exhilarating working out the best tides and weather slots.

Unless you know the N coast of Cornwall and Devon, I'd think of staying towards the S coast of Wales where there are many more havens unless the weather is fair. Places like Padstow are tricky. Ilfracombe and Minehead dry out. Instow is the only deep water haven (probably my favourite stop) , but the bar is tricky with strong SW and W. Porlock is not possible at low water, and there might be a berth or two early in the year. If you can take the ground, then Watermouth Bay (near Combe Martin) is a good secret place for a fair weather stop.


Are you heading for Weston Bay YC?

No I totaly agree with you. I've been reading the HOT LIQUID threads and can't belive it really.
Theres only going to be one real novice onboard. Myself and my mate have just done our 22 in the RN and my old man sailed for over 20yrs with my grandfather in the bristol channel. Although my mate is the only one with quals. And the good thing non of us suffer from sea sickness.
My mate will be skipper and I have to say he is quite anally saftey conscious
not thats thats a bad thing.

Deep water stops would be good as we've got a 5 - 5.5' draft

Yes we are heading for WBYC and will be mooring in the axe.

 

[Allan]

thanks, just a bit of a reference to the banned thread about Hot liquid. BTW. Not having a go.
A week sounds reasonable, but you must be prepared to sit in Brixham or somewhere for a few days longer and eat crabs. The Plymouth - Round Land's End is likely to be hardest bit obviously, but is very exhilarating working out the best tides and weather slots.
Unless you know the N coast of Cornwall and Devon, I'd think of staying towards the S coast of Wales where there are many more havens unless the weather is fair. Places like Padstow are tricky. Ilfracombe and Minehead dry out. Instow is the only deep water haven (probably my favourite stop) , but the bar is tricky with strong SW and W. Porlock is not possible at low water, and there might be a berth or two early in the year. If you can take the ground, then Watermouth Bay (near Combe Martin) is a good secret place for a fair weather stop.
Are you heading for Weston Bay YC?

I certainly agree with the comments Brixham etc.
Personally, although I love Padstow, I avoid it as it not only adds loads of time to the trip but in our club is known as the gluepot! Most of us have been stuck there at one time or another.
I would, respectfully, disagree with some of the other points. Heading to the Welsh coast will add a lot of miles to the trip. Hartland to Tenby must be almost as far as Hartland to Porlock. Tenby to WSM would be two tides, at least. Oxwich is possible but lots of extra miles and I think it may be a struggle get to WSM in one tide.
Although Watermouth dries, it is a good place to stop. If you pick up one of the outer mooring buoys or anchor a little further out and leave a couple of hours before low tide. Staying close inshore until Foreland allows you to avoid most of the tide. Doing that I can easily make Cardiff before high tide. Although I've not sailed direct to WSM, I would imagine it is no further (my charts are on the boat).
Allan