Port Solent

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Aardee

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So, who else discovered the silt build-up just in front of the lock yesterday?? The display promised 1.7m over the lock sill but we (1.5m draft) ground to a halt 15m short of the sill.

That was after we managed to weave through the stranded Sunsails /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

Still, fair play to the guys at Port Solent, they told us to leave Mystique on the waiting pontoon and they'll bring her in to her usual berth today...

<hr width=100% size=1>"I am a bear of very little brain and long words bother me" - A A Milne.
 
Simialr thing at Newhaven, Saturday. One of lowest tides of year, allowed 1 hour before low water to get back into berth. Didn't even get within 20m before nudging onto mud. Managed to reverse enough into an outside berth to at least attach a warp, then stayed with boat until enough water 2 hours after low water. Not complaining though - boat's never been so ship-shape after a day out.

Own fault really - had been warned might be depth problems with big springs and 1.5m draft. But when paying for a deep-water berth, a bit of dredging wouldn't go amiss.

Robert

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Similar thing at Newhaven, Saturday. One of lowest tides of year, allowed 1 hour before low water to get back into berth. Didn't even get within 20m before nudging onto mud. Managed to reverse enough into an outside berth to at least attach a warp, then stayed with boat until enough water 2 hours after low water. Not complaining though - boat's never been so ship-shape after a day out.

Own fault really - had been warned might be depth problems with big springs and 1.5m draft. But when paying for a deep-water berth, a bit of dredging wouldn't go amiss.

Robert

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Re: Dredging

Well I've done my bit, a nice 10cm wide channel into the silt (apparently progress was halted by a long-lost vibrator...).

<hr width=100% size=1>"I am a bear of very little brain and long words bother me" - A A Milne.
 
Graham,

I live at Port Solent (overlooking the approach to the lock) and they dredged the channel either side of the waiting pontoon and along the channel back as far as the castle in April - although I'm not sure how close to the lock itself they worked. The SunSailers are always getting stuck in the mud so there's nothing new there:-) I notice there was a large (70ft plus?) ketch moored on the waiting pontoon overnight. Not sure what the draft of something like that would be but a friend tells me that the approach channel can go down to as little as 6ft on a spring. I'm sure it would have got in OK at high tide but surely she would have bottomed out at low tide?

If your based in Port Solent and ever need crew, I've just started sailing having done a two-day cruise with SunSail and crewed once since. So if you're happy with my novice status, please give me a shout (via pm).

. . Greg

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The ketch is an Ocean 71 called Ocean Free. Draft is 2.4m. Mate of mine has just bought her and sailed her back from Guernsey on Sunday.

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Thanks for that. I think part of the problem is that I had to leave the deeper central part of the channel to get around Sunsail 60 which had well & truly glued itself to the bottom. There certainly seemed to be plenty of water at the waiting pontoon, so as long as the ketch got that far there shouldn't have been a problem.

Anyway, Mystique's now safely back on her pontoon none the worse for the experience...

<hr width=100% size=1>"I am a bear of very little brain and long words bother me" - A A Milne.
 
Willdo. Haven't seen her yet, but my colleague here in the office sailed her back with him at the weekend.

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Re: Port Solent/Ocean Free

We knew Ocean Free many years ago - she was owned by a Kiwi family and we spent a winter with them in Fiumicino. She (assuming there aren't two Ocean 71s called Ocean Free) is indeed a lovely boat, Van de Stadt I believe...and at that time had a better equiped galley then I had a kitchen back home!

I may have to wander down to Port Solent at the weekend and indulge in a bit of nostalgic gazing!

Sharon

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Re: Port Solent/Ocean Free

Quite correct about Van de Stadt. I knew Fiumicino well in late 70's, having sailed out of there when living in Rome, but don't know much of Ocean Free's history.

She is currently on the waiting pontoon, but will be brought inside in the next few days when they have space for her. The owner hasn't made up his mind where to keep her whilst in the UK (there's going to be quite an extensive refit) but I suspect she'll remain in PS for a while. Not quite the boat for a quick dash to the Folly, is she?

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Re: Depth of water

Hardly surprising, right on springs and a high pressure of 1037

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Re: Port Solent/Ocean Free

<blockquote><font size=1>In reply to:</font><hr>

Not quite the boat for a quick dash to the Folly, is she?

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Err, no, not quite!

Not quite the boat for a quick dash anywhere in the Solent I'd have thought...but what a great boat for a leisurely ocean crossing...

I can't really remember much of her history...she was being minded by the owner's daughter and boyfriend winter 90/91 and was transitting the Med en'route to the Caribbean.

Neal, who sometimes posts here may remember more....he was another of the Fiumicino committee of that winter...Oh happy days.

Actually, HWMO has just told me that she's red..(he drives past PS every day)...well when we knew and loved her she was white....

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Apologies for blocking you - I was on Sunsail 60!!! Waited on the pontoon and was showing 0.2m under the keel so I thought I cold make it to the lock. Wrong!

<hr width=100% size=1>Have boat. Will travel. Maybe cruising in 2005 - wanna join me?
 
Re: Port Solent/Ocean Free

Yes, I gather that she was recently Awlgripped in red. I've only seen pictures so far, but my colleague and one of my godsons were on the delivery trip and came through the Swinge on Sunday with water breaking on deck - she handled it well. She arrived PS about 9pm Sunday.

Hope to get a sail on her, but quite sure her new owner will be interested to hear any history. He has Ocean crossings in mind and looked at a lot of boats including Oysters. I think he chose well!

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No worries, it was that sort of evening...

<hr width=100% size=1>"I am a bear of very little brain and long words bother me" - A A Milne.
 
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