Portland race . East to west on Friday. Advice please

[Oscarpop]

So we are hopefully leaving Weymouth marina Friday morning to head for Dartmouth.

We are probably doing the inshore route for the first time, so I am here for advice .

I have read the Internet sites , pilot books and charts and have come up with the following.

1 leave Weymouth about 1hr-2 he before hw dover.

2 stick to within 150 m ish of the coast, in what you should see as calm water.

3. When you pass the southernmost point, change course nw for a mile.

4. Look out for lobster pots.

The weather is for 10-12kts Sw, so we'll end up motoring all or most of the way.

Anything I'm missing? Or should I just take the outer route!

Cheers

 

[wiggy]

Close enough to throw your biscuit on the beach as you round the Bill, if there's any breeze.

 

[Oscarpop]

Really that close?

 

[longjohnsilver]

Slack around the Bill will be approx local HW-2 or HW+4. West going tide will be after the HW+4.

Most people take the direct route but the Dorset coast is beautiful, I'd recommend a stop at Lyme Regis if you have the time. Also a good anchorage at Beer, sheltered from W and N winds. You also have R Exe and Teign to try, Teignmouth have some visitors pontoons about 30m off the beach and 2 pubs. A pleasant place to spend an evening. And just around the corner, before you reach Torbay, you've got Babbacombe and Ansteys Cove. Carey Arms has some moorings, nice pub (owned by Peter de Savary) with fabulous views towards Portland.

Enjoy your trip and wave if you see us on Eos when you reach Dartmouth, or even better come over for a drink. Dartmouth will be busy as it's their music festival weekend.

 

[LadyInBed]

Really that close?

Yep, have your camera to hand. I've dived off the Bill, the drop off to 10 mtrs is within 4 or 5 mtrs from the rocks then it slopes sharply to 20 plus mtrs and deeper.
You are right to use Dover tide times, slack is Dover minus a half hour, then it starts to run to the West, you will see overfalls when going down the East side but you should be well inside them watching out for the bloody pot buoys!

PS have you got a copy of this: http://montymariner.co.uk/tide-stream-charts/tide-stream-charts-2/

 

[lw395]

I like to be prepared for it to be rougher than you'd expect, but 9 times out of 10 it's fine.
I.e, everything stowed nicely, kitted up and tethers to hand.

We tend to go at the early end of the time range Mr Fishwick suggests, even push it a bit earlier in sensible weather, to get maximum W tide to Dartmouth.

 

[BlueChip]

It always takes longer than you think to get out of Weymouth, you can always slow down to lose some time if you are early at the Bill

 

[johnalison]

There's no need to make a meal of it. Anywhere reasonably close will do in the sort of wind you might be out in. This was taken while going in the other direction last year and just past the bill in a good force 5 at slack water.