Portsmouth to Plymouth sailing options?

[DJE]

Shame about the dog. We did it last year in a fairly fast 39 footer leaving Gosport at 11:00 and anchoring in Plymouth Sound at 06:00 the next morning. Neap tides and very light winds so motoring until we go to Start Point. Only two of us on board and just as we were passing Portland and it was getting dark the autopilot packed up. So a long night at the wheel but we made it.

We did Dartmouth to Poole in under 12 hours on the way back. So with your 12 hour limit and fair winds I would do Portsmouth to Studland then Studland to Brixham or Dartmouth then on to Plymouth. Weymouth/Portland is a long way off the rhumb line.

 

[davethedog]

Thanks once more and we had a chat last night and current plan looking like this:
Day 1: Portsmouth to Portland, night in Portland.
Day 2: Portland to Brixham or near there, night there.
Day 3: To Plymouth.

 

[eddystone]

Thanks once more and we had a chat last night and current plan looking like this:
Day 1: Portsmouth to Portland, night in Portland.
Day 2: Portland to Brixham or near there, night there.
Day 3: To Plymouth.

Regarding day 2, you need to leave at Portland HT + 2 so if that's not early morning you'll probably get to Brixham in the dark.

 

[Babylon]

Instead of Portland, you could overnight in Studland or Swanage (or even stop a bit further along in Lulworth Cove if wind not onshore), then its about 65NM, a complete tide cycle of 12hrs, to Brixham. That way you can simply go south of the race and leave at a civilised hour to suit yourself.

I wouldn't do Lyme Bay in a south-westerley, very tiring... here's my little ship approaching the Mew Stone outside Dartmouth after a long motor-sailing slog from Weymouth single-handed:



Later, on the way home, I made Studland from Dartmouth in one long day passage offshore with the wind on the quarter.