River Frome Poole Harbour.

[Teetime]

Is it practical take a Southerly 38 with lifting keel up to Wareham ? Only 3' draft and takes the ground so presumably no problem in Wareham. I would be grateful for any information having drawn a blank on the net so far.

 

[VicS]

Chart:
http://www.visitmyharbour.com/viewchart.asp?chart=E638BA9DB3DD65257

looks like the answer is not at low water springs ... (I know from experience you cannot get a Mirror dinghy up there at LWS)

Perhaps at LW neaps but anytime around HW looks OK

Other charts: http://www.visitmyharbour.com/harbours/channel-west/poole-marinas/charts.asp?cattype=5

 

[colhel]

You're just under a metre so you should be fine. Just don't try and short cut your way there!

 

[dmmbruce]

3ft is fine, though not at low tide I find. But as said above Keep To the Channel! Also, go round the middle or the outside of the corners once you are up to the river where it is marked with stakes.

Mike

 

[blackbeard]

I have sailed, yes sailed, a dinghy to Wareham but I'm told there are now too many moored boats to make it practical as you are certain to need to beat at some point.
Also taken a 25' yot up there, using engine of course. Drew just over 3' . No problem.
Fascinating trip, much of it between tall reeds on both sides.
Others can advise but I must admit that if I wanted to put a Southerly aground there, I would want to examine the river bed at low tide first. Also consider how best to turn it round.
Interesting town, good pub ISTR.

 

[alahol2]

I've taken a 32 ft cat up there (13ft beam) and a 3ft draft mono so yes it's possible. As blackbeard says, my main worry would be turning it around. Slightly easier is to go up to Ridge Wharf marina then take the dinghy the rest of the way. Not sure if Redcliffe yacht club can cater for visitors? Well worth the trip however you do it.

 

[robbieg]

Yachting Monthly Article

I think it was in YM earlier this year that an article was penned on a Southerly 32 being taken up to Wareham. May be worth digging out as it IIRC it talked about the passage up the river and parking once there.

 

[prv]

must admit that if I wanted to put a Southerly aground there, I would want to examine the river bed at low tide first

Don't Southerlys have a cast-iron belly section as combined ballast and protection? That ought to smash the odd shopping trolley or whatever.

Pete

 

[Tranona]

Yes, perfectly feasible from a draft point of view, but as Mike says keep to the middle and the outside of bends. Be aware that the withies marking the channel into the river are actually on the mud, not the edge of the channel! Last bit from Redclyffe up to the quay is shallow and clear so you can see the gravel bottom. Turning is the biggest problem, particularly if there is a strong current running under the bridge, but assume you have a bow thruster which will make it easier.

Remember to go up on a rising tide as it gives you the biggest window to stay a while at the quay.

 

[LadyInBed]

No one goes up or back at low water (sept the odd canoe). The earliest I normally aim to leave Poole to go up river is 3hrs after Poole Low and the latest that I leave my mooring to go to Poole is 3hrs before Poole Low (Note: mooring is Poole side of Ridge Wharf).
As said, the sticks (before you get to the river) are in the sloping mud at the sides of the channel.
Don't cut in or go to the outside on the bends, keep to the middle.
When you get into the river the deeper water is closer to the moorings than the other bank, some of the bends on the 'other bank' have suffered from bank slippage and resultant silting.
The end of Wareham quay away from the bridge is reserved for the trip boats, the forward half is ok for boats.

 

[richardsn9]

Depending on when you do it, you will be very tight on turning room at 38 foot, and also there is limited space for visitors; having got up there you might not find a spot or have to raft out. If you leave the boat at Ridge Wharf, you can dinghy up, as mentioned above, or it is a pleasant walk up through Ridge village and then along the river past Redclyffe Yacht Club.

 

[Boathook]

I've taken a 32 ft cat up there (13ft beam) and a 3ft draft mono so yes it's possible. As blackbeard says, my main worry would be turning it around. Slightly easier is to go up to Ridge Wharf marina then take the dinghy the rest of the way. Not sure if Redcliffe yacht club can cater for visitors? Well worth the trip however you do it.

14ft + beam a few years ago. My main worry was meeting another 'large' boat coming the other way.

 

[catalac08]

Went up last year-amazed how many boats moor up there on the river-plenty of water for 3' draft and not too tight on space except one or two spots-was worried about needing to pass other boats (13.5ft beam) but with consideration by all boaters there was not a problem. What may be a problem, as others mention, is what to do at Wareham. When we went the quay at Wareham which is only long enough for a couple of modest size boats was very busy with trip boats and there was no possibility of mooring there for the night. As for rafting there I only just had room to turn in the turning space there which is just as well as I would not have fancied reversing back between all the moored boats to find another turning spot. Perhaps at this time of year and mid week mooring might be a possibility. Still I enjoyed the river trip anyway although it is a fair way so you will need to time your passage. You would need to be at Wareham at high water so that if you could not moorthere you would have time to get back out of the river, althopugh there are shallow bits on the approach to the Frome, but that's Poole for you! Enjoy.

 

[brianhumber]

Its some years since I went up there in Ronhilda (13.5 M and 1.2M draft with keel up) so many thanks from me for latest info as I was thinking of planning another jaunt soon.

More questions for you local chaps

Is it still forbidden to anchor in the Salmon holes or are these filled with mooring now?

It was possible to anchor with bow and kedge out the stern at Wareham next to the other bank but whats the depths and bottom like now ?( will save me driving there and having to eyeball it at LW) I remember bikes and shopping trollies had to be avoided.

I did not want to go astern all the way back down the river and as it was getting narrow bottled it, and stuffed my bow into the bank reeds at a wider spot and let the river flow turn me, ( don't have a bowthruster anyway) then just carried on up in reverse. This was actually far less stressful although it did confuse a few other users not expecting to meet a 45 footer coming at them stern first with the flood. I expect moorings have increased in number in the last few years?

Brian

 

[Seajet]

3' draught should be fine with enough tide.

One tip I found is to stop & reverse away in the channel asap if having stayed by the quay for more than a few hours, as the weed coming downstream collects all around the boat's bow, rudder and prop with quite a serious effect.

 

[LadyInBed]

Is it still forbidden to anchor in the Salmon holes or are these filled with mooring now?

I can't think of anywhere (except on the straight bit at the entrance to the river before the moorings start) that is suitable for anchoring that would not get in the way of other river traffic, especially when the Poole trip boats come up.

It was possible to anchor with bow and kedge out the stern at Wareham next to the other bank but whats the depths and bottom like now ?

It's fairly shallow on the bank opposite the quay, that's where the fishermen fish and the kids paddle! The cross current would put quite a strain on your kedge at some states of the river, and again you would probably get in the way of the Poole trip boats.

stuffed my bow into the bank reeds at a wider spot and let the river flow turn me,

I often do it

I expect moorings have increased in number in the last few years?

Probably, it depends on how far your 'few years' go back!

 

[VicMallows]

In my opinion Wareham ceased to be a viable place to PLAN to moor many years ago after the trip boats commandeered most of the quay. Still a pleasant excursion up the river and back ..... and just maybe you might get lucky and find a place on the little bit of quay still available .....but don't count on it.

If instead you go up by dingy, go under the bridge and there is a perfect spot to tie up on the left (south) side by a little 'park'.

Vic

 

[Teetime]

Thanks

Thanks to all for the very informative information. Disappointing that there are apparantly no mooring facilities at Wareham but it seems a worthwhile trip up the river and we will give it a go.