Sailing from poole to newhaven

[LIONE]

HI,

we have a westerly centaur and we are supposed to sail from poole to newhaven this weekend.
Any good advice?
We are planning to do Poole - Ryed on Friday
As high tide is late on the evening we will possibly anchor in Ryed before dark
On Sunday we will attempt Ryed to Brighton, not sure the day light hours are enough though...
Any thing to be aware around Selley Bill?
Thank in advance folks!

 

[Pleiades]

Poole to Newhaven

Hi Lione, assuming you mean to anchor off Ryde I can't think of anything to recommend Ryde. There is no shelter there if the wind comes off the mainland, lots of sand banks to end up on if you make a faux pass and I doubt if you will get to Ryde on the same tide which takes you across from Poole and in through the Hurst tidal gate which is key for the first half of the journey. It will also probably be dark by the time you get there. I would aim for say Newtown Creek - anchor off if pleasant or go into the Creek if windy - should be able to get there as an easy sail with the tide. (Am at Clamerkin Lake at the moment - having just comes across from Swanage Bay, very pleasant indeed.) The next important although less crucial tidal gate is the Looe Channel to the Mixon, assuming you are taking the shortcut rather than going south of the Owers. I would not recommend the Mixon after dark so work out when to weigh anchor and take a favourable tide through. Tide therafter is much weaker. Lobster pots are a bit of a nuisance but the run from there past Littlehampton, Shoreham etc is a bit boring - which is good of course, exciting is very overrated in boats imho.
Fair winds and tides.
Robin
Pleiades of Birdham
MXWQ5

 

[dt4134]

The Looe Channel is still a significant tidal gate.

East of that the tides are less but not negligible. You need to get the timing right as the tide in the Looe Channel can change a couple of hours before the main Eng Channel flow, so you definitely want to be through it before the tide turns against you.

 

[Tranona]

Low water Poole is about midday on Friday so you will only have 5 hours of favourable tide in daylight going east - enough to get into the Solent. However it is neaps so the last of the ebb from about 9 in the morning will not be too strong if you keep close in across Poole Bay. However the new ebb in the Solent will limit how far you can get east - as suggested Newtown would be a good target for the night.

Not sure I would make the passage on Friday though as the forecast I have seen has led me to abort a similar Poole Lymington passage, although mainly because of the difficulty of getting back on Saturday.

You do have westerlys for the following couple of days but afternoon flood tides are not helpful if you want to sail in daylight.

 

[onesea]

Do not forget there are other anchorages, East of Hurst Spit, just inside spit at Keyhaven (hurst).

Anchorage in Beaulie river, Newtown, Osborne Bay (watch out for buoys ), not certain how Bembridge and Chitchester work for tidal gates East of the Solent.

Wooten Creek you might be able to sneak in on YC Pontoon for the night.

Have not got any tidal charts in front of me, to give strengths but if there is meant to be a reasonably breeze from the beam/ astern and you want to get a head start. On smaller tides you could always accept pushing the weaker tide across Christchurch bay for longer (if you left early enough you could use the side (East Looe) channel out of Poole) this would give you more time with the stronger tide up the Solent.

Do not forget to look for distractions in your passage plan. I am sure at this time of year the harbor would not be full...

If it was me I would set off Weather Permitting and see how far East I got in the first day, before it got too dark/ to long a day. There are no shortage of anchorages/ Harbors once in the Solent at this time of year I doubt they will be full. Have the times planned for tidal gates Poole, Hurst etc I would avoid trying to do to much of the Eastern Solent in the dark.

 

[Seajet]

I suggest you need to take more stages in your passage plan; aim for the North Passage rather than Needles Channel, and make Lymington your first stop.

It may well be that Cowes is your next, ( I recommend East Cowes Marina ) then Chichester where one can anchor in the Emsworth Channel halfway down on the west side ( don't bother with East Head, a tidal pain )before you go to the East.

Good luck, and above all never sail to a schedule, leave the boat secure and get the train if need be.

 

[LadyInBed]

Sailed (motored, not much wind) up from Poole (anchored in Studland last night) to Newtown creek today, which is where I am now.
Thought about anchoring off Yarmouth, but what wind there is was NW so reverted to plan A.
If you aren't too happy being out after dark, you need to be in situ by about 16:00 as the light is then starting to go.
I left Studland at 09:30 this morning and picked up the E going current by 11:00. Entered Solent via N Head, dropped anchor at 13:00.

 

[Wansworth]

Why not an outside passage round the IOW and into Newhaven,saves fartng about stopping and tdal gates .If the weather is right is an overnighter IIRC

 

[Seajet]

Why not an outside passage round the IOW and into Newhaven,saves fartng about stopping and tdal gates .If the weather is right is an overnighter IIRC

Depends entirely on crew strength.

As I sail with various chums of various abilities, I'd take stops in the Solent.

If with a bionic experienced crew familiar with the areas I'd consider going outside.

 

[Wansworth]

Oh yes I agree,err as I am in Spain my comments are just that,and now it getting dark and cold not nice being out and about,even so an adventure!!!

 

[RupertW]

Depends entirely on crew strength.

As I sail with various chums of various abilities, I'd take stops in the Solent.

If with a bionic experienced crew familiar with the areas I'd consider going outside.

Hmm...I tend to go outside with my wife as crew and we're not exactly bionic - all depends on a decent weather slot and is far simpler navigation. A lot depends on whether people are comfortable overnighting.

Last time I did Weymouth to Newhaven singlehanded I did stop, at Poole, then at Haslar, then took the tidal gate to arrive at Newhaven around midnight - it's an excellent and easy harbour for a night time entrance as its so floodlight from entrance to marina.

 

[Seajet]

One thing to beware of is the big unlit ship style buoys off Yarmouth and Porstsmouth.

Unless in a real hurry for a weather window I'd keep it to short hops in daylight; and I am used to night sailing.

If trying to do the journey quickly, grabbing a weather window one can trust then going around outside the IOW seems the way to go; an autopilot and a lot of cup-a-soups would be handy !