sailing from the solent to falmouth

[SaltyC]

never sailed into there before. But isnt it a dry against the wall sort of place?

Stopped there in 2024, calm weather and curious. Mooring buoys in bay (I anchored) There were pontoons and supposedly 2m of water LWS, didn't risk as single habded and 'just passing' would go back if passing and go on pontoon.
Yes longer than direct but shorter days for the canine crew.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

Heading West last summer I picked up a buoy off Yarmouth around the same time, I’d only just shut the engine down when a launch came alongside asking for harbour fees (around £35 I think)

I cast off at 4:30 the following morning…

In a similar vane I had just arrived in Falmouth from Camaret at about 3.30 am, anchored and had just got into bed when there was a knock on the hull I put my underpants on and went into the cockpit to find the harbour masters launch alongside. Before he could say anything I launched into a tirade about waking people up in the middle of the morning for harbour dues with a few choice words thrown in. Eventually when I stopped he said no but you have got to move as there is a boat leaving the docks in half an hour and you are anchored in the swinging ground but as you mention it that will be £X if you are staying longer pay in the office and display the ticket and we won't disturb you.

 

[billyfish]

I've done the same route to Falmouth every year for the last 10 or so. With me dog and a flubber. ️ portland. Up the Dart. Plymouth. Falmouth. You can anchor most harbours and spend your dosh on better things it also makes for more adventurous dog walks....and don't forget as soon as you get round the Bill....easy...to start worrying about getting back .

 

[Lightwave395]

Depending on what boat you have if you get down the Solent to Yarmouth then get the tide right you can get to Portland from where you can creep down and around Portland bill inshore and into Lyme bay

 

[wonkywinch]

A useful guide to Portland inner passage .. eOceanic

 

[Boathook]

In a similar vane I had just arrived in Falmouth from Camaret at about 3.30 am, anchored and had just got into bed when there was a knock on the hull I put my underpants on and went into the cockpit to find the harbour masters launch alongside. Before he could say anything I launched into a tirade about waking people up in the middle of the morning for harbour dues with a few choice words thrown in. Eventually when I stopped he said no but you have got to move as there is a boat leaving the docks in half an hour and you are anchored in the swinging ground but as you mention it that will be £X if you are staying longer pay in the office and display the ticket and we won't disturb you.

I got a free mooring at the yacht haven once. Turned up at office to pay as the staff were walking away from the locked office. Told them that we were leaving early and staff said if that was the case ok, otherwise if we stayed a bit late we would have to pay. Did leave early before office opened as we needed to catch the tide.

 

[zoidberg]

A useful guide to Portland inner passage .. eOceanic

According to the above, "the 'Inner Passage' presents no concern"

I beg to differ. There are hundreds - I say again, hundreds - of crab pots and their pick-up buoys littering the length of the Inner Passage. Most of them are unmarked and close to invisible.

Get one or more of them around your prop and rudder and 'no concern' suddenly becomes a sick joke.
But don't take my word for it. Pop into the Lifeboat office in Weymouth and run your eye down the many pages of Services to vessels entrapped by those pot-lines around their nether bits, unable to sail or steer - and just a few yards from steep rocks.

And there's no need. Draw a line on the chart ( remember them? ) from the Needles Fairway buoy to a mile off Start Point, and you pass well clear of the Bill of Portland.

'The land claims more ships than the sea.'