Sailing in the Solent with a disabled geriatric

[VicS]

If things work out I will be sailing around the Solent next week with an elderly and now disabled skipper.

We know the Solent reasonably well as we have both been based in Chichester for more years than we will admit and we have sailed together many times but due to illness neither of us has been out in the Solent much in the last few years. We know quite a bit has changed in that time.

What I would like is advice from any one in similar circumstances about sensible places to go so that we can get ashore easily (I hope we will have a wheelchair with us). With just the two of us we will effectively be short handed.

At the moment we are considering The Folly if we can book a place on their pontoon (although I guess we could use their taxi from the pontoons opposite) and Yarmouth if we can book a place on the new walk ashore pontoon, both of which are old favourites. Ideas about other suitable places would be welcome but we won't want to go miles inland to the Southampton marinas or Port Solent.

Thanks

PS Westerly Berwick, not a Seawych!

 

[Twister_Ken]

Just about any of the marinae, although most have fairly steep ramps at LW.

 

[BlueMan]

East Cowes has excellent showers etc now (ground floor flat access) and wide pontoons. Lifeboat (Brewer's Fayre pub/restaurant) is not exactly gastronomic but very close by (looks over marina).

 

[graham]

Under the circumstances I would think that if you phone ahead most marinas would try to keep you a berth with good access.

 

[tcm]

you can definitely book ahead for a berth at the folly.

 

[AIDY]

Yes agree most marinas will find you a place to suit... yarmouth always used to have a special reserved berth for disabled people by the dingy park. but i guess the new walk ashore pontoons may even be better.

 

[Anonymous]

Just a thought, does the RYA have a section for disabled sailors? Maybe they have information like this available?

 

[l'escargot]

The Royal Vic at Wootton has a Sailabilty section and a hoist on their pontoon. You would need to get the tide right and probably best to check before hand to ensure that the hoist was rigged if essential.

 

[Topcat47]

Hales in Yarmouth mifght do. I;m not sure how accessible the ponton is for a chair but it is conected to the land.

There's always the marina at Buckler's Hard....Pricey but acessible last time I was there.

 

[VicS]

Thats for the contributions.
I've booked 1 night on the new pontoon at Yarmouth but have decided against booking on the Folly pontoon as the public one opposite might be a bit more peaceful and we can use the water taxi to get to the Folly. I might enquire about booking on there but arriving mid day mid week we should find plenty of spaces

I also thought that Bucklers hard might be a good choice for later in the week but we'll phone ahead nearer the time.

Then we'll try one of the Gosport Marinas on the way back. We always like to go somewhere we haven't been before so now we are confined to the Solent rather than the CIs and the north coast of France perhaps we'll go and take a look at the Royal Clarence Marina.

I'd like to go up the Spinnaker tower in Portsmouth but AFAIK they still don't have the outside lift working so are not taking anyone incapable of walking back down if necessary. I did see it going up and down on the web cam a few weeks ago though.

thanks, Vic