Solent ancorages

[dunkelly]

Does anyone know why thorness bay is not shown anywhere as a recognised anchorage . Ive seen a few boats day anchoring but rarely any staying overnight , are there any issues I should know about ?. With the bouys off Osborne these days it isn't well protected from wind and swell any longer and we're looking for a regular alternative particularly as Newtown creek get silly busy these days .A sailboat swung and hit us a few weeks ago and then suggested we should move further upstream as we drew. 30cm less than him !!!!!

 

[ridgy]

Navionics shows a couple of underwater cables along with no anchoring signs right in the middle. Pretty shallow for yachts and not much shelter apart from S-SE. Probably wash from ships entering Southampton. Apart from that what's not to like?

 

[wonkywinch]

Navionics show a no anchoring symbol in Thorness Bay and there are cables there.

From memory, the admiralty chart had two lines spaced a mile or two across to the mainland with a note that said "no anchoring between the lines". I'm sure that encompassed that area.

Edited to say, posted same time as ridgy. Not much of Soton's shipping comes in this way, 99% is via Nab and the eastern Solent.

 

[dunkelly]

Thanks guys that explains that then. although it didn't show on my small chart edition I wonder why ?

 

[wonkywinch]

On the boat now looking at the Imray chart. Here are the two lines denoting the no fishing/anchoring in the "cable and pipeline area".

 

[Channel Sailor]

I have anchored a couple of times just SW of the drying ht in the middle of the bay. Not in the No Anchoring area. Only for a short stop, not overnight. I have not established what the bottom is around that spot (mud, weed or rock) so have never trusted it yet. If out of the strong tide then it is quite shallow so it might not suit some vessels. The cables to the North East I vaguely recall are high voltage electricity.

 

[wonkywinch]

I just installed an Actisense W2K device and am playing with various apps to present the NMEA data on my tablet. I wondered whether Orca would work without their proprietary hardware but seems not. I did discover though, their charting sticks an anchor right within the no anchoring area.

Now downloading UK "O Chart" for Open CPN to have a play.

 

[aqua_sax]

Both Thorness Bay west of the drying patch and Stanswood Bay, visible on the mainland side east of Beaulieu on the Imray chart above are viable anchorages, I have used both, 1.5m draft long keel. Holding in both seemed good enough but I haven't been in either in demanding conditions. I think Thorness Bay may be sand in the area where I anchored, but don't take that as gospel truth. I'd be happy enough to stay in either overnight in favourable conditions. More generally, much more of the Solent provides viable anchorages than are generally used. In fact I would go so far as to say that, apart from where there is a clear Anchoring Prohibited area, much if not most of the Solent on both the Mainland and Island sides can provide satisfactory anchorage in favourable conditions. Just make sure you have large scale proper charts, and know how to read them.

For some unknown reason these days later arrivals in recognised anchorages like to pile on top of earlier arrivals. I recently anchored at East Head (OK not strictly Solent, but near enough) and deliberately went a bit east of the normal anchorage area in clear water with no other boats nearby. Within half an hour a motor boat tooled up and dropped her anchor close by me, and wondered why he was getting too close to me as she sheered around. At least she got the anchor up and moved a bit further away. Shortly afterwards a large Tradewind came in and dropped her anchor almost on top of mine. The only reason she didn't hit me was because for some reason she was more wind rode than I was, despite both boats being classic long keelers. There was loads of space to spread the boats out a bit - but everyone piles into the same spot. Crazy!

 

[Chiara’s slave]

I think people feel secure knowing someone else is securely anchored, it happens everywhere. We have our own spot in Newtown though. People sometimes head towards us, but most change their minds. We draw 0.4m with the board and rudder up

 

[Channel Sailor]

Re Stanswood Bay, when last in that area few years ago there were rather a lot of pot buoys. Also people like me going in close to cheat the tide and get out of the main channel. Maybe there’s a gap that is useful. I did wonder if it is rocks and pebbles, because of the pots are there.

 

[aqua_sax]

We draw 0.4m with the board and rudder up

Very handy! I wouldn't be surprised is you can dry out level as well.

 

[aqua_sax]

I did wonder if it is rocks and pebbles

It may be pebbles, from what I can remember of what is on the beach there. And yes, you are right, people do come in close, but not in huge numbers, unless you happen to be there when a racing fleet passes through.

I think people feel secure knowing someone else is securely anchored, it happens everywhere.

I have had the same thought.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Very handy! I wouldn't be surprised is you can dry out level as well.

We don’t do it often, but taking the bottom isn’t a big deal for us. Though if that bottom has a slope on it, we’ll end up at a surprising angle. The boat will sit flat, but she’s not ultra stable like that. Plus, as other drying out people know, the nearer you get to touching the bottom, the more boats come by and make you bump on the bottom. And there’s always a stone or 2, which sounds hideous. Hence we prefer to remain afloat usually.

 

[Boathook]

We don’t do it often, but taking the bottom isn’t a big deal for us. Though if that bottom has a slope on it, we’ll end up at a surprising angle. The boat will sit flat, but she’s not ultra stable like that. Plus, as other drying out people know, the nearer you get to touching the bottom, the more boats come by and make you bump on the bottom. And there’s always a stone or 2, which sounds hideous. Hence we prefer to remain afloat usually.

Not many boats can come by you when you are nearly touching bottom !

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Not many boats can come by you when you are nearly touching bottom !

They don’t have to be nearby, you’ve no doubt experienced as many times as us the wash from a nearly planing 40ft power boat.