Solent Experts?

[Gunfleet]

I am not a Solent expert, having sailed there once with Chris Robb, Twister Ken and various forumites in attendance to make sure I didn't drown. During July have to bring a boat from St Malo to the East Coast. I want to do it as quickly as poss and don't want to give all my dosh to marina owners, so I thought I'd make the legs St Malo to Alderney, Alderney to Solent somewhere, then a long daysail to Dover and then cross the Estuary. Can anyone suggest which is the best anchorage where I can catch up on my shuteye around the eastern end of the Solent/Isle of Wight before pushing on? I can see where they are from charts, it's reasons to prefer one that I'm after.

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[jhr]

East Head probably gives the best combination of shelter and convenience but it will be crowded at this time of the year, especially at weekends.

Also subject to the usual caveats about Chichester Bar, onshore winds, ebbing tides. And Harbour dues..............

<hr width=100% size=1>Je suis Marxiste - tendance Groucho

 

[PhilipStapleton]

Your best bet is to enter via the Needles and sleep in Newtown Creek. This has good shelter from all winds but is crowded like everywhere else round here. Drop your hook rather than pick up a buoy - the National Trust makes a small charge (smaller if you anchor) so take your card if you are a member - or leave before the Warden gets waterborne at 8am!

Alternatively, you can anchor or use one of the two buoys in the lower reach of the Beaulieu, but it is quite exposed.

In bad weather, go into Portsmouth Harbour and pick up a vacant buoy beyond Gosport Marina - you're very unlikely to be charged anything

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[bigmart]

If the weather is OK how about anchoring in Osborne Bay, Outside Bembridge, Sandown Bay or Langstone Harbour where your sure to find an empty buoy.

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[KevB]

Have a look <A target="_blank" HREF=http://alahol2.pcs-net.com/tightwad/tightwad.htm> HERE </A>.

Fantastic site for finding anchoring in the Solent.

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[robp]

If it's not too heavy and from the SW, you could arrive Eastabout and anchor in the lee of Shanklin/Sandown. Good course then for Dover and slightly less panic getting out of somewhere for tides.

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[jamesjermain]

In my order of preference:

1) Behind Hurst Spit south of the entrance to Keyhaven, or just inside in the pool round the first bend of Keyhaven River - good shelter from the west (good from all directions inside the river), good holding, but the wrong end of the Solent from what you say. However, it is quick and easy to get to and equally quick and easy to get away from. It probably will cost you the least time of all.
2) Priory Bay just outside Bembridge - good shelter except from the north east and reasonable holding but not much water so you need to be shoal draughted.
3) Outside Newtown Creek - goodish holding, good shelter from anything south of north west round to south east. Can be crowded but I have always found room.
4) North East of Stansore point, east of Beaulieu tuck in as close to the shore as you dare - good shelter from north round to south west. Good holding. Can be rolly from passing ships. Never crowded
5) You can anchor off Yarmouth inside the mooring buoys but I have seen people get into a tangle due to poor holding and vey fast tides.
6) I would avoid Osborne Bay - rolly and crowded, and East Head in Chichester Harbour - very crowded and you have to get in and out over the bar which is shallow and nasty.


Have you thought of going up the French coast - maybe Guernsey, Cherbourg, Le Havre/Honfleur, Dieppe, Boulogne, Ramsgate?

You are asking a lot to day-sail from anywhere in the Solent to Dover and also from Dover across to the Essex Coast. The French option has obvious added attractions plus shorter distances, with Ramsgate a better departure point for crossing the Thames.


<hr width=100% size=1>JJ

 

[Magic_Sailor]

Chichester Harbour

You can anchor in a number of places - East Head, Itchnor Reach, Thorney Reach or, if I were you, pick up a visitors buoy for a decent nights kip at Itchenor.

Magic

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://practical-business.co.uk>Click for website!</A>

 

[Gunfleet]

Thanks to all

for a fantastic menu of places. This is just the sort of local knowledge/advice stuff forum members are great at. I'm replying to James because his reply is the fullest. I have considered the French coast and have indeed sailed up and down the French coast between the straights of Dover and Brittany several times - it's how the boat got there in the first place. By the time you've done Cherbourg to Le Havre or Fecamp you may as well have crossed the channel. There's another slight flea in there too - the French shore between Cap d'Antifer and Calais is surprisingly short of places you can get into in any weather and can sometimes be hard work, in my experience. And I have had my fill of mad French fishermen trying to run me down along that coast (esp in the baie de Seine). Of course if it's a holiday you're after, that's different, but I'm going to move a boat either single handed or lightly crewed. You are quite right it's a long way from the Solent to Dover but it's do-able in a very long day at this time of year, or if it gets too much I can hang a left at Beachy head and splash out on a marina for one night. Equally I'd intended, as you probably guessed to go Dover-Ramsgate then Ramsgate to the East coast, but I didn't want to bore everyone with a lot of detail. Once I get to Dover/Ramsgate I'm on well thumbed charts, so to speak. By the way Calais to the Essex rivers is just as easy to do direct as via Ramsgate. Thanks again for all the suggestions

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[tome]

<the bar which is shallow and nasty>

Steady on old chap, some of us cross this every time we go out and back in.

It's seriously nasty on the full ebb with any south in a strong wind, and in a SW'ly blow the first couple of miles going west is English Channel until you get into the lee of IOW. I aim to leave on the last of the flood in these conditions, particularly if I have any inexperienced crew onboard. Being thrown about at the entrance can ruin the rest of an otherwise good sail. SWMBO knows what to expect and rather enjoys a little popple...

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[AndrewB]

Pretty well anywhere in the Solent, with the exception perhaps of Egypt point, and obviously not the buoyed deep-water channels, is OK for anchoring for some shuteye. I've anchored all over when on passage, depending on the wind direction. Assuming you don't want to make too much of a diversion into the Solent, and don't mind being in a more exposed spot, then on the east side (i) Bracklesham Bay outside Chichester Harbour is as good as anywhere if the wind has any east in it, (ii) Whitecliff Bay near Bembridge with wind W through N, less rolly than Robp's suggestion of Sandown Bay, otherwise (iii) off Ryde in a southerly in all but very strong winds.

However, the Solent seems a very major diversion going between Alderney and the East Coast. Usually we do Channel Isles to Dover in one, but if you want a break I would head towards Brighton. Either go in there or anchor off Seaford behind the Newhaven breakwater - good for light/moderate winds from W through N to E. This is approximately 105 miles as opposed to 80 for the eastern Solent. But you are then 45 miles nearer your destination, and an easy day-sail from Dover. Another not so obvious but very significant advantage, is that if you leave from there just as the tide starts to flood, it is possible to get right up the Thames Estuary (even as far as London) having the tide with you almost all the way.

 

[Gunfleet]

Andrew,
Thanks for all this and for the suggestions. You wrote <<Usually we do Channel Isles to Dover in one>>. I'm sure this is the best plan but single handed or with one crew you have to cut your cloth accordingly. Long day sails is the best I can hope for, otherwise I'll be heading into the Dover Straights with my brain befuddled from lack of sleep!
Yours
John

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[Gunfleet]

Andrew,
Thanks for all this and for the suggestions. You wrote <<Usually we do Channel Isles to Dover in one>>. I'm sure this is the best plan but single handed or with one crew you have to cut your cloth accordingly. Long day sails is the best I can hope for, otherwise I'll be heading into the Dover Straights with my brain befuddled from lack of sleep!
Yours
John

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[Koeketiene]

In that case I would go with jamesgermain, and stick to the French side. With limited crew you're pushing it -> LONG daysail Solent-Dover. Did similar once (late May 2003) with one other (very experienced) crew. Took just under 24hrs, so just qualifies as a "daysail". We managed, but I'm not in a hurry to repeat it.

<hr width=100% size=1>Experience is a good teacher, but she sends in terrific bills.

 

[Chris_Robb]

John, You could try a visitors mooring at Hayling Insland Sailing club,

Anyway - I hope the weather holds good for you. I have got a week in La Rochelle 1st week in august which should be fun - all I have to do is cook - so w'ell probably eat out if they are half smart.

Hope to bump into you again sometime.....


Chris

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[AndrewB]

It's invariably just the two of us these days. One advantage of using open anchorages is that there is no messing about trying to get into harbour when you are tired, just chuck the hook down, switch the anchor light on, stop the halyards frapping and strap yourself into your bunk.

I agree with you about the French route. It's an option, but is actually less direct than the English side. The obvious place to head for, Fécamp, is the same distance from Alderney as Brighton. I'm not so familiar with the natural anchorages on that side but off St Valery en Caux is reasonable with light/moderate winds between SW and SE.

 

[silverseal]

If you really want to stay in the Solent, and there is a south or sw winds I suggest that Osborne Bay east of Cowes, is well sheltered, and will allow a good night kip. I use it regularily.

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