Solent in June

[sjnewport]

Hoping to take boat to Solent for bank holiday in June and for following week.
Launching at maybe Bucklers Hard,Southampton or Lymington..haven't decided yet., and then going across to IOW and exploring.
Obviously normally the Solent is the boating equivilent of M25 but that weekend would imagine even busier as extra long weekend,music festival on and jubilee celebrationsetc..
Should we book moorings for each night and pre plan stop overs or would it be easy to decide where we are going on the day and then hopefully get a mooring.Obviously would like to be flexible because of weather but do not want to head for say Cowes and be turned away due to the world and his wife being there at the same time.How easy is it to get casual mooring on a normal weekend?
Advice greatly appreciated,may be necessary to have crew meeting to do some planning[in other words boozy saturday night with friends we are holidaying with]!!
Cindy

 

[hlb]

Well, not being a Solentite, others will tell you different. But I've never had any trouble finding moorings there even on Cows Week. Trick is to get where your going reasonably soon. Your boat being trailable should fit in most places. Larger boats have more problems finding moorings. Mines nearly 40ft and I cant remember the last time I was turned away from anywhere. In any case The solent is so small you can just buz up to the next harbour.

Haydn

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Agree with Haydn. The world, his wife and his mother in law will be out and about that weekend but you should always be able to find a spot pretty much anywhere if you arrive early or mid afternoon even in the busy places like Cowes, Yarmouth or Lymington. If you really get stuck there are so many marinas on the Hamble that you should always find a visitors berth there or another good spot is the Beaulieu river where there are plenty of buoys

 

[Guest]

Cowes is likely to be full over that weekend - there is an RYA Powerboat festival which means that Cowes Yacht Haven will be teeming. You have a choice then of East Cowes marina which is a bit further up on but you need a water taxi to get you over to Cowes main centre. As you go further up river there are pontoons etc by the Folly Inn but again will be crowded unless you get there early as has been suggested in other postings.

 

[ToMo]

Re: Turn away

Heavens to betsy who would be stupid enough to attempt a thing like that!.....maybe someone with a death wish or even somebody who hasn't heard the exploding toilet saga, (could that be possible!), didn't the last person to refuse you anything come to a sticky end in the treacle mine? ......where's it all going to end?
TôMö

 

[jfm]

Except for the W Cowes event mentioned by Redside you will be fine. I would be amazed if you couldn't get an overnight stop at most of the marinas, but call ahead (mobile phone) to check rahter than waste a trip. Berthon Lymington can nearly always fit a smallish boat, also town quay Lymington, thoughbusy, will provide a rafted up space.

Suggest buy Shell Pilot book, the Shell Channel Guide I think it's called. A4 hardback one. This had harbour plans, arial photos, and marina numbers etc etc. It's £19.95 I think

Also check on this forum a few days before, if I'm away you can just nick my berth in Lymington, others the same praps?

As for launching, bucklers hard is good slip but a longish ride to the open solent, at restricted speed. Also you will possibly have to disconnect trailer and car to park, so bring heavy chain and padlock and wheel clamp. Lymington's public slips are excellent. The one down river, by Royal Lym YC is better, and has a pay display carpark, but again you may need to unhitch. The one in the town square has no trailer parking, and you launch in full gaze of zillions of onlookers. Erm if you PM me I can give advice on where to park trailer in Lym that I'd rather not put on BB.

Theres also a massive slip in hythe marina and you can park car trailer hitched together, but last time I looked it was too slippery to risk unless you have a monster 4wd towcar

 

[Col]

I am based in Solent, never had problems finding a mooring, sometimes have to take alternative spot. Good launching place is Calshot activities centre (ex- Sunderland flying boat slipway.)

 

[jfm]

Re: trailer security

Col, can you park at Calshot OK? (because, imho, what defines a "good launching spot" is little to do with how good the slipway is - within reason - and more to do with whether you can leave car and trailer hitched together and secure, preferably with the trailer reversed tight against a wall so it is sandwiched between car and wall, making it very hard to nick)

 

[Col]

Re: trailer security

Lots of parking, but a little tight Cowes firework night ( people watch from there)
Security ok as night watchman + cctv coverage. I used to keep a boat there in the trailer park, never had any prob's.

If you have never used this slipway before, it is available all states of tide, but best used near high / low water as sometimes strong cross currents.Ok for launch, but can make retrival tricky.

 

[sjnewport]

Re: trailer security

Thanks to everyone for info.Have new almanac,and coastal launch site book,so will start to work through info on best launch site etc.Actually used Bucklers Hard last year on weekend down there.Never read book properly though and didn't realise slipway not usable at all states of tide!!!had drink in Master Builder bar though so not too bad!!1
Hoping for some good weather that week now and bagging a decent spot for any firework displays there may be to celebrate Queen's jubilee.
Cindy

 

[BarryH]

Re: trailer security

Slip at swanwick on the hamble is ok launch all states except LWS. I leave car and trailer at Moodys boat yard, they charged me £15 for the week last year. Its left in a locked compound. they have 24 hour security on site