Solent (ish). Drying out & scrubbing grids

[Bristolfashion]

We are new to the world of bilge keels and would love to know people's favourite spots. We are based in the Solent, but will be starting an anti clockwise (and probably very slow) circumnavigation shortly.

So, we are thinking of a few things,

Scrubbing grids to check out the anti-foul / hull.

Sandy beaches where we can dry & wander (and, of course, have a look at the hull!)

Brilliant spots only accessible to the boat able to dry. Muddy or otherwise.

We want to have a bit of practice in the Solent & eastwards, but if you have any must not miss spots of this type around the UK, they'll all go in the trip plan.

If anyone has tips for drying out, specific anchoring techniques and so on, we are always keen to learn.

Oh, and the boat is a Sadler 29, draft 1.1m

Thank you, as ever.

 

[wrr]

The RAFYC on the Hamble has two maintenance bays, with solid concrete bases and an industrial pressure washer. These can be hired by non-members, see: Combined Facilities Afloat - The Royal Air Force Yacht Club (rafyc.org.uk)

 

[PhillM]

The Hamble HM will also let you dry out on their slipway / scrubbing grid.

What about Ryde Sands - go and have a play on the beach while waiting for the tide to come back in.

 

[wombat88]

East Head Chichester Harbour.

 

[C08]

Hardway Sailing club in Portsmouth Harbour have 8 drying grids available at a modest cost, also pressure washers to use. You can book on their website but only 7 days ahead as a non member. Also it is a friendly club with a good bar and food if you time your scrubbing off right.

 

[Bobc]

You can beach the boat on Bembridge beach, which is nice. Also, East Head in Chichester harbour. Don't know what the current state of Ryde harbour is, but that used to be somewhere to sit in the mud. Wooton Creek (good sailing club and a pub) dries to mud.

Good places to scrub off - RAFYC in Hamble. Hardway SC in Gosport (have pressure washers too), there are scrubbing piles at the top of the Hamble near the Jolly Sailor (on the inside of the bend). Also Wicore in Fareham.

 

[FairweatherDave]

Itchenor hard is excellent and you won't get covered in sand or turn the sea blue around swimmers if you scrub a bit too hard.
You only have to pay if you hire the scrubbing posts, which of course as a bilge keeler is no problem. From memory I beached the boat just below the posts and had enough time to change an anode and scrub. There is a hose pipe there but you might need your own extension, not sure about electric. You ask about drying out techniques. For Itchenor with a cross current just gently touch and then keep the revs on gently for a few minutes. Its so common to end up skewed at an unsightly angle (at least I find so). Re East Head if you dry out near the top of the tide it takes a lot longer for the tide to return than it does to leave, much better to dry out mid tide. And the way the tide swirls you can end up dried out higher than your anchor. Re Pilsey there is a row of stakes you need to avoid drying out but it is mud so no scrub. Quieter than East Head. Google "Follow the Tightwad sailor" .......absolute gold mine of Solent info. Dell Quay is well worth a visit but quite a way up from the entrance. You will dry out on mud and crabs......

 

[Stemar]

Hardway Sailing club in Portsmouth Harbour have 8 drying grids available at a modest cost, also pressure washers to use. You can book on their website but only 7 days ahead as a non member. Also it is a friendly club with a good bar and food if you time your scrubbing off right.

Seconded. Though I don't think the galley's open at the moment.

You may even run into me there. (if that doesn't put you off...)

 

[LadyInBed]

I put this together a couple of years back
Solent area Drying Piles : Monty Mariner

PS - If I have missed any please let me know.

 

[FairweatherDave]

Good stuff LadyInBed. But the Emsworth stuff and Langstone Ship Inn are accessed from Chichester harbour .....

 

[Tranona]

While it is useful to dry out for a scrub - and there are plenty of places you can do that, drying out on a beach for the night or to go ashore is to my mind overrated on a boat that size. There are actually very few places you can do this where the bottom is hard enough to walk ashore and the boat is so high it is hassle to get on and off. There are a few places in Poole at the back of Brownsea that are regularly used at springs as low water is in the afternoon/evening and the peculiarity of the tide gives a drop of 1.5m+ in 3 hours and a larger rise in the 3 hours after LW. However the number of times you can do it - weather right (exposed to the prevailing wind), sun shining and time right is very limited - and then often limited space!

The big advantages of bilge keels really are ability to use drying moorings and anchor where fin keelers can't go because of draft and your ability to sit in the mud for a while at low water. my old boat had bilge keels and I found in the first 10 years or so I dried out deliberately only a handful of times, so when I got a deep water mooring (and then a marina berth) I removed the bilge plates and deepened the long single keel by a foot. Could still dry out against a wall or piles if necessary.

 

[FairweatherDave]

While it is useful to dry out for a scrub - and there are plenty of places you can do that, drying out on a beach for the night or to go ashore is to my mind overrated on a boat that size. There are actually very few places you can do this where the bottom is hard enough to walk ashore and the boat is so high it is hassle to get on and off.

The big advantages of bilge keels really are ability to use drying moorings and anchor where fin keelers can't go because of draft and your ability to sit in the mud for a while at low water

Well it kinda depends if you are going sailing or waterborn caravanning . Even with a Konsort (similar to the OPs) drying out at East Head and on the beach at Bembridge have been boating highlights which are firm enough under foot. But we used to carry a ladder to make access easier for my son who has a physical disability and often used a tender too while waiting for the tide. Basically with a bilge keel it it is great knowing you can dry out or just anchor really shallow, but it is good to know what might be under the surface before you are stuck on a rusty pram.... (Priory Bay is often mentioned but is one place I am nervous of having seen lumps of rock/concrete and not being sure where they are.....but Priory bay has other issues too)(ownership and big ship wake)

 

[LadyInBed]

Good stuff LadyInBed. But the Emsworth stuff and Langstone Ship Inn are accessed from Chichester harbour .....

Done
Is that correct now? I don't know the area

 

[LadyInBed]

Hardway Sailing club in Portsmouth Harbour have 8 drying grids available

Thanks, updated my site

 

[DJE]

Brilliant spots only accessible to the boat able to dry. Muddy or otherwise.

Poole Harbour, specifically Blood Alley and Shipstall Point.

 

[LadyInBed]

The RAFYC on the Hamble has two maintenance bays, with solid concrete bases

I used that last year. The 'down river' piles don't have shore access when the tide is up, the 'up river' bay is against the wall so there is shore access when the tide is up but you might need a ladder.
I was solo and the wind was blowing me onto the piles I had to get help to rope me across to the 'up river' bay.
The pressure washer is good.

 

[Tranona]

Well it kinda depends if you are going sailing or waterborn caravanning . Even with a Konsort (similar to the OPs) drying out at East Head and on the beach at Bembridge have been boating highlights which are firm enough under foot. But we used to carry a ladder to make access easier for my son who has a physical disability and often used a tender too while waiting for the tide. Basically with a bilge keel it it is great knowing you can dry out or just anchor really shallow, but it is good to know what might be under the surface before you are stuck on a rusty pram.... (Priory Bay is often mentioned but is one place I am nervous of having seen lumps of rock/concrete and not being sure where they are.....but Priory bay has other issues too)(ownership and big ship wake)

Not saying it can't be done, but given the hundreds of bilge keel boats there are around, how many actually make use of drying out in the way you describe? My drying out exercises were also highlights - 2 or 3 times in Studland, once at Shipstal (bit muddy!) and once in Lyme Regis (plus one or 2 involuntary episodes). Kids and dog loved it, but it was shallow draft that was the big draw rather than the ability to actually dry out.

 

[Rappey]

Fareham has a public slipway where you can lean against the wall if single keeled.

 

[FairweatherDave]

Done
Is that correct now? I don't know the area

I'm sounding like a right pedant, apologies, I'm not! But re the detailed approach to the Ship you need to remove the approach bit about the lifeboat and ferry stuff. That said it might be a correct description to the approach to the "Thatched House" pub on the edge of Langstone harbour, where from Google Earth there might be possibilities, I don't know. For what it is worth, (I haven't done it) the Ship is a good destination for a high tide pint and a guaranteed audience on a weekend. Dry out against the wall, it is a quayside with a bit of history.

 

[LadyInBed]

the detailed approach to the Ship you need to remove the approach bit about the lifeboat and ferry stuff

Done ?