Solent to Cardiff?

windlipper

windlipper

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Puerto Calero Lanzarote, and Warwickshire (When I
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South coast marinas are still charging sky high prices despite many empty berths so I am thinking of biting the bullet and moving my 31 ft sailing boat to Cardiff Marina. (I am midland based so road travel is important consideration)
My main concern is the cruising area around Cardiff for day and weekend sails. What is recommended,? I don't know anyone that sails that area so personal views would be really good.
(I tried putting South Wales "cruising" in Google and got a few nasty surprises!)

Advice and opinions would be invaluable, thanks.
(about Cardiff marina too)

Dek
 
I sail my Westerly 33 from Cardiff yacht club, so I can't help much with Cardiff marina. As far as day/weekend sails are concerned there a plenty around Cardiff. Newport, Portishead, Lydney, Sharpness, Lydney, Thornbury, Bristol, Weston, Burnham, Watchet, Porlock, Minehead, Lynmouth, Combe Martin, Watermouth, Ilfracombe, Appledore, Clovelly, Lundy, Tenby, Oxwich, Mumbles, Swansea and Barry are all possible. Some of them need the ability to dry out if you want to stop overnight. Some people will tell you the tides are a problem, others, including me, will tell you the tides are a benefit. It will be up to you to decide which camp you are in after a few sails.
Allan
 
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Del
I've sailed the Bristol channel for 20 years or more but also sailed the south coast and east coast and france / spain. I chose to remain in the channel because I like to have my boat near my home ( I live in s wales) but as a cruising ground I would prefer to sail the south west or the east coast.

not that there is a great deal wrong with the channel - there isnt. but there arent as many nice places to go to as there are darn sarf, and getting to those that there are, isn't as easy. sailing skills do need to be a bit higher given the drying harbours and the tides and prevailing west / south west winds. and since harbours are sometimes still harbours not marinas, sailing in the channel is a bit more like it used to be elsewhere. you can go out for a sail on a sunny spring / autumn day and not see another boat.

as for locations, I would recommend you look at the cardiff clubs first but then I am by nature a club joiner. Cardiff yacht club is the cheapest and Cardiff Bay Yacht club a bit bigger with better facilities and a bit more up market. Both the marinas will cost a fair bit more and not give the same level of friendship / involvement. But they will have better paid for boat handling facilities.

if you want a chat about the area, send me a pm with a phone number
 
Great to be in the Bristol Channel, plenty of stuff to do and nice places and people.
Miss it - stuck in S East and paying for it.

Loads of places to go, being able to dry out is a big advantage and the ability to do your tide sums can be important.

Otherwise the lack of traffic and 'radio checks' makes it a nice place to be.
 
I personally love the channel, and my boat is in Cardiff Marina.

Now 'Barrage Control' are in full control of the footbridge that goes over the Marina, going out for a sail is a pleasure I look foward to. For Weekend sailing you can go as far as Swansea, Ilfracombe, Watchet etc. and return the next day, or if you fancy a day out you can just 'go with the tide' for as long as you fancy - just do not try to 'punch' the tide, but USE it!
 
It depends what sort of cruising you want to do...and whether you (crew and the boat) would be happy to take to the ground or sit in mud between tides. If not, then the only safe stay-afloat places are the marinas in Cardiff Bay, Swansea, Watchet and Portishead...though Bristol Docks is another possibility. There are anchorages on the N.Devon coast, but if there's any possibility of North in the wind then forget it!

It's also surprisingly hard work to get out of the channel (or even past Lavernock Point) in a fresh westerly wind. To be honest, we got tired with the limitations after a few years and moved. But it's a very personal thing, that you'll have to experience to find out for yourself. If it's not a big deal to move from where you are, then do it and try it. You will get lots of helpful and friendly advice.
 
bluedragon said:
It's also surprisingly hard work to get out of the channel (or even past Lavernock Point) in a fresh westerly wind. To be honest, we got tired with the limitations after a few years and moved. But it's a very personal thing, that you'll have to experience to find out for yourself ... You will get lots of helpful and friendly advice.
Click to expand...

I find the chop almost stops me dead in the water when beating west with a fresh westerly! But I do have a very beamy cruiser with almost no keel!!!

Give the bristol Channel a try - you will learn a lot from the experience! It is not a frightening place!
 
bluedragon said:
It's also surprisingly hard work to get out of the channel (or even past Lavernock Point) in a fresh westerly wind. .
Click to expand...

Bluedragon makes a fair point. After years of sailing bilgies and a cat, I've swopped to a deep fin for better racing. It's a total PITA when trying to get out of the channel though. With just a family crew and therefore no over-nighters, I find myself having to go Cardiff to Watchet and then Watchet to Padstow. If I wait for an easterly for a good sail, Lundy isnt available as an anchorage so I cant break passage there. Neither is Combe since I cant get in past the harbour mouth.

And cruising inside the channel with a deep fin is boring - too few stopping places
 
seaman are made on the bristol channel ( so they say )

Hya

I learnt to sail on the Bristol channel and have been sailing there on and off for 10 years, it is a tough place to sail.

Its very limited in anchorages for overnight stops unless your immune to swell.
As mentioned theres only a few places to stop
Watchet which is expensive and restricted access and a dump !!!
Portishead which is great friendly people in marina but difficult to leave from as you have to leave on out going tide and wind being usually sw means wind against tide ,ive been out in right nasty stuff there, 4-6 kt tidal stream just off portishead.

Bristol is fun but only accessable 2 hours before hw
Sailing the avon gorge under the suspension bridge is stunning

Swansea is a day sail out of Cardiff but the wettest place in the uk

Ilfracombe is pretty, long day sail from cardiff and ive never seen it without horrid swell rolling into harbour,dried out agaist the wall here after liasing with the harbour master

Porlock is fun and pretty access only 2 hours either side of hw lots of bilge keelers here and a pool you can sit in when tides out cheap to

The only anchorages i found for easy lunch stops without to much swell were flat holm tuck in close to the lighthouse for pretty spot

Behind lifeboat pier in weston not that pretty
Theres lots of open anchorages such as blue anchor (rolly )


Having said all that i had fun there till i got bored and sailed to the caribbean

Mark
 
A long day indeed

Oxwich and ifracoombe are indeed day sails if you don't mind sailing all day Saturday yo get there and all day back on Sunday agreed bit not much time for r & r eh ?but realistic daytime stops are fee and far between ........
 
true but sailing is all about the journey and getting the best out of the boat. Cant say it interests me much where we park, though that is SWMBO's main objective.

A crew member who was desperate for a beer did go ashore in Oxwich but founr he got charged an arm and a leg for a Stella. Not only that but it was a fair long row.
 
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