Solent to River Orwell

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sierensn

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In the summer we'll be sailing our 23' Monark 700 from Portsmouth to Ipswich.
Has anyone out there done this route?
Any recommendations, eg stopovers, expected duration etc?
Many thanks..
 
My first ever boat was a Sonata which I bought in Southampton and moved to Blackwater. Did it in March but was fairly lucky with the weather (though rather cold).

In hindsight and with more experience I would do it differently.

Stopped in Brighton. Anchored off Dungeness, and then stopped in Ramsgate. Very lucky with the Dungeness conditions.

Nowadays I do more night sailing on this sort of trip, but in a 23 it can get pretty tiring, and this is my one biggest memory from doing this first time.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Only the other way around

[/ QUOTE ] Solent to the Orwell clockwise via Lands end and John o'Groats did your mean. Loads of places to stop if you do that.


Seriously there may be some useful stuff on the Woodbridge CC site HERE See Yacht Anchorages on the Sailing Resources page
 
Last year did the trip form Plymouth to Bradwell in a Moody 31. In a fin keel there were some places we couldn't go that you might. From Gosport we were becalmed for two days and motored to Eastbourne first day and Dover the second. But you probably won't do those distances. So Brighton is probably first stop. A short day to Eastbourne. Long day to Ramsgate (Dover is missable as Ramsgate is the best point from which to do the Thames Estuary). Ramsgate to Harwich 40nm. So four days without overdoing it. Getting the tide under you is crucial, particularly round Selsey Bill and Dungeness.
 
Did it solo in 2005 after the Fleet Review. Left Gosport with an hour or two of foul tide to catch the favourable tide to Eastbourne. From Eastbourne depart to catch the first East going tide at Dungeness and carry this all the way to Ramsgate. From Ramsgate leave with the first N bound up to Orwell. Back home in 3 days with no night sailing.

If want to spend longer can add in Brighton / Newhaven / Dover etc
 
I can't comment too much on the route as I've ever only done half of it, but from my experience of chasing Applejack around Portsmouth Harbour, it should be a quick and pleasant trip!

Good Luck
 
The good news is that you can look forward to the wonders of the East coast and sailing in peaceful rivers away from the crowds and often without any commercial shipping to think about.

And, of course, to buying drinks for the East coast forumites /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Applejack,
you will enjoy the East Coast, and the people who sail it. The most varied quantity of locations, each with an infinitessimally small change in the constituency of the mud allowing you to identify the location by texture of mud and smell alone.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Many thanks,
I'll be sad to be leaving the solent.
Neil

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm sure you will, but it'll seem jolly quiet up here to you however much we think it's getting overcrowded!

Mike
 
Don't rule out Newhaven as a stop - no lock and close to Beachy Head for waiting for good tide. Although the marina lost a bit of its visitor pontoon they have usually fit us in when we needed it.

You can anchor east of Dungeness, in Dover harbour and just west of Ramsgate. All quicker than going in if you are just waiting for the tide. The Dungeness and Ramsgate anchorages are here http://www.woodbridgecruisingclub.co.uk/anchorages.php . Stop by the WCC and say hello when you get here.
 
Did it a couple of years ago, Portsmouth - Eastbourne - Ramsgate - Ipswich... nothing much extra to add to what has already been said, other than firstly welcome to the East Coast, and secondly, you'll wonder why you left it so long after you've got there! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

PS... will hopefully be doing it again soon with another boat if my plans come together!
 
Done this route a few times 'cos its the way back from the Isle of Wight and the supermarket in Cherbourg.

I've done it single handed day sailing and stopping every night and I've also done it several times in one hit with a mate or fully crewed.

Short cut through the Looe passage saves many miles off the Owers . If Day Sailing you can take maximum advatage from the tides.

Comfy day saills are Portsmouth to Brighton, Brighton to Eastbourne, Eastbourne to Dover , dover to Ramsgate, Ramsgate to The Orwell, or Ramsgate to Queensborough, then Brightlingsea and then The Orwell.

Stretchy day sails are Portsmouth to Eastbourne, then Ramsgate and then the Orwell.

But in one hit with a competent mate is the best, Gosailing , go down, have a meal, go to sleep, get up, have a cup of tea, go sailing, go down, have a meal, go to sleep, get up, have a cup of tea, go sailing, go down, have a meal, go to sleep etc. As a mini passage its a great way to do it.

If you have good weather and can time the passage so you pass Beachy Head in the night on a good full moon its quite magical cruising half a mile off the lighthouse watching the groups of light beams chase each other along the cliffs, sigh...

Ah well

Keep a good lookout and have fun
 
I have done it twice both ways, 3 trips non stop and one stopping in ramsgate, it is very important to time the tidal gate at dungerness correctly as this can cost you plenty if you get it wrong, you may also want to consider timing the passage inside the Goodwins so that you do it daylight, not that it is difficult or badly lit, it just comes at a time when you are probably quite tired.
 
You have two tidal systems to cross, the boundary is around Dungeness, the problem as other have said is the Dungeness “gate”, even if you leave at the right time in a 23 ft boat you may not have enough speed to take advantage of the 12 hours of favourable tide, in which case stop over in Dover.

Leave your berth in Dover 2.5 hours before high water (the tide changes direction runs east 2 hours before high) and you will then get tide right up to the havens in Ipswich, I ve done that bit many times.
 
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