South Coast, must see places ?

[SailBobSquarePants]

You could visit Hamble. Not because it is that scenic (although probably it was 100 years ago) but because it'll allow you to tell your grandchildren that you've seen the boating equivalent of Tesco's car park.

Yarmouth is probably the harbour in the Solent with most character. Worth visiting it as it looks like it'll be changing quite soon.

You could also try the Beaulieu River and look around Buckler's Hard. Visit Cowes because it is Cowes and go up river, even to the Folly.

Portsmouth Harbour isn't much in itself but handy to visit HMS Victory etc. You could even visit the infamous Puerto Solento.

+1 to all of this, especially Beaulieu. And yes, Studland Bay, while you still can...

 

[Scillypete]

I'd leave out the Scillies. Yes it's a nice place. But you could spend a week trying to get there and another one trying to get back. Spend your time round the West Country, you wont find a bad place and it's all very easy.

To be honest, with the time you've got, I cant see you visiting anywhere except maybe Tesco's.

Doom mongering, if the op is coming from the north, Scilly is a logical stop over. He is coming in the summer not the hurricane season. last summer was an excellent sailing summer and I can not recall more than a couple of hours of winds over F6 in Scilly.

7/8 days to do the south coast is too short a timeframe though.

Leave 6pm via Crow sound if from Old Grimsby (an hour after LW, so a little dicey depending on your draft). 42 miles to the Lizard, so expect to arrive about 1am (aim to just make it before the tide turns).

If LW is at 1700 it is neaps and there will be plenty of water for a four foot draft yacht to leave Old Grimsby then out via Crow sound at 1800 hrs. However, 7 hours to the Lizard in a 26 foot yacht is asking for a good fair breeze, more likely to be about nine hours to the Lizard.

 

[doris]

Put boat on road transport and enjoy all six weeks on south coast.

Most sensible comment so far. Do this then we can have some very serious vicarious pleasure working out a 6 week itinery.

 

[Fascadale]

Most sensible comment so far. Do this then we can have some very serious vicarious pleasure working out a 6 week itinery.

From all the excellent comments and suggestions made it does indeed seem a shame that I will be unable to spend the six weeks on the South Coast: but if I did do that I would not need to ask my next question "East Coast, must see places?", but we'll save that for another time.

Many thanks again for all the informative suggestions.