Southampton to Torquay

Judders

Judders

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Would be far and away the biggest passage I have ever taken FR on but am thinking about it. You have to bare in mind that motorsailing is damned unpleasant on this boat. I've done the passage there and back as crew on a much larger Rassy. What are peoples thoughts and experiences?

Clearly the tidal gate at the Needles and the two races at St Albans head and Portland are the big issues. Is there anything else to look out for? I guess I am intimidated by the lack of a bolt hole once you pass Weymouth.
 
15th & 16th August with enough time for me to get the train home on Sunday.

The idea being to enter the regatta the following weekend and then use the bank holiday to come home via Weymouth & Poole.
 
Take it in jumps.... break down the passage into sizable bites... so get the boat to Weymouth... and then worry about the jump across the bay...

Is your Feeling a lift keel?? A nice place to stop might be Lyme Regis if thats the case... thats about 25 miles from Portland Bill and 30 miles from Brixham...

So, with your boat there is some choice... I dont know what sort of conditions would make Lyme a non-goerr but if the wind is on the nose from the west you could duck north to Lyme.... then SW towards Dartmouth..

West Bay would be a option as well for you... and Teignmouth
 
Well - you've got tide with you until midday ... then you're fighting it - so I guess it'll be an early start for you!

We're looking at a similar passage - but not that weekend ... and have thought of the possibility of going over to Alderney then on to Dartmouth as 2 close reaches is faster than 1 long beat - looking at time for each passage rather than overall distance...

As you say - once you're past the Bill, there is very little in the way of boltholes for the next 40Nm ...
 
Judders said:
15th & 16th August with enough time for me to get the train home on Sunday.

The idea being to enter the regatta the following weekend and then use the bank holiday to come home via Weymouth & Poole.
Click to expand...

What about entering the royal Southampton's Brixham double? Starts Friday 14th in the evening. If the weather's good keep going, otherwise duck out into Weymouth or Poole.

That's what we're doing, think the train back on Sunday will have a certain sailing kit "hum" about it!
 
photodog said:
Take it in jumps.... break down the passage into sizable bites... so get the boat to Weymouth... and then worry about the jump across the bay...

Is your Feeling a lift keel?? A nice place to stop might be Lyme Regis if thats the case... thats about 25 miles from Portland Bill and 30 miles from Brixham...

So, with your boat there is some choice... I dont know what sort of conditions would make Lyme a non-goerr but if the wind is on the nose from the west you could duck north to Lyme.... then SW towards Dartmouth..

West Bay would be a option as well for you... and Teignmouth
Click to expand...

There really is not time for that sort of extra milage I'm afraid. Plus Lime Regis is hardly a bolt hole. You would be better off staying in the middle of the bay in most weathers.
 
I would be very wary of considering West Bay a "bolthole". Only been there the once but the visitor pontoon is totally open to the west and the pontoon is one of those interlocking jigsaw kits made from plastic and goes up and down alarmingly just walking on it!. I would imagine it to be totally untenable in any sort of weather with west in it.
Harbour staff seemed extremely friendly and helpful though and a fair stop off in settled weather.
 
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