Suitable places to sail for novice sailor

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steveeasy

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Hi,
After some advice please. Ive owned my first boat for one season only and it is a Dehler 22 easily towed. last year it was moored in the lake district. I want to experience some estuary/coastal sailing on the south coast. any advice on suitable locations and slipways much appreciated. Ive no experience at all with tides, but need to get out and experience the thrills and spills.

thanks

Steveeasy
 
The greatest choice of visitable places within a short sail would be the Solent but for messing around in all weathers, Poole harbour might be better. The East Coast is almost south and the largest area of safe water is in the Blackwater, where there are plenty of slips. You will need to do a bit of homework on tides for anywhere, but it's not difficult essentially. It's only old fogeys that keep getting it wrong.
 
You could try the Medway. Roughly 10 miles of protected sailing in the river with tides that come in and out, plus access to the Thames Estuary for more adventure. Easy stepping stone to East coast harbours and the continent.

It would be best to join a club with slipway facilities. Your best bet would probably be Hoo Ness Yacht Club (http://www.hooness.org.uk/index.php)for a mix of slipway, moorings, cruises and racing. You will find them a friendly club that are happy with members of limited experience. Costs are probably the most reasonable you will find for membership and moorings.

PS I am biased as I am a member there and I have been sailing since the mid 1960's.
 
Twister_Ken said:
Chichester Harbour would be good. Several slipways - no doubt one of the Chifolk hereabouts can give chapter and verse.
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+1 for Chichester.

Main public launching sites are Dell Quay, Itcehnor, Bosham, and Emsworth . Itchenor being the best all tide hard with of road parking nearby for car and trailer

Also launching in marinas and from boat yards where they will/may launch it for you, for a small fee, and save you getting the car, yourself and even your road trailer wet.

Your are then straight into an area of outstanding natural beauty with a good area of sheltered water to practise in before venturing on to the open sea.

Chi Harbour website at http://www.conservancy.co.uk/


Getting late now but maybe some moorings ( conservancy owned or boatyard owned ) still available and also some marina berths bound to be available.
 
BlackPig said:
I would head for the Clyde first, Essex then Cornwall.
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+1. If you are near the Lake District, OP, the Clyde is a darn sight closer than the south coast and has lots of interesting places to go. There is an excellent slipway at Largs Marina and I expect there are plenty of other. It might also be worth coming to the Solway (which is a south coast, technically, on the Scottish side) - public ramp at Kippford, SC one at Kirkcudbright.
 
I trailer sail and regularly launch from my home club which is Hooness on the Medway, and from Poole if I go down towards the Solent, both places already mentioned. The Medway as has been said provides plenty of places to explore whilst you get your heads around how tides work, and you will need to do that before you venture out into the Thames Estuary and beyond as they impact a lot on where you go and when you might get there..... One word of warning, the slipway at Hooness is quite shallow so you are likely to need the full tide to get the boat off the trailer, and potentially some means of extending the tow hitch unless you want to dunk the rear of your car.
Poole has much less tidal range (but still a challenging race at the harbour entrance) but some beautiful sailing to be had in the area, providing you don't mind sharing with about a million other people if it's a nice day.......
 
lpdsn said:
Is the Solway really a suitable place for a novice sailor?
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Don't see why not. There aren't any real nasties about except the sand, and that goes away again in a bit. Not great in a fin keeler (been there, done that) but in the OPs boat there are loads of places to go.
 
I had a trailer sailer for three years. I sailed her Chichester hbr, Solent, North Wales, Orwell on East Coast, Plymouth, Falmouth, Morbihan, Pembrokeshire and Firth of Clyde. Just get out there and try as many places as you can.
 
Another vote for Poole and Plymouth. Langstone and Portsmouth harbours have their attractions for smaller boats. The Solent is packed with rivers and creeks, and a 22-footer is a perfectly viable Solent cruiser in moderate weather. (You'll probably get posts telling you it's a viable ocean cruiser in any weather. It might be, but I'm not!). Get yourself an appropriate pilot book and dream and plan!
 
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