This weekend - asking for trouble?

oGaryo

oGaryo

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Hi, we're going out again in our little 17ft Bayliner Capri this weekend and looking at the weather forcast I thought I'd sound you guys out as to whether you think it'd be ok for us to venture out in to the Solent considering I'm still a newb at this Power Boating malarky?

I've convinced myself I need to go on an RYA 2 course so will be booking that up for next month rather than take the risk of getting that learning curve plateauing out whilst the boys are on board... However, there's no way I'll be not using the boat between now and then, can't wait to get on the water again /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Here's the current forcast:

http://www.metcheck.com/V40/UK/HOBBIES/inshore_forecast.asp?locationID=1046

I guess it's my risk assessment ultimately but I'd appreciate the views of the very experienced to help me decide please.

Best to pootle about on the broads zzzzzzzzz or go for it on the Solent?

cheers Gary
 
Hi Gary,

Million dollar question!! I've just had a little look at Saturday & Sunday forecast. It's showing the wind easing down, which could turn into an ok weekend.

If it was me I think I would just keep a very open mind and keep looking at the forecast, then make a late decission, but make sure you have your full plan ready to go.

What about plopping her in the water at say Hamble or Portsmouth, so if it does turn up nasty, at least you can potter about and look at some new sights without scaring yourself or worse?

I hope that helps??

Paul.
 
yup - should be fairly quiet around the solent this saturday ... but I do believe a few raggies might be playing "Follow the Leader" ...
 
there are a few live report bouys in the Solent:
http://www.bramblemet.co.uk/default.shtm
Depending on where you launch, tides might be more of a problem than sea state/ wind, as a few places can get some nasty swell in the entrances (Chichester for example).
I dont know why, but I seem to find the east end of the Solent alot bumpier than the west end of it.
The other thing in a small boat is that you really need to watch the wash from larger power boats , bcz a metre of wash wouldnt be unusual (worst as they get onto the plane), so some places like off Calshot can get pretty unpleasant.
Two easy lessons I was taught.. make sure you can get back in safely, and nothing wrong in turning back. So, if it looks ok, give it a go, but dont scare anyone, or you will be boating solo for a very long time!
 
yer - but they will spend a lot of their time round the back of the island and certainly in the eastern solent will stick to the south side - so plenty of water to play on - just need to be aware of them ...

you _could_ go in amoungst them - but unless you're taking photos it probably isn't worth the hassle!!
 
[ QUOTE ]

I dont know why, but I seem to find the east end of the Solent alot bumpier than the west end of it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes I've found that too. If we're okay getting out of Chichester I'm 99% certain everything West to Hurst will be easier, almost no matter where the wind is from.

Re the OP's question - if not too sure with the wind, why not explore Southampton Water? There maybe a cruise ship in and plenty of space for a blast as many of the raggies will be drifting round the IOW most of the day.
 
According to this theyr.com paid for professional wether service that I'm trying out, Saturday looks great (F3 westerley) and sunday is ok provided you choose a sheltered spot (F4)

You might want to get yourself west ish on saturday (Lymington is beautiful) than travel eastbound on the Sunday

Gary, sorry if telling to how to suck eggs but make sure to do good navigation prep before going out on the Solent for the first time. I remeber my fist solent trip, years ago, also with a 17footer. I launched at Bucklers Hard and drove around to Southampton. I distinctly remeber near Calshot that I had acres and acres of water all around me, the shore felt like 1/2mile away, and then I was in <2m of water and about to go aground. Point is Gary please dont assume that cos you are in wide open water it is deep. you could easily find yourself parked on mud in the solent, waiting for the next tide. (Do you have a depth sounder?) Also, you think you know how it'll look but then when you actually get out in the boat and perhaps find yourself unsure it can all look different and you can get confused about where you are.

So I'd suggest make a firm plan. Plot a route and stick to it, weahter etc permitting. Study the paper chart - £20 well spent. You can get your position with GPS or just do it by noting the nav buoys, the bigger ones have names painted on them so you know where you are when you see the name and compare it to the chart. also make some notes of your route, as it is hard to do any chartwork when you get out there.

And as others have said there are 1800 sailboats doing the round the island race, you will never have seen so many sails all in one place, so know your colregs.

Hope you have a good trip!
 
that reminds me of our first IOW crossing in 18ft from Chichester. All went well til later in the day we thought of heading back.. Hmm, where is Chichester, out of interest?All looks the same from here.
Ooopps.
 
thanks guys, here's what I have at my disposal at present

1. a depth/fish finder.. an old Humminbird wide 100 but does the job.

2. my Nokia E71 phone GPS that gives me lat long details and the like.. I also have a Tom Tom running on another phone with seperate GPS receiver but I don't have the sea charts loaded... I'm looking in to getting them.

3. the following paper small craft series admiralty charts

chart 2219 Western Approaches to the Solent.
chart 2045 Outer approaches to the Solent.
chart 2172 Harbours and Anchorages on the south coast
chart 2611 Poole Harbour and approaches
chart 2040 The Solent - Western part

4. fixed VHF Radio - think I have to listen in on channel 16 and I have some cheat sheets for raising a distress call etc I need to read up on using the thing to keep a check on the weather, contact the HM and god forbid, make effective distress calls if I get in to trouble... I have flares, upside down bobbing light thingy, zenon beacon on a pole to plug in the stern of the boat and obviously, auto life jackets for all on board and I've pulled together a little tool kit in case I have engine problems on the water.

5. a couple of Motorola CP040 UHF handheld radios that I used to good effect when launching last weekend.

6. a little guide book that details rules of the road, lights, flag signalling, bouyage etc etc.. have been studying it but need to do more reading.

I went out with all those yachts in the 90's on "Kodak Gold" so know what you mean in terms of it being very busy.. I thought the Hamble was very busy last weekend, does it normally have that many craft motoring up and down?

thanks again for the advice.. certainly not a case of sucking eggs as I recognise I've much to learn.

sounds like the western solent is my best bet launching from up river or within a harbour... poke my nose out in to the Solent and turn tail if it get's too scarey (exactly what I did last weekend /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif)

cheers Gary
 
Well, you've got enough to be going on with. Mayday procedure is:

MAYDAY: Mayday, mayday, mayday
IDENTITY: This is Boatname, Boatname, Boatname, Mayday Boatname
POSITION: My position is [Lat/Long] (or better, "X miles, Y degrees from Z")
DISTRESS: I have run out of G&T
ASSISTANCE: I need more drinks urgently
NUMBER: Four persons on board
INFO: One person requires Slimline Tonic, no ice
OVER: Obviously

You could launch at Hythe, but there's not a lot to do up that end of Southampton Water so the Hamble may be a better bet again. Alternatively launch in Lymington from where you have a short run down the river and you're in the scenic end of the Solent. You get easy access from there to Yarmouth (if you dodge the passing raggies), as well as Alum Bay, Colwell Bay and Totland Bay, or you could go round inside Hurst spit and up to Keyhaven.
 
The Lymington slipway is good as I recall, and of course the town is lovely. But I dunno where you park the trailer Wiggo. There's a pay and display right there but for cars only, not trailers?

Possible tip: drive 100m up the road to Berthons where there's a barrier. Drive RIGHT UP to the barrier and it lifts. No security or anyhing, and acres to park in. Avoid doing it right under the nose of the marina office (which is a long way ahead and left, so turn right soonest after you go thru the barrier). Or maybe you can just pay Berthons to park for the day and be all legit?

Gary, your list of stuff looks good. Nice to see that you have a Mr Sensible aspect to you (keep it tucked away obviously, so as not to spoil any party /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif). Good luck to you on your trip. But do note gigm's short post a couple above - it really can look confusing once you're out there!
 
[ QUOTE ]

DISTRESS: I have run out of G&T
ASSISTANCE: I need more drinks urgently
INFO: One person requires Slimline Tonic, no ice


[/ QUOTE ]

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
The other alternative is to launch at Buckler's Hard and explore the Beaulieu River. It'll take you about 45 minutes to get down to the Solent, from whence Cowes is ten minutes, Newtown Creek fifteen and Lymington or Yarmouth about twenty. If it looks uncomfortable outside (don't be put off by the conditions at Beaulieu Spit because they're a bit mixed up, particularly on the ebb, by the river meeting the main Solent tidal stream) you can head up river to Beaulieu but the tides aren't brilliant this weekend, with HW at about 10.30 am, so you wouldn't want to be up there after about 12.00.

Five knot speed limit all down the river, so no boy racer antics, mind /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
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