To the scillies !?

S

sv8546

New Member
Joined
4 Feb 2021
Messages
3
Visit site
Hi All,

Im the owner of a lovely Bavaria 32 2001. I am a doctor by trade and taking on a 4 month stint in the Isles of Scilly from August.
My boat lives in Portsmouth, is in good condition with new rigging 2019, new sail drive 2019 and decent sails.
I'm planning on taking her over with me to the Scillies.
Any suggestions / things I need to know ? ... Ive heard lots of yachts turn back because of swell / never make it and was just wondering why?

I am a Coastal skipper but usually only sail in daylight with my other half.... suitable route advice welcome .... Im thinking Portsmouth - Weymouth - Dartmouth - Plymouth - Falmouth - St Marys ....probably over a week or so to et some days off along the way.

Sean
 
That means sailing back in November / December unless you sail back early. A lot of boats turn back, as to go there and return in 2 weeks holiday can mean sailing in strong winds when maybe you wouldn't normally. Have you 'booked' a mooring there in St Mary's as it can get busy in August if the weather is nice.
Your 'route' seems ok but there are quite a few other places to stop as well. Could go Portsmouth - Studland - Salcombe - Fowey - Helford - St Marys but Studland to Salcombe will mean some 'night' sailing.
 
I was planning on bringing her back to the mainland as the weather starts to turn autumnal, then lift her out down in the south west (an awful lot cheaper than the solent!) ... salcombe Studland sounds like a nice 'tick in the box' night passage.
 
Consider Newlyn. There are yacht pontoons there, and it's a darn sight closer to St Marys than Falmouth.
Also, make your mark with the cox'n of the Newlyn lifeboat, 'Patch' Harvey, over a beer. I'm sure you'll do the same in St. Marys....
And it would certainly be worth your while contacting the harbourmaster at St Marys, outlining your plans/hopes for a mooring. You may well find him receptive.

As for late-season weather for the return, that's a question of 'forecasting' a decent window and going when the opportunity presents. The water temperature won't have become too cold, then.

Make sure your anchoring gear is supplemented/well up to scratch for the much higher demands you'll likely find 'Down West'. Beware of 'sailing to a schedule'....

Otherwise, take the passage in sensible chunks; don't get so fatigued your decision-making becomes that of a 'drunk'; log the locations and phone numbers of all the NCI stations - mostly on headlands - along the way, and call them up to ask about 'actual' weather conditions in their neighbourhood before you get to them.
 
Last edited:
Wave as you pass Plymouth, and we might call into the Scilly Islands on our way round Great Britain this summer.

I understand a lot of boats turn back from the crossing as there are large sea monsters and land can't be seen for a short period of time. Can't think what that is an issue.
 
Mostly the route is to avoid spending hours sailing off the route simply to spend more hours rejoining the route.

Our route of choice was via Salcombe,

Can, have stopped at Chapman Hole for kip
Could think about Yealm avoids Plymouth, or anchor Cawsands.

Then blast to Salcombe. Any stop on the way takes a dog leg and costs a lot of time.

Newlyn to get set for the best tide strategy.
The leg to the Isles is then shorter than some you have already done.

No ideas on overwintering, but I would not fancy long trips in December. Maybe pucker up and do it in October. One hit, 3 days,2 nights.
 
You wont make the Solent to Waymouth in one tide, but you should make it to Chapmans Pool, just!
Leaving Chapmans Pool is great for timing your arrival at Portland Bill.
 
Thank you for all the above, especially the log read that’s very helpful. Hadn’t really considered newlyn so will take a look at that. I’m in touch with the St Mary’s HM already... very excited but just want to get there smoothly with no scary mishaps....I’d rather sail comfortably, at the expense of time.
 
sv8546 said:
.......Any suggestions / things I need to know ? ... Ive heard lots of yachts turn back because of swell / never make it and was just wondering why?

Sean
Click to expand...

Folk sometimes just run out of time if they have come along the S Coast from the Solent. You really want a settled spell as well, which has aborted a holiday trip for me a couple of times. You won't have that problem and should be able to sort out a good sheltered mooring in advance.
I always leave from Penzance bay, singlehanded, as it cuts the trip down nicely. Apart form Newlyn, already mentioned, there is a handy anchorage outside Mousehole and buoys (the last time I was there) off Penzance itself.

On the way back there are plenty of options for overwintering. I would suggest Plymouth could be a nice change of scene, with reasonable road and rail links.

.
 
sv8546 said:
Im the owner of a lovely Bavaria 32 2001. I am a doctor by trade and taking on a 4 month stint in the Isles of Scilly from August.
...
I'm planning on taking her over with me to the Scillies.
Click to expand...
I think you'll find you're planning to take yourself over with her. :p
 
The key issue about your proposal is a mooring / berth in the Scillies. The islands are low lying and are exposed so for peace of mind in a blow you need to be sure of where you are parking the boat. The trip there and back ( dont like Newlyn but its a good dropping off point for the scillies) will simply be timed to co-incide with a weather window because you have no port of refuge in between. Not really a problem - modern forecasts are reasonably accurate for 12 hours as long as you wait for the weather. If you have a dose of "tomorrow is Monday and I have to be back at work" then the sea between st Mary and Newlyn can be rough to the point that the steamship doesnt sail.

I have sailed round Lands End more times that I can remember and its not an area where you chance the weather unlike say the Solent.
 
I am not sure about not making the Solent to Weymouth in one tide. I have often done Yarmouth to Weymouth with time to stop of for lunch in Lulworth Cove, and have done Weymouth to Portsmouth in one go, that's in a Westerly Ocean 33.
 
Have done this trip several times and would reiterate that Newlyn is the best departure point because its sheltered and you can wait for a favourable tide and wind. Remember that the predominant wind is SW so unless you are prepared to tack or get lucky with a southerly or easterly (unlikely in August) be prepared to motor. Also probably worth taking spare diesel in cans as its awkward and expensive in the islands. Coming back is usually a doddle if you wait for anything less than F6 SW as its a superb spinnaker run in a SW and if you get the tide right even if there's a sea running it will be with you. I have had great fun surfing down big rollers under spinnaker in February even! Having said that get a good pilot and approach either north or south of St Marys as per sailing directions and if you go south make sure you go around the proper side of Woolpack or you are likely to get a severe case of gravel rash on your bottom! Either way enjoy your trip. I simply love the place and the people. Scilly Pete has a nice little pilot he can send you at a reasonable price if you haven't got one. Say hello to him for me !!
 
The Scilly surgery seems to be a popular posting with medics who boat - I met the current GP, or a previous one, last year. I think it was the elderly couple in a small motoryacht who berthed next to me in Lorient.

Salcome and Dartmouth share similar geography and are comparably scenic but, visiting by boat, I prefer Dartmouth.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top