Weekend trips to do in the Solent from Chichester Harbour

[creeks]

Seems to me you would find this very useful, if not essential, reading:
Solent Cruising Companion: A Yachtsman's Pilot and Cruising Guide to the Ports and Harbours from Keyhaven to Chichester: 3 (Cruising Companions): Amazon.co.uk: Aslett, Derek: 9781909911468: Books

I have a hardcover copy and it's well worth the expense.

 

[HughClayton]

I also have a boat in Northney (great marina) and have two kids that were younger than yours when we started and are now older than yours.

Whilst there are lots of great suggestions in this discussion I’d also suggest that a weekend with kids staying in Chichester Harbour can be enough of an adventure. Mooring off Itchenor or anchoring off East Head or Thorney Channel is good.

Other favourites are Bembridge (tidal), Beaulieu and Newton Creek. Studland Bay and Poole harbour are also good.

But less is more with kids until they nag you to go further!

 

[SlowlyButSurely]

When our kids were about that age we used to have an annual "race" down to Totland against another family with similar age kids. Anchoring in Totland bay at LW around midday there was then swimming and a bbq followed by a football match on the beach. When the football became more like water polo due to the rising tide it was time to pootle back up to Yarmouth for dinner/live music or whatever else was going on.

Oh yes and don't forget the Round the Island race. That's a brilliant weekend.

 

[Ningaloo]

Plenty to see right in Chichester itself. My favourite anchorage is off Pilsea rather than crowded East Head. You can dinghy ashore here and might be visited by the resident seals.
Portsmouth (and Gosport) have plenty of interest for many weekends. Obviously the historic dockyards in Portsmouth are a big attraction and don't miss the submarine museum in Gosport.

 

[Moodysailor]

As some others have said, don't forget your own 'garden'. A good day sail around the solent, then anchoring in Chichester harbour, followed by a lazy morning and easy sail back to your mooring will be low stress and will build experience, fun and skills. Plus you are right there in case anything changes and you want to return to base sooner.

Someone else said Cristchurch, that is a great medium-range option when the weather is good, and often missed by many. Our family used to keep a boat there so I have fond memories.

When the crew get their sea-legs up, you could prepare them for a longer passage by doing your own round the island sail. That will be a full day of sailing so would get them ready for a channel crossing or longer passage west without ever being far away from home

 

[samsuka]

Thanks for all of your posts, its been really interesting and has thrown up a load of great places i hadn't even considered. Yes my boys do have paddle boards and the intention is to moor up and paddle board in, one of the big incentives for going to Northney is that we could moor just off West Wittering beach and paddle over and take the dingy over. And as some have mentioned, yes i think the best option is to build it up in short, enjoyable, periods, so trip to Chichester, anchor off of West Wittering, Gosport, Gunwharf Quay, and have fun with the paddleboards, swimming etc. and then build up their skills, and our confidence, to want to do longer trips.

Ashtead thankyou so much for your huge list of things to do, i do have the Solent Cruising Companion but i find personal recommendations much better. Newtown and Christchurch sound great, and will definitely try and do Scratchells Bay one day , and sounds like it might be a good idea to stay out of Wootton Creek. The Tightwad Sailor is a great resource, will definitely be using that.

If anyone is interested i have put these destinations into a Google MyMap along with comments from people on this thread. Its a map i set up when i was checking out all the marinas so it has all of those on there as well. Am using it as a resource for myself and also guidance on what to do at each suggested destination, when to arrive etc. But if anyone wants to use it, or has an suggestions, please do. You can click on the different layers on the left hand side for sailing destinations or Marinas. I have put a link to the Tightwad Sailor on there as well and may add in some short details from that site.

Sailing Map – Google My Maps

 

[migs]

Also local is Southsea Marina in Langstone harbour. You could hire electric scooters (just outside the marina) and have a blast along the wonderful seafront into Portsmouth. The marina itself has a very good onsite cafe/bar and also one of the best Indian restaurants around.

 

[ashtead]

A pleasure -you might also join the westerly owners association and give it a try for a year-I’m not a member but I recall when we had a new Bav in 2000 we went on a rally to Poole organised by the dealers and went to green island I think. You might also be able to get into places as part of a rally as they pre book large runs of pontoons ,the downside being non rally boats see empty tracts of space which can be frustrating . WOA like many is an acquired taste but for learning of the new to u boat and sussing out Solent places it might be a source of info -it will also have accounts of trips to places to read about. Our pontoon has pontoon rallies which might also be an idea worth looking into and our first channel crossing was with other boats from our marina ,which has many advantages perhaps over organised owners association rallies in terms of not being quite so clubby. I have not so far at 60 participated in Moody events mainly due to our age (owners seem older??) and sailing needs but some seem to love them.
The problem with many written guides is they date -I have a small paperback guide to restaurants of the Solent but sadly many venues featured have ceased to trade and while trip adviser helps its often too many views . A candid yachtsman guide to Solent eateries would be great but might be libellous ?

 

[samsuka]

Also local is Southsea Marina in Langstone harbour. You could hire electric scooters (just outside the marina) and have a blast along the wonderful seafront into Portsmouth. The marina itself has a very good onsite cafe/bar and also one of the best Indian restaurants around.

Thanks, that sounds perfect for the kids!! I have added it into the myMap as a destination to do. Sparkes is an MDL as well, like Northney, so even better.

A pleasure -you might also join the westerly owners association and give it a try for a year-I’m not a member but I recall when we had a new Bav in 2000 we went on a rally to Poole organised by the dealers and went to green island I think. You might also be able to get into places as part of a rally as they pre book large runs of pontoons ,the downside being non rally boats see empty tracts of space which can be frustrating . WOA like many is an acquired taste but for learning of the new to u boat and sussing out Solent places it might be a source of info -it will also have accounts of trips to places to read about. Our pontoon has pontoon rallies which might also be an idea worth looking into and our first channel crossing was with other boats from our marina ,which has many advantages perhaps over organised owners association rallies in terms of not being quite so clubby. I have not so far at 60 participated in Moody events mainly due to our age (owners seem older??) and sailing needs but some seem to love them.
The problem with many written guides is they date -I have a small paperback guide to restaurants of the Solent but sadly many venues featured have ceased to trade and while trip adviser helps its often too many views . A candid yachtsman guide to Solent eateries would be great but might be libellous ?

Thanks Ashtead, i am already a member, yes will keep an eye out for any events. You don't by chance actually live in Ashtead do you? As we do ;-)

 

[ashtead]

By the way no pub at Newtown creek any more as new inn shut down (happy to be corrected by any county press readers)

 

[ashtead]

Yes am located there and Gosport plus IoW -there is a channel sailing club which meets in Ashtead -they hosted a good talk last month with Tom C and no doubt you have his pilot book for info on venues already.

 

[samsuka]

Yes am located there and Gosport plus IoW -there is a channel sailing club which meets in Ashtead -they hosted a good talk last month with Tom C and no doubt you have his pilot book for info on venues already.

Wow i had no idea that there was a channel sailing club in Ashtead and i have lived here for 13-years!! We are a long way from the sea, but just found it Channel Sailing Club - Home. I have listened to his audio book, shame i missed his talk, would love to have seen it.

Am going to have to join and see if i know anyone there, so may bump into you if you are there.

 

[laika]

I'd suggest being less ambitious at first than some folks here are suggesting. If you want to convince a young family of the joys of sailing, stick initially to a one-tide trip with the reward of food and drink (and in summer, swimming) at the end, and never forget that either going or coming back probably won't be the straight line you drew on your chart. Tacking against the tide in the solent can be a bit depressing for those not specifically just "out for a sail".

On that basis I'd take Brighton and anywhere west of Yarmouth off the menu and save yarmouth and lymington for long (ie 2-night) weekends where you can break the journey to windward. Northney to the folly is a good, bite-sized day sail.

The WOA is worthwhile: While older (ie retired) people do seem to be in the majority, on the odd rally I've attended I have bumped into young families and the "rally experience" probably needs to be done once at least.

 

[sailingmartin]

If anyone is interested i have put these destinations into a Google MyMap along with comments from people on this thread.

Samsuka. You may also want to look at the Navily app. I am using this more and more to check out new places. Free to use and very useful at home and abroad. Looking forward to seeing your boat in Chichester Harbour next season!

 

[Daedelus]

Littlehampton is worth it if the tides and weather are right. Funny little place almost kiss me quick land, but rather a nice restaurant almost opposite the mooring pontoon. Depending on duration of stay you could also go up to Arundel by bus or train, going to the castle is hugely expensive but worth it once.

Don't forget Chichester itself if the weather is too bad to go out, the museum is a classic, They had a WW2 exhibit and the story of a USAF bomber which developed problems so the crew pointed it out to sea and baled out. Unfortunately it turned round and crashed on a local school, fortunately closed at the time. The exhibit included the thank you letter from the schoolchildren to the crew thanking them for destroying their school.

 

[wombat88]

I visited Chichester Harbour for the first time last summer, what a beautiful place. If I had a boat there I don't think I'd venture out to the Solent unless on passage to somewhere else.

I don't anymore. Plenty of places to go or visit in a dinghy including clubs that welcome visitors by sea and the occasional pub (restrictions aside). Just avoid the obvious locations mid summer.

 

[rotrax]

Get the tide right and Littlehampton is an easy sail from Chi.

A bit like a minature Weymouth.

Interesting entrance, good visitors facilies, nearby shops/pubs/resturants.

The Arun SC can offer berths for bilge keelers.

 

[FairweatherDave]

Get the tide right and Littlehampton is an easy sail from Chi.

A bit like a minature Weymouth.

Interesting entrance, good visitors facilies, nearby shops/pubs/resturants.

The Arun SC can offer berths for bilge keelers.

Selsey Bill and the Mixon....and if yer lucky Dolphins.

 

[Solent sailer]

Get the tide right and Littlehampton is an easy sail from Chi.

A bit like a minature Weymouth.

Interesting entrance, good visitors facilies, nearby shops/pubs/resturants.

The Arun SC can offer berths for bilge keelers.

We visited Littlehampton for the first time this year, well worth a visit.
The town quay has plenty of depth for you, interesting entrance - easy just looks a bit like you have got it wrong with a standing wave half way along when we arrived, strong current/tide in the river to be aware of.