Westward Ho!

[thalassa]

Dear Forumites,

I'm harbouring a dark blue plan to head west of the Solent for the first time. Over the last ten years, we 've "done" the South Coast, including the Solent, several times . This was invariably a 3-week holiday, each time starting from Antwerp in a 27 -foot sailboat. Having survived a heart attack on the boat last year , I've been forced to semi-retire, and have now a few weeks more to spend. We changed to a 31-footer too. The ultimate objective is to visit friends in Fowey. I've been pondering the charts West of the Needles, but can't make my mind up on a not-too-strenuous passage plan from Yarmouth or Lymington to Start Point. Any recommendations on routes and harbours would be greatly appreciated !

 

[john_morris_uk]

Yarmouth to Poole, Poole to Weymouth Now the big jump across Lyme Bay (its not too bad at 45 miles or so)

Take you pick of destinations. Dartmouth is quite nice, or Brixham, Torquay, or Salcombe.

Then Plymouth or the Yealm (or both)

Then Fowey is only about 3 hours from Plymouth.

Grit your teeth over the harbour dues you will be charged at some of these places. (or anchor and even then Dartmouth and Salcombe will charge you for anchoring!)

Have a nice trip

 

[WayneS]

We did that exact trip a few years ago on out little 22ft Westerly.

The plan was to head direct from Beauleau to Fowey but this was scuppered when our engine gave us grief off Swanage so we ended up stopping there for a number of hours.

leaving Swanage at around 17:00, we made for Salcombe, leaving Portland Bill a good 6-7 miles to the North. Arrived in Salcombe at around noon the next day. In the future I would prob change this and stop in Weymouth overnight and do the Lyme bay crossing the next day.

Left Salcombe early morning and were in Fowey early afternoon.

We plan to head West again this year but we will prob do things slightly different.

Prob do Solent-Weymouth. Weymouth-Dartmouth, Dartmouth-Plymouth, Plym - Fowey, Fowey-Falmouth. Depending on time constraints we may drop Weymouth and go overnight to Dartmouth.

Only advice that I can give to to clear Portland by a good 7 miles, esp if done at night and do not underestimate the tides in Lyme bay. We ended up being pushed North a long way which added many miles.

Cheers

Wayne

 

[NPMR]

I agree - unless you can take the ground in which case there might be a couple of extra places to call in.

Otherwise, get a good tide under you for Lyme Bay and if leaving from Weymouth take local advice on getting past the 'Bill' and once past this hurdle, the scenery changes for the better (opinion), the seas change shape and the harbours become prettier, if overpriced for what few amenities they offer.

The pasties get better the further West you go too. (Another opinion).

 

[andy_wilson]

You won't find many bad ones!

If you want to do it in easy day-sails, Poole, Weymouth, Exe / Torquay / Brixham, Dartmouth, Salcombe, R.Yealm / Plymouth and finally Fowey would all offer a good, easy stop-over.

 

[damo]

You will find Westwood Ho! is much further on than Fowey, and is quite exposed. (Anchorages may be found not far away in the Torridge, or Clovelly or Lundy Island) /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

BTW the imposing white terrace that can be seen for miles contains the flat that was sold to provide my boat.

 

[thalassa]

Thank you all for the contributions! It's a wee bit clearer to me now. We'll bring a rubber snake too, to fend off the seagulls. And perhaps a bow and arrow to shoot the mongoose from Brian's masttop.
I'll give Portland Bill a wide berth, as I am aware of Cunliffe's ominous description. We'll try to do this to excessive harbour dues as well, but then, we have to do our bit for the local economy. And as long as the bottom is soft mud, there is no problem to take the ground, we are quite used to that.
Unfortunately, I'll have to forego the pasties, although I'm quite fond of them: it's a cholesterol no-no...
Thanks for the info and best wishes !