Where to go?

[JamesS]

I agree with the others, Brighton is restricted in terms of where to go for the weekend.

If you want to try the Solent you then there's Southsea Marina which is tucked just inside Langstone Harbour. Access to Solent 15 mins, well sheltered. Acess HW+- 3hrs over a tidal sill. This is no problem as most of your sailing will be west bound into the Solent - the tidal stream goes west at HW-1.

Telephone 023 9282 2719

Nearest station Portsmouth & Southsea or Fratton but there is a walk involved.

Cheers

 

[Guest]

The solent is the best

I think that the solent is the best are for sailing but it depends upon what you like.

If you want to go for miles and see no people then it's not good.
But i think i am correct that most people who sail in the solent can only sail for weekends at a time. It is true that it can get very crowded in summer but only in certain places.
I cannot think of anywhere else where within half a days sail you have at least 9 ports and dozens or marinas.
I have sailed in the west country and yes it is very veyr nice but once you get past falmouth wher do you go...Padstow.
The solent may not be for the ocean sailor but it is perfect for about 90% of the people who can only sail at weekends.

From my mooring within 4 hours i can be in a busy modern marina with pubs, clubs and good eating places or i can be in a quiet harbour watchign the sun go down..or i can be at anchour looking at the needles....or i can be in a marina with lots of shopping or museums to visit.

Yes it is expensize as well..but as with everything you get what you pay for...!!

 

[Guest]

Getting what you pay for...

... only applies in the Solent.

The West Coast of Scotland is free (mostly), and one of the best sailing areas in the world. The Solent shouldn't be mentioned in the same breath, no matter how many marinas it has.

 

[Guest]

Re: Getting what you pay for...

I agree that the west coats of scotland is good.( when it's not raining).
I know it well but it does not offer the type of sailing that i like or want.

It may be very nice to go sailing for a weekend..anchor up in a beautiflu spot and so on but what about in the summer when it's hot. I take friends and family sailing and we like to have a shower or maybe go for a walk or use a decent toilet sometimes.
I personally have no problem with living on a boat and never getting off but not guests or family. This is where the solent comes in to it's own.

I an not saying that it is better than anywhere else. What i am saying is that i feel that is is better than most places because of the type of sailing it offers.
And most people in the south who have busy work lives need this type of sailing.

 

[rogerroger]

Why is it a drawback to have a number of charter boats in the marina ?

Roger Holden
www.first-magnitude.co.uk

 

[billmacfarlane]

Re: Getting what you pay for...

Looks like we've got a nice bun fight starting here. I agree with Mike and Andrew on the this one with one proviso , the use of the word "best". If , like me , and many others , you're still tied to earning a living , and live in the Home Counties , then the Solent is most suitable for our needs. You can get to your boat fairly quickly , and with only 2 days available , get off for the night to a good choice of destinations. If you decide to stay put for the weekend , then there's usually plenty of pubs/restaurants to indulge yourself in. So in that sense the Solent is probably "best" for people like that. In the future what's "best" for me will probably change and then it'll be goodbye Solent and hello Brittany.

 

[Guest]

Re: Getting what you pay for...

I agree that the Solent is the best sailing area for many simply because it's the nearest sailing ground to where they live.

That's why I keep my boat in the Solent!

Probably for those who don't live anywhere near it, it isn't the best sailing area.

 

[Guest]

I can answer that very simply. They are boats that are usually bigger than normal for the skipper. Tight marinas...skippers that don't know how the boat will react. This all adds up to lots of big bangs. I know cause i have seen it many times before.

 

[Twister_Ken]

Plus pre-cruise/post-cruise partying.

 

[rogerroger]

That should be part of a sailing weekend whether you own or charter !!

Roger Holden
www.first-magnitude.co.uk

 

[charles_reed]

French Atlantic coast prices

S Brittany is about twice the price of the Vendée - pontoon berth with water and electricity FF250/month at Marans.

Les Minimes you can stay for a year for the same money as a month in port Solent and Minimes is an incomparably better marina with better facilities than Port Solent.

 

[charles_reed]

Bad driving

It's even worse in France - Sunsail charter out of le Foret and the worst are the Scandinavian women skippers - mind you they're quite charming about ramming you....

 

[charles_reed]

Don\'t mind the partying

except when they don't invite me
- fall in
--and expect me to rescue them because their mates are all too pissed

 

[charles_reed]

M25

at least most of the drivers know what they're doing

 

[charles_reed]

W Coast of Scotland

Fantastic scenery - lack of crowds - enough challenge to prevent you becoming an Unconscious Incompetent Yachtie.

BUT
Lack of sun (unless you're very lucky)
Few pubs (but you can carry your own)
Mozzies
No nice take-aways.

How's about the Galician rias, scenery similar, slightly more crowded, x10 the number of anchorages of the Solent and a far larger cruising area.

AND FAR CHEAPER THAN ANYWHERE IN THE UK.

 

[Guest]

South coast marinas are very expensive. Have you even thought about marinas in Kent. MDL have a new one in the Historic d/yard at Chatham. Good day sailing in the Medway. Ramsgate, Dover, Brightlingsea (for the East coast), St Catherines dock (London) all reachable in one tide. Then that could open up (from Ramsgate) Oostende, Nieuwport, Calais, Boulogne etc. all reachable in max 10 hrs. I recently did Ramsgate - Hamble in 12 hrs. Give it some thought? Chatham is 50 mins by train from London (Victoria) Ramsgate 1hr 50 mins. Ramsgate also has good marina berths. Best of luck

 

[Guest]

Where do I start.

Car parking - each charter boat can generate 4 or 5 cars, doesn't help berth holders arriving late on a Friday and having difficulty parking
Trolleys - 3 or trolleys per boat often not returned for re-use, irritating late on a Friday when trying to find one.
Loud parties late on a Friday night well into Sat am the cockpits, difficult after a long week
The number of bangs is high because the drivers are not normally regular sailors and are driving boats that they are unfamiliar with. Having paid good money they are often inclined to leave the berth in bad weather when most of us are opening a bottle of wine with friends and rsigned to using the boat as a caravan.

not anti but by putting them all together means the charter companies have the insurance and inconvenience headache.

Pete

 

[janie]

Re: Shoreham and Newhaven

Long may that last (at least in the case of Shoreham) - already a long enough waiting list! No publicity, please.