Richard Shead
Slipped Anchor
Jeez - I nearly turned back on the M3 earlier today!
windy in the solent, when to turn back
- Thread starter chubby
- Start date
islandsailor
New member
+1 - It has looked horrible out in the Solent this afternoon.....
Giblets
Well-known member
Perhaps I should hold my hand up and admit some responsibility for the current Solent weather as this week was supposed to be my first ever cruise in my little boat. 
I really do not fancy the idea of 1.8m waves in a 17ft boat not to mention 45 knots on the nose. SWMBO (currently on the Island) can't see what all the fuss is about as the sea off Seaview is quite benign. Had to explain the principles of getting out of Langstone Harbour and over to the Island!
I really do not fancy the idea of 1.8m waves in a 17ft boat not to mention 45 knots on the nose. SWMBO (currently on the Island) can't see what all the fuss is about as the sea off Seaview is quite benign. Had to explain the principles of getting out of Langstone Harbour and over to the Island!
DJE
Well-known member
You know it's proper windy when....
Your 20 year old son doesn't go windsurfing!
I seriously expected him to go and come back with various injuries and broken kit, but he went to the beach, looked at the weather, looked at the shiny new sails that he's just bought, and decided he didn't have one small enough. He might even be growing up!
Your 20 year old son doesn't go windsurfing!
I seriously expected him to go and come back with various injuries and broken kit, but he went to the beach, looked at the weather, looked at the shiny new sails that he's just bought, and decided he didn't have one small enough. He might even be growing up!
chubby
Well-known member
I am at home!
upthesolent
New member
Mmm, I was thinking about leaving Newport IoW early tomorrow morning (Wednesday) and letting the F5-6 forcasted wind take my 23 footer down to Ryde. I know there will be untidy seas at Old Castle Point off East Cowes, but wonder if anyone knows if there is a website which predicts wave height. Not too keen on 1.8 meter waves (which have been mentioned here) and the 2nd half of the journey we will have a neap ebb giving a wind over tide situation.
If worse comes to worse, could turn back and hole up at Cowes for the day and do the trip on the late afternoon tide?
If worse comes to worse, could turn back and hole up at Cowes for the day and do the trip on the late afternoon tide?
jhr
Well-known member
The Metcheck Hobby Forecast gives predicted wave heights but their accuracy can be questionable (they also predict 300 mph winds from time to time ).
Still, it gives you something to start from ....
).Still, it gives you something to start from ....
upthesolent
New member
Thanks for the links
dslittle
Well-known member
Got up VERY early yesterday morning to go to France. Got about ten miles out before the sea became by enough for my crew to consider going back. After a very short discussion we turned back. The boat could have carried on, I would probably have carried on BUT I was happy to go back. As we were on the way back the forecast broadcast F9 later and it certainly was !!! All in all, the right decision. That being said, we are still here but tomorrow never knows...
chubby
Well-known member
weds
Well the gale has settled, I am getting housebound being stuck at home on my week off, only so long you can spend editing your holiday photos and catching up on sailing mags, so off again, could still get three days in before I need to be home for the weekend!
Well the gale has settled, I am getting housebound being stuck at home on my week off, only so long you can spend editing your holiday photos and catching up on sailing mags, so off again, could still get three days in before I need to be home for the weekend!
DJE
Well-known member
Better luck this time. Have a good trip wherever you get to.
upthesolent
New member
And I did! Left Newport at 0630, motor sailing to Cowes and once round the choppy headland with the wind blowing a westerly 5-6 had a WONDERFUL surf down to Ryde. Truly steaming along - made the early start all worth while.
Now, up Union street for a Wetherspoon's breaky washed down with some real ale!
chubby
Well-known member
Slog to windward in f5-6 occasional gusts to 8, anchored for lunch in osbourne bay, very shelered close in, now beaulieu river upstream fromBH, usually anchor in first bit but wanted shelter and thought lord monty might need my£16 to keep going. Where to tomorow? Thinking of trip to newport maybe fri, one solent port I have never been to in 25 yrs of solent cruising. Anothervgalecwarning just in, nevermind at least on the boat and plenty tonread.
mcframe
New member
I turn back when chichester bar looks like it'll kill me
I turn back when the wife looks at Chi bar and threatens to kill me ;->
lustyd
Well-known member
Chimet wave height is not accurate at all. As we passed it last Sunday in a F6 with at least 1m waves if not 2m (big enough to surf a 29' mobo quite well) chimet was saying 0.29m max wave height.
I don't think 1m is an exaggeration but it was very definitely more than 1 foot!
StugeronSteve
New member
Windy week
Some interesting weather for early September.
Did the dash round from Beaulieu to Ocean Village on Monday, in readiness for the Rose Bowl ODI, 36 kts up the chuffer with some great surfing. We bare poled at 5-6kts before rolling a scrap of jib out and powering down to Calshot at 8kts plus. Yesterday gave us a good thrash to windward, on the way back, with W 26-28kts on the nose. Cricket was good too -what there was of it- so it made for a nice little break from work. Just need to get the UV strip replaced on the genny, cause what I thought would see the season out didn't!.
Some interesting weather for early September.
Did the dash round from Beaulieu to Ocean Village on Monday, in readiness for the Rose Bowl ODI, 36 kts up the chuffer with some great surfing. We bare poled at 5-6kts before rolling a scrap of jib out and powering down to Calshot at 8kts plus. Yesterday gave us a good thrash to windward, on the way back, with W 26-28kts on the nose. Cricket was good too -what there was of it- so it made for a nice little break from work. Just need to get the UV strip replaced on the genny, cause what I thought would see the season out didn't!.
jimi
Well-known member
Yup .. nothing like a good thrash in sheltered waters! Its big breaking waves that terrify me!
StugeronSteve
New member
The good old Costa Solente does have a few things going for it.
Seajet
...
Old Harry is right about setting off from Chichester knowing there's no Plan B turning back !
Not a nice feeling, though I suppose it keeps the crew focussed; this is a little true tale from my younger, madder days I put on the Anderson 22 website...
An experience I had on my Anderson years ago :-
It was Easter, and I had to move the boat from Chichester to Cowes for a month until my club mooring was ready.
My crew was 18 or so, fit and an experienced sailor, we had sailed across the Channel together quite a few times. I was about 22 at the time. We had a forecast of 5-6 gusting 7, on the nose, but having confidence in the boat & ourselves we thought that within limits.
As we set off at slack water through Chichester Bar, it soon began to get up stronger than advertised - and we could not turn back, Chi' Bar in a big Southerly wind against the ebb is full of large, chaotic breaking surf.
I once met an American in Alderney, who, finding we were from Chichester, said " don't people get killed there? That's the roughest place I've seen !" And he'd just crossed the Atlantic !
Anyway we had to press on, choosing the wide passage between the forts of the Solent, rather than the narrow 'Dolphin' passage through the anti-submarine barrier.
We had two reefs in and the storm jib, the only time I've ever used it, but it certainly justified itself that day ! My boat uses hanked headsails, rather than roller reefing, and I do think it makes a big difference when the chips are down - even if not so convenient in light conditions.
The boat made good progress, punching through the short steep seas. As we were between the forts the waves were surprisingly big for the Solent - suddenly a bigger one ( maybe ten feet, but short & breaking ) smacked into the side, filling the cockpit. We were okay, being harnessed on, and dumped the sheets dinghy style as she was knocked down by a vicious squall.
With the weight of the water in the cockpit ( I should have had the well plug out as an extra-large drain ) the boat was weighed down and almost lifeless, struggling to get going despite the wind power available. While we were still a sitting duck, another big one came up and clobbered us severely. We were knocked down to around 60-70 degrees ( the mast was never near the water or anything that drastic ) and both crew John and I completely submerged in green water.
Thankfully she sprang up & recovered, getting going and shedding the water before we could have any more fun. It should also be mentioned that the bottom was quite weedy, having spent that winter afloat, so she was really trying for us !
We had both been surreptitiously looking to leeward at Langstone Harbour entrance as a possible bolt-hole, but one glance at the mass of surf convinced us to carry on.
There were no more big waves, but we did go through vicious squalls lasting twenty minutes or so at a time - we flew the sheets, and she stayed quite upright, still making slow progress to windward.
The only worry to appear was that John, having rather poor waterproofs, began to get hypothermia, to the extent that he just curled up in the cockpit corner, semi-asleep ( or unconscious ) - as I say, it was Easter. I tried to get him to go below, but could not move him, and I rather had my hands full - I thought it better to stay on the helm and get us there a.s.a.p, rather than mess about heaving to and then struggling to get John into the cabin, as I would have had to do on a longer trip.
After a while we arrived in Cowes and tied up, whereupon I commented, " I suppose in retrospect that'll be a good sail !"
I then accidentally locked us out of the cabin in the wind & spray, but that's another story !
It later turned out that our boat had been observed by the square rig Brig T.S. Royalist, which recorded squalls of 55 knots at the time. They were so impressed with 'the little blue boat' they gave us the privilege of a lift back the next day.
Not a nice feeling, though I suppose it keeps the crew focussed; this is a little true tale from my younger, madder days I put on the Anderson 22 website...
An experience I had on my Anderson years ago :-
It was Easter, and I had to move the boat from Chichester to Cowes for a month until my club mooring was ready.
My crew was 18 or so, fit and an experienced sailor, we had sailed across the Channel together quite a few times. I was about 22 at the time. We had a forecast of 5-6 gusting 7, on the nose, but having confidence in the boat & ourselves we thought that within limits.
As we set off at slack water through Chichester Bar, it soon began to get up stronger than advertised - and we could not turn back, Chi' Bar in a big Southerly wind against the ebb is full of large, chaotic breaking surf.
I once met an American in Alderney, who, finding we were from Chichester, said " don't people get killed there? That's the roughest place I've seen !" And he'd just crossed the Atlantic !
Anyway we had to press on, choosing the wide passage between the forts of the Solent, rather than the narrow 'Dolphin' passage through the anti-submarine barrier.
We had two reefs in and the storm jib, the only time I've ever used it, but it certainly justified itself that day ! My boat uses hanked headsails, rather than roller reefing, and I do think it makes a big difference when the chips are down - even if not so convenient in light conditions.
The boat made good progress, punching through the short steep seas. As we were between the forts the waves were surprisingly big for the Solent - suddenly a bigger one ( maybe ten feet, but short & breaking ) smacked into the side, filling the cockpit. We were okay, being harnessed on, and dumped the sheets dinghy style as she was knocked down by a vicious squall.
With the weight of the water in the cockpit ( I should have had the well plug out as an extra-large drain ) the boat was weighed down and almost lifeless, struggling to get going despite the wind power available. While we were still a sitting duck, another big one came up and clobbered us severely. We were knocked down to around 60-70 degrees ( the mast was never near the water or anything that drastic ) and both crew John and I completely submerged in green water.
Thankfully she sprang up & recovered, getting going and shedding the water before we could have any more fun. It should also be mentioned that the bottom was quite weedy, having spent that winter afloat, so she was really trying for us !
We had both been surreptitiously looking to leeward at Langstone Harbour entrance as a possible bolt-hole, but one glance at the mass of surf convinced us to carry on.
There were no more big waves, but we did go through vicious squalls lasting twenty minutes or so at a time - we flew the sheets, and she stayed quite upright, still making slow progress to windward.
The only worry to appear was that John, having rather poor waterproofs, began to get hypothermia, to the extent that he just curled up in the cockpit corner, semi-asleep ( or unconscious ) - as I say, it was Easter. I tried to get him to go below, but could not move him, and I rather had my hands full - I thought it better to stay on the helm and get us there a.s.a.p, rather than mess about heaving to and then struggling to get John into the cabin, as I would have had to do on a longer trip.
After a while we arrived in Cowes and tied up, whereupon I commented, " I suppose in retrospect that'll be a good sail !"
I then accidentally locked us out of the cabin in the wind & spray, but that's another story !
It later turned out that our boat had been observed by the square rig Brig T.S. Royalist, which recorded squalls of 55 knots at the time. They were so impressed with 'the little blue boat' they gave us the privilege of a lift back the next day.
Last edited: