Yarmouth - Poole.

paulburton44

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Planning to head from Yarmouth to Poole next week.

Never been that way before. What is the way past Hurst and the Needles.

I'm guessing head for the NE Shingles bouy, then head to the N.Head bouy. Then follow the coast...???

I have worked out the tides. It is just the route through missing the Trap and the Shingles
 
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Skyva_2

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Depending on the wind direction the North Head route may not be best. Going via SW Shingles may be better even in a 23 footer. It's all well marked on the chart and in Reeds, keep well off Hurst Point and the Trap is not a problem.

I assume you are entering Poole by the main channel? What then, are you heading for an anchorage or marina?

NB strong winds on Tuesday / Wednesday?
 
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Skyva_2

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Depends on your requirements - Pottery Pier off Brownsea Island is a nice anchorage, as is South Deep. Marinas are at Poole, and elsewhere, all quite expensive. I guess you can dry out, so up the River Ware would also be good.
 

paulburton44

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Whats the deal at Studland....The Bank Arms....do they own the moorings ????

I was thinking Pottery pier and Wareham..... We will need to shower and get water at some point....Shore power for a night would be good to charge the battery...
 

nigelhudson

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We were that way a couple of weeks ago - the N. Head route is better if there is the chance of wind against tide. There were lots of pot bouys both sides of Christchurch Ledge but they were all well-marked so not really a problem.

Marinas in Poole were about £30/night including harbour dues for a 33footer so if you can stay elsewhere then you'll save considerably. If you're not happy about anchoring overnight for any reason then no-one seems to mind you borrowing a spare mooring for a few hours.
 

oldharry

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If the N. Head route is out then so is the Needles route for a 23 footer IMHO. Having been that way several times a year for the last 15 years I have yet to see conditions worse there than in the Needles channel.

Crossing the Bridge in a small boat in anything other than a calm is going to be uncomfortable, and anything over F4 onshore, dangerous when the tide is running out.

N Head channel does get rough, but nothing like so bad as the Shingles, and is nothing like so far to turn and run back in to the Solent against the tide if conditions are worse than expected. The big problem with the N Channel in onshore winds is you are close to a lee shore, so if anything goes wrong theres not a lot of time....

Scenically of course the Needles channel carries it every time.

Once clear of Bridge buoy, a course due W can be set for my namesake rocks south of Poole, giving a clear run in to the Poole Channel, or up to the Studland anchorage. Dont forget that the Poole Channel has a training bank both sides so must be entered at its SE end, or via the buoyed inshore channel on the North side under Sandbanks 'Millionaires Row'.

Coming out of North Channel, give Hengistbury Head a couple of miles clearance if the tide is running with any sea against it - mainly because it is so infested with pot markers along Christchurch Ledge which become invisible. Recently the standard of marking has improved though generally out there.
 

wooslehunter

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Just done it - back yesterday.

There are 2 ways out of the Hurst and 2 ways into Poole. I'd go for the north channel out of the Hurst but be aware that the tide can take you towards the Shingles. Stay well north & watch your course. If you go north of North Head, you'll be OK. Once out, watch for Christchurch ledge particularly if the wind's against you so stay offshore - a couple of miles is OK. Wind over tide here can chop up quite nicely. There are also quite a few pots in this area marked only with small orange spherical bouys. Someone got hung up on one yesterday.

Be aware that the tide will be taking you slightly south once you're in the westerly half of Poole bay.

The main channel into Poole is slightly longer than taking the Looe channel. The Looe is well marked these days and should present no problem to a small boat. You won't get the big boats and ferries to avoid. The chances are too that you'll get foul tide in the main channel which you can avoid in the Looe until you're in the entrance proper.

Marinas inside are expensive so this time I tried the anchorages. Once inside pass the second red bouy and then turn west. Watch for the sand bank on your left. Follow the channel which is well marked with piles and then small buoys round the back of Brownsea Island. Just after the channel bends NW, there's a nice anchorage at Goathorn Point but you can carry on up. The channel bends SW and this is where I spent the night.

I was talking to local guy in Yarmouth the day before & he also told me of a nice anchorage west of Long Island. Sometimes the deer will come down in the early morings or evenings.
 

[10753]

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Anchored in Studland last week. Yes there are 3 pub moorings - not sure what is on the end so prefer to anchor as the holding is good. Don't anchor too close to the cliffs as the weed there is a bit thick and can make retrieving the anchor a little difficult.

As for the passages, all depends on timing and weather. North passage does avoid the Bridge which you can see and hear coming when in full flow ! Catch the bridge right and you'll barely notice it. Catch it wrong and you'll know what its like in a washing machine.
 
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