Solent day out

Skills and Thrills

Clive Loughlin suggests three different itineraries for sailing in the Solent on Saturday 29 October 2022

For this series I suggest options for a specific Saturday a few weeks after the date of publication. I will concentrate on building skills and fun activities for all the crew to enjoy. I would encourage all confident skippers to delegate various activities to their crew, who then become

‘skipper’ for a given task.

The activities will be those that

I would consider for a day of a sailing course and are pitched at Day Skipper candidates as well as aspiring Yachtmasters.

A key part of being a skipper is to explain ‘the plan’ to the crew, and

I like to make good use of sketches on a whiteboard, as well as reference to the printed charts, so everyone knows what they are doing.

There is nothing like having to explain a plan to others, to clarify your own mind.

With just a single day at your disposal there is simply no time for relocating the boat before the start of the adventure, so I suggest different options for those berthed in Lymington/Yarmouth, the River Hamble and Portsmouth.

I strongly recommend having a copy of the Admiralty Small Craft Chart Folio ‘SC5600: The Solent and Approaches’ on board, together with a hand bearing compass.

I assume winds SW Force 4-5 and I leave all the tidal height calculations, passage planning and pilotage to you. Times are in BST unless otherwise stated.

For this Saturday (29 October 2022) the time of HW Portsmouth is 1335UT and it is mid-way between springs and neaps. It is also the last day before the clocks go back – so take advantage of the daylight while you still have it. (Sun rises 0752 and sets 1745).

My starting point for these plans is to take copies of the tidal stream chartlets in the Almanac so I have a snapshot of what is flowing where for every hour of the day.

ABOVE LEFT

Sunset on the Beaulieu River

BELOW

Plans are best shared

Lymington and Yarmouth

The tides and times present us with two tantalizing options. Plan A is to do an anti-clockwise circumnavigation of the Isle of Wight. Whether or not this is a good idea depends largely on the crew and, perhaps even more importantly, on the weather.

If the wind is not from the SW and Force 4-5, or if the weather promises to be miserable, I would probably think again and go for Plan B.

Plan A - circumnavigation

If after due consideration Plan A sounds like fun, then the basic idea is to make an early start and to be rounding ‘The Bridge’ west cardinal to the west of the Needles at 0700.

From here to Bembridge is about 30nm and with about 1kt of favourable tide, the passage should take 5-6 hours. So with luck you can be off Bembridge Ledge by 1300 just as high water approaches.

I often include a circumnavigation or partial circumnavigation in a Day Skipper course and find that everyone really enjoys the experience. The passage also breaks down into useful and worthwhile legs, so everyone has a chance to be ‘skipper’.

I would definitely include a short stay at Bembridge both for the experience of crossing the bar (see online tide gauge bembridgeharbour. co.uk), the meandering approach, and the chance for a stroll along the seafront. Be sure to leave in good time to clear the bar!

The tidal stream in the Solent will now be heading west until 1900 and with 20nm to go to get back to base it is best to leave Bembridge by 1500. Do this and you will have had the benefit of fair tides for the whole of the day, and the added attraction of a nocturnal arrival.

BELOW

Threading the Needles requires a decent passage plan

Plan B – Bramble Bank

If Plan A does not appeal for any reason then Plan B swaps miles for glamour.

Fortune favours the brave and the early riser, and I recommend setting off early (0600) and riding the last of the ebb through Hurst Narrows and on to Alum Bay (5nm), for a sunrise breakfast at anchor with the Needles providing an impressive backdrop.

The tide will turn to head east about 0700 and should be well established by the time the washing up has been done.

The next challenge is a more modest but still tricky circumnavigation of the Bramble Bank (15nm away). Go round as close as you dare to the 2m contour using just clearing bearings, and with the chart plotter covered up.

Be sure to visit the ‘Bramble’ post to pay homage for its service as a hugely useful online weather station (bramblemet.co.uk).

On the way to the Bramble Bank it is worth taking time to practice a few MOB manoeuvres, and also the rigging of a gybe preventer (see ‘Experts Forum’ in this issue). The western half of the Solent is generally low on traffic, but the same cannot be said for the Precautionary Area north of Cowes – so keep a particularly vigilant lookout.

After circumnavigating the Bramble Bank it should be about 1300 and the crew will be ready for some lunch. Head for the Beaulieu River and either pick up a mooring or anchor between port piles ‘20’ and ‘22’; or continue on the rising tide (HW is at 1402) to Buckler’s Hard for fuel for the boat and perhaps also for the crew at the Master Builder’s.

After lunch head back to the Solent, under sail as much as possible, and practice tacking on your way to Newtown River (4nm) for tea and reflection on the success of your sailing year. Depart Newtown by sunset (1745) and head back to base.

River Hamble

The flood tide heading north up Southampton Water until 1400, creates a perfect opportunity to ‘go the other way’ and pay a visit to the commercial docks (8nm). This is more interesting than scenic, but the SW wind makes for a perfect beam reach, keeping just east of the main shipping lanes.

As you head north keep an eye out for Royal Victoria Chapel at Netley (formerly part of a hospital established for the wounded of the Crimean War) and Hythe to the west, at which point it is a good idea to cross the shipping lane and skirt the much less active western shore.

ABOVE LEFT

Alum Bay – perfect for breakfast

ABOVE RIGHT

Horse Sand Fort

BOTTOM LEFT

Royal Victoria Chapel at Netley

BOTTOM RIGHT

Tugs are used to manoeuvre container vessels

Traffic and Containers

Watch out for the IoW ferries and especially the Red Jets that routinely travel at 38kts, as well as the container vessels and cruise liners. The larger vessels will often have tug boats attached by lines for-and-aft that allow them to pull and twist and turn the ships in sometimes unexpected directions.

Proceed leaving the reds just to port and drop your hook (with a trip-line), or pick up a mooring within the Bury Swinging Ground at the north end of Southampton Water. Then put the kettle on while you watch the containers being loaded and off-loaded at impressive speed.

Locks

Head back the way you have come, and then if you need fuel, or have simply never visited it before, enter the lock for Hythe Marina. It is good

for the crew to experience locks as there are not too many in the Solent area. Be prepared for some tight manoeuvring inside the marina, and be sure to have all lines and fenders rigged, and a boat hook readily to hand for grabbing out-of-reach lock-lines. Be sure to tell your crew not to fasten the lock-lines to the boat, and also warn them that they will have to hang on to them quite firmly as water floods in or out.

At the start of the ebb (1400) depart Hythe and head down Southampton Water. For many this may well be the end of the sailing season and I would favour a bit of nature to counteract the bustle of the container port.

Head for either Beaulieu River or Newtown River to soak up some eco appreciation, and then decide if you really need to get back to the Hamble that evening, or can allow yourself a night under the stars. Either way, take your time to chill while waiting for the flood tide to set in (1900).

Portsmouth

With the ebb tide heading east from 0600 it is time to escape the Solent and make for Bosham in Chichester Harbour (13nm). Our aim is to get to Bosham Quay, enjoy the AngloSaxon charm of the place, and then depart just before HW at 1435.

Depart Portsmouth as you normally would, staying in the Small Boat Channel and then check the coast is clear and head east after passing Spitbank Fort.

Mind the gap

Crew always enjoy sneaking through the 60m wide gap in the submarine wall that runs from the shore to Horse Sand Fort. The concrete blocks are visible at low tide and were designed, in 1908, to sink torpedo boats – they are still effective today.

Head through the gap staying a bit south of centre and then plot a course for the ‘West Pole’ port-hand mark on the approach to Chichester Harbour.

After rounding ‘West Pole’, head north and follow the reds. Currents flow strongly in the entrance – be grateful they will be going the right way!

Once inside the harbour head east in the Chichester Channel and look out for the ‘Camber’ south cardinal that also doubles up as an online tide gauge and weather station (cambermet.co.uk). The depth alongside Bosham Quay is 1.5-2.0m above chart datum – double check the plan hangs together for your boat and draft.

The online tidal height is the real world actual height of tide at that point at that time, and includes any factors such as tidal surge, caused by wind and atmospheric pressure, that add to the purely astronomical predictions of the tide tables.

Continue east and then north up the Bosham Channel, and tie up at the west end of Bosham Quay. Bosham is steeped in history. A stroll ashore to visit the church and Anchor Bleu pub will refresh body and soul.

The time of high water is very close to that at Portsmouth. I would plan to arrive alongside the quay as early as tidal height and depth of keel allow, and leave before high water. This is no time to run aground on a falling tide.

Head back to Portsmouth on the west-going stream and marvel at the diversity you have experienced, or extend the magic with an overnight at Sparkes Marina.

ABOVE LEFT

Tides flow strongly in the entrance to Chichester Harbour, especially on the ebb as in this photo.

ABOVE RIGHT

The ‘Camber’ south cardinal doubles up as a tide gauge.

BOTTOM RIGHT

The approach to Bosham Quay

BOTTOM LEFT

The ‘West Pole’ port-hand dolphin, marks the approach to Chichester Harbour

Clive Loughlin teaches for First Class Sailing in the Solent area and is a regular Sailing Today contributor.