SOLENT HANDBOOK & DIRECTORY
Photo: Beken of Cowes
APRIL 2018 - MARCH 2019
Portsmouth Tide Tables sponsored by
Kemp Sails
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INTRODUCTION The Draw of the Solent… Ever since the first Solent Handbook launched in 2011 it has received great support from advertisers, readers, and distributors alike. The Handbook team are eternally grateful for all the support over the last seven years. The Solent continues to attract many sailors from all over the world, with its unique tides and weather it offers everything from a full racing experience to a quiet sail up a secluded creek. So whether you are looking for the thrills of racing or some relaxing cruising, the Solent is definitely the place to be. New for 2018 and our 8th edition we have some great features, including tips on buying your new boat and some great advice from HM Coastguard. As always there are the information essentials: Portsmouth and Cowes tide tables, kindly provided by the UK Hydrographic Office, as well as the updated Buoy Racer Map from Winning Tides, to give you the edge when racing the Solent. There are so many great places to visit around the Solent. We are proud to feature some fantastic businesses that offer everything from skippered yacht charters and boat maintenance, to delicious food made from local produce at one of the fantastic restaurants. Please remember to mention us when visiting any of our advertisers as without their tremendous support we would be unable to produce such a great little handbook. Don’t forget to visit our online publication at solenthandbook.com. This ever evolving website is where sailors can keep up to date with everything that’s happening around the Solent and all the racing fixtures for the year ahead. Finally, we are incredibly grateful that Dame Ellen MacArthur has been kind enough to give up some of her time to contribute to this year’s handbook and provide us with the foreword. Her love of the Solent is clear to see! We are only a small team at the Solent handbook and really hope that you enjoy using it to plan your adventures around the Solent. Happy Sailing! Managing Director Andy Kinnaird Sales Yasmin Attrill Design Tag Design & Print Office 01983 245505 solenthandbook.com Published by Inspired Media © 2018 Inspired Media
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CONTENTS CONTENTS CONTENTS
colour key
Welcome to the Solent - Ellen MacArthur Solent Yacht Clubs
page
6 8-9
Solent Racing
10-15
Cowes Week 2018
16-17
Offshore Racing
18-22
Solent Cruising
23-30
Weather 31-33 Buying Your Yacht
34-36
GPS - The Invisible Utility
38-39
HM Coastguard Advice
40-41
Solent Events Diary
42-51
Solent Events Calendar
52-58
Useful Contacts Solent Ports & Harbours
60 61
Beaulieu River
64-65
Bembridge Harbour
66-67
Chichester Harbour
68-72
Cowes & River Medina
73-82
Fareham 84 Keyhaven 85 Langstone Harbour
86-87
Lymington Harbour
88-91
Newtown Harbour Poole Harbour Port Solent
92 94-96 99
Portsmouth & Gosport
100-107
River Hamble & Warsash
109-113
Ryde Harbour
114
Southampton Water
116-122
Ventnor Haven
123-124
Wootton Creek
126-128
Yarmouth Harbour
129-130
Solent Directory Index
131
Solent Directory
132-139
Cowes Tide Tables
142-148
Portsmouth Tide Tables
150-156
Advertisers’ Index
158-159
Acknowledgements 160 Solent Location Map
Pull out inside back cover
Racing Marks Map
Pull out inside back cover
Photo: Beken of Cowes
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Mill Lane | Newport Isle of Wight | PO30 2LA
A perfect and peaceful haven for visiting yachtsmen from all over the Solent. All of our berths are walkashore, with electricity, water and free Wi-Fi, complimented by a luxury shower block, an on-site chandlery and shop. With our first-class, large Breeze Restaurant serving high quality meals, you won’t find anywhere better to stay during your visit to the Island. Whether you come by boat or by car, everyone is given a very warm welcome! Set in idyllic countryside, with a superb new children’s play area and a riverside cycle track, we are the ideal place for children and dogs. Go on! Try somewhere new! Our future plans include new luxury leisure facilities, which includes a swimming pool, sauna, steam room, spa and Tapas Bar. Marina: 01983 539994 Restaurant: 01983 533388 Email: info@island-harbour.co.uk 5 solenthandbook.com Web: www.island-harbour.co.uk
WELCOME TO THE SOLENT
WELCOME TO THE SOLENT
The Solent became my back yard ‘so to speak’ back in 1998 following my move to the south coast to further my career in sailing. Since then it has been my training ground, a base for every organisation I have been involved with, and most importantly my home. It is a beautiful and naturally sheltered stretch of water which provides as much fun to the novice sailor as for the seasoned professional. Whether your goal is to fine tune your racing skills, or potter up the muddy creeks there is something for everyone. It is the most amazing place for adventures, for getting away from it all... and never has that been more important than for the young people who join Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust each year. As the Sea transformed my life, it repeatedly transforms theirs. For them it is the place which enables them to begin to rebuild their confidence…
Ellen MacArthur British Yachtswoman
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Photo: Beken of Cowes
SOLENT YACHT CLUBS
SOLENT YACHT CLUBS ISLE OF WIGHT Bembridge Sailing Club - 01983 872237 - bembridgesailingclub.org Brading Haven Yacht Club - 01983 872289 - bhyc.org.uk Cowes Corinthian Yacht Club - 01983 296333 - ccyc.org.uk East Cowes Sailing Club - 01983 246846 - eastcowessc.co.uk Fishbourne Sailability Club - 01983 882325 - rvyc.org.uk Gurnard Sailing Club - 01983 295169 - gurnardsc.org.uk Island Sailing Club - 01983 296621 - islandsc.org.uk Royal Corinthian Yacht Club - 02074 932248 - rcyc.co.uk Royal London Yacht Club - 01983 299727 - rlyc.org.uk Royal Ocean Racing Club Cowes - 01983 293581 - rorc.org Royal Ocean Racing Club Race Office - 01983 295144 - rorc.org Royal Solent Yacht Club - 01983 760256 - royalsolent.org Royal Victoria Yacht Club - 01983 882325 - rvyc.org.uk Royal Yacht Squadron - 01983 292191 - rys.org.uk Sea View Yacht Club - 01983 613268 - svyc.org.uk Shanklin Sailing Club - 01983 721264 - shanklinsailingclub.com Yarmouth Sailing Club - 01983 760270 - yarmouthsailingclub.org.uk
HAMPSHIRE Ashlett Sailing Club - 02380 897612 - ashlettsc.co.uk Beaulieu River Sailing Club - 01590 616273 - brsc.org.uk Calshot Cats Sailing Club - 02380 893337 - calshotcats.co.uk Castle Sailing Club - 02380 734444 - castlesailingclub.org.uk Eling Sailing Club - elingsc.org.uk Emsworth Sailing Club - 01243 372850 - emsworthsc.org.uk Emsworth Slipper Sailing Club - 01243 372523 - emsworthslippersc.org.uk Fareham Sailing & Motor Boat Club - 01329 280738 - ospreyiii.co.uk/fsmbcnet5 Fleetlands Sailing Club - 02392 543234 Hamble River Sailing Club - 02380 452070 - hrsc.org.uk Hardway Sailing Club - 02392 581875 - hardwaysailingclub.co.uk Hayling Island Sailing Club - 02392 463768 - hisc.co.uk Hill Head Sailing Club - 01329 664843 - hillheadsc.org.uk Hornet Sailing Club - 02392 580403 - hornetservicessailing.org.uk Hurst Castle Sailing Club - 01590 719361 - hcsc.org.uk Hythe Sailing Club - 02380 846563 - hythesailingclub.co.uk IBM Yacht Club - ibmhursleysailing.org.uk Keyhaven Yacht Club - 01590 642165 - keyhavenyachtclub.co.uk Langstone Sailing Club - 02392 484577 - langstonesc.org.uk Lee-On-The-Solent Sailing Club - 02392 550317 - lossc.co.uk Locks Sailing Club, Portsmouth - 07980 856267 - lockssc.co.uk Lymington Town Sailing Club - 01590 674514 - ltsc.co.uk Marchwood Yacht Club - 02380 666141 - marchwoodyc.org.uk Mengeham Rythe Sailing Club - 02392 463337 - mengeham.org.uk Netley Cliff Sailing Club - 02380 455826 - ncsc.co.uk Netley Sailing Club ASA - 02380 454272 - netleysc.co.uk Port Solent Yacht Club - psyc.uk.com Portchester Sailing Club - 02392 376375 - portchestersc.co.uk Portsmouth Harbour Cruising Club - 023 9266 4337 - phcconline.co.uk Portsmouth Sailing Club - 02392 820596 - portsmouthsc.co.uk Royal Air Force Yacht Club - 02380 452208 - rafyc.co.uk Royal Armoured Corps Yacht Club - 02392 765635 - racyc.co.uk Royal Lymington Yacht Club - 01590 672677 - rlymyc.org.uk Royal Naval Club & Royal Albert Yacht Club - 02392 825924 - rnc-rayc.co.uk Royal Southampton Yacht Club - 02380 223352 - rsyc.org.uk Royal Southern Yacht Club - 02380 450300 - royal-southern.co.uk Salterns Sailing Club - 01590 682811 - salternssailingclub.co.uk 8
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SOLENT YACHT CLUBS
Seafarers Sailing Club - 01329 662465 - seafarers-sailing-club.org.uk Southampton Sailing Club - 02380 446575 - southamptonsailingclub.com Spinnaker Sailing Club - 01425 483692 - spinnakerclub.co.uk St Denys Sailing & Rowing Club - 02380 970965 - stdenysboats.co.uk Stokes Bay Sailing Club - 02392 581513 - stokesbay-sc.co.uk Thorney Island Sailing Club - 01243 371731 - tisc.org.uk Tudor Sailing Club - 02392 662002 - tudorsailing.org.uk/TudorSailing Warsash Sailing Club - 01489 583575 - warsashsc.org.uk Weston Sailing Club - 02380 452527 - weston.org.uk Yateley Offshore Sailing Club - 01276 31241 - yosc.org.uk
LONDON Royal Ocean Racing Club - 02074 932248 - rorc.org Royal Thames Racing Club - 02072 352121 - royalthames.com
WEST SUSSEX Chichester Cruiser Racing Club - ccrc.co.uk Chichester Yacht Club - 01243 512918 - cyc.co.uk
DORSET East Dorset Sailing Club - eastdorsetsailingclub.co.uk Lilliput Sailing Club - 01202 740319 - lilliputsc.org.uk Parkstone Yacht Club - 01202 743610 - parkstoneyachtclub.com The Poole Yacht Club - 01202 672687 - pooleyc.co.uk
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SOLENT RACING
SOLENT RACING A few people claim to dislike racing in the Solent, because it’s such a tricky place. It’s true that it has strong tides, complex wind patterns, lots of leisure and commercial traffic, choppy water, and ever-changing conditions - but, for many sailors, it’s the complexity that makes Solent racing such a rewarding challenge.
Photo: Beken of Cowes
Windward-leeward courses set in areas of no tide and with steady winds may create a ‘fairer’ race course but they can become repetitive and limited in their challenge. Boat speed and tactics are highlighted but strategy, navigation, and boat handling get much more of a test around Solent courses. The ideal, of course, is to enjoy and learn from both. Fortunately, the Solent offers plenty of locations that allow a variety of courses, even windward-leeward courses in areas that enjoy some tidal shelter. Consequently, this wonderful, sheltered area is home to a rich mixture of events, including racing for dinghies, small keelboats, cruiserracers, and handicap and level-racing for larger racing yachts. Most racing from Cowes for example, and there is a huge amount of it in all types of boats, takes place in the central Solent but courses can also be set in the eastern and western Solent, depending on conditions. The Hill Head Plateau, just to the east of the Brambles Bank, is a favourite place for race officers to set windward-leeward courses as it benefits from shallow water for easy mark laying and the tidal shadow of the bank to its west. Sometimes, though, race officers forget that there are other areas in the central Solent that can be even better for windward-leeward courses in some combinations of wind and tide. The area inshore and to the northwest of the Thorn channel, and the area to the east of Osborne Bay under the Isle of Wight shore, can both be good alternatives, as can close under the mainland shore, inshore of the north channel around the Brambles. In this section of the Solent Handbook you’ll find some general information on Solent racing, including types of courses, how racing is organised, getting involved, finding crew, and preparing for racing. For more information ask at your local club and check solenthandbook.com.
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SOLENT RACING SOLENT RACING
Types of racing Many people think of the Solent as mainly suitable for day racing keelboats and cruiser-racers rather than dinghy racing. In fact, there is plenty of opportunity for dinghy racing despite the tidal rates in much of the area, which are not ideal for small boat racing.
Dinghies The most popular area for dinghy racing is just outside the Solent, at Hayling Island Sailing Club. Tidal conditions in Hayling Bay are easier than in the Solent and traffic near the racing areas is considerably less. Within the Solent, however, there is still plenty of dinghy racing. Just west of Cowes is Gurnard Sailing Club which is the main dinghy club on the Isle of Wight. Elsewhere, there is dinghy racing out of clubs in Lymington and Yarmouth, the Hamble River, Southampton Water, the area between Hill Head and Stokes Bay, which has three dinghy clubs in close proximity, and at Wootton on the Isle of Wight.
Small keelboats The small keelboat classes are, for many people, the heart of Solent racing. Classes which race most weekends throughout the season include the classic Daring class, Dragons, Etchells, Flying Fifteens, Sonars, X One Designs, and Laser SB3s. All these fleets have class starts in Cowes Week with the SB3s and XoDs being the two largest classes in the Week.
Cruising racing and big boat racing If you’re into yacht racing there really is plenty of choice with most Solent yacht clubs running their own evening race series plus summer weekend race series. Then there is the racing run by JOG and RORC. JOG - the Junior Offshore Group - runs both an inshore and offshore series for yachts racing under IRC with both series proving very popular. RORC - the Royal Ocean Racing Club - organises a series of offshore races from Cowes, which count towards the season’s championship. RORC also runs the Fastnet Race and Commodores’ Cup, both biennial events that alternate with each other. This year it is the turn of the IRC European Championship incorporating the Commodores’ Cup, which starts on 8 June. For those who prefer yacht racing on windward-leeward courses, there are ample opportunities for that too. And, if you prefer racing classic yachts even that is catered for, with The Metre & Classic Keelboat Regatta, and Panerai British Classic Week which is steadily growing in popularity and attracting some truly gorgeous yachts.
Photo: Beken of Cowes
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SOLENT RACING
SOLENT RACING Types of course When racing in the Solent the two most common types of courses you’ll encounter are windward-leeward courses from a committee boat start line or round-the-cans courses, usually from one of the clubs’ shore lines or occasionally from a committee boat start. A committee-boat start can be set up in several locations in and around the central Solent The spreader mark, but the most used location is on 1A, may not be used the Hill Head Plateau to the north of the main channel and east of the 1 1A Brambles Bank. On busy weekends several courses may be set in this area so it is Typically 1-2 miles important to find out the approximate location of the committee boat before heading out. Start/Finish line A windward-leeward course may If two buoys form have the start line between the a leeward gate windward and leeward marks, or to pass between 2 them leeward of the leeward mark. Also, there may be a leeward gate rather than a single mark.
Starting sequence The Racing Rules of Sailing standard start sequence is often used, especially for racing on windward-leeward courses. The standard sequence (rrS 26) can be changed in the Sailing Instructions (SIs) and for shore line starts from Cowes, for example, it may be changed to give a longer period between the Warning and Preparatory signals. In these cases the Warning signal is given 10 minutes before the start, with the Preparatory signal hoisted at 5 minutes before the start, and lowered at 1 Signal Flag and sound Warning signal Class flag; 1 sound
Minutes before starting signal 5
Preparatory signal
P, I, Z, Z with I, or black flag; 1 sound
4
One-minute signal
Preparatory flag removed; 1 long sound
1
Starting signal
Class flag removed; 1 sound
0
minute before the start.
Racing rules All racers should familiarise themselves with the latest Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS) 2017-2020. They are revised and published every four years by the International Sailing Federation and a copy of the current RRS, highlighted to show changes, can be downloaded from www.sailing.org/ documents/racingrules/index.php. Make sure that you read and understand the rules - it will help keep you out of trouble and give you an advantage on the race course.
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SOLENT RACING
SOLENT RACING Signals Racing is governed by the use of flag signals - often with accompanying sound signals.The flag is always the primary system; if the sound signal fails it is disregarded. Visual signals - flags or shapes - are used to control races and the attention of competitors is drawn to the visual signals by sound signals. When a visual signal is displayed over a class flag, the signal applies only to that class. PREPARATORY SIGNALS CONT.
AP (Answering Pennant) - Races that have not started are postponed. The warning signal will be made one minute after removal of the AP unless at that time the race is postponed again or abandoned.
AP over H - Races not started are postponed. Further signals ashore.
AP over A - Races not started are postponed. No more racing today.
AP over a numeral pennant 1-6 - Races are postponed by 1-6 hours from the scheduled starting time. Note: In Cowes, it is common for clubs to use an AP over AP with two sound signals to indicate racing is postponed and competitors are requested not to leave harbour. ABANDONMENT SIGNALS
N - All races that have started are abandoned. The warning signal will be made one minute after the signal is removed, unless the race is again abandoned or postponed.
Z - 20% Penalty rule, rule 30.2 is in force.
Black flag - Black flag rule, rule 30.3 is in force. RECALL SIGNALS
X - Individual recall.
First Substitute - General recall. The warning signal will be made one minute after the signal is removed. COURSE CHANGE SIGNALS
S - Rule 32.2 is in force. The course has been shortened.
C - The position of the next mark has been changed. OTHER SIGNALS
F - Optional Attention Signal: The warning signal will be displayed five minutes after this signal. This signal will be removed one minute before the next signal. Not used for classes which use Flag F as their class flag.
N over H - All races are abandoned. Further signals will be made ashore. L - Flown afloat : Come within hail or follow this boat. Flown ashore: A notice to competitors has been posted.
N over A - All races are abandoned. No more racing today.
M - The object displaying this signal replaces a missing mark.
PREPARATORY SIGNALS
Y - Personal buoyancy must be worn. P - Preparatory signal. Blue flag or shape - This race committee boat is in position at the finishing line. I - Round-an-End rule, rule 30.1 is in force.
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Race preparation, crew, and equipment
You may think that when you line up to start you’ve got as good a chance as most of the fleet for a good place in the race.You’d be wrong! Most races are won before the start thanks to the work the skipper and crew put in to prepare themselves and the boat to do well on the race course. Some of that preparation may begin months or years beforehand in preparing the boat so it has the speed and reliability to win, and preparing the crew so that they can handle the boat efficiently in all conditions and circumstances. Other preparation takes place just before the race when the skipper and crew learn the SIs, check the weather and tide, arrive at the course early, and make the strategic decisions.
Getting crew
Having a good crew is always important and it often takes weeks or months to develop a crew’s skills and ability to work together. Finding crew can be difficult - although the more successful you are on the race course the easier it is! A good place to start is your local yacht club and others in the area. Post a note on their message boards and websites, and look around for online forums. The bigger events, such as the Round the Island Race in association with Cloudy Bay and Cowes Week, have forums on their websites where you can advertise for crew and crew can advertise for a boat. Once you’ve found a crew, make sure you sail, and preferably race, with them before the big event. Training should cover the boat layout and its gear, safety procedures, and boat handling in all the important manoeuvres and sail changes.
Skipper’s check list
Your actual check list will depend on the type of boat, length of race, and course location but for a typical Solent race make sure you consider: • Have sufficient crew, all the sails you’ll need, with all the gear in working order, including safety equipment, and get afloat well ahead of start time with plenty of time to sail to the course area. • If you keep your boat afloat, has the bottom been scrubbed within the last two weeks? It’s amazing how many boats you see racing which have dirty hulls. • Race information - Make sure you have a copy of the sailing instructions (SIs), an up-to-date racing chart of the area (Solent buoys may change position and/or name from one year to the next so get a 2018 racing chart now, and the times of High Water for the day, with a good tidal stream chart for the area - the more detailed the better. • Bottled water and something to snack on, and the right sailing clothing for the conditions. Don’t forget a hat and sunscreen. Watch the weather trends for 3-5 days ahead of the event, and start studying it in detail in the 24 hours ahead of the event. Go afloat with an up-to-date forecast and study how any changes expected during the day may affect the strategy for the race.
Preparing for offshore racing
If you’re heading offshore you’ll need more food and drink, and more clothing plus more detailed weather and route planning ahead of the race. You may also need to add safety equipment, depending on the category of the race. Offshore races can be tough on both boat and crew so make sure the boat and its equipment are in top class order and always sail with a crew that has sufficient experience among it to deal with a long race or with bad conditions.
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SOLENT RACING
SOLENT RACING
COWES WEEK COWES WEEK
Lendy Cowes Week 4 - 11 August 2018
Photo: Beken of Cowes
Cowes Week is one of the UK’s longest running and most successful sporting events and is a key highlight of the British sporting summer. It has been held in early August every year since 1826, except during the two world wars. Traditionally, Cowes Week takes place after Glorious Goodwood and before the Glorious Twelfth (the first day of the grouse shooting season). Over the years the event has attracted British and foreign royalty, and many famous faces. The regatta has evolved enormously since its early beginnings, and now over 800 boats in up to 40 different classes race over eight days. It is this mixture of classic and ultra-modern designs that gives the regatta its unique flavour. Several classes that raced 50 years ago are still racing today and new classes are included as they increase in popularity. 2018 sees the introduction of a Big Boat Around the Island Race on Thursday 9 August, which is open to the larger yachts participating in the RORC organised Sevenstar Round Britain & Ireland Race which starts from Cowes on Sunday 12 August. At the other end of the scale, the Squib class is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2018, plus holding its National Championship during the regatta and spectators can expect to see up to 100 of these lovely little yachts starting from either a Committee Boat or the Royal Yacht Squadron throughout the week. Lendy Cowes Week has a number of themes running throughout the week that involve both competitors and visitors. Sustainability Day on the first Saturday will start the week off by raising awareness of sustainability and what we can do to help reduce the amount of non-biodegradable waste that ends up in landfill or the oceans.
Photo: Provided by Lendy Cowes Week
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COWES WEEK
COWES WEEK
Photo: Provided by Lendy Cowes Week
Family Day on Sunday 5 August will see a host of family-friendly activities taking place on The Parade, Cowes Yacht Haven and Northwood House. Families can also get out on the water on one of the spectator boats for a special discounted rate. Monday 6 August is Charity Day and the new official event charity, the 1851 Trust, will be providing various activities during the week and looking to enable young people to get afloat and experience the excitement of sailing at this iconic event. Further plans will be announced in the spring. Lendy Ladies Day, on Tuesday 7 August is a celebration of women in sailing and sailors and spectators are encouraged to enter into the spirit of the day by dressing in a navy-and-white nautical theme. A spotlight on young sailors is the theme for Youth Day on Wednesday 8 August, celebrating and championing the next generation in sailing. Aerial displays are planned for the evening of Friday 10 August followed by the spectacular firework display both of which have been wowing the crowds at Cowes Week for years. For further information on the week’s activities please visit the event website www.lendycowesweek.co.uk Around 8,000 competitors now participate, ranging from Olympic and world-class yachtsmen to occasional weekend sailors. The spectacle that the racing provides, together with the vibrant shoreside atmosphere, attracts over 100,000 visitors to Cowes during the event and makes it one of the largest regattas of its kind in the world. Cowes Week Shoreside The lively apres-sail atmosphere at Cowes Week means there are plenty of social and exciting onshore activities for sailors and the thousands of spectators who visit Cowes each year. Cowes has a fantastic range of pubs, cafes, restaurants and yachts clubs, all welcoming competitors and visitors to the town. Combined with the pop-up venues, bars, retailers and stage at Cowes Yacht Haven, the bars and entertainment at Shepards Wharf Marina, Northwood Park Lawn Lounge and the busy Cowes Parade with its Spinnaker Bar and live entertainment, there really is something for everyone. lendycowesweek.co.uk
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OFFSHORE RACING
OFFSHORE RACING CONTRIBUTED BY CRAIG NUTTER SPONSORED BY MEDINA YARD
Craig has an awesome sailing CV, which includes competing in two British America’s Cup teams and working to win two Olympic Medals. He gets special pleasure spending time on the water with his family.
Photo: Beken of Cowes
It had been a long day. The sun set shortly after 8.30pm following 15 hours of daylight. We had sailed on the wind throughout and tacked six or eight times as Skipper and tactician worked small shifts in the wind to move us along the course. We were racing in an average 16 knots of breeze, so the No. 2 Jib was getting a good workout. The coast had occasionally been visible off to the right in the summer haze. Now, as evening drew in, daylight dimmed and temperatures dropped, a steady procession began. One at a time the on-deck crew slithered down below to don extra layers and lifejackets, before re-appearing to resume our adventure. There is a love-hate relationship with the lifejacket. We all know the benefits but they only work when they are on and fitted properly. Often harness lines get tangled and they restrict movement. But they do provide an extra two kilos per man as we sit on the rail and should keep us alive long enough to get found and picked up should we go overboard. In accordance with the racing rules and collision regulations at sea, we turn Nav lights on and check to see they are working. I like to do this half an hour before sunset to allow time to effect repairs if necessary. We are a crew of 15 sailors on a 52-foot race boat in an offshore race. We are in it together, committed to the contest with a real appreciation that the faster the boat goes the shorter the race will be. Going offshore sees you enter a different place that alters your values. Here a tepid coffee tastes great and being able to lie resting on a wet sail for your allotted hour or so is refreshing. I state the term ‘rest’ deliberately, because sleep is not always possible.
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OFFSHORE RACING OFFSHORE RACING
Most yachts are capable of going offshore and doing long passages. But it is the unrelenting effort of pushing a performance race boat that provides the sense that the boat and the sails above are pulling you towards the finish making the most from the elements, which are so vital. That feeling of salt water spray drying on your face and clothes as a crust; the wind and varying nature of the sea surface; the motion this transfers to the yacht travelling across the fluid surface; it affects everything. We have instruments that take measurements every fraction of a second - hull speed through the water, its temperature, wind speed true, apparent and the angle from the bow. We know the position of the boat to within a few metres. But are we racing in the right place? Are we heading the right way? This huge picture is completely opposite to the sharp intense focus required to pour hot water into several mugs, dissolve the granules or powder within, and then get these on deck to outstretched, clutching hands. Daylight finally recedes over the horizon, leaving just a floating red amber ribbon to herald night. Now there is a task to do. On the rail we had been aware that it might be coming. Two of us jump into action. I am inside the boat below deck; my back is rubbing against the cold, black, carbon skin of the underside of the deck, as I try to pull the headsail bag forward.
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OFFSHORE RACING
OFFSHORE RACING There is lots of noise and it is dark apart from the glowing back-up chart plotter screen and the lashing beam from a head torch at the other end of the sail bag. It is being worn by the enthusiastic nipper who dashed forward, keen to lend me a helping hand. We hurry to get the sail because we are down to leeward of the heeling race boat - not the best place for our weight to be. The next sail is needed on deck ready for a change if the building breeze holds. The water rushes past the hull, whooshing as everything rises and bucks while moving through the waves. At least being down this side we are not disturbing the off watch who are in four bunks pulled up against the hull on the weather side. Moving around brings a welcome break from the wind and damp chill outside. Decked out in foul weather gear and thermal layers, we quickly heat up. It is not a long job and we are back on deck within minutes. We free the sail from its bag and turn off the head torches to avoid damaging the on-deck night vision. Finishing the task, I go forward and grab pre-packed bags of muesli bars and chocolate from the ‘goodies locker’ for the night watch. We share the treats out along the rail. Harness leashes are retrieved and reconnected to our lifejackets as we resume our position - hiking out with legs over the side and heads under the top lifelines. Slowly the boat settles down again and we await the call to change headsails. It doesn’t feel too bad and the dull light from instruments numbers show the wind has eased slightly.
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We are attempting to get past a crucial tidal gate of the nearby headland. The decision was made earlier to delay the preparation and distribution of dinner until after we get round. It was going to be tight but the advantage would be worth it, so the goodie bag was essential. The meal will require a crewmember down below to heat up individual pre-packed portions of ‘splodge’ that can be eaten using a spoon straight out of the bag it was heated up in.These being dished out, eaten and the empties returned always cause a little disruption in the rhythm of the boat. The food itself is like Marmite - you either love it or accept the evil necessity the calories provide.
Photo: Beken of Cowes
The race is going into the second night. It seems a long time ago since we undid the dock lines from the boat and left them alongside the fenders and assorted equipment we decided was not essential. It always feels different from going out to ‘race around the cans’. Photo: Beken of Cowes
Offshore by its very definition means going away from the land, venturing out for long enough for the weather and other things to change and long enough to possibly miss being ashore. The process invokes an element of uncertainty and a release from the shackles of shore side life. It highlights preparation, experience and the abilities of those competing together.
Photo: Beken of Cowes
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OFFSHORE RACING
OFFSHORE RACING
OFFSHORE RACING
OFFSHORE RACING
Photo: Beken of Cowes
Around the yacht everything and everyone is doing a job. The crew comes together or is chosen to maximise the yachts potential, meshing the components of rig, foils, sails, hull, controls and each other on board. It offers the antithesis of the modern age, where the quick fix or the immediate gratification is cast aside. Here you are; you sit, leaning out for hour after hour playing your small part in helping the boat go fast to a destination - a long way over the horizon.
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SOLENT CRUISING
Photo: Beken of Cowes
The Solent is renowned as one of the most popular recreational boating areas in the world but it’s much more than that. Formed around 7,000 years ago, when the Solent river estuary gradually flooded at the end of the last ice age, the Isle of Wight became separated from the mainland as the chalk ridge between The Needles and Old Harry Rocks on the mainland eroded. Today, the Solent has more small estuaries in close proximity than anywhere else in Great Britain and is located in one of the most sheltered channels in Europe. It is unique in Europe for its complex tides and the long periods of stand at high and low waters. The wide range of marine habitats makes the Solent of international significance for wildlife, and one of the most important sites on the bird migration routes from the Arctic to Africa. With its huge diversity of wildlife and habitats, along with its heritage and archaeological importance, much of the coastline has protected status and is recognised as being of national and international importance. The Solent’s unique characteristics have made Southampton the leading cruise port and one of the main commercial ports in the country and enabled Portsmouth’s maritime heritage and naval importance. Consequently, the Solent has a high level of shipping movements with vessels of all types being seen. The huge diversity of the area, together with the close proximity of many ports, harbours, and anchorages, makes the Solent a wonderful cruising ground for sailors and powerboaters. The choice in number, size, and atmosphere of the many destinations in the Solent make it perfect for weekending or holiday cruising, especially when family cruising as there is much to satisfy all tastes. While mid-sized and large yachts and powerboats tend to congregate in the larger yachting centres such as Lymington, Cowes, Hamble, and Portsmouth there are many other destinations and anchorages available to smaller craft and those who don’t wish to follow the well-plowed wakes of the majority. The double high tides of the Solent add to its cruising benefits but the strength and complexities of the tidal streams must be taken into account
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SOLENT CRUISING
SOLENT CRUISING when planning and making passages in the Solent. See Cowes Tide Tables and Portsmouth Tide Tables. Good weather information is readily available in this area, both actual and forecast (refer to ‘Weather’ and ‘Useful Contacts’), but make allowance for the fact that the geography of the area impacts on the wind as it does for the tides and many weather models do not accurately predict local Solent variations. In summer, especially when the morning’s gradient wind is northwest, look for a sea breeze from late morning, building through the afternoon when it can deliver a fresh southwesterly. If this is blowing against an ebb tide conditions can become quite choppy before calming down again as the sea breeze loses its power. Approaches to the Solent The Solent can be entered from the west or east. At the western end, the eroded chalk cliffs of The Needles, together with its iconic lighthouse, have been a welcome sight to many returning sailors over the centuries, while to the east, the more protected entrance is through the Forts, where Portsmouth and Spithead, with all their maritime heritage, greet the sailor’s arrival. From the west Heading for the Solent from Poole or further west the obvious choice is to enter through the Needles channel. In light to moderate conditions with a favourable tide the main channel south of the notorious Shingles Bank is benign, but if the ebb is running expect a more turbulent entry and if a west or southwest wind of more than Force 5-6 is fighting a strong ebb tide this is definitely a place to avoid. Breaking seas over The Bridge, rough water in the channel, and overfalls in Hurst Narrows all await the incautious. A far less vigorous option, which is much under-used, is the North channel which is approached to the north of the Shingles and is much safer in rough weather. Stay to the north of the Shingles and leave North Head buoy to starboard, turning into the channel which runs parallel to Hurst beach. When entering Hurst Narrows take care to avoid The Trap which is a steepsided shingle spit extending out from the beach near the round fort. Once past, the shingle bank runs northeast and is fairly steep-sided with room to anchor for shelter or a lunch stop.
Photo: Beken of Cowes
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SOLENT CRUISING
SOLENT CRUISING From the east Arriving from the east, the main entrance is between Horse Sand Fort to the north and No Man’s Land Fort to the south. If coming from Langstone or Chichester harbours there is a shorter route using the Main Passage in the submerged barrier between Horse Sand Fort and the mainland, or the Boat Passage close to the shore is available for small craft. Since the submerged barrier between No Man’s Land Fort was removed passage can be made inshore of the fort with at least a depth of 2m over foul ground between the Fort and the red post to the southwest, which is useful when approaching from the south. Once past the fort make sure to avoid the extensive Ryde Sands by staying far enough north to clear the red post at the northeastern extremity of the Sands by a decent margin. Note that the Sands to the west of the post extend slightly north of it so don’t cut the corner near low water. The western Solent The western Solent offers two different but attractive coastlines, varied wildlife habitats and less commercial traffic than the central or eastern parts. It has a wide area of navigable water for most yachts and motor cruisers, is well buoyed, and offers a great choice of harbours and anchorages within 8 miles. With Keyhaven, Lymington, Beaulieu,Yarmouth, and Newtown all within easy reach the western Solent offers the choice between anchoring among
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SOLENT CRUISING SOLENT CRUISING
beautiful scenery and wildlife, or picking a pontoon or mooring in attractive towns with good facilities and attractions. At the western end, Keyhaven is often missed but is good to explore near High Water or for a lunch-stop anchorage in the shelter of Hurst Spit. Lymington or Yarmouth are very popular stopping points in the western Solent while Beaulieu and Newtown are favourite haunts for peace and wildlife. The volume of boats, both power and sail, during busy summer weekends and holidays mean that it can be difficult finding a berth in the popular areas and it is sensible to book ahead if possible or risk being unable to find a vacant berth or mooring, or even space to anchor. Solent tidal streams always make it worthwhile working the tide in small boats, especially near Springs, but the location of the western Solent harbours makes them convenient for cross-tide visits. So if the tide doesn’t serve for a passage from Lymington to Beaulieu, Newtown, or Cowes, a trip across to Yarmouth for lunch until the tide turns is an attractive detour. When punching tide along the Solent, the greatest tidal relief is found to the north of the channel where the bottom is less steep-to than on the Island shore. When fighting tide along the Island shore beware Gurnard, Salt Mead, and Hamstead Ledges and make sure that you calculate the height of tide carefully if you choose to stay close to the shore. Tidal streams in excess of 3.5 knots are experienced around Spring tides, particularly between Gurnard Ledge and Cowes, and between Yarmouth and Hurst Narrows. In strong wind against tide conditions, most commonly when an ebb stream meets a strong west or southwesterly wind, the seas in the western Solent can be steep and breaking, uncomfortable conditions for small to medium sized yachts or motor cruisers. Conditions are likely to be less rough north of the channel, in shallower water and out of the strongest tide. When heading for Cowes from the western Solent in rough conditions stay in mid-Solent or further north until level with Egypt Point before heading for Cowes to avoid the roughest water off Gurnard Bay.
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SOLENT CRUISING
SOLENT CRUISING If heading for the eastern Solent or Southampton Water stay slightly south of Lepe Spit to avoid the roughest water in the strong stream that flows around the Spit. The central Solent The central Solent is a busy place with commercial traffic from east and west converging to head up the Thorn channel and into Southampton Water, along with ferries heading in and out of Cowes. The most important feature to avoid is the Brambles Bank, which lies at the western end of the Hill Head Plateau and borders the Thorn channel to the east. This shallow patch claims many an unwary yacht or powerboat each season. Much yacht racing takes place on the Hill Head Plateau because of the tidal relief obtained here and considerate cruising sailors and powerboaters should avoid passing through the fleets of race boats. Very large ships approach the Thorn channel from the east, making the tight turn to starboard off Cowes to enter the channel. When the ebb is running vessels start their turn off Cowes, while on the flood they turn later, near Gurnard cardinal buoy. The size and density of the commercial traffic in this area, together with their speed, makes it imperative to keep a good lookout. Remember that there is a Precautionary Area between Calshot and Cowes where all vessels over 150m are given a Moving Prohibited Zone of 1,000 metres ahead and 100 metres to either side. All vessels under 20m must stay clear of this moving zone.
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To the north of the Brambles Bank, the North channel provides access to Southampton Water for small commercial craft coming from the west, saving them the extra distance needed to round the Brambles to the south and the passage up the Thorn channel. To the north of this channel the Hill Head and Lee-on-Solent shorelines are popular areas for dinghy sailing, windsurfing, kitesurfing, and jet skiing. Small recreational fishing boats are also found throughout the central Solent, often anchored on the plateau or near the shorelines. The Solent’s most famous port, Cowes, lies at the centre of the Solent and its convenient geographical position, plus its easy entry, make it a popular destination for yachts and powerboats of all types. As it is also the home of passenger and car ferry operations, plus commercial traffic headed up the river Medina, the entrance is often crowded and care should be taken when entering or leaving. The tide off Cowes runs very strongly and due allowance for the strong east or west going stream should be made when entering or leaving as the stream changes direction in the harbour entrance. When a strong wind meets a strong tide off Cowes the seas on Prince Consort Shoal can get quite lumpy. This can be avoided if coming from the east by staying inshore but beware of The Shrape mud which, at low tide, extends almost as far as the racing buoys, and do not be tempted to cut through the extensive mooring buoys which line the east side of the harbour round No. 2 red can at the entrance before heading upriver. The other main yachting harbour in the central Solent is the Hamble river with its many marinas and yachting facilities. Southampton Water has much commercial traffic but there are still places for the leisure sailor to explore including Ashlett Creek on the west side below the Fawley Marine Terminal jetties. Further up Southampton Water is Hythe Marina Village on the west side, while Ocean Village Marina is just beyond Southampton Dockhead up the River Itchen with Shamrock Quay and Saxon Wharf a bit further on beyond the Itchen Bridge. Small boats have plenty of exploration available to them in both the rivers Test and Itchen. The eastern Solent The eastern Solent has a different character to the western arm and the mainland shore is more developed. The sand and gravel sea bed which predominates to the west gives way to a greater proportion of mud in
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SOLENT CRUISING
SOLENT CRUISING
SOLENT CRUISING
SOLENT CRUISING
Photo: Beken of Cowes
the east. Cross-Solent ferry traffic is high with car ferries operating between Portsmouth and Fishbourne at the entrance to Wootton Creek. Fast passenger catamarans run between Portsmouth and Ryde Pier head while the last remaining passenger hovercraft service runs between Southsea and Ryde. The major deep water shipping channel is south of Ryde Middle bank and very large ships regularly transit the area, with outgoing and incoming vessels often passing in the eastern Solent.Yachts and powerboats using this area should try to avoid the main channel, either staying to the south of the channel in ample water off the Island shore, or passing over Ryde Middle bank to the north of the main channel. The North channel runs to the north of Ryde Middle bank and is used by smaller commercial and military craft. The eastern Solent is also often busy at weekends and in high summer with yachts racing. On the Island shore, Osborne Bay, just to the east of Cowes, is a popular day-time or overnight anchorage as it is well sheltered from west or southwest winds and has an attractive shoreline. Just to the east, Wootton Creek is nice to explore in a small boat and when the tide serves but the entrance is dominated by the car ferry terminal and caution is needed when ferries are arriving and leaving. Further east is Ryde Pier and, beyond, the small Ryde Harbour which is accessible only around high tide and by small to medium sized shallow draft boats. Ryde Sands is the major obstacle in this area and this extensive sandbank catches out many unwary craft. To the north, the coastline turns northeast at Gilkicker Point and runs to the narrow entrance to Portsmouth Harbour. Portsmouth has much to offer the sailor or powerboater looking for exploration with a variety of marinas and opportunities for anchoring. Beyond the forts to the east lie Langstone and Chichester harbours, both of which have bars at their entrances which make it unsafe to enter or leave in rough conditions, such as when a strong southerly wind opposes a strong ebb tide. Both harbours are superb boating areas that are particularly appealing to owners of small yachts and powerboats who enjoy exploring, creek crawling, and wildlife watching. Together with the varied ports, harbours, and anchorages within the Solent, Langstone and Chichester make up the most compact yet varied cruising ground in Europe, a real treasure to be enjoyed and protected. 30
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CONTRIBUTED BY SIMON ROWELL ROWELL YACHTING SERVICES
Sea Breezes & Thermal Enhancement | The Effect of the Land Heating Up. Fig 1: initial development of sea breeze
The sea breeze is the sailor’s saviour on hot, still summer days when the country’s sitting under an enormous high pressure system with very little geostrophic, or gradient-driven wind.
It’s caused by the way the land heats up faster than the sea. In the morning the land will heat up (a rise of 2˚ to 3˚C over sea surface temperature is sufficient) and by around lunch time (Figure 1) the air above the land will have started to warm up and expand. As it does so it expands up and out to sea. It can’t expand back inshore as the air there is also expanding. This removal of air over the land causes a localised low pressure, and the air moving out to sea cools and adds to the air there, forming a localised high pressure – lo and behold, we now have a circulation going. If there is a gentle offshore geostrophic gradient-drive wind above the boundary layer this helps matters along. As the day moves on the temperature difference between land and sea increases, driving the process more. Also, moist air coming back onto land will rise and as it does so the water vapour in it will condense to form a line of cumulus clouds along the coast (Figure 2). This effect can be felt several miles out to sea. Fig 2: established sea breeze
Sea breeze is as affected by Coriolis as any other airflow, and in the northern hemisphere it will bend to the right, in other words veer, going onshore, and to the left, back, in the southern hemisphere. This makes a difference to the course you can hold, as shown in Figure 3. However, this is affected by the orientation of the gradient-driven wind with respect to the shoreline. This is probably a good time to introduce the Quadrant Model, developed by a previous British Sailing Team meteorologist, David Houghton and described, with other things, very well in the book “Wind Strategy (Sail to Win)” by him & Fiona Campbell Fig 3: the effect of Coriolis on sea breeze in the northern (left) and southern (also an Olympic (right) hemispheres forecaster). This describes what happens when the gradient-driven wind, i.e. the wind driven by the overall synoptic gradient, comes from different directions with respect to the shoreline. The first thing to do is define the quadrants.
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WEATHER
WEATHER
WEATHER WEATHER
If you use the general line of the shore as a reference and imagine yourself looking directly at the shore from your boat, then the quadrants are defined as per Figure 4. Quadrant 1 – the best for sea breeze (Figure 5). Initially, before everything’s heated up, the wind diverges along the shore anyway, due to less friction over the water and Fig 4: the Quadrants. Green is land, blue is water. the wind veering as it goes offshore. This gives a localised band of diverging air along the coast – just perfect to be filled as the sea breeze cell starts and air subsiding offshore starts to come onshore. As the subsiding sea breeze starts it will be straight onshore and quite light. As it gets stronger and more established it will go right as it heads in. As the sea is relatively cool the sea breeze will cool the land down, which lessens the cell’s strength, which then allows the land to heat up, which strengthens the cell – long phase shifts, and also long phase strengthening/weakening.
Fig 5: Q1 morning set up (left), showing the divergence along the shore & the band of surface low pressure. The sea breeze develops (right), initially at right angles to the shore then building & veering right.
Quadrant 2 – more patchy with bands of pressure (Figure 6). Initially, before everything’s heated up, the wind converges along the shore, due to less friction over the water and the wind veering as it goes offshore. This gives a localised band of converging air along the coast which acts as a barrier to subsiding air being dragged back inshore as the sea breeze cell starts up. The sea breeze is slower to develop, patchier, often with bands of lower wind strength moving slowly offshore. If there are some medium height stratus clouds around then there may not be enough heating to make it consistent, and it will then be very patchy and may not go right at all during the afternoon.
Quadrant 3 – sea breeze with an onshore gradient wind. The onshore gradient wind needs to be light (no more than about 15 kts) and opposes the offshore upper element of the SB cell. If the cell develops then the surface wind will drop to less than 5 kts, then come back as a light directly onshore sea breeze, veering right with time, picking up quite nicely. Once the sun gets lower the cell will drop out quickly, so once it drops, it’ll probably keep dropping till the gradient wind comes back. If the wind is stronger however, you are more likely to get thermal enhancement (Figure 7), an excellent phenomenon. As the sun gets higher the land heats more than the sea, so the pressure over land decreases. This effectively causes the isobars to bend to the right, bending the wind with them. It’ll also pick up as the local pressure gradient increases. 32
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Quadrant 4 – thermal disenchantment (Figure 8). The land has a relatively high pressure, which Fig 7: Q3 thermal enhancement, in the morning g before the land heats up (left) decreases and in the afternoon (right) when it’s warmer & the surface pressure over the as the day land has fallen, causing the wind to bend right going onshore. heats up. This causes the onshore wind to go right and decrease during the afternoon. It will become really quite shifty & patchy too. If the wind drops off almost completely and there’s not too much cloud from an approaching low, then a late developing, patchy sea breeze cell may develop, but conditions are not good for this. The Solent, therefore, can have more than one of these scenarios at a time! It’s Fig 8: Q4 thermal disenchantment. The mechanism is the same as for Q3, well worth except that the difference in the pressure gradient from the morning (left) to the afternoon (right) causes the wind to decrease, veer right & become less sketching out steady – to become disenchanted, in other words. the gradientdriven wind over the various shorelines at the start of the day, and thinking about what will happen as the mainland & the Island heat up.
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WEATHER
BUYING YOUR YACHT
BUYING YOUR YACHT DO IT RIGHT - CONTRIBUTED BY MARTIN BERMAN DIRECTOR OF GO EARTH LTD | www.boatsearch.earth
Getting your first, or your next, yacht can truly be an occasion of joy.Your new possession is there in all its glory. It is, however, typically an expensive purchase. For many people, after their home, a boat is their most expensive purchase. Therefore, it is – to state the obvious – important to get it right. You may well know a lot about yachting already, have all the RYA qualifications, have multiple hours as crew or even skipper. However, you may only ever have bought zero, one or a small number of yachts before. From where can you get advice from professionals who are on your side – the side of the buyer? A BUSINESS TRANSACTION • Buying a yacht is at least in part a business transaction in which if you let your heart rule your head too much you may end up with the wrong boat at the wrong price. We argue that you need someone to help with the business end of this transaction – in particular with ensuring that you have enough boats to choose from following an extensive ‘boat search’ (and not just the one you happen to see) and that the price you end up paying is the lowest viable one following professional ‘boat negotiation’. Bear in mind that there is no shortage of people wanting to sell you a boat. This can be a private seller, a broker or a boat builder. Their job is to sell to you. That is perfectly reasonable. Indeed, the broker is contractually obliged to act for the seller. Further, if you ask the broker for information, they may simply be unable to give you accurate or full information because they may not know all the boats on their books. Also, it has been known for the seller to forget to tell the broker about significant issues with a boat! PROFESSIONALS ON YOUR SIDE • So, buyer beware – you need professionals on your side. Who are the professionals that could work for you? Generally, there are three main categories of professionals that you may wish to engage: • The procurement agent • The surveyors – this is deliberately in the plural! • The marine solicitor PROCUREMENT AGENT • The procurement agent does what any procurement agent in any industry does – tries to get you the best product at the lowest possible price. Go Earth is an example of a procurement agent, and provides a range of services to help you get the right boat at the best (i.e. lowest viable) price. These services include introductory training, an onboard experience, boat search and perhaps most importantly boat negotiation services. While of course nobody is going to give a boat away, a procurement agent can negotiate on your behalf to ensure that you buy at the very lowest viable price. They can also take much of the hassle and emotion out of the process. For a large purchase, they can even project manage the process end-to-end. Procurement agents are also known as buyer’s representative, consultants or trusted advisor. Whatever the name, they must represent you in your buying capacity. Some people like to rely on a trusted advisor they already know – perhaps a skipper or engineer. This may be OK, but you must ask yourself if they are really skilled in the business side of purchasing. A procurement agent frequently has inside information that is not available to the general public. A good procurement agent will confidentially discuss this with you. All this is aimed at helping you make the right choice – but always with you in charge. After all, it’s your money so you get to make the final decisions.
Crack where the mast went through the coachroof. Poorly repaired, and further cracking indicates continuing stress.The gel coat cracking continued along the crease in the coach roof, probably as a result of a serious incident; maybe a de-masting
Your agent can, if you wish, pre-view a range of boats for you – they visit the boats and take multiple photos. This saves your valuable time, and identifies boats that are not simply worth visiting. By way of example, on one pre-view trip we identified serious structural issues around the coachwork and the mast - see the photos. This meant that our client saved himself what would have been a wasted trip.
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NEGOTIATIONS • Price negotiation is an essential part of the process. Brokers do prefer to be able to tie you down to a price as soon as they can. This is not surprising. It’s their job, after all. Negotiation can become very emotional, especially considering the sums involved. Procurement agents such as Go Earth can provide a buffer and enable negotiations to be conducted so that that you end up with the best viable deal. Brokers like to ‘qualify’ potential buyers. Is he / she a serious buyer? Inevitably, brokers are faced with many people who are not really in a financial position to buy the yacht they are talking about. One indication of serious intent is if the buyer has appointed a professional procurement agent, such as Go Earth. SURVEYORS • The surveyor ensures that you know what you are buying – warts and all. There are many different types of survey. Our view is that there are five main types that should be considered – marine surveyor pre-purchase survey; marine engineer pre-purchase survey; oil analysis for the engine; gas-safe engineer and finally a sea trial. This may seem a lot – however boats are complex entities with many systems on board. Additionally, for the higher-end, more complex yachts, you may even need specialists in the more unusual or complex system you have on board. You will have to balance risk and cost. Your procurement agent can make recommendations. TYPES OF SURVEY • The pre-purchase survey by a marine surveyor is the one most commonly used. It provides the buyer with a good overview of the general condition of the boat – the hull, the services, the electronics and the engine. However, the marine surveyor is typically not an expert on the specific engine type – and problems with engines tend to be expensive. Therefore, we additionally recommend having a marine engineer for the engine, gearbox/sterndrive and possibly ancillary systems such as steering. Even the marine engineer cannot be certain of the condition of the insides of the engine. There is a particular issue with engines on sailing yachts. They are often mainly used for close quarter manoeuvring in a marina. This leads to a lot of usage for short periods in which the engine never gets an opportunity to warm up properly which in turn may lead to premature engine wear or other faults. It is often said that Table showing parts per an engine with high (within reason) hours usage is million of metal in the oil. better than one with very low usage. Oil analysis can help here. A sample of the oil is taken from the engine (and gearbox/sterndrive if relevant), and then sent to a specialist laboratory. The concentration of metal particles in the oil gives an indication of how worn (or not) the engine is. Indeed, the type of metal particles can indicate which parts of the engine are worn – as different parts are made from different metals. Oil analysis is common on commercial ships; but is equally relevant to leisure craft. As an example, we took a sample from the sterndrive of one (power) boat, and could see straight away that the oil Simplified analysis, showing was emulsified, indicating excessive engine wear. that water had got into the sterndrive, probably indicating the need for a major, expensive, re-build. This was confirmed by a very slightly bent output shaft, meaning that the seal was leaking, letting water in. Obviously, at some point the prop had hit something with some force, causing the problem.
has excessive wear.
The table shown – with parts per million – does need some interpretation. In the example shown, the ‘triangle’ simplifies it to show that the engine
If there is gas on board, then you must get the pipes checked by a Gas Safe (formerly CORGI) engineer. One of the risks with gas is the accumulation of the heavier than air gas in the bilge, and a spark setting off a fire or explosion. Then there is the sea-trial. This is the most exciting part. At last, you actually get to go out on your potential new purchase. Typically, the broker will skipper the boat. You should take both the marine surveyor and the marine engineer with you. Between you all, you should be able to spot any issues. Some examples are difficult starting an engine, excessive creaking, some electronics not working correctly, winches binding, sails not unfurling correctly. You do need to look out for issues and identify their cause.
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BUYING YOUR YACHT
BUYING YOUR YACHT
BUYING YOUR YACHT
BUYING YOUR YACHT CONTRIBUTED BY MARTIN BERMAN DIRECTOR OF GO EARTH LTD | www.boatsearch.earth
CHOOSING A SURVEYOR • You need a surveyor who knows their stuff. Membership of an organisation such as the YDSA provides some assurance. It is also important to check that the surveyor(s) know the type of vessel you are considering buying. LEGAL STUFF AND THE MARINE SOLICITOR • The final type of professional you may want to consider is the marine solicitor. Typically, this is only necessary for high-value transactions, those involving multiple currencies and foreign purchases, for new builds or where there are particular issues. As a very broad generalisation, transactions less than half a million sterling would not use a marine solicitor. While your procurement agent cannot give you formal legal advice, they can indicate if any proposed contract follows normal and reasonable industry practice. SERIOUS CONTRACTUAL CONCERNS • There is, in our view, particular issues with the typical contract used by boat brokers. They require a 10% deposit before you can carry out a survey or have a sea-trial. That in itself is not unreasonable – as it prevents what some brokers like to call ‘tyrekickers’. Our concerns are in two main areas. Firstly, there is a limited amount of time for the buyer to accept or reject the boat. There are very tight timescales to move to completion of the purchase, or reject the boat or try to reach agreement. Typically, unless you have rejected the boat within, say, 21 days then you are contractually bound to complete the purchase. Within this 21 days you have to find a suitable surveyor, have a sea trial, get the survey done, allow time for the surveyor to write the report and get it to you, you to read and consider it. Lots of unforeseen events can make all these things take longer than planned – such as high winds making a sail impossible or making it dangerous to crane the boat in or out (and you must view the boat both in and out of the water), the surveyor taking longer to write the report, illness of any of the parties and so on. Certainly, Go Earth has negotiated changes to this aspect of the contract on behalf of our clients. Secondly, the other element of the typical brokerage contract is that you can reject, or re-negotiate the price, in the event of ‘material defects’. The problem (and a serious problem in our view) is that ‘material defects’ is either not defined or not defined in a clear way. One of the basics of any contract is that it should be clear, and not contain ambiguity. Again, we would seek to re-negotiate, or at least clarify, this aspect of the contract on behalf of our clients. One challenging factor is that some brokerages don’t like to change the contract terms – and in view of the above points that is perhaps not surprising. OWNERSHIP & VAT • One additional factor that must be checked is the ownership of the boat – there must be clear evidence of the trail of ownership, ideally from builder to the current vendor. As part of this there must be clear evidence that VAT has been paid. There have been instances where a fake invoice purported to show that VAT had been paid when the boat was initially built – and each subsequent owner had bought the boat in good faith believing that VAT had been paid. In such circumstances, you could theoretically be liable to pay the VAT. The surveyor would usually examine the documentation to make sure that all was in order. THINK BEFORE YOU SIGN • All we can say is that you should take expert advice BEFORE getting anywhere near to signing anything! THE STAGES OF THE PURCHASE PROCESS • Taking all the above into account, how do you manage the purchase process successfully? At Go Earth, we break the process down into multiple stages, which at a very high level are: • Initial requirements specification • Boat search (refining the requirements if necessary), possibly including pre-visits if you are ‘time-poor’ • Boat negotiation • Validation (survey, legalities, finance) • Completion (possibly including transport) If it is a relatively low cost purchase, then perhaps you don’t need to be too formal about this. On the other hand, if you are looking at the top end of the market, then we strongly recommend treating the purchase as a formal project, as opposed to a simple transaction. ENJOY • Do the above and then you can, with the minimum risk, enjoy your new boat to the maximum. Further useful references include: boats.com/boat-buyers-guide/how-to-buy-a-boat-tips-for-a-first-time-buyer/ onthewater.co.uk/Buy-a-Boat rya.org.uk/knowledge-advice/legal/buying-a-boat/Pages/hub.aspx (and the subpages below this) 36
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GPS – THE INVISIBLE UTILITY
GPS – THE INVISIBLE UTILITY THAT WE TAKE FOR GRANTED • BY JOHN POTTLE, DIRECTOR, ROYAL INSTITUTE OF NAVIGATION Where are the GPS satellites?
Photo: www.esa.int
There are thousands of satellites orbiting the Earth. Communications satellites are placed into a “geostationary” orbit 36,000km high and above the equator. Arthur C Clarke had realised over 70 years ago that satellites in this location would orbit the earth exactly once a day. As such, they stay stationary above the Earth’s surface, enabling fixed satellite dishes to be used. At the other end of the spectrum, the International Space Station and Hubble Space Telescope orbit the Earth at only a few hundred miles up. An orbit at this distance takes only a couple of hours, or less. The Iridium system, originally devised for satellite telephone calls but now more used for data, also orbits at a similar “low earth” orbit. GPS satellites are between these two, at an altitude of approximately 22,500km. Placed in orbital planes, with an approximately 12-hour orbit, a network of 24 satellites can provide global coverage. Approximately 7-10 satellites GPS are visible at any one time from a point on the Earth’s surface.
Photo: www.esa.int
Aren’t there other navigation satellites? Yes. As well as GPS, which is run by the US Air Force, the Russians have their own global satellite positioning system called GLONASS. China has a regional system, which is expanding to be global, called Beidou (which is Mandarin for “North Star” or Compass). And Europe has been investing in a system called Galileo, which is now very nearly a complete global constellation (22 satellites at the time of writing in February 2018).
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Do I need all of these satellites? Not at all! Pretty much all navigation receivers will use GPS. Only 4 GPS satellites are needed to get a “3D” position which includes latitude, longitude and height. Adding another set of satellites, say GLONASS or Galileo, can be helpful in places where you can only see a bit of the sky, most commonly in an urban area with tall buildings all around. Receivers are increasingly using other constellations now. An advantage of this is that it can help with “integrity” or trust as you can get a position from two or more systems independently. This allows your receiver to compare positions. The trust is higher if they agree, whereas if they diverge an integrity flag can be raised. Expect to see more of this on new systems over the coming years.
Photo: www.esa.int
What can go wrong? GPS and the other systems are normally very reliable. But we at the Royal Institute of Navigation recommend using them only as an aid to navigation. Never rely on GPS alone for navigation where safety is at stake. Problems that can occur are a mix of manmade issues (like system errors, jamming or cyber-attacks) and natural phenomena such as space weather. In the last 5 years there have been a handful of system errors, for example, which would have resulted in position errors, sometimes very small but sometimes 10 nautical miles or more. So love GPS for its convenience and accuracy but only use it as an aid to navigation. We recommend awareness that things can go wrong. If you see an unexpected position it’s likely there is an issue along one of the lines described here. What’s next for navigation? Positioning and navigation are everywhere. Many people say that GPS is the “invisible utility”. It’s enabling new applications from autonomy to robotics. A key trend is combining many types of signal and sensors to enable safe driverless cars, for example, or indoor positioning where GPS signals are not strong enough to be locked onto. Another trend is to show a warning on the screen if there may be a trust problem, something that is possible now with more signals and processing power in the receivers and navigation systems. Where can I get more information? The Royal Institute of Navigation has a very active Solent membership and runs regular meetings and talks throughout the year. RIN membership is open to all. Please check out our upcoming events on www.rin.org.uk . We’d love to see you! Image 1: Europe’s Galileo system, showing the three orbital planes Image 2:Various RIN members enjoying a trip on the water during a FlySail event Image 3: RIN President James Taylor welcomes delegates to the International Navigation Conference 2017
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GPS – THE INVISIBLE UTILITY
GPS – THE INVISIBLE UTILITY
RNLI ADVICE
HM COASTGUARD ADVICE
Photo: Maritime and Coastguard Agency
HM Coastguard | Going Afloat Safely • 1. Prepare You Boat Ensure your vessel, means of propulsion and safety equipment are ready, that the vessel is seaworthy and suitable for the voyage being planned. Are lifejackets and liferaft available and in good condition? Do you have proper child-sized lifejackets available for children travelling with you? Has the engine and safety equipment been serviced? If it’s not your boat, are you fully familiar with the controls, the rig, bilge pumping arrangements and electrical systems? Is the gas system in a safe condition? Do you know how to isolate it?
• 2. Plan Your Voyage Do you have sufficient fuel on board for the proposed voyage? Have you taken a reliable weather forecast and tide times for the area into account? Are you aware of the local navigational hazards? Do you have a current chart for the area? Are you aware of relevant local notices to mariners? In harbour areas, do you know the speed limits, radio frequencies and important telephone contacts?
• 3. Staying Out Late If your going to stay at sea after sunset and into the night, do you have the correct navigation lights fitted? Are you used to navigating in the dark? Navigation at night presents its own challenges, and areas familiar by day can seem very different at night. Remember, many buoys and moored vessels are unlit. Make sure there are enough people on board to help keep a good lookout. Navigating without showing the correct navigation lights is dangerous, and an offence. It can get cold at sea at night, even in the summer. Make sure that you and your passengers have warm clothing available.
• 4. Stay In Touch Tell someone ashore where you are going and your expected time of arrival. In an emergency at sea do you have the right equipment to get help, at least two of the following: a DSC* radio, a PLB*, an EPIRB*, in- date flares…? Do you know what the recognised distress signals are? Don’t rely on just a mobile phone but if you have to, call 999 and ask for Coastguard.
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HM COASTGUARD ADVICE RNLI ADVICE
Is your beacon (PLB or EPIRB) registered with the Coastguard to speed up the rescue? Register for free at gov.uk/406beacon
• 5. Be Responsible Don’t overload the boat, the consequences can be sudden and catastrophic particularly if your boat is small or has a flying bridge. Excessive alcohol consumption by you or those on board can reduce people’s ability to respond in an emergency. Swimming whilst intoxicated is extremely dangerous. Be a responsible skipper and ensure that you all stay safe and in control.
• 6. Wear it Most boaters know that a lifejacket will buy vital time in the water and could save a life, but only if it is being worn. So, whatever your boating interests, make sure that you and your crew select the right size and type of lifejacket, and know when to wear it. Attach a kill cord to yourself if the boat is equipped for one.
Photo: Maritime and Coastguard Agency
Southampton Marine Office: Spring Place, 105 Commercial Road Southampton, SO15 1EG Marine Office Phone: 020 381 72210 Marine Office Fax: 02380 329 351 Counter Services: Monday to Thursday – 09:00 – 16:00 Friday – 09:00 – 15:30 Telephone Query Time: Monday – Thursday 09:00 – 17:00 Friday 09:00 – 16:30
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SOLENT EVENTS DIARY
SOLENT EVENTS DIARY
INTERNATIONAL ETCHELLS APRIL – OCTOBER 30 feet of pure one-design sailing machine which can plane downwind, and slips along in the light. The largest fleet of dry sailed keelboat in Cowes. Owner-driven with two or three crew, strict one design credentials and an annual six-sail limit. It’s as much fun as the big boats, but less hassle with fewer crew and less maintenance. Easy to trail or ship overseas, it fits into a 40 foot high top container. The Annual World Championships are held in different places each year – USA, Australia, Europe and Asia and will be in San Francisco in September. Fifty fleets worldwide and over 1,400 boats built to date, with older boats retaining their competitiveness. Past world champions include Dennis Connor, Bill Hardesty, Stuart Childerley, Andy Beadsworth, Jud Smith, Ken Read, Poul Hoj-Jensen,Vince Brun, Dave Curtis and Chris Law. Ben Ainslie was third in the 2009 Worlds sailing with John Bertrand and Andrew Palfrey, the last two named going on to win the 2010 Worlds with Tom Slingsby. The Etchells Invitational Regatta for the Gertrude Cup will be held on 14 July – 19 July 2018. Film of last year’s Regatta on www.etchellsinvitational.com. We have loaner boats available and an active youth programme. Fleet captain: davidfranks80@gmail.com or 07768 063868. etchellsukfleet.co.uk
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SOLENT EVENTS DIARY
DARING CLASS APRIL – OCTOBER The Daring was designed as a One Design by Arthur Robb, based on his successful 5.5 metre yacht Vision, the silver medal winner in the 1956 Olympics. The classic design has proved popular and enduring, offering great value for money for this type of One Design racing. Darings race in the Solent off Cowes every weekend from the middle of April to the middle of October. Since 2010 eight new hulls and modern decks have been moulded, ensuring that Darings will enjoy fantastic racing for another 50 years. daring.org.uk DRAGON CLASS SOLENT DIVISION APRIL – OCTOBER The Dragon is a beautiful 29 foot keelboat, which has a 3 or 4 person crew and is raced throughout the world. There has been an active fleet established in Cowes ever since the class first appeared in the UK in the ‘30s. The class are active participants in the Cowes Keelboat Solent Series and the Cowes Keelboat Championship, with occasional “stand-alone” championship weekends for appropriate silverware. The UK National Championships (Edinburgh Cup) are in Torquay this year, from 30 June to 7 July. solentdragons.com X ONE DESIGN CLASS APRIL – OCTOBER The XOD class has six active fleets around the Solent area, at Cowes, Hamble, Itchenor, Lymington, Parkstone and Yarmouth. There are full racing programmes of 50 to 60 races per season for up to 140 boats in the 6 divisions. The annual championships are held during Cowes Week and usually attract upwards of 80 boats. XODs attract many experienced helms and crew and the standard of racing at the front of the fleets is very high. XODs are traditionally the largest entry in Cowes Week, with over half the entire fleet, in excess of 80 boats, sailing from home ports to participate each year. In 2011, the Centenary of the first XOD race was celebrated by 145 XODs competing during Cowes Week, a record entry for the regatta. The XODs are also the largest fleet in the increasingly popular Cowes Classics Week with 50 entries every year since 2014, and this is expected to be exceeded in 2018. xonedesign.org.uk JOG CHAMPIONSHIP 30 MARCH – 30 SEPTEMBER The Junior Offshore Group (JOG) was established in 1950 to allow smaller yachts to compete offshore; it organises highly competitive races for IRC rated yachts. JOG runs a full programme every season, grouped into an Inshore and Offshore Series. Competitors enjoy a high standard of racing and a similarly high level of camaraderie at the parties which are held at the end of almost every race in a host port. Most JOG races start in the Solent from the club’s fixed line and distinctive starting box just east of Egypt Point, Cowes. jog.org.uk
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SOLENT EVENTS DIARY
SOLENT EVENTS DIARY ISLAND SAILING CLUB EVENING RACE SERIES 17 APRIL – 4 SEPTEMBER – TUESDAY NIGHTS The Island Sailing Club’s ever-popular Evening Race Series provides races for all sizes of boat on Tuesday evenings, with the exception of Cowes Week, through to 4 September when the traditional Bang & Go Back Race marks the end of the evening season. Other open events take place throughout the year – contact the ISC for details – chris@islandsc.org.uk. islandsc.org.uk/isctuesday.aspx RSYC KORIS DOUBLE HANDED SERIES 5 MAY – 6 OCTOBER The Royal Southampton Yacht Club is the UK’s home of Double Handed racing. The 2018 series sees a new format under new sponsors KORIS, comprising of 8 races in 2 sub series; Solent & Passage. Open to all comers in IRC, RSYC & Multihull classes. This includes the ever-popular Island Double on Saturday 23 June, which regularly attracts upwards of 120 boats. The Spring Solent double kicks of the action on Saturday 5th May, culminating with the Autumn Solent Double on Saturday 6 October. rsyc.org.uk
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SOLENT EVENTS DIARY Photo: Beken of Cowes
COWES SPRING CLASSICS 11 – 13 MAY A brand new regatta for 2018, the Cowes Spring Classics is open to wooden classics designed before 1970 only. Based at Shepherds Wharf Marina in Cowes, the organisers thought it would be a welcome addition to the existing classic regattas held in the Solent and a great opener to the season. The regatta is hoping to attract entries from Gaff rigged yachts, Pilot cutters, Day boats and Raters and Spirit of Tradition yachts. The racing is being organised by the Royal Ocean Racing Club with shoreline starts expecting to provide a great spectacle for spectators. cowesspringclassics.com VICE ADMIRAL’S CUP 18 – 20 MAY The Royal Ocean Racing Club’s annual Vice Admiral’s Cup regatta will take place from Friday 18 to Sunday 20 May. Since its introduction the event has gone from strength to strength, with its close racing format making it enjoyable for the competitors. This year there will be a maximum of six classes taking part in the event among them will be the Quarter Tonners who have been involved with the event since it started. Other familiar classes at the regatta will be the SB20s, which are also expected to field a strong fleet, with J/111 Class and J/109 fleet which have also become regular visitors to the event in recent years. rorc.org IRC SOLENT REGION CHAMPIONSHIP 12 MAY – 29 SEPTEMBER Spanning the full length of the Solent, this series aims to encourage larger fleets of IRC-rated yachts in a wide range of competitive racing. Post-race hospitality at host clubs provides the opportunity to experience the unique atmosphere of each, and socialise with fellow competitors. Boats can enter any combination of events, or the whole series, on the website. solentirc.org.uk
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SOLENT EVENTS DIARY
SOLENT EVENTS DIARY WOMEN’S OPEN KEELBOAT CHAMPIONSHIPS 2 – 3 JUNE The Women’s Open Keelboat Championship is a weekend for sailors with 100% female crew. WOKC focuses on high quality, competitive keelboat racing, accommodating a range of experience and age groups across key one design and handicap fleets. Hosted by Hamble River Sailing Club. womensopenkeelboatchampionships.co.uk THE BLUEPRINT REGATTA 7-8 JUNE The Blueprint Regatta for property, construction and estate agency professionals will take place in Cowes in June. There will be up to 4 races over the course of the event, organised by the Royal Yacht Squadron and a programme of relaxed shoreside socials. The regatta will also be raising funds for the Sea Cadets via the Derek Login Offshore Trust. blueprintregatta.co.uk THE ROUND THE ISLAND RACE IN ASSOCIATION WITH CLOUDY BAY 7 JULY The annual Round the Island Race in association with Cloudy Bay, organised by the Island Sailing Club, is a one-day yacht race around the Isle of Wight. The race regularly attracts over 1,600 boats and around 16,000 sailors, making it one of the largest yacht races in the world and the fourth largest participation sporting event in the UK after the London Marathon and the Great North and South Runs. Competitors come from all over the UK, other parts of Europe and as far away as the USA to follow the 50 nautical mile course. Starting on the famous Royal Yacht Squadron line in Cowes, the fleet
Photo: Beken of Cowes
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SOLENT EVENTS DIARY Photo: Beken of Cowes
races westabout, to The Needles, round St Catherine’s Point and Bembridge Ledge buoy, and back into the Solent to the finish line at Cowes. Spectators can find many vantage points, to watch the race progress. The first start in Cowes for the 2018 race will be at 6.30am with the Open 60s, IRC Class 0, Class 40 and the Clipper Yachts. Starts then continue every 10 minutes until 8.10am. New for 2018 are the Diam 24 Multihull sportsboats and the superfast HP30s both of whom have their own classes for the first time. Those who cannot get to watch in person can always keep an eye on the race’s progress on the website, via our live text commentary and our boat tracking facility. The race is a great opportunity to watch world-renowned sailors racing against families and first time racers. Although the majority of the fleet will take many hours to complete the race, the course records stand at 3h 43m 50s for a monohull boat, set by Mike Slade on ICAP Leopard in 2013, and 2h 23m 23s for a multihull boat, set by Lloyd Thornburg on Phaedo^3 in 2016. roundtheisland.org.uk PANERAI BRITISH CLASSIC WEEK 14 – 21 JULY As one of the highlight events during an exceptional summer of sailing regattas in the UK, the Panerai British Classic Week, organised by the British Classic Yacht Club will see the 17th edition in 2018. The regatta, based in Cowes, regularly attracts entries from across Europe and even Australia and New Zealand. More than 70 of the world’s most iconic classic and vintage yachts are expected to compete, once again providing a magnificent spectacle of classic yacht racing in the exciting waters of the Solent. There will be a sixrace series, new for 2018 including a Nab Tower race on Monday 16th July. Racing will be demanding and competitive but will still retain that Corinthian spirit synonymous with classic boat racing. britishclassicyachtclub.org/regatta
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SOLENT EVENTS DIARY
SOLENT EVENTS DIARY THE ETCHELLS INVITATIONAL REGATTA 14 – 19 JULY Hosted by the Royal Thames Yacht Club, teams from around the world will be sailing to win the 141 year old Gertrude Cup Trophy. Twenty identical boats with identical new North sails will be launched at Cowes Yacht Haven, race-ready for the teams to race over four days in the central Solent. Teams change hulls every morning but keep the same sails. 2014 saw the inauguration of this event and there is a film on the website showing how the 20 teams from 11 different countries fought to win the trophy. Anyone interested in receiving an invitation should contact davidfranks80@gmail.com etchellsinvitational.com COWES CLASSICS WEEK 22 - 27 JULY Arguably the world’s greatest classic yachting regatta, Cowes Classics Week is looking forward to its 11th year in 2018. Run by The Royal London Yacht Club the regatta offers a different racing and social experience to other Cowes regattas. Class racing for all metre boats, classic racing keelboats and one designs including, but not restricted to, 12mR, 8mR, 6mR (classic and modern), 5.5mR, Daring, Dragon (classic and modern), Solent Sunbeam, Bembridge Redwing, Seaview Mermaid, Squib, XOD, Folkboat, Victory, Bembridge, Loch Long and Yarmouth One Designs, Flying Fifteen and Swallow. There are also classes for Classic Yachts including a nonspinnaker class, Classical/Revival Day Boats and Old Gaffers. Racing from Committee Boats will be on a mix of laid and round-the-cans courses. The social programme includes tea and home-made cake after racing, sponsors’ Receptions and dining/partying at each of the major Yacht Clubs in Cowes. cowesclassicsweek.org ISLE OF WIGHT DINGHY CHAMPIONSHIPS 28 – 30 JULY Hosted by Gurnard Sailing Club the championships feature seven races over three days. With a mixture of Windward/Leeward and round-the-cans racing, it is expected to be a competitive & exhilarating regatta with a full social program to compliment the racing. Entries are expected from Shadows, Aeros, Lasers and three handicap classes. LENDY COWES WEEK 4 – 11 AUGUST Since 1826 Cowes Week has played a key part in the British sporting summer calendar and is one of the UK’s longest running and most successful sporting events. The eight day regatta now stages around 40 daily races for between 800 and 1,000 boats and has a varied race programme to suit the most competitively campaigned boats, cruiser racers, and everything in between; there’s something for everyone at this, the world’s best known sailing regatta. Cowes Week, as the event is now known, attracts up to 8,000 competitors ranging from Olympic and world-class professionals to weekend sailors, and in excess of 100,000 spectators come to watch the sailing, enjoy the social scene, and to experience the unique atmosphere. lendycowesweek.co.uk
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CHICHESTER HARBOUR RACE REGATTA WEEK 13 - 17 AUGUST Come and join Chichester Harbour race week, hosted by Hayling Island Sailing Club, for some great racing over three race tracks, each offering a mixture of handicap and class starts. New for 2018 are two days with two races each day. Social events after the racing are very popular too. chichesterharbourraceweek.sailevent.net COWES CLASSIC POWERBOAT FESTIVAL 25 – 26 AUGUST This year’s Cowes Classic Powerboat Festival will be based at Cowes Yacht Haven and will see a mix of 20 race boats and some wonderful classic boats all taking part in the Festival. The boats will assemble in the North Basin at Cowes Yacht Haven which means the public are able to watch all the activity from shore, as boats and crew undergo technical inspection and carry out last minute race preparation. Racing takes place on Sunday 26 August. The 200-mile Cowes-Torquay-Cowes powerboat race, which is the longest running offshore powerboat race in the world, will start at 0900 off Gurnard and the race boats are expected to return to Cowes between 1430 and 1730, finishing north of Gurnard cardinal buoy. cowestorquaycowes.co.uk
Photo: Beken of Cowes
LITTLE BRITAIN CHALLENGE CUP 14 – 15 SEPTEMBER First started in 1988, the Little Britain Challenge Cup is the premier construction and property industry event. Taking place in Cowes, with racing run by the Royal Yacht Squadron, the action-packed three day regatta attracts a large cross-section of organisations and individuals who are involved in the building world. littlebritain.co.uk
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SOLENT EVENTS DIARY
SOLENT EVENTS DIARY
Photo: Paul Wyeth
SOUTHAMPTON BOAT SHOW 14 – 23 SEPTEMBER The Southampton Boat Show – Britain’s best-loved on-water Boat Show – is a much anticipated event, providing fun-filled days out for boaters, families and friends to see thousands of boats, brands, products and suppliers. southamptonboatshow.com GARMIN HAMBLE WINTER SERIES 7 OCTOBER – 25 NOVEMBER The Garmin Hamble Winter Series provides the best winter sailing in the UK for IRC0-4, J/111, J/70, J/80, J/109 and SB20 one designs and sportsboats. The Series provides top class, competitive racing and a great welcome back at host Hamble River Sailing Club’s Clubhouse. hamblewinterseries.com
Photo: Beken of Cowes
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SOLENT EVENTS DIARY Photo:Tom McCullagh
HAMBLE ONE DESIGN CHAMPIONSHIPS 13 – 14 OCTOBER & 20 – 21 OCTOBER The Solent’s Autumn Championship for one design yachts: J/111, J/109, J/80, J/70, SB20 etc. Top class competitive racing and a great welcome back at host Hamble River Sailing Club’s Clubhouse. hrsc.org.uk
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SOLENT EVENTS CALENDAR SOLENT EVENTS CALENDAR
WITH THANKS TO SCRA MARCH Sat 03 - Sun 04 Sun 4 - Sat 10 - Sun 11 Sat 17 - Sun 18 Sat 17 - Sun 18 - Sun 18 - Mon 19 - Thu 22 Sat 24 - Sat 24 - Sun 25 Sat 24 - Sun 25 Sat 24 - Sun 25 Sun 25 - Fri 30 - Fri 30 - Sun 01 Fri 30 - Sat 31
Bembridge SC - Spring Plate for illusions Royal Southampton YC - Frostbite 9 and 10 Portsmouth Harbour YC - The Gill Sunsail Racing Series 1 Bembridge SC - Illusion National Championship Royal Southampton YC - Frostbite 11 and 12 Warsash SC - Helly Hansen Warsash Spring Series 1 Royal Victoria YC (*EWCC) - Winter Dinghy Regatta Britannia Events, Hamble - The Wind Runner Challenge Portsmouth SC - Parhelion Spring Series 1 Portsmouth Harbour YC - The Gill Sunsail Racing Series 2 Royal London YC - RLYC Youth Academy Trials in Etchells Hamble River SC - Hamble Warming Pan Dinghy Classic Warsash SC - Helly Hansen Warsash Spring Series 2 Junior Offshore Group (JOG) - Cowes to Cherbourg Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) - Easter Challenge Bembridge SC - Vernon’s Easter Egg Cup for Illusions
APRIL *EWCC = East Wight Combined Clubs Sun 01 - Thu 05 - Sat 07 - Sat 07 - Sun 08 Sat 07 - Sun 08 Sun 08 - Sun 08 - Sun 08 - Thu 10 - Sat 14 - Sun 15 Sat 14 - Sun 15 Sat 14 - Sun 15 - Sun 15 - Sun 15 - Tue 17 - Thu 19 - Sat 21 - Sat 21 - Sat 21 - Sat 21 - Sat 21 - Sun 22 Sat 21 - Sun 22 Sat 21 - Sun 22 Sat 21 - Sun 22 Sat 21 - Sun 22 Sun 22 - Sun 22 - Tue 24 - Wed 25 - Wed 25 - Thu 26 - Thu 26 - Sat 28 - Sat 28 - Sat 28 - Sat 28 - Sun 29 Sat 28 - Sun 29 Sun 29 - Sun 29 - Sun 29 - Sun 29 -
JOG - Cherbourg to Cowes East Cowes SC - Thursday Evening Race 1 Portsmouth SC - Parhelion Spring Series 2 Cowes Corinthian YC - Etchells Spring Regatta Portsmouth Harbour YC - The Gill Sunsail Racing Series 3 Warsash SC - Helly Hansen Warsash Spring Series 3 Royal Lymington YC - Portmore Insurance Spring Series 1 Royal Southampton YC - Spring Series 1 and 2 East Cowes SC - Thursday Evening Race 2 Royal London YC - Ambassador’s Cup around the Isle of Wight Bembridge SC - Stratton Trophy for Illusions Portsmouth SC - Parhelion Spring Series 3 Warsash SC - Helly Hansen Warsash Spring Series 4 Royal Southampton YC - Spring Series 3 and 4 Royal Lymington YC - Portmore Insurance Spring Series 2 Island SC - Evening Race Series Race 1 East Cowes SC - Thursday Evening Race 3 JOG - Nab Tower Royal Lymington YC - Folkboat & XOD Saturday Points 1 Portsmouth SC - Parhelion Spring Series 4 Royal Southampton YC - Spring Series 5 and 6 Stokes Bay SC - MUSTO Skiff, B14 and RS 800 Open Royal London YC - Etchells Class Match Racing in Sonars Royal Thames YC - Spring Excuse Warsash SC - Warsash Spring Championship 1/2 Cowes Corinthian YC - Small Fleet Keelboat Regatta Warsash SC - Helly Hansen Warsash Spring Series 5 Royal Lymington YC - Portmore Insurance Spring Series 3 Island SC - Evening Race Series Race 2 Royal Lymington YC - XOD Wednesday Points 1 Royal Solent YC - Start of Spence Willard Evening Series 1 East Cowes SC - Thursday Evening Race 4 Royal Lymington YC - Keelboat Racing Bembridge SC - St George’s Day Trophy for Illusions Portsmouth SC - Parhelion Spring Series 5 Island SC - Contessa 26 Training Day Royal London YC - Etchells Class Match Racing in Sonars Warsash SC - Warsash Spring Championship 3/4 Bembridge SC - Woodford Long Distance Race Warsash SC - Helly Hansen Warsash Spring Series 6 Royal Southampton YC - Spring Series 7 and 8 Royal Lymington YC - Portmore Insurance Spring Series 4
MAY Tue 01 - Thu 03 - Thu 03 - Fri 04 - Sat 05 - Sat 05 - Sat 05 - Sun 06 Sat 05 - Mon 07 Tue 08 - Wed 09 - Thu 10 - Thu 10 - Thu 10 - Fri 11 - Sun 13 Fri 11 - Sun 13 Sat 12 - Sat 12 - Sat 12 - Sat 12 - Sun 13 Sat 12 - Sun 13 Sat 12 - Sun 13 Sun 13 - Tue 15 -
Island SC - Evening Race Series Race 3 Royal Lymington YC - Keelboat Racing East Cowes SC - Thursday Evening Race 5 JOG - Cowes - St Vaast Royal Ocean Racing Club - Cervantes Trophy Race Royal Southampton YC - Spring Solent Double Royal London YC - Cowes Keelboat Solent Series Cowes Corinthian YC - Etchells Spring Regatta Island SC - Evening Race Series Race 4 Island SC - IOW Business Evening Sonar Regatta East Cowes SC - Thursday Evening Race 6 Island SC - Adult Sonar Sailing Evening Royal Lymington YC - Keelboat Racing Portsmouth Harbour YC - The Drinks Trade Regatta RORC - Cowes Spring Classics Island SC - Inshore Series Christchurch Bay Race Lymington Town SC - Lymington to Hamble: Hamble Scramble Stokes Bay SC - Turk Trophy at LOSSC Royal Southern YC - Summer Series 1 Island SC - Cowes Keelboat Championship 1 Royal Victoria YC - Optimist Regatta Lymington Town SC - Hamble to Lymington: Hamble Scramble Island SC - Evening Race Series Race 5
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MAY Thu 17 - Thu 17 - Thu 17 - Fri 18 - Sun 20 Sat 19 - Sun 20 Sat 19 - Sun 20 Sat 19 - Sat 19 - Sun 20 Sat 19 - Sun 20 Sat 19 - Sun 20 Sat 19 - Sun 20 Sat 19 - Sun 20 Sat 19 - Sat 19 - Sun 20 - Tue 22 - Thu 24 - Thu 24 - Thu 24 - Thu 24 - Thu 24 - Fri 25 - Fri 25 - Sun 27 Fri 25 - Fri 25 - Mon 28 Sat 26 - Sun 27 Sat 26 - Sat 26 - Sat 26 - Sun 27 Tue 29 - Wed 30 Tue 29 - Tue 29 - Thu 31 - Thu 31 - Thu 31 - Thu 31 -
SOLENT EVENTS CALENDAR
SOLENT EVENTS CALENDAR East Cowes SC - Thursday Evening Race 7 Island SC - Adult Sonar Sailing Evening Royal Lymington YC - Keelboat Racing Royal Ocean Racing Club - Vice Admiral’s Cup Stokes Bay YC - Laser Masters Qualifier Island SC - Cowes Keelboat Solent Series Island SC - City Livery YC Race Day Royal Lymington YC - RS Tera & RS Aero Southern Area Championships Britannia Events, Hamble - Legal Cup 2018 Royal Yacht Squadron - 8M & 6M Regatta Royal Thames YC - Saida Cup for Etchells Cowes Corinthian YC - Sea Fever Regatta JOG - Cowes to Yarmouth Royal Southampton YC - West Princessa Double JOG - Yarmouth to Cowes Island SC - Evening Race Series Race 6 Britannia Events, Hamble - Lighting Industry Association Challenge East Cowes SC - Thursday Evening Race 8 Island SC - Adult Sonar Sailing Evening Royal Lymington YC - Keelboat Racing Royal Southampton YC - Twilight Series 1 JOG - Dielette via Guernsey Island SC - Landsail Tyres J Cup Regatta Royal Southern YC with Royal London YC, Deaville YC and YC de France - Deauville Race Royal London YC - Etchells National Championshiop RORC - Cowes Keelboat Solent Series Royal Ocean Racing Club - Myth of Malham Race Stokes Bay SC - UK Windsurfing Event Royal Ocean Racing Club - Bank of England Regatta Britannia Events, Hamble - Chestnut Tree Challenge 2018 Bembridge Sailing Club (EWCC) - Inter Club Laser Youth Team Racing Island SC - Evening Race Series Race 7 East Cowes SC - Thursday Evening Race 9 Island SC - Adult Sonar Sailing Evening Royal Southampton YC - Twilight Series 2 Royal Lymington YC - Keelboat Racing
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SOLENT EVENTS CALENDAR SOLENT EVENTS CALENDAR
WITH THANKS TO SCRA JUNE Sat 02 - Sun 03 Sat 02 - Sun 03 Sat 02 - Sun 03 Sat 02 - Sun 03 Sat 02 - Sat 02 - Mon 04 - Fri 08 Tue 05 - Thu 07 - Thu 07 - Thu 07 - Thu 07 - Thu 07 - Thu 07 - Fri 08 Thu 07 - Fri 08 Thu 07 - Sat 09 Sat 09 - Sat 09 - Sat 09 - Sun 10 Sat 09 - Sun 10 Sat 09 - Sun 10 Sat 09 - Sun 10 Sat 09 - Sun 10 Sat 09 - Sun 10 Sat 09 - Sun 10 Sat 09 - Sat 16 Sun 10 - Sun 10 - Mon 11 - Tue 12 Tue 12 - Wed 13 - Thu 14 - Thu 14 - Thu 14 - Thu 14 - Thu 14 - Fri 15 - Sat 16 - Sat 16 - Sat 16 - Sun 17 Sat 16 - Sun 17 Sat 16 - Sun 17 Sat 16 - Sun 17 Sat 16 - Sun 17 Tue 19 - Wed 20 Tue 19 - Wed 20 - Fri 22 Wed 20 - Thu 21 - Fri 22 Thu 21 - Thu 21 - Thu 21 - Thu 21 - Fri 22 - Sat 23 - Sat 23 - Sun 24 Sat 23 - Sun 24 Sat 23 - Sun 24 Sat 23 - Sun 24 Sat 23 - Sun 24 Sun 24 - Mon 25 - Tue 26 Tue 26 - Thu 28 - Thu 28 - Thu 28 - Thu 28 - Thu 28 - Sun 01 Sat 30 - Sun 01 Sat 30 - Sun 01
Royal Thames YC - J70 Southern Area Championship Royal Yacht Squadron - 8M & 6M Regatta Cowes Corinthian YC - Cowes Keelboat Solent Series Cowes Corinthian YC - Zenobia Cup for XOD’s Royal Solent YC - The Queen’s Jubilee Race Bembridge SC - Invitational Scow Team Racing Island SC - IDOR Regatta Island SC - Evening Race Series Race 8 Royal Southampton YC - Twilight Series 3 Royal London YC - Property Sailing Regatta East Cowes SC - Thursday Evening Race 10 Island SC - Adult Sonar Sailing Evening Royal Lymington YC - Keelboat Racing Britannia Events, Hamble - Lutine Lineslip Regatta Royal Yacht Squadron - Blueprint Regatta Royal Yacht Squadron - RYS Members IRC Regatta Cowes Corinthian YC - Keelboat Race Around the Wight Royal Southampton YC - Weymouth Double Leg 1 Seaview YC (EWCC) - RS Elite Southern Area Championship Stokes Bay SC - Moth and Waszp Open Regatta Portsmouth Harbour YC - The Gill Sunsail Racing Series 4 Royal London YC - Cowes Keelboat Championship 2 Royal Lymington YC - Summer Regatta Island SC - BPMI Cup Regata RNC/RAYC, Victory Class and Portsmouth SC - Portsmouth Regatta RORC - IRC European Championship & Commodore’s Cup Lymington Town SC - Christchurch Ledge Race Royal Southampton YC - Weymouth Double Leg 2 Portsmouth Harbour YC - The Springboard Hospitality Cup Island SC - Evening Race Series Race 9 Royal Solent YC - Start of Spence Willard Evening Series 2 Portsmouth Harbour YC - Automotive Challenge Cup East Cowes SC - Thursday Evening Race 11 Island SC - Adult Sonar Sailing Evening Royal Southampton YC - Twilight Series 4 Royal Lymington YC - Keelboat Racing JOG - Alderney Island SC - Inshore Series Solent Race Gosport Marine Scene - Gosport Charity Pursuit Bembridge SC (EWCC) - J70 Regatta Britannia Edvents, Hamble - Furniture Regatta 2018 Royal Yacht Squadron - 8M & 6M Regatta Royal Thames YC - Cowes Keelboat Solent Series Cowes Corinthian YC - Portcullis Regatta Britannia Events, Hamble - The Emile Berliner Challenge 2018 Island SC - Evening Race Series Race 10 Quarter Ton Class - Quarter Ton Cup Island SC - IOW Business Evening Sonar Regatta Britannia Events, Hamble - The Reward Regatta Island SC - Adult Sonar Sailing Evening Royal Southampton YC - Twilight Series 5 Royal Lymington YC - Keelboat Racing East Cowes SC - Thursday Evening Race 12 Royal Ocean Racing Club - Morgan Cup Race Royal Southampton YC - Island Double Royal Southern YC - Summer Series 2 Royal Thames YC - Cumberland Regatta Royal Yacht Squadron - Sir Kenneth Preston Trophy for Etchells Royal London YC - Cowes Keelboat Solent Series Royal London YC - Stug Perry for Darings Seaview YC - Prince Philip’s Cup 2018 in Mermaids Cowes Corinthian YC - Sirmoor Regatta in Sonars Island SC - Evening Race Series Race 11 East Cowes SC - Thursday Evening Race 13 Island SC - Adult Sonar Sailing Evening Royal Southampton YC - Twilight Series 6 Royal Lymington YC - Keelboat Racing Royal Yacht Squadron - Members’ IRC and Keelboat Regatta Cowes Corinthian YC - Cowes Keelboat Championship 3 Cowes Corinthian YC - Zephyr Cup for XOD’s
JULY Sun 01 - Mon 02 - Tue 03 - Wed 04 - Thu 05 Thu 05 - Thu 05 - Thu 05 - Thu 05 - Sat 07 - Sat 07 - Tue 10 - Wed 11 Tue 10 - Wed 11 - Thu 12 Thu 12 - Thu 12 -
Lymington Town SC - Newtown Race Royal Yacht Squadron - J70 Family Regatta Island SC - Evening Race Series Race 12 Island Sailing Club - Diam 24 Solent Challenge Cup Royal Southampton YC - Summer Series 1 Royal Lymington YC - Keelboat Racing East Cowes SC - Thursday Evening Race 14 Island SC - Adult Sonar Sailing Evening Stokes Bay SC - Topper Open Regatta Island Sailing Club - ROUND THE ISLAND RACE in association with Cloudy Bay Britannia Events, Hamble - The Reginald Fessenden Challenge 2018 Island SC - Evening Race Series Race 13 Royal Yacht Squadron - Commodore’s Invitational Regatta East Cowes SC - Thursday Evening Race 15 Island SC - Adult Sonar Sailing Evening
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SOLENT EVENTS CALENDAR SOLENT EVENTS CALENDAR
WITH THANKS TO SCRA JULY Thu 12 - Thu 12 - Fri 13 - Fri 13 - Sat 14 - Wed 18 Sat 14 - Sun 15 Sat 14 - Sun 15 Sat 14 - Sun 15 Sat 14 - Sun 15 Sun 15 - Sat 21 Tue 17 - Thu 19 - Thu 19 - Thu 19 - Thu 19 - Fri 20 - Sun 22 Fri 20 - Sun 22 Sat 21 - Sat 21 - Sun 22 Sat 21 - Sun 22 Sat 21 - Sun 22 Sun 22 - Fri 27 Mon 23 - Fri 27 Thu 26 - Thu 26 - Thu 26 - Thu 26 - Sat 28 - Sat 28 - Sat 28 - Mon 30 Sun 29 - Sun 29 - Tue 31 - Tue 31 - Thu 02
Royal Southampton YC - Summer Series 2 Royal Lymington YC - Keelboat Racing JOG - St Malo Royal Ocean Racing Club - Cowes to Dinard St Malo Race Royal Thames YC - Gertrude Cup Etchells Invitational Regatta Bembridge SC (EWCC) - J70 Regatta Royal Southern YC - Summer Series 3 Gurnard Sailing Club - Junior Regatta Island SC - Cowes Keelboat Solent Series Royal Yacht Squadron - Panerai British Classic Week Island SC - Evening Race Series Race 14 Island SC - Adult Sonar Sailing Evening Royal Southampton YC - Summer Series 3 Royal Lymington YC - Keelboat Racing East Cowes SC - Thursday Evening Race 16 Royal Southern YC - J70 UK National Championship Royal Solent YC - Taittinger Regatta 2018 JOG - Cowes to Portland RORC - Cowes Keelboat Championship 4 inc Etchells Bedrock RORC - XOD Telegraph Bowl Cowes Corinthian YC - Dragon South Coast Championship JOG - JOG Week Royal Dartmouth YC Royal London YC - Cowes Classics Week with CCYC, ISC, RORC & RTYC East Cowes SC - Thursday Evening Race 17 Island SC - Adult Sonar Sailing Evening Royal Southampton YC - Summer Series 4 Royal Lymington YC - Keelboat Racing Household Division YC - Annual Regatta Royal Ocean Racing Club - Channel Race Gurnard Sailing Club - Isle of Wight Dinghy Championships Royal Yacht Squadron - Cowes Keelboat Solent Series Bembridge SC/Brading Haven YC - Bembridge Village Regatta Island SC - Evening Race Series Race 15 Stokes Bay SC - Hurricane 5.9 Nationals & Catamaran Open
AUGUST Wed 01 - Thu 02 - Thu 02 - Thu 02 - Sat 04 - Sat 11 Sat 04 - Thu 09 - Thu 09 - Sun 12 - Sun 12 - Tue 14 - Tue 14 - Sat 25 Thu 16 - Thu 16 - Thu 16 - Thu 16 - Fri 17 - Sat 18 Fri 17 - Sat 18 Sat 18 - Sat 25 Sat 18 - Sun 19 - Mon 20 Tue 21 - Wed 22 - Thu 23 - Thu 23 - Thu 23 - Fri 24 - Fri 24 - Fri 24 - Mon 27 Sat 25 - Sun 26 Sat 25 - Sat 25 - Mon 27 Mon 27 - Tue 28 - Thu 30 - Thu 30 - Thu 30 -
Royal Solent YC - Start of Spence Willard Evening Series 3 Royal Southampton YC - Summer Series 5 Royal Lymington YC - Keelboat Racing East Cowes SC - Thursday Evening Race 18 Cowes Combined Clubs - LENDY COWES WEEK Bembridge SC - Dinghy Regatta Royal Lymington YC - Keelboat Racing East Cowes SC - Thursday Evening Race 19 Royal Ocean Racing Club - Sevenstar Round Britain & Ireland Race Seaview YC - Optimist Regatta Island SC - Evening Race Series Race 16 Royal Yacht Squadron - 5.5m World Championship East Cowes SC - Thursday Evening Race 20 Island SC - Adult Sonar Sailing Evening Royal Southampton YC - Summer Series 6 Royal Lymington YC - Keelboat Racing Bembridge SC (EWCC) - Annual Regatta Bembridge SC (EWCC) - Solent Scow Championship Royal Solent YC - Folkboat Week 2018 Island SC - Old Gaffers Annual Solent Race Seaview YC (EWCC) - Annual Regatta Island SC - Evening Race Series Race 17 Island SC - IOW Businesses Evening Sonar Regatta Day 3 of 3 East Cowes SC - Thursday Evening Race 21 Island SC - Adult Sonar Sailing Evening Royal Lymington YC - Keelboat Racing JOG - Cowes to St Peter Port Royal Southampton YC - Cherbourg Double Royal London YC - Etchells European Championship Brading Haven YC (EWCC) - Annual Regatta Royal Ocean Racing Club - De Guingand Bowl Cowes Corinthian YC - August Bank Holiday Regatta Brading Haven YC (EWCC) - Novice Regatta Island SC - Evening Race Series Race 18 East Cowes SC - Thursday Evening Race 22 Island SC - Adult Sonar Sailing Evening Royal Lymington YC - Keelboat Racing
SEPTEMBER Sat 01 - Sun 02 Sat 01 - Sun 02 Sat 01 - Sun 02 Tue 04 - Thu 06 - Thu 06 - Fri 07 - Sat 08 - Sat 08 - Sun 09 Sun 09 - Sun 09 Sat 08 - Sun 09
Cowes Corinthian YC - Spread Eagle Regatta Royal Yacht Squadron - Cowes Keelboat Championship 5 Island SC - Contessa 26 National Championship Island SC - Evening Race Series Race 19 - Bang and Go Back East Cowes SC - Thursday Evening Race 23 Island SC - Adult Sonar Sailing Evening Royal Ocean Racing Club - Cherbourg Race JOG - Cowes to Poole Royal Victoria YC (EWCC) - Annual Merrydown Regatta Royal Southern YC - Summer Series 4 Cowes Corinthian YC - Cowes Keelboat Solent Series
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Sun 09 - Wed 12 - Fri 14 - Sun 16 Sat 15 - Sat 15 - Sat 15 - Sun 16 Sat 15 - Sun 16 Sat 15 - Sun 16 Sat 15 - Sun 16 Sat 15 - 16 Sat 15 - Sun 16 Sat 15 - Sat 15 - Thu 20 - Fri 21 Fri 21 - Sat 22 - Sat 22 - Sat 22 - Sun 23 Sat 22 - Sun 23 Sat 22 - Sun 23 Sat 22 - Sun 23 Mon 24 - Thu 27 Thu 27 - Fri 28 Fri 28 - Sun 30 Sat 29 - Sat 29 - Sat 29 - Sat 29 - Sun 30
JOG - Poole to Cowes Portsmouth Harbour YC - The Wooden Spoon Regatta Island Sailing Club - Little Britain Challenge Cup Lymington Town SC - Lymington to Cowes to Lymington Races Royal Southampton YC - Nab Double Bembridge SC (EWCC) - MOCRA Bembridge Regatta Bembridge SC - Diam 24 National Championship Royal London YC - Contessa 32 Regatta Royal Thames YC - Cowes Keelboat Championship 6 Portsmouth Sailing Club - Squib Southern Championship Royal Air Force YC - Battle of Britain Regatta Island SC - Bar v Bench Sonar Regatta Cowes Corinthian YC - CCYC Forts Race and Finn Trophy Britannia Events, Hamble - The Property Regatta JOG - Cherbourg II Portsmouth SC - Parhelion Autumn Series 1 Royal Southampton YC - RNLI Rally Race Yarmouth Royal Yacht Squadron - J70 Autumn Championship Portsmouth Harbour YC - The Gill Sunsail Racing Series 5 Island SC - John Lewis Partnership Sailing Regatta Royal Ocean Racing Club - Cowes Keelboat Solent Series Island SC - NCA Regatta Portsmouth Harbour YC - The Silicon Cup Regatta Royal Thames YC - British Keelboat League Finals JOG - Cowes to Lymington Portsmouth SC - Parhelion Autumn Series 2 Island SC - Inshore Series Nab Tower Race Royal Yacht Squadron - Cowes Keelboat Solent Series
OCTOBER Sat 06 - Sat 06 - Sat 06 - Sat 06 - Sun 07 Sat 06 - Sun 07 Sat 06 - Sun 07 Sat 06 - Sun 07 Sat 06 - Sun 07 Sun 07 -
Royal London YC with RYS - ASTO Small Ships Race Portsmouth SC - Parhelion Autumn Series 3 Royal Southampton YC - Autumn Solent Double Royal London YC - Red Funnel Trophy for Etchells Royal London YC - Roddy Carritt Trophy for Darings 1 Royal Thames YC - J70 Fleet Racing Cowes Corinthian YC - Small Fleet Keelboat Regatta Hamble River SC - Autumn Spinlock Championship 1 & 2 Lymington Town SC - Solent Circuit 1
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SOLENT EVENTS CALENDAR
SOLENT EVENTS CALENDAR
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SOLENT EVENTS CALENDAR SOLENT EVENTS CALENDAR
WITH THANKS TO SCRA OCTOBER Sun 07 - Sun 07 - Sat 13 - Sun 14 Sat 13 - Sun 14 Sat 13 - Sun 14 Sat 13 - Sun 14 Sat 13 - Sun 14 - Sun 14 - Sun 14 - Sun 14 - Sat 20 - Sat 20 - Sun 21 Sat 20 - Sun 21 Sat 20 - Sun 21 Sat 20 - Sun 21 Sun 21 - Sun 21 - Sun 21 - Sat 27 - Sat 27 - Sun 28 Sat 27 - Sun 28 Sun 28 - Sun 28 - Sun 28 -
Hamble River SC - Hamble Winter Series 1 Royal Southampton YC - Winter Series 1 & 2 Hamble River SC - One Design Championship 1 & 2 Royal London YC - Arrow Trophy Regatta in Sunsail F40s Royal Yacht Squadron - Etchells. Roddy Carritt for Darings 2 Bembridge SC - Trafalgar Trophy for Illusions Portsmouth SC - Parhelion Autumn Series 4 Lymington Town SC - Solent Circuit 2 Hamble River SC - Hamble Winter Series 2 Hamble River SC - Hamble Winter Series 2 Royal Southampton YC - Winter Series 3 & 4 Portsmouth SC - Parhelion Autumn Series 5 Portsmouth Harbour YC - The Gill Sunsail Racing Series 6 Royal London YC - Roddy Carritt for Darings 3 Royal Thames YC - Ice Bucket for Etchells Royal Thames YC - Autumn Excuse Lymington Town SC - Solent Circuit 3 Hamble River SC - Hamble Winter Series 3 Royal Southampton YC - Winter Series 5 & 6 Portsmouth SC - Parhelion Autumn Series 6 Royal Yacht Squadron - Etchells. Roddy Carritt for Darings 4 Bembridge SC - Picnic Hamper for Illusions Portsmouth SC - Frostbite Series 1 Lymington Town - Solent Circuit 4 Hamble River SC - Hamble Winter Series 4
NOVEMBER Sun 04 - Sun 04 - Sun 04 - Sun 04 - Sat 10 - Sun 11 Sun 11 - Sun 11 - Sun 11 - Sun 18 - Sun 18 - Sun 18 - Sun 18 - Sat 24 - Sun 25 Sun 25 - Sun 25 - Sun 25 -
Lymington Town SC - Solent Circuit 5 Portsmouth SC - Frostbite Series 2 Hamble River SC - Hamble Winter Series 5 Royal Southampton YC - Charity Pursuit Fun Race Bembridge SC - Guy Fawkes for Illusions Lymington Town SC - Solent Circuit 6 Hamble River SC - Hamble Winter Series 6 Portsmouth SC - Frostbite Series 3 Lymington Town SC - Solent Circuit 7 Hamble River SC - Hamble Winter Series 7 Portsmouth SC - Frostbite Series 4 Royal Southampton YC - Winter Series 7 & 8 Bembridge SC - Bailey Bowl for Illusions Hamble River SC - Hamble Winter Series 8 Portsmouth SC - Frostbite Series 5 Royal Southampton YC - Winter Series 9 & 10
DECEMBER Sun 02 - Sun 09 - Sat 08 - Sun 09 Sat 22 - Sun 23 Tue 25 - Wed 26 - Thu 27 - Fri 28
Portsmouth SC - Frostbite Series 6 Portsmouth SC - Frostbite Series 7 Bembridge SC - Inter Club Team Racing in Illusions Bembridge SC - Christmas Cracker for Illusions Portsmouth SC - Seventh Annual Hot Turkey Race Cowes Corinthian YC - Boxing Day Scramble Bembridge SC - Icebreaker for Illusions
MARCH 2019 Sun 17 Mar Sat 23 Mar Sat 30 Mar Sun 31 Mar
Warsash SC Warsash Spring Series 1 Portsmouth SC Parhelion Spring Series 1 Portsmouth SC Parhelion Spring Series 2 Warsash SC Warsash Spring Series 3
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USEFUL CONTACTS
USEFUL CONTACTS
Photo: Paul Wyeth
HM Coastguard (Lee-on-Solent) 02392 552100 HM Customs National ‘Yachtline’ (24 hour yacht reporting) 0845 723 1110 HM Customs National Advice Service 0300 200 3700 Emergency Services (Coastguard, Police, Ambulance, Fire) 999 Non-Emergency Calls 101 NHS Non-Emergency Service 111 Sea Start 0800 885500 / 01489 557364 The National Coastwatch Institution: Gosport NCI, Portsmouth Harbour Entrance 02392 765194 Lee NCI, Lee-on-Solent beach 02392 556758 Calshot NCI, Radar Tower Calshot Spit 02380 893562 Needles NCI, Lookout Station, The Needles 01983 754231 Blue Funnel Cruises 02380 223278 Brittany Ferries 0330 159 7000 Gosport Ferry 02392 524551 Hamble Ferry 02380 454512 Hovertravel 08434 878887 Hythe Ferry 02380 840722 Red Funnel 02380 019192 Solent & Wightline Cruises 01983 564602 Wightlink 0333 999 7333 P&O Ferries 0871 664 2121 LD Lines 0844 493 0651 Southampton Airport 0844 481 7777 Bournemouth Airport 01202 364000 Gatwick Airport 0844 892 0322 Heathrow Airport 0844 335 1801 National Express 0871 781 8181 National Rail Enquiries 0345 748 4950 Transport for London 0343 222 1234 Traveline 0871 200 2233
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SPONSORED BY MDL MARINAS A Solent Handbook wouldn’t be complete without revealing some of the hidden delights to be found in the area and so this section introduces the reader to the wonderful diversity of harbours, ports, and rivers to be found around the Solent. The Solent has many harbours ranging from quaint creeks to some of the busiest ports in the world. Whether you want to have a relaxing cruise or a challenging race the Solent has got it all. There are plenty of bays and rivers to explore where you can drop your anchor for lunch and maybe take a swim, or if it’s the exhilaration of racing you are after, then why not take part in one of the hundreds of sailing regattas offered here during the season, and in fact over the winter too if you are the hardy type! If you’re after some retail therapy, or fancy a night out, there is something for everyone; the Solent plays host to some of the best restaurants in the UK offering fresh, local produce. We hope you enjoy browsing through our guides to some of the most popular destinations in the Solent - and that your stay here is a memorable one.
DISTANCE TABLE Bembridge Hbr 13 Chichester Hbr 17 8 Cowes 2 10 15 Fareham
14 10 12 10
R. Hamble (ent) 6 15 18 6 14 Keyhaven
8 20 25 12 22 13
Langstone Hbr 14 6
5 12 1 0 18 25
Lymington Hbr 7 8 23 10 20 12 3 21 Newtown
4 14 19 5 16 9 6 17 4
Portsmouth Hbr 12 5 8 10 3 13 18 5 19 12 Ryde Hbr
8 4 8 5 6 8 16 7 14 10 3
Southampton 9 18 23 9 16 5 16 21 16 12 18 12 Wootton
6 5 10 4 9 8 16 10 12 9 5 2 10
Yarmouth Hbr 7 19 24 9 18 13 3 21 2 2 19 13 16 12 Ventnor Haven 22 12 18 22 18 23 33 17 28 25 15 14 25 15 28
Ventnor Haven
Yarmouth Hbr
Wootton
Southampton
Ryde Hbr
Portsmouth Hbr
Newtown
Lymington Hbr
Langstone Hbr
Keyhaven
R. Hamble (ent)
Fareham
Cowes
Chichester Hbr
Bembridge Hbr
27 42 49 29 40 32 20 39 22 24 37 35 35 32 20 30 Beaulieu R. (ent)
Poole
Approximate distances in nautical miles. To be used as a guide only and not for navigation.
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SOLENT PORTS & HARBOURS
SOLENT PORTS & HARBOURS
RELAX, ENJOY, DISCOVER WITH EUROPE’S L ARGEST MARINA NETWORK MDL doesn’t just provide a secure home for your boat. Our expert team of friendly staff make sure you are looked after round the clock. With beautiful locations across Europe and the UK, we pride ourselves on delivering an unrivalled marina experience, no matter where your adventure takes you…
• • • • • •
COMPLIMENTARY STAYS AT OVER 120 MARINAS MOST GENEROUS BOATYARD DISCOUNT INCLUSIVE STORAGE ASHORE SUPER FAST WIFI FUEL AT COST REGULAR SOCIALS & VARIED EVENTS
UK | FR ANCE | ITALY | SPAIN MDLMARINAS.CO.UK
BEAULIEU RIVER BEAULIEU RIVER
50º46’.58N, 01º21’.60W (ENT) The Beaulieu River is centrally located on the Solent, and is one of the most picturesque rivers on the South Coast. Forming part of the Beaulieu Estate, Beaulieu River is one of the few privately owned rivers in the world and is largely unspoilt, both in terms of its landscape and as a haven for wildlife.The banks play host to an exceptional variety of habitats with an equally varied display of flora and fauna.
Photo: Laura Boynton
When approaching Beaulieu River from the East, keep the lit South Cardinal to starboard off Stone Point and steer to the vicinity of a lit, yellow special buoy close to the bearing to run in on. The bearing to run in on is 324° guided by the transit marks, the front mark is port post No. 2 and the back mark is the Eastern edge of Lepe House. If entering in the dark there is a sector light to guide you into the entrance of the channel. To approach from the west, keep well off the mud banks of Warren Flat and Beaulieu Spit and again steer a course towards the special buoy and transit as above. The Beaulieu Spit dolphin marks the entrance, it is a large port hand tripod. Unless you have a very deep draft on neap tides you will generally be able to enter the river at almost any time, with the minimum depth being just over 2 metres*. It is recommended to avoid the entrance 2 hours either side of LW Springs to ensure that you have enough water to cross the bar which has a depth of 0.9m depth at Chart Datum. If your boat draws 1.5m, (5 feet), you can enter the river 1½ hours after LW Springs. The navigation channel at the mouth of the river is defined with red and green piles. Those that are lit have a flashing sequence of FL.G.4s. Once past the piles you will find there are port and starboard hand buoys to keep you in the channel. These are also lit and have the same light characteristic as the posts. These will guide you up to the marina. Further upstream, branches of willow painted red and green known as ‘withies’ are used. The river benefits from a double tide, with a secondary high water. The flood tide takes 6 hours coming in; then, after a gentle fall, there is a second high tide some 2 hours later followed by a period of slack water for about an hour. Then the ebb sets in, and LW is reached in just 3½ hours. Buckler’s Hard village and its marina are 3.5m upstream from the entrance 64
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BEAULIEU RIVER BEAULIEU RIVER
to Beaulieu River. Set within the heart of the New Forest National Park, Buckler’s Hard Yacht Harbour offers a unique location for short stays and welcomes visiting vessels. The masters of vessels arriving inside the limits of the river are expected to report to the Harbour Master upon arrival, (ch68 Beaulieu River radio, or by phone 01590 616200). All commercial vessels and any vessel over 20m in length are required to contact Beaulieu River Radio on channel 68 when approaching the limits of the river. The harbour speed limit is 5 knots from the entrance and for the entire length of the river. Visitors are welcome to enter the marina at any time, day or night. Berths are available for visiting vessels up to 20m in length, (advanced booking is recommended for larger vessels) and some permanent berths are available. Berths for overnight visitors can be reserved in advance, subject to availability. Alternatively, you may be offered a berth on one of our midstream visitor pontoons or one of the visitors moorings marked with a yellow “V” plate mooring but a dinghy will be required to get ashore. Buckler’s Hard Yacht Harbour is an unspoilt haven, rich in history and wildlife, ideal as a base for exploring the Solent and the Channel. Situated on the beautiful Beaulieu River, the Yacht Harbour is only 25 minutes from the M27 motorway. Safe, traditional and friendly, with a 5 Gold Anchor award from TYHA, there are a range of berths available on the river and within the marina. Full marina services and facilities are available, including a 30 tonne hoist, open policy boat yard as well as a brand new shower and toilet block and a launderette. There is also a chandlery, stocking a wide variety of provisions, supplies, hardware, outboards and dinghies, as well as on site marine engineers. A unique location for short stay visitors, overnight berths and permanent moorings, experience tranquillity and stunning natural beauty on the Beaulieu River - where the New Forest meets the Solent. * Depths will vary slightly and are affected by atmospheric pressure. It is always recommended to carry out tidal calculations if you are unsure as to whether you will have enough water when entering the river. Contact: Harbour Master’s Office, Buckler’s Hard Yacht Harbour, Beaulieu, Hampshire, SO42 7XB. Tel: 01590 616200.VHF Channel 68 Beaulieu River radio. beaulieuriver.co.uk
Photo: Laura Boynton
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BEMBRIDGE HARBOUR BEMBRIDGE HARBOUR
50º41’.62N, 01º06’.40W + (ENT) Bembridge Harbour lies on the eastern tip of the Isle of Wight, just a short sail from many Solent harbours with Chichester, Langstone, and Portsmouth all within a 10 mile radius. For yachtsmen embarking on a Channel crossing, Bembridge Harbour has the added attraction that it is at least an hour closer to the continent than the mainland marinas at the same end of the Solent.
Photo: Bembridge Harbour Commission
The Harbour is designated a ‘Site of Special Scientific Interest’ in recognition of its significance as a habitat for wildlife. The Harbour’s European importance is confirmed by its status as a ‘Special Protection Area’ and it is designated a ‘wetland of international importance’ under the Ramsar Convention. The Harbour has an area of saltmarsh as well as other important habitats such as sand dunes, vegetated shingle, and saline lagoons. The saltmarsh and inter-tidal mud provide feeding grounds for wintering and migratory waterfowl and the Island’s only RSPB site edges onto the Harbour. Bembridge is a large, picturesque and sheltered harbour with beautiful beaches and, although the entrance is tidally restricted, once inside its shelter a warm welcome awaits visiting yachts whatever the weather. It has the two villages of Bembridge and St. Helens surrounding it, and the small town of Brading is a few miles away. The entrance is due south of Portsmouth Harbour entrance and is marked by a tide gauge topped with a yellow cross. As you pass the tide gauge you will see the village of Seaview to starboard and the St Helens Fort to port. Vessels should leave the tide gauge to their port side on the approach and this will line them up with the channel markers which are in pairs, the first pair being buoys 1 and 2 which are lit at night - all other buoys are marked with reflective tape. On passing buoys 6a and 7a you will be running parallel to the shore with the Harbour entrance appearing in the distance. On big Spring tides beware the current which can be strong through into the Harbour. Pictorial and video guides to the entrance channel are available on the Harbour website and there is also a Navionics chart showing approx depths for guidance. A live-feed electronic tide height gauge, showing the depth of water over the bar, is displayed on the website and at the Berthing Office, with information updated every 60 seconds.
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BEMBRIDGE HARBOUR BEMBRIDGE HARBOUR
Once inside the Harbour there is a drying beach anchorage on your port side adjacent to Bembridge Sailing Club. Approximately half way down the Harbour on your starboard side you will come to the Duver Marina visitors’ pontoon which gives access to the shore on the north side of the Harbour. Visitors are advised to call on VHF Channel 80, Callsign: “Bembridge Harbour” on entering the Harbour for berthing instructions. Individual “Premier” finger berths can be booked in advance online. Alongside berths can also be booked online - at busy times during the summer months it may be necessary to raft out. Harbour staff are on duty 0800-1800 seven days a week (summer hours). Rallies are very welcome - five or more boats receive a 5% discount, with a larger discount for rallies in excess of 10 boats. As a general rule of thumb, access to the Harbour for a vessel drawing 1.5m is ±3 hours HW Portsmouth, Neaps or Springs. In recent years an extensive dredging programme has been completed within the Harbour, re-establishing depths of 2m LWMS. An extension to the visitor’s pontoon has increased the available berthing space, and shoreside facilities have been refurbished - new facilities are planned and await final planning permission. There is a water taxi service,VHF Ch 80 Call sign ‘Bembridge Water Taxi’, tel: 01983 872828. The taxi is based at the Duver Pontoon and operates between various pick up and drop off points (subject to tidal access). There are showers and toilets, a laundry (at Bembridge Marina), water (own hosepipe), electricity, and waste removal facilities. WiFi is available to all visitors (first 1/2 hour free). A lift out and scrub service for RIBs/powerboats up to 10m (5 tonnes) is available to visiting boats at Bembridge Boat Storage (bembridgeboatstorage.co.uk), adjacent to the visitors’ pontoon and can be arranged through the Harbour or Berthing Office. Undercover and external dry-stack storage also available. Contact: Bembridge Harbour Authority, Harbour Office, The Duver, St Helens, Isle of Wight, PO33 1YB. Tel: 01983 872828. bembridgeharbour.co.uk or follow the Facebook page.
Photo: Bembridge Harbour Commission
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CHICHESTER HARBOUR CHICHESTER HARBOUR
50º46’.86N, 00º56’.00W (ENT) Chichester Harbour is an ideal water recreation centre with its 11 square miles of water, 17 miles of well marked and lit channels and easy access to the Solent.The sheltered waters are ideal for racing and day sailing and its channels offer secure moorings for cruising vessels. In addition, the harbour is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and of national and international importance for nature conservation.
Photo: Paul Adams
The low lying entrance to Chichester Harbour is not easily distinguished against the backdrop of the South Downs and is bordered on both sides by extensive drying banks; West Pole, Middle Pole and East Pole Sands, the latter extending more than a mile seaward. A deep-water channel running between these banks to the harbour entrance is interrupted by a bar joining West to Middle Pole and East Pole Sands, this mobile feature varies in position and height and is periodically dredged to maintain a charted depth of 1.5 metres. The width of the dredged channel across the Bar is a little less than 200 yards. Vessels approaching the harbour from the west are advised to shape a course for West Pole Beacon 50º 45’.45 N, 00º 56’.59 W. On rounding the Beacon aim to pass between Eastoke Buoy and West Winner Beacons leaving the Bar Beacon 50º 46’.023 N, 00º 56’.380 W, close to port. When approaching the harbour from the east, mariners are advised not to cross the 5 metre contour until West Pole Beacon bears 310º T. On reaching the beacon shape a course for the harbour entrance keeping the Bar Beacon close to port. Chichester Bar is normally dredged to approximately 1.5m below chart datum giving a depth of 2m at MLWS. However, through gradual accretion and after severe gales the bottom can vary markedly and it is then prudent to assume a least depth of 0.8 metres below Chart Datum. Mariners should be aware that ebb tides in the entrance to the harbour can attain a rate of up to 6 knots on springs. With a falling tide and strong winds from a southerly sector a dangerous sea may be encountered. In these conditions it is advisable to exercise caution and cross the bar between three hours before and one hour after HW springs. In very strong winds entry should not be attempted. The speed limit throughout the harbour is 8 knots and is strongly enforced.
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Itchenor - visitor moorings, fresh water, showers, free pump-out station and scrubbing piles available, contact Chichester Harbour Patrol for information. Ferry available weekends and bank holidays April to mid May and October, daily mid May to September, call ‘Ferry’ on Ch 8. Emsworth - visitor moorings, fresh water and scrubbing piles available. Ferry operates weekends and bank holidays Easter to September 2hrs either side of HW. Call ’Emsworth Mobile’ on Ch 14 for information or ferry. Bosham – deep water visitor moorings available on request and drying quay for day visits and overnight stays. Fresh water and jet washer to hire. Call ‘Bosham Quay’ on VHF channel 14 or call 01243 573336. Long-term moorings are available throughout the harbour managed by Chichester Harbour Conservancy. These offer the opportunity to enjoy the best of the beautiful natural environment of Chichester Harbour. Located in some idyllic settings these well maintained and sheltered moorings offer a cost effective way to experience this Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Contact: Chichester Harbour Conservancy, Harbour Office, Itchenor, Chichester, PO20 7AW. Tel: 01243 512301 conservancy.co.uk
Photo: Beken of Cowes
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Up-to-date tide and weather information at the Harbour Entrance is available at chimet.co.uk or from the Harbour Office. The Harbour Patrol maintains a VHF radio watch on Ch 14, Call Sign ‘Chichester Harbour Radio’ or ‘Chichester Harbour Patrol’. The speed limit throughout the harbour is 8 knots. Useful navigation information, including race start times and locations, is published each weekend as an eNewsletter, sign up at conservancy.co.uk to receive a copy.
CHICHESTER HARBOUR
CHICHESTER HARBOUR Sparkes Marina, on the south-east tip of Hayling Island, lies within Chichester Harbour – one of Europe’s largest natural harbours. The area is famous for its birds and marine life and stunning sunsets. The facilities at this 140-berth marina include 24-hour showers and toilets, a laundry room, an office and reception, plus the all-new Drift: Hayling Island bar and restaurant. When approaching the marina, enter Chichester Harbour and proceed on the starboard side of the channel until the Hayling Island Sailing Club mast is bearing 240 degrees M (236 degrees T) on the portside. From this position you will see an East Cardinal Mark with tide gauge bearing approximately 290 degrees M (286 degrees T) and a jetty pontoon on the sailing club shore. Alter course to port onto a heading of 281 degrees M (277 degrees T). Adjust your course to pass midway between the cardinal mark and the pontoon.You will now see transit marks consisting of two Day-Glo orange St Andrews Crosses, bearing 281 degrees M (277 degrees T). Adjusting your course to keep the transit in line, proceed down the transit for approximately three cables, leaving the pile mooring to port. As you pass the last pile mooring you will see steel piles with red can top marks on your port bow (South West). Follow these marks, which will lead you into the marina. The approach channel from the Sailing Club to the Marina has been dredged to 2 metres below CD. Sparkes Marina has 140 berths; max LOA: 20m; fuel (diesel, petrol and marine gas); dry boat sailing for yachts and motorboats; swinging moorings; 40-ton mobile crane; storage ashore; full maintenance services; 24-hour showers and toilets; laundry facilities; restaurant and bar; yacht brokerage; sea school; and MDL Wi-Fi. Contact: Sparkes Marina, Wittering Road, Hayling Island, PO11 9SR.VHF Ch 80. Tel: 023 9246 3572. sparkesmarina.co.uk Northney Marina offers excellent boatyard facilities for boat repairs or maintenance work. There is storage ashore for over 200 boats as well as a 35-ton boat hoist and crane for mast stepping. There is also a modernised slipway, with an access pontoon, giving easy access to the water for trailer sailors – with ample space for car parking and trailer storage. When approaching Northney Marina, enter Chichester Harbour on the top half of the flood. Continue north up Emsworth Channel for 3 miles to Emsworth south cardinal light beacon. Here fork 45° to port up Sweare Deep. After 8 cables turn sharply port around the Northney red beacon. Enter the marina via a short channel dredged 1m; access H24. Northney Marina has 228 berths; max LOA: 24m; fuel (diesel); boat lifting and storage ashore; 35-ton boat hoist; slipway; car parking and trailer storage; boatyard services; yacht brokerage; laundry facilities; café; provisions shop; and MDL Wi-Fi. Contact: Northney Marina, Northney Road, Hayling Island, PO11 0NH.VHF Ch 80. Tel: 023 9246 6321. northneymarina.co.uk Emsworth Yacht Harbour is a friendly, family owned marina within walking distance of the attractive village of Emsworth with famous restaurants and eight pubs. There are limits on access due to the fixed sill and the marina is accessible 70
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Contact: Emsworth Yacht Harbour, Thorney Road, Emsworth, Hants, PO10 8BP. Tel: 01243 377727. emsworth-marina.co.uk
Thornham Marina is at the top of Prinsted Bay in Chichester Harbour. Visitors can moor on drying pontoon berths, on pontoon berths within a gated basin, or on swinging moorings. Access to pontoon berths is around ±2 HW, (swinging moorings is 2.5 hours), depending on tide height. To find Thornham Marina enter into Thorney Channel and proceed north, pass Thorney Island SC and church to port. Follow the moorings all the way to the entrance to Prinsted Bay. After entering the bay, follow the channel markers which will then guide you into the deep water pool or pontoon berths. Call Sign ‘Thornham Marina’,VHF Ch 80. There is storage for around 300 vessels; a 12 ton boat hoist; electricity and water; toilets and showers; and car parking. Contact: Thornham Marina, Thornham Lane, Prinsted, Nr. Emsworth, PO10 8DD. Tel: 01243 375335. thornhammarina.com Birdham Pool Marina is situated on the southern edge of Chichester Harbour six miles from the entrance, in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The marina runs alongside a traditional working shipyard which provides excellent services. With the addition of 28 new finger pontoons, Birdham Pool can now accommodate up to 275 vessels, although the remainder of berthing is mostly between piles, bow or stern to the shore or jetties. The approach channel to Birdham Pool Marina is approximately 10m in width. Please call on VHF Ch 80, Call Sign ‘Birdham Pool Marina’, or by mobile to the lock on 01243 511482 or 07831 466815. Email: lockeeper@ birdhampool.co.uk Entrance and exit via the lock is available 3 hours before high water, through to 4 hours after high water. Contact: Birdham Pool Limited, Birdham, Chichester, West Sussex, PO20 7BG. Tel: 01243 512310. Email: info@ birdhampool.co.uk
Chichester Marina is situated upstream from Birdham Pool on the starboard side of Chichester Harbour. Once inside the harbour you need to head northeast past East Head and toward Itchenor to arrive at the Marina. The channel to the marina is marked by the Chichester Marina starboard pile - Maximum speed 6 knots. When you reach this pile please call the marina on VHF Ch. 80 for locking and berthing instructions. During busy periods and at certain states of the tide you may be asked to moor on the outer waiting pontoon.
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±2 HW. The marina has 220 fully serviced pontoon berths; hard-standing for 200 boats; and a visitor pontoon. There is a 50 tonne travel hoist, 10 tonne crane, and Wise W10 boat parker. The Deck Café and a range of boat repair services; slipway and drying grid; diesel and Calor Gas sales; and free WiFi.
CHICHESTER HARBOUR
CHICHESTER HARBOUR The lock allows 24-hour access to the marina with excellent security provided around the clock. The marina has luxury toilets and showers; a launderette; a new CafĂŠ Bistro overlooking the water; free Wi-Fi; a friendly yacht club, free parking; a new boatyard facility with a wide variety of marine tenants and a fuel berth. Contact: Premier Chichester Marina, Birdham, Chichester, West Sussex, PO20 7EJ. Tel: 01243 512731. premiermarinas.com/chichester Haines Boatyard, Itchenor is a small friendly boatyard offering a comprehensive range of services for all types of craft. They are well respected in the marine community in and around Chichester Harbour for their specialist expertise in shipwright, painting, rigging and engineering. The excellent modern facilities and skills mean that they are able to restore and maintain the Itchenor classic keelboats as well as other craft like Folkboats, yachts, motorboats, RIBs and dinghies to a very high standard. Boats up to 34ft or 6 Tonnes can be hauled using the slipway services for repairs and maintenance, including pressure washing and anti-fouling. Haines can offer secure indoor and outdoor storage, which is available throughout the year and moorings in the Itchenor Reach. Contact: Haines Boatyard, Itchenor, Chichester, West Sussex, PO20 7AN. Tel: 01243 512228. Email: admin@hainesboatyard.com hainesboatyard.com The Hayling Yacht Company is a family owned business which has generations of experience providing expert boat repairs, osmosis treatments, winter boat storage and marina berths. With so many years on the water, they have learned to change with the times, embracing the latest technology and techniques for boat repairs, but keeping some things the same such as pride in their work and a commitment to their customers. Located on the western edge of Chichester Harbour they are perfectly positioned to take advantage of the natural shelter, offering calm marina berths and safe boat storage - with over 15,000 square feet under cover. Their hard-standing boat storage gives access to both electricity and water points, and soft mud berths offer exceptional value for money. Contact: The Hayling Yacht Co Ltd, Mill Rythe Lane, Hayling Island, Hants, PO11 0QQ. Tel: 02392 463592. haylingyacht.co.uk
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COWES & RIVER MEDINA Its position at the centre of the Solent, with a harbour that’s easily accessible and a river navigable as far as Newport, has made it the Isle of Wight’s main port as well as a popular destination harbour and event centre for sailing and powerboating.
Photo: Beken of Cowes
Cowes’ history is steeped in yachting tradition. Even before the 1815 founding in London of The Yacht Club, which went on to become the Royal Yacht Squadron, Cowes was a fashionable watering place. The Cowes Regatta, which was based on the annual licensing of the local pilot vessels and races between them, was a popular spectator sport for visitors even before the advent of Cowes Week. When Queen Victoria’s court was at Osborne House the town became famous for yachting and social events. Today, Cowes has evolved to meet the demands of a growing leisure marine audience and tourist visitors. The harbour and river offer easy access and a choice of mooring types, either close to the town or in the more tranquil stretches of the River Medina. In addition to leisure craft the harbour and river see a large number of commercial movements including Red Funnel car ferries, high-speed Red Jet ferries, and cargo vessels up to 100m. Work on the new detached Cowes Breakwater was completed in October 2015 and the Exclusion Zone has now been removed. The breakwater is marked with 5 GPS synchronised yellow lights spaced equidistant along the breakwater crest displaying flash characteristic Fl.Y.2.5s. In addition, the western toe, which lies on the fairway extremity, is marked by a red lateral mark Fl.R.2s and the eastern toe by an east cardinal mark VQ(3).5s. Mariners are advised to remain at least 30m from the breakwater crest as the rock extends 25m to the north and south and to avoid passing between the buoys marking the western and eastern toes and the breakwater. The breakwater is private property and landing is strictly prohibited. The next
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50º46’.08N, 01º17’.95W
Cowes is fortunate to enjoy the benefits of its geography and history.
COWES & RIVER MEDINA
COWES & RIVER MEDINA phase of planned works is the introduction of a dredged Eastern Channel and an extension to the Shrape Breakwater; for up-to-date details on any construction works and for all navigation information refer to the Cowes Local Notices to Marinerscowesharbourcommission.co.uk/local_notices_to_ mariners and the project pages at cowesharbourcommission.co.uk/cowes_breakwater_project The approach to Cowes is fairly straightforward by day or night but caution is always advised especially at or near Springs when strong tides run across Cowes Roads and in the Inner Harbour which can easily set you off course. The best approach for vessels that cannot use the Small Craft Channel is from the north and keeping close to the starboard-hand marker No.1, following the starboard side of the channel. Beware that between HW-3hrs and HW a strong westerly setting cross current may be experienced at the entrance and again in the Inner Fairway between the Island Sailing Club and Town Quay particularly on spring tides. Caution should be exercised to ensure that your course is kept and to avoid obstructing the safe passage of vessels restricted to the centre of the fairway. Sailing boats should ensure that their engines are running to assist safe navigation; once past Town Quay the cross tide is considerably reduced. Small craft may opt to use the Small Craft Channel that connects the eastern approaches to Cowes with the main fairway opposite Town Quay, enabling small vessels to avoid the main harbour entrance when approaching/departing Cowes from/to the north and east. The depth in the Small Craft Channel may be as little as 0.2m below chart datum. As a rule of thumb, if your draught is more than the current tide height you should avoid using the channel.
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The current tide height can be found on the cowesharbourcommission.co.uk home page or on the tide boards located at Town Quay, Watch House and the Shrape and 4A Beacons which can be found at either end of the Small Craft Channel.Vessels using the channel should stay below 6 knots and pass to seaward of the Shrape Beacon and between the three pairs of red and green buoys, the pair of yellow buoys and pass north of the red 4A beacon which mark the eastern end of the channel. Avoid entering the moorings either side of the channel or the Shrape Watersports Area to the east of the Shrape Breakwater. Hazards include the numerous mooring buoys to the east of Cowes entrance and areas of foul ground and drying banks to the west (rocks); you need to constantly monitor your position. The Red Jet ferries often approach and depart the No. 1 and 2 fairway buoys at high speed and vessels which can only safely navigate within the fairways, including the Red Funnel car ferries, should not be obstructed; Rule 9 applies in the Outer Fairway which extends approximately 500m to the north of the No. 1 and No. 2 buoys. There is a 6 knot through the water speed limit within Cowes Harbour. All sailing vessels with engines shall have their engines ready for immediate use when sailing south of No 4 buoy. The Town Quay basin and surrounding area are often busy and vessels must keep watch for Red Funnel car ferry and Red Jet catamaran movements. Avoid overtaking the Red Jets on their starboard side as they slow to make a 180 degree turn to starboard prior to berthing. The Cowes Chain Ferry, or Floating Bridge as it is also known, operates throughout the year for around 18 hours each day and takes passengers and vehicles across the narrow mouth of the River Medina estuary between
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COWES & RIVER MEDINA Cowes and East Cowes. Depending on the tide and position of the Chain Ferry in the river, the depth of navigable water above the level of the chains does vary, being deepest in the centre of the fairway and steadily decreasing towards the banks of the River Medina and at the bow of the ferry. With the Chain Ferry berthed on either the Cowes or East Cowes side, the depth of navigable water above the chains is a minimum of 1.5m below chart datum in the centre of the fairway. Beware of strong tides in the vicinity of the Chain Ferry, especially to the east of the fairway over Spring tides during the ebb when the tidal rate can be over 4 knots. For further information contact the Ferry Manager on 01983 293041. Cowes owes much of its popularity to its location in the centre of the Solent and its position midway between Weymouth (46 nautical miles) and Brighton (53 nautical miles), in the centre of the most popular sailing area in the country. As a result, during the summer season there are lots of recreational craft moored on buoys, pontoons, and pile moorings within Cowes Harbour and along the River Medina. A large number of yacht races start and/or finish in Cowes, and the harbour is also popular with visiting cruisers and powerboaters. The main sailing season runs from April to October with the busiest period during July and August. Cowes Week, which is held in the first half of August, sees the approaches to Cowes Harbour and the fairway become extremely crowded. To contact the Cowes Harbour Master afloat call on VHF Ch 69 Call Sign ‘HM1’ or ‘Cowes Harbour Radio’ for the Harbour Master’s Office. Contact: Harbour Office, Town Quay, Cowes, PO31 7AS. Tel: 01983 293952. Email: chc@cowes.co.uk cowesharbourcommission.co.uk Scrubbing berths can be found at Town Quay next to the Harbour Office, or a lift and scrub can be arranged through one of the marinas or boatyards. Petrol and red diesel are available from the deep water Cowes Harbour Fuels berth which also supplies calor gas, engine oils and fuel treatments and is suitable for all vessels with a minimum depth of water of 4 metres; Lallow’s Boatyard 50m south of Cowes Yacht Haven on the western side of the fairway also sells diesel and petrol however depth is limited to 1 metre below chart datum. Fresh water is available at Trinity Landing and Town Quay. There are several public landing places and slipways. In Cowes there is the Whitegates pontoon suitable for tenders, a slipway between Thetis Wharf and Shepards Wharf Marina, Town Quay adjacent to the Red Jet terminal (up to 7m LOA), the Sun Slip by HSBC Bank, the Market Slip by the Waterside Pub, the Watch House slip next to the old HM Customs, the south end of Trinity Landing, and at Egypt Point there is a slipway east of the Point. Also in East Cowes at Bells landing (tidal steps) just north of Cowes Union Flag hangar, the White Hart slip south of the Red Funnel ferry terminal, the pontoon south of Trinity Wharf, and the Folly slip. Vessels up to 7m LOA can moor at Town Quay, next to the Red Jet ferry terminal from where there is direct access to the High Street. The pontoon at Trinity Landing also offers walk ashore access. Whitegates visitor pontoons are situated on both sides of the main fairway, south of the Chain Ferry. In addition, from March to October M Row, off The Green, provides heavy duty deep water moorings, max LOA 25m. Contact ‘HM1’ on VHF Ch 69 for mooring at Trinity Landing and any of the mooring buoys.
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COWES & RIVER MEDINA Cowes Yacht Haven is a world-class marina located in the heart of Cowes, giving visitors instant access to a high street full of pubs, restaurants and shops. The marina is accessible at all states of the tide and has 260 fully serviced berths, max LOA 50m. There is a 50 ton hoist, 25 ton boat mover and a 15 ton mobile crane, WiFi, winter berthing, dry sailing, on-site engineers, electricians and boat repairers, laundry, showers and toilets. Cowes Yacht Haven Events Centre is an ideal location that hosts a wide range of events, with room to seat up to 400 guests and 3000sq/m of outdoor exhibition space. Call VHF 80 ‘Cowes Yacht Haven’ for berthing instructions. Contact: Cowes Yacht Haven,Vectis Yard, High Street, Cowes PO31 7BD. Tel: 01983 299975. cowesyachthaven.com Cowes Harbour Shepards Marina - Shepards is one of Cowes Harbour’s main marina facilities offering a full range of services and amenities suitable for yacht racing events, rallies, and catering also to the cruising sailor and powerboater. The family-friendly marina has capacity for 130 visiting boats, 40 resident berth holders, and specialises in providing dry sailing packages for day class yachts, RIBs, motorboats and trailered keelboats. The Sugar Store Events Centre at the Marina benefits from a prime waterfront location. The venue offers contemporary facilities for up to 400 people, with a bar and stage, and regatta/media facilities. Services include boat lifting, dry sailing, electricity and water, free WIFI, inclusive showers and toilets, a free pump out and waste facilities, CCTV, a restaurant, sail maker, annual moorings, as well as visitor and winter berths. Berths can be booked in advance; at peak times in season rafting up may be necessary.VHF Ch 80 Call Sign ‘Cowes Harbour Shepards Marina’. Contact: Cowes Harbour Shepards Marina; Medina Road, Cowes, PO31 7HT. Tel: 01983 297821 Email: chc@cowes.co.uk cowesharbourcommisison.co.uk VHF Ch 80 Call Sign ‘Shepards Wharf Marina’.
Photo: Beken of Cowes
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COWES & RIVER MEDINA East Cowes Marina - East Cowes Marina is situated in a sheltered location on the eastern bank of the Medina River, just upstream of the Chain Ferry linking Cowes with East Cowes.VHF 80 Call Sign ‘East Cowes Marina’. The marina provides 240 annual berths and over 140 visitors’ berths. Visitor berths can be booked in advance, and are all ‘walk-ashore’ with free electricity and fresh water. Shore side facilities include high quality washrooms and showers, a laundry room, car parking, and yacht stores. Free WiFi and internet stations are available in the marina reception. Next to the marina office the ever popular ‘Lifeboat’ pub with its sunny decking area overlooking the river, serves quality food all day, every day. The marina is a great base for all the Isle of Wight’s major events, including the Round the Island Race, Cowes Week, and the music festivals. East Cowes town has a Waitrose and Co-op, a post office, cash machine, restaurants, cafés and takeaways. There are lovely Medina river walks, and Osborne House and the Classic Boat Museum are just a few minutes stroll away. Cowes is easily accessible by Chain Ferry or the friendly and efficient Sally Water Taxi service operating from the marina. The marina welcomes rallies and a marquee and BBQ area are available for hire. Contact: East Cowes Marina, Britannia Way, East Cowes, Isle of Wight, PO32 6UB. Tel: 01983 293 983. Email: berths@eastcowesmarina.co.uk eastcowesmarina.co.uk Folly Inn - If you wish to travel from East Cowes or Cowes to the Folly Inn, the Folly Waterbus is available on VHF Ch 77 or tel. 07974 864627. There are three visitor pontoons up the Medina River near the Folly Inn, one is a walk ashore and the other two are in mid-river. All are run by the Folly Berthing Master. The walk ashore pontoon has water and electricity, showers and toilets are accessible 24 hours a day at the Folly Inn. There is also a scrubbing berth available nearby. Call on VHF Ch 72 Call Sign ‘Folly Launch’ as you are passing port hand marker No. 10 for berthing instructions. Contact: Folly Moorings, River Medina, Isle of Wight. Tel: 07884 400046. follymoorings.co.uk Island Harbour - Set in one of the most picturesque riverside locations, in an area of outstanding natural beauty, Island Harbour is situated just over a mile south of East Cowes. This peaceful friendly countryside marina is ideally suited to families with children and dogs. There are over 200 walkashore finger berths, as well as many amenities including a fully refurbished restaurant, with a superb children’s play area. There are also showers, a laundry room, car parking, free WiFi, a well stocked chandlery, winter hard standing, on site boat repairers, a 50 ton travel hoist and slipway. Call Sign ‘Island Harbour’ on VHF CH80. Notify the Marina of your arrival when entering the Folly Reach. To enter Island Harbour, continue up the main channel until you reach the five red lane markers, then make your turn as directed by the duty Lock Keeper. There is a ‘waiting pontoon’ opposite the lane markers which can be used free of charge if visiting the restaurant or chandlery.
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Access is approximately 4 hours either side of HW depending on your draft, although there is a 2.5 metre draught restriction into the marina over the lock gates’ sill. Marina staff are always on hand to help you through the lock, as well as to assist you onto your berth in inclement weather. Contact: Island Harbour, Mill Lane, Binfield, Newport, PO30 2LA. Tel: 01983 539994. island-harbour.co.uk Newport Harbour is a small leisure harbour situated at the navigable head of the River Medina, some 5 miles south from the port of Cowes. Newport harbour is a 5 minute walk to the centre of Newport. There are a broad range of facilities and activities, including swimming pool, leisure centre, community theatre, cinema, hotel, supermarkets and pubs and restaurants available nearby. Furthermore due to its central location it makes an ideal destination to explore the Island by cycle and footpaths. The harbour is also within walking distance of readily available buses that service the whole Island. The visitor pontoons are walk ashore, additionally there is a quay walls for fin keel vessels. At both of these locations, there is power and water available. Throughout the year the quay is used by for many events these include Food markets, car shows, festivals and various marine events. To reach Newport Harbour from Cowes, a beacon at the Folly displays a rapid flashing green light. This is located 1.5 cables south of the Folly Inn Point at the end of the row of yacht moorings. Moving south, two pairs
The Breeze Restaurant & Bar Island Harbour Marina, Mill Lane Newport, Isle of Wight, PO30 2LA Restaurant: (01983) 533 388
Marina: (01983) 539 994
Come and try the Breeze Restaurant & Bar at the picturesque Island Harbour Marina. We have a very warm welcome waiting for you! Our meals are all home-cooked from fresh local produce, giving quality food at very reasonable prices. The Breeze has been vastly transformed, turning it into one of the premier restaurants on the Island. We also have a new state-of-the-art children’s play area and free Wi-Fi. With ample parking, outside seating, heated decking area, regular live music; all overlooking the marina, and the scenic Medina Valley. We have riverside walks, a cycle track; and you may be lucky to enjoy an evening drink, whilst watching the sun set over the riverbank. Give us a try! You won’t be disappointed! Bring your boat over too!
www.island-harbour.co.uk
info@island-harbour.co.uk
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Photo: Rod Johnson
of fixed green lights are located on the west bank, at the northern and southern ends of the Cement Mills site. At Dodnor, a further pair of fixed green lights mark the end of a small jetty extending from the west bank. Shallow points upstream are marked by red buoys on the port side and green buoys on the starboard. On the east bank, the approach to Newport Harbour is identified by large white beacons with pairs of horizontal red lights showing at night. When lined up, these beacons bear a course of 192º T and show the approach channel to the harbour. HW Spring tides give an average 2.5m depth in the approach channel and at the visitors’ pontoons, but this may increase depending on weather conditions. The Neap high tide depth is 1.8m. The harbour dries out at LW, around 5 hours after HW, revealing a firm level bottom. Newport Harbour has basic showers and toilets, water & electricity waste facilities, slipways and winter dry berth storage. It also offers a quay crane that can lift boats up to 7 metres vessel that are under 3 tons. Contact: Newport Harbour Office, Newport Quay Newport, PO30 2ED. Tel: 01983 823885. Newport.harbour@iow.gov.uk iwight.com Please note, information in this publication is to be used as a guide only and not for navigation
Photo: Beken of Cowes
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DISCOVER MORE AT VENTNOR BOTANIC GARDEN THIS SUMMER
01983 855397 botanic.co.uk Ventnor Botanic Garden Undercliff Drive, Ventnor, Isle of Wight PO38 1UL
FAREHAM FAREHAM
FAREHAM CHANNEL: 50º50’.40N, 01º10’.40W (ENT) Fareham provides a unique opportunity to explore a rich heritage of both maritime and national history, peaceful woodland walks, conservation areas, plus an attractive safe coastline.
Photo: Fareham TIC
North of the marinas on your port side as you enter Portsmouth Harbour, and the docks on your starboard side, is Fareham Lake. Further north are Bomb Ketch Lake and Spider Lake on your starboard side, then a couple of southerly cardinal marks which need to be left to starboard. From now on the channel is marked by piles. Bedenham Pier, on your port side, should not be approached closer than 12m. The channel is lit as far as Foxbury Point. Anyone planning to push on up to Fareham must take note of the overhead electricity cables, which cross the channel from Cams Hall Golf Course across to Fareham Reach, and only have a safe clearance of 16m at Mean High Water Springs. Close to Fareham depths rapidly shallow out in the channel. WicorMarine Yacht Haven - situated to the north of Bedenham Pier, and only a half-hour from the harbour entrance, is a family owned and operated marina offering a variety of deep water or tidal pontoon, swinging moorings, and storage, as well as competitive rates for a mid-season scrub and short-term storage. It boasts a wonderful licensed cafe SALT as well as a well-stocked chandlery and can offer own-boat sail training, kayak hire and luxury off grid accommodation. A number of marine trades are on site to deal with repairs and maintenance.Visitors are welcome. Contact: WicorMarine Yacht Haven, Cranleigh Road, Portchester, Fareham, PO16 9DR. Tel: 01329 237112 wicormarine.co.uk Portsmouth Marine Engineering - Continuing onwards from WicorMarine Yacht Haven, and after the sailing club you will pass, on your port side, a yard run by Portsmouth Marine Engineering with around 130 pontoon berths, some with electricity, shower and toilet facilities. They can offer temporary visitors’ berths subject to availability. There is a 10 ton boat crane, and storage for 35 boats on dry land. Contact: Portsmouth Marine Engineering (VRS Holdings Ltd), Lower Quay, Fareham, PO16 0RJ. Tel: 01329 232854. Email: info@portsmouthmarine.co.uk portsmouthmarine.co.uk
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KEYHAVEN 50º42’.85N, 01º33’.26W (ENT)
KEYHAVEN
Keyhaven is an attractive harbour at the western tip of the Solent lying within an area of unspoilt Hampshire coast.The harbour is shielded by the massive shingle bar that leads to the famous Hurst Castle situated at its strategic position, guarding the western approaches to the Solent and originally built by Henry VIII.
Photo: New Forest District Council
Keyhaven has many qualities ranging from the extent of sheltered water, which makes it so suitable for teaching youngsters sailing and canoeing, to the great wealth of nature conservation and landscape interest. To approach Keyhaven from the west, enter the Solent by Hurst Point and beware of The Trap if coming in via the north channel. Be aware of strong tidal cross streams. The entrance is approximately 0.5m north-northwest of Hurst Point. There are two unlit buoys, one red and one green near the entrance at North Point. The depth between these buoys is virtually at chart datum so whatever height of tide is shown at that time is how much water there is. Normally, entry is restricted to 2 hours each side of HW. Red and white hooped transit posts line up at a bearing of 308º. Proceed through the buoys until a red lit buoy Fl(3)R.9s is abeam on your port side. Enter the river around this buoy. Note the first of many starboard hand laterals for the channel. When entering from the east, and when Port Albert is abeam, turn to starboard and head towards the red and green buoys. Then follow the directions above. It is not advisable to attempt entering Keyhaven in strong easterly winds. There is a 4 knot speed limit once inside the River. Anchorage is close to the spit on your port side. The deepest water is always where the mooring buoys are. There are no dedicated visitor moorings. Pick up any spare buoy and contact the River Warden on VHF 37/M1 or P1 or phone 01590 645695. Charges for both mooring and anchoring apply. The West Solent Boat Builders yard is situated immediately behind the quay providing a full range of boatyard facilities, including cranage. On the north side of the quay, a slipway with a cradle is used to haul out vessels too heavy to be lifted by crane. Contact: Keyhaven River Warden, The Observation Tower, Keyhaven Quay, Keyhaven, SO41 0TR. Tel: 01590 645695. newforest.gov.uk
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LANGSTONE HARBOUR LANGSTONE HARBOUR
50º47’.01N, 01º01’.60W + (ENT)
Langstone Harbour lies on Hampshire’s southeast coast, a large tidal bay between Portsmouth Harbour to the west and Chichester Harbour to the east. Commercial shipping, fishing, and recreational boating have been well established in the peaceful, sheltered waters of the harbour for many years.
Photo: Premier Marinas
There is abundant wildlife in Langstone Harbour which remains an area of real wilderness alongside the major city of Portsmouth. Sailors, boaters and other water sports enthusiasts share the harbour with the resident wildlife, and providing a little consideration is shown, all the different uses can coexist in harmony. Langstone Harbour contains a number of nesting islands and landing is not allowed.Visitors should avoid trampling the mud and saltmarsh plants to ensure their survival into the future. Langstone Harbour is a shallow, natural harbour with extensive mudflats which are exposed during low tide. The whole harbour is one of Hampshire’s several ‘Sites of Special Scientific Interest’ (SSSI) with international status. Together with neighbouring Chichester Harbour, it is a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance, and part of the Solent European Marine Site. The approach to Langstone Harbour is easy in most weather conditions, but best from High Water -3 to +1 hour. The entrance channel lies between the East and West Winner drying banks, which offer some protection. With the Fairway beacon, approximately 1 mile to the south of the harbour entrance, in line with a conspicuous chimney, a course of 344º will pass between the southern extremity of the East Winner shoal and the Langstone Bar. From the Fairway beacon the course to the harbour entrance is 352º.
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LANGSTONE HARBOUR LANGSTONE HARBOUR
Allowance should be made for a west-going tide after HW-3h. The entrance itself deepens and favours the west side. Inbound vessels of up to 85 metres length may be encountered in the harbour approaches between HW-2h and HW-1h. These vessels are constrained by their draught and should be given a wide berth. The harbour speed limit is 10 knots and because of the environmental sensitivity of the area’s wildlife, there are also restrictions on certain activities. Chichester Harbour is accessible under the Hayling road bridge for vessels of low air draught at certain states of the tide. Two visitor moorings (May–Sept) have been established to the north of the mulberry harbour in approximate position 50º 48.1N 001º 01.5W. A third visitor mooring has been established in Sinah Lake.Vessels must not be left unattended on these moorings. All vessels using Langstone Harbour are obliged to pay harbour dues; this includes vessels visiting Southsea Marina. All vessels on the water must display their daily or annual plaque. Fuel, water, and waste reception facilities are available at the Hayling pontoon. Harbour Office call up is VHF Ch 12/16; the working frequency is Ch 12. There are three public slipways in Langstone Harbour; the Ferry Point slipway, Hayling Island; Eastney slipway, Portsmouth; and the Broadmarsh slipway. Contact: Langstone Harbour Board, Harbour Office, Ferry Road, Hayling Island, PO11 0DG. Tel: 02392 463419. Email: admin@langstoneharbour.org.uk langstoneharbour.org.uk Southsea Marina - Southsea Marina is a small friendly marina set in Langstone Harbour. Contact the marina on VHF Ch. 80 call sign ‘Southsea Marina’ when approaching Southsea Marina channel to be given berthing instructions. The speed limit in the marina channel is 5 knots. Southsea Marina has a tidal gate that opens +/- 3 hours either side of high water and, when closed there is a waiting pontoon. The tides for Southsea Marina and the times of the tidal gate opening and closing are available to download at premiermarinas.com/southsea. Southsea Marina offers new luxury facilities, a launderette, an on-site bar and restaurant, 24-hour diesel and petrol and a fully serviced boatyard. The marina also has a fishing club, free WiFi, electricity and water on the pontoons and bottled gas. A convenience store and a cashpoint are 10 minutes’ walk away. Contact: Premier Southsea Marina, Fort Cumberland Road, Portsmouth, PO4 9RJ. Tel: 023 9282 2719. premiermarinas.com/southsea
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LYMINGTON HARBOUR LYMINGTON HARBOUR
50º45’.10N, 01º31’.40W (ENT)
Lymington Harbour is located within an attractive estuary on the Hampshire coast at the western end of the Solent.The estuary is 2 miles long with the entrance channel lying between salt marshes. It is shared by yachtsmen, fishermen, and the Isle of Wight ferry.
Photo: Ryan Willegers
Lymington River is well sheltered and access is available at all states of tide making it a popular destination for visiting yachtsmen. The speed limit is 6 knots with an advisory limit of 4 knots upstream of the wave screens near the entrance to the Lymington Yacht Haven. There is a double High Water at Springs which gives a stand of 3 hours. At Neaps there is a stand of 2 hours. The tidal range at Springs is 3.1m and at Neaps 1.5m. On approach the first thing you see is the yacht club starting platform with a distant backdrop of masts in the Yacht Haven marina. Leave the platform well to starboard. Jack in the Basket is a single red pile with a basket top-mark to the southwest of the entrance. Water depth in much of the marked channel is in excess of -2.0m below chart datum. However, on the marked channel margins the depth of water is shallower in some locations. Please give way to the Wightlink ferries which run every hour at peak times. At night, the main channel piles are lit, green to starboard and red to port, all flashing every two seconds. Leading lights for entering the river are fixed red on 319°T. In Short Reach (as the river bends to the right) there are two red and white transit posts lit by fixed white directional lights to the west of the river at the south end and two black and white posts similarly lit on the east side of the Reach at the north end. These are to assist the ferries to line up and pass in the river. Either side of the marked navigation channel in Short Reach are rock breakwaters. The end of the eastern breakwater that is nearest the navigation channel is marked at night by a beacon displaying
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LYMINGTON HARBOUR two fixed green lights vertically disposed. The end of the western breakwater that is nearest the navigation channel is marked at night by two fixed red lights vertically disposed. The extent of both breakwater underwater footprints is marked by yellow special marks mounted on vertical posts – keep clear. The wave screens mark the beginning of the inner harbour. Beyond these you pass to port in quick succession the entrance to the Yacht Haven marina, Dan Bran visitors’ pontoon, the Harbour Master’s pontoon and the Harbour Office, public slipway, the two yacht clubs and finally Berthon Lymington Marina which faces the ferry terminal on the opposite bank. Above the ferry terminal the channel narrows and turns to port between two lines of piles forming moorings. This part of the channel has a maintained depth of 1.7m below chart datum up to the Town Quay where there are visitors’ mooring buoys and pontoons for visitors. At the Town Quay there is room for up to 60 visiting boats within two minutes walk of the town centre. Visitors are invited to go directly to the Town Quay where walk ashore and fore and aft moorings are available on a first come first served basis. Mooring areas are maintained to 1.7m below chart datum. The Dan Bran pontoon is a separate bookable visitor walk ashore pontoon, which has both electricity and Water and can accommodate rallies of up to fifty (10m) boats moored together. Mooring areas are maintained to a minimum of 1.7m below chart datum. There are also six bookable berths for small boats up to 8m in length on the inside of the Harbour Master’s Pontoon. There are free showers open for visitors all year round adjacent to the visitors’ moorings on the Town Quay. Separate shower facilities are available for users of the Dan Bran pontoon. Two scrubbing areas are available at the Town Quay slipway and three areas immediately north of the Royal Lymington Yacht Club. Reservations and payment must be made through the Harbour Office first. There is a public slipway from the Bath Road car park; a charge is made for launching. Please pay Harbour staff on the slipway or at the nearby Harbour Office. Public pontoons for landing can be found at the Town Quay and off the car park in Bath Road. Boats must not be left unattended in the yellow hatched emergency area on the Harbour Master pontoon. Contact: Lymington Harbour Commissioners, Harbour Office, Bath Road, Lymington SO41 3SE. Tel: 01590 672014.VHF Ch 66 (office hours). lymingtonharbour.co.uk Both marinas at Lymington may be contacted on VHF Ch 80 for berth availability.
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LYMINGTON HARBOUR LYMINGTON HARBOUR
Lymington Yacht Haven - Lymington Yacht Haven is the first marina that comes into sight as you make your way up the Lymington River. The Yacht Haven offers 24-hour security, on-the-water fuel 24/7 (except Christmas Day), showers, Wi-Fi, and a bar and restaurant with panoramic views across the Solent to the Isle of Wight. Lymington Yacht Haven boasts a comprehensive range of marine services on-site, including full hoists and wash off facilities, engine servicing and repairs, rigging specialists, and a chandlery. Out-of-hours haul outs are available in emergencies. Contact: Lymington Yacht Haven, Kings Saltern Road, Lymington, Hampshire, SO41 3QD. Tel: 01590 677071. yachthavens.com Berthon Lymington Marina is located on the west bank of the Lymington River and closest marina to Lymington high street and railway station. One of the longest established marinas in the UK, Lymington Marina offers 280 deep water, well-protected berths for yachts up to 45m (150ft) LOA. Full marina facilities are available, including shore power, water, fuel, gas, a launderette, and ice along with acclaimed luxury washrooms with under floor and shower seat heating amongst other innovations. Call Sign ‘Berthon Lymington Marina’ ch 80 Contact: Lymington Marina Berthon, The Shipyard, Bath Road, Lymington, Hampshire, SO413YL. Tel: 01590 673312. berthon.co.uk
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NEWTOWN HARBOUR NEWTOWN HARBOUR
50º43’.45N, 01º24’.66W (ENT)
Newtown Harbour, on the Isle of Wight, lies to the west of Newport and east of Yarmouth. Newtown is a National Nature Reserve administered by the National Trust, and is a fragile area for wildlife and a low key, quiet, and unspoilt location.
Photo: Island Visions, Jamie Russell
The winding estuary at Newtown has provided a sheltered harbour for boats over many centuries. It is thought to have once been capable of accommodating much larger ships than the pleasure craft which use it today. The silting up of the channels led to the decline of Newtown as the harbour became difficult to navigate. When approaching Newtown from either east or west, vessels should keep to the north of the west cardinal fairway buoy. Upon approaching the buoy, keep to the west of the buoy and then proceed inbound keeping the leading marks in alignment. The minimum draft in the entrance at low water Springs is approximately 2m, therefore boats can enter Newtown River at low water. However, vessels should navigate with caution at this time. Prudence and good seamanship should suggest arrival on a rising tide! The leading marks are on a bearing of 130°. The speed limit is a maximum of 5 knots. If a vessel, such as a fully loaded RIB, is creating excessive wash at 5 knots then speed should be reduced further. Depths vary throughout the estuary. Anchoring is free of charge, however visitors are encouraged to make a voluntary donation to the National Trust which maintains this beautiful location. There are visitor moorings in the estuary, charges apply, and the Harbour Master can be contacted by phone on 01983 531424, but not VHF. Water is available on the landward end of the footbridge at Newtown Quay; waste facilities at Shalfleet Quay. There is a landing place at Shalfleet Quay which is the main point of access to reach the New Inn. There is a National Trust visitor point at the Newtown nature reserve but the nearest toilet and refreshment facilities are in nearby villages. A free local information leaflet can be obtained from the Harbour Master. Contact: Newtown Harbour Master. Tel: 01983 531424. Extracts from ‘Discovering Newtown’ are reproduced with the permission of the National Trust.Visit nationaltrust.org.uk to find out more.
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POOLE HARBOUR POOLE HARBOUR
50°43’.50N, 001°59’.00W (ENT)
Poole is the second largest natural harbour in the world, with an interior coastline of over 100 miles and covering nearly 10,000 acres. It is a very shallow harbour and mariners are advised to stay within the marked channels, indicated by the red and green lateral posts or buoys, at all times within the Harbour to avoid running aground.
Photo: Poole Harbour Commission
When approaching from the east, the high cliffs of ‘Anvil Point’ will be clearly visible. As you get closer the white chalk cliffs of ‘Handfast Point’, also known as ‘Old Harry Rocks’, come into view. The main Swash Channel into Poole is well marked and is usable day and night in all conditions. In very strong winds from the south or southeast it can become dangerous on the ebb in the vicinity of Poole Bar. The channel itself runs between the ‘training bank’ on the western side and ‘Hook Sands’ on the eastern side. A small craft channel runs along the western side of the Swash Channel and is the recommended entrance for leisure vessels. It is marked on its western side by a series of lit and unlit red piles on the training bank and bounded on the eastern side by the red can buoys of the Main Swash Channel.Vessels using this channel should re-join the main Swash Channel between Number 8 buoy and Number 10 ready to traverse the Harbour Entrance. A handy alternative to the main Swash Channel, for those coming along the coast from the east, is to head straight for the entrance via the East Looe Channel. This is well marked with port and starboard hand buoys and runs west over the sands before dog-legging round to the southwest close along the shore. It is quite shallow and should be navigated with caution and avoided by deeper draught vessels. The Harbour Entrance is only 300m wide causing tides up to 5kn on an ebbing spring. Consult the tidal stream atlas and plan your entrance accordingly. A Chain Ferry runs across the Harbour Entrance taking vehicles and passengers between Sandbanks and Shell Bay. The ferry has right of way over all vessels. When the ferry is about to cross a black ball is hoisted in the rigging and a white strobe light will flash on the mast. After entering the harbour, the striking façade of Brownsea Castle will be clearly visible. There are many options available with regard to an overnight stop. Poole Quay Boat Haven is easily reached by following the Middle
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You can’t anchor in the channel but with care you should find deep water just outside it. Navigational Hints: See Admiralty Chart 2611 or Imray Chart Y23. Please note: Be aware of the chain ferry in the entrance to the harbour and a byelaw which states that all vessels must give way to the chain and use a motor if fitted when transiting the harbour entrance. Contact: Poole Harbour Commissioners, 20 New Quay Road, Hamworthy, Poole, Dorset BH15 4AF. Tel: 01202 440200. phc.co.uk Poole Harbour Control: Tel: 01202 440230.VHF Channel 14 (vessels should maintain a listening watch from Bar Buoy inbound) Call Sign ‘Poole Harbour Control’. Poole Quay Boat Haven: Tel: 01202 649488 (Option 1).VHF Channel 80. Call Sign ‘Poole Quay Boat Haven’. Cobb’s Quay Marina at Hamworthy in Holes Bay lies in Poole Harbour, the world’s second largest natural harbour. It has a lively, seafaring atmosphere, and with 1090 berths it’s a favourite with yachtsmen and motor cruisers alike. Out of the harbour to the east lies the Solent, offering year-round racing and sheltered cruising around the Isle of Wight. To the west is Studland Bay and Swanage, with its popular beach and white cliffs. To reach Cobb’s Quay Marina, enter Poole Harbour by the main Swash Channel from Poole Bar buoy; or from the east via the shallower East Looe Channel. Go up-harbour via the North Channel or Middle Ship Channel. Pass Poole Quay and transit the lifting bridges. Follow the buoyed channel to the marina. Cobb’s Quay offers 850 marina berths (max LOA: 25m) and 240 dry stack berths (max LOA: 10m); fuel (petrol/diesel); gas; boat lifting and storage ashore; slipway; laundry facilities; restaurant and bar; jet ski pods; brokerage; chandlery; convenience store; electric vehicle charging; and MDL Wi-Fi. Contact: Cobb’s Quay Marina, Hamworthy, Poole, Dorset, BH15 4EL.VHF Ch 80. Tel: 01202 67429. cobbsquaymarina.co.uk
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Ship Channel round to the north and then west until you reach the south cardinal Stakes buoy (Number 29). Follow the ‘Little Channel’ towards Town Quay and the entrance to the Marina is clearly visible on the right hand side. Alternatively take the North Channel, leave the main ship channel at the ‘Bell’ Southerly Cardinal and proceed along the channel heading initially northeast and then bearing round to northwest. From this channel the Royal Motor Yacht Club, Salterns Marina, Parkstone Yacht Club, and Parkstone Bay Marina are easily accessible. South Deep offers a sheltered spot for a quiet night at anchor. After passing through the entrance make a sharp turn to port between port hand buoy No. 14 and the east cardinal Brownsea and venture down the marked channel southeast of Brownsea Island.
POOLE HARBOUR
POOLE HARBOUR
Salterns Marina - Located within the beautiful, sheltered waters of Poole Harbour, this award-winning 5 Gold Anchor marina offers permanent and visitor berths, swinging moorings,Versadock and storage ashore. On-site car parking and full marina and boatyard facilities including 24-hour manned security, 24-hour fuel, slipway, on-site hotel, bar and restaurant. Call on VHF Ch 80 or 37, call sign ‘Salterns Marina’. Contact: Salterns Marina, 40 Salterns Way, Lilliput, Poole, Dorset, BH14 8JR. Tel: 01202 709971. salterns.co.uk
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PORT SOLENT
PORT SOLENT CHANNEL: 50º 50’ 37” N, 01º 06’ 06” W (LOCK ENT) PORT SOLENT
Port Solent is located in the northeast corner of Portsmouth Harbour, near the historic Portchester Castle. Portchester is one of the best preserved of the Roman ‘Saxon shore’ forts and was built in the third century.There are spectacular views over the Solent from the Castle’s towers
Photo: Premier Marinas
The entrance to Portchester Lake lies about a mile north of Portsmouth Harbour entrance At Pile No.78 call Port Solent on VHF CH.80 and request a Lock In In season, the upper section is well marked by moored yachts. Out of season, beware of many unlit moorings on both sides of the channel. Do not proceed into the lock barrel unless three green entry lights show. If it is necessary to wait for the lock, moor to the outer waiting pontoon, clear of the lock entrance. Please note that during the winter months, the outer pontoon is removed. Port Solent Marina - Port Solent Marina is a family friendly locked marina that’s set against the vibrant backdrop of The Boardwalk’s array of restaurants, bars and entertainment. The marina also offers a fully serviced boatyard with storage ashore for 400 boats, a fuel berth, luxury showers and toilets, dedicated berth holder car parking, 24 Hour Security and Marina Staffing and a children’s play area. The marina is also service by the Porthouse Café, offering hot drink, breakfast and lunch year round. The lock provides 24-hour access in and out of the marina. Call on VHF Ch.80 for berthing and locking instructions. Contact: Premier Port Solent Marina, South Lockside, Port Solent, Portsmouth, PO6 4TJ. Tel: 023 9221 0765. premiermarinas.com/portsolent
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PORTSMOUTH & GOSPORT PORTSMOUTH & GOSPORT
50º47’.38N, 001º06’.65W (HARBOUR ENTRANCE) Portsmouth is Britain’s premier naval base and one of the busiest harbours in the country. It is a very large natural harbour, almost completely landlocked except for the narrow entrance, with the approaches themselves well sheltered by the Isle of Wight.
The Queen’s Harbour Master (QHM) Portsmouth is the regulatory authority of the Dockyard Port of Portsmouth, an area of approximately 55 square miles that encompasses not only Portsmouth Harbour itself, but includes all the waters from Cowes in the west to Hayling Island down to Sandown Bay in the east, with the single exception of Bembridge Harbour. Traffic co-ordination for shipping entering and leaving Portsmouth Harbour is performed by Harbour Control which is manned 24 hours a day. The QHM and his staff have to ensure that the 130,000 yearly shipping movements under their control are safely carried out and with the minimum impact to the surrounding area. To facilitate the safe passage of small craft to and from Portsmouth Harbour, a ‘Small Boat Channel’ exists for vessels less than 20m in length on the western side of the harbour entrance. The northern and southern extremities of the Small Boat Channel are at Ballast beacon and No. 4 Bar buoy, both of which are to be left close to port by vessels entering and departing. Remember, small boats are extremely difficult to see and the harbour entrance is a blind bend to larger vessels. Enter and leave the harbour through the Small Boat Channel. All craft fitted with engines, when navigating in the approach channel to Portsmouth Harbour, are to proceed under power between No. 4 Bar buoy and the Ballast Pile.Vessels are only to cross the main channel when they are to the north of Ballast Pile, and permission has been obtained from the QHM on VHF Ch 11.
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The Small Boat Channel may only be entered or exited by vessels approaching from the east at its northern or southern extremities. If crossing the harbour entrance, do so to the north of Ballast Pile or to the south of No. 4 Bar buoy. Keep to the starboard side of the Small Boat Channel and adjust speed to remain within the channel rather than overtake and be forced into the main channel. Small boats may continue to use the Small Boat Channel when the main channel is closed for the passage of a large vessel, except for entry or exit of the Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers when the Small Boat Channel will be closed to all vessels except the carrier and those assisting her. Do not underestimate the speed of ships. If your boat is slow, allow sufficient time to take evasive action in the vicinity of large ships. Be visible. At night make sure your navigation lights can be seen. If you see the navigation lights of a vessel and think you have not been seen, get out of the way. Carry a radar reflector high on your boat. Remember, from the bridge of a loaded container ship or large tanker, the captain or pilot will lose sight of you a third of a mile ahead, although you can see the ship at all times. Ships with deep draught may have less room for manoeuvre than is immediately apparent. At night be extra vigilant as, even on a clear night, you will have difficulty seeing a big ship approach.You might see it first as a black shadow against a background of shore lights, or as a growing shadow, at that point you are not far apart. Remember that your lights will not be easily spotted from the ship. It is essential that all mariners operating north of a line between Outer Spit Buoy and Gilkicker Point maintain a close watch on VHF Ch 11, for vessel traffic information from QHM Harbour Control. In an emergency, if you believe you have not been seen or you are unsure of a ship’s intentions, call them on VHF Ch 11 or 16, then shift to a working frequency for inter-ship safety messages. The Swashway is an important channel for shallow draught vessels approaching and leaving Portsmouth Harbour. It should be noted that hovercraft and high-speed catamaran ferries often transit the area en-route to and from Ryde at speeds in excess of 24 knots. As non-displacement craft, hovercraft usually navigate outside the Swashway in areas where depths are shallow. The Spitbank area, as a whole, is regularly used for yacht racing and regattas. Yachts and slow moving craft are advised to keep watch for the possible approach of high-speed ferries and other fast craft. High-speed craft are cautioned not to assume that other boats, particularly those whom they are overtaking, are aware of their presence, and are to give them a sufficiently wide berth. Extra caution is to be taken when operating in the vicinity of the harbour entrance to prevent small and less powerful boats being swept into midchannel from the Small Boat Channel by the strong cross-tide. The speed limit within Portsmouth Harbour is 10 knots and the same within 0.5nm of the line of MLWS in any part of the Port of Portsmouth outside the
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harbour. The speed limit in each case is to be taken as ‘speed through the water’. When visibility in the harbour or approach channel is less than 0.25 of a nautical mile the QHM may declare the fog routine to be in force. Small boats may proceed with caution but must keep clear of the main navigable channels and the approach channel. The QHM will direct that the routine is in force, and when it has ended, by broadcasts on VHF Ch 11 or 13. Vessels without operational radars are advised not to proceed in such conditions, and in any event, should navigate with extreme caution in conditions of restricted visibility. Contact: Queen’s Harbour Master Portsmouth, Semaphore Tower, HM Naval Base, Portsmouth, PO1 3LT. Tel: 02392 723694. royalnavy.mod.uk//qhm/portsmouth for access to all QHM Portsmouth Local Notices and General Directions. Reference: QHM Portsmouth General Direction 07/10. Small Boat Channel and access to Gunwharf Quays and Town Camber. The Small Boat Channel, as displayed on Admiralty charts, is defined by Ballast Beacon at its northern extremity and No 4 Bar Buoy to the south. As the harbour entrance is a blind bend for large vessels, small boats operating near the harbour entrance are often difficult to detect, the following rules therefore apply to all small boats:
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1. Small Boats must enter and leave the harbour through the Small Boat Channel. 2. All craft fitted with engines, when navigating in the Approach Channel to Portsmouth Harbour, are to proceed under power between No 4 Bar Buoy, Ballast Beacon and Gunwharf Quays/Town Camber. 3. The Small Boat Channel may only be entered or exited by vessels approaching from the vicinity of Gunwharf Quays/Town Camber north of Ballast Beacon. 4. A traffic pattern is established at Ballast Beacon; small boats entering the harbour are to pass close to the east of Ballast Beacon, those exiting close to the west. 5. Small boats, unless authorised by QHM, are not to loiter in the Small Boat Channel. 6. Small boats should remain on the Starboard side of the Small Boat Channel, adjusting their speed to remain within the Small Boat Channel to avoid overtaking or leaving the Channel. 7. Immediately prior to departure from Gunwharf Quays/Town Camber, small boats are to request permission, from QHM on VHF Ch 11, to cross the harbour to Ballast Beacon before entering the Channel. Notes - There are no visitor berths or moorings at Gunwharf Quays, and boats will only be permitted to cross the harbour to Gunwharf Quays if they have an assigned berth. The Gunwharf Berthing Manager can be contacted by VHF Ch 80 or 02392 836732.
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PORTSMOUTH & GOSPORT
PORTSMOUTH & GOSPORT
PORTSMOUTH & GOSPORT Gunwharf Quays Marina - Set against the vibrant backdrop of Portsmouth’s Historic Naval Dockyard and the Emirates Spinnaker Tower, Gunwharf Quays offers guests a unique waterside experience combining outlet shopping, dining and leisure, coupled with world class customer service. Offering spacious and fully serviced marina berths for both annual and visiting guests we can accommodate craft of up to 80m in length and a maximum draught of 5.5m with quick and easy access to the Solent. Add a friendly and professional team, who are dedicated to making your stay an enjoyable one, and you have the perfect destination marina. Contact - Gunwharf Quays Marina, Gunwharf Quays, Portsmouth, PO1 3TZ. Tel: 02392 836732. Email: marina@gunwharf-quays.com gunwharf-quays.com/marina Camber Dock – Set in the most historic part of the city, Camber Docks is home to KB-Boatpark Dry Stack, the new Ben Ainslie Racing America’s Cup Challenge HQ, the Wightlink ferry service, the local fishing fleet and fish market, commercial workboats, Portsmouth Sailing Club, and a number of private sailing and motor vessels. Visiting vessels are welcome and can moor alongside the quay wall next to the Bridge Tavern with a short stay charge collected by KB-Boatpark staff on behalf of the Harbour Master. Contact: Camber Harbour Office, KB-Boatpark, 1st Floor, 96 Broad Street, Old Portsmouth, PO1 2JE. Tel: 02392 833166 Email: info@kb-boatpark.co.uk KB-Boatpark Dry Stack – KB-Boatpark has benefited from a complete re-build in 2014/15 after re-locating a few hundred metres to facilitate the building of Sir Ben Ainslie’s new America’s Cup Challenge HQ at Camber Docks.
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The works included a new racking system, a brand new Hoist fork lift truck to work alongside the existing Clarke truck, and new office accommodation making KB Dry Stack the most up to date in the Solent area. RIBs and sports boats up to 10m can be launched at all states of tides and Portsmouth Harbour entrance and access to The Solent is only a few hundred metres from the Dry Stack. Contact: KB-Boatpark, First Floor, 96 Broad Street, Old Portsmouth. PO1 2JE. Tel: 02392 833166 Mob: 07733 880260 Email: info@kb-boatpark.co.uk kb-boatpark.co.uk Haslar Marina is a modern purpose-built marina in Portsmouth Harbour just minutes from the waters of the Solent. Located in Haslar Creek, Gosport, and protected by a large wave screen, the marina offers sheltered berthing with no tidal restrictions. The marina has up to 120 dedicated visitors’ berths, catering for vessels up to 60m LOA. All berths are fully serviced with water, electricity, and Wi-Fi. Facilities include showers and washrooms, two laundries, bars and restaurants, 24-hour security, and car parking. Sealift 2 are now operating from Haslar Marina. Call Sign ‘Haslar Marina’ on VHF 80. Contact: Haslar Marina, Haslar Road, Gosport, Hampshire, PO12 1NU. Tel: 023 9260 1201. Email: berths@haslarmarina.co.uk haslarmarina.co.uk
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Gosport Marina - Premier’s Gosport Marina is situated 500m from Portsmouth Harbour and a breakwater ensures that boats are protected from wash from passing boats. Gosport Marina can accommodate 500 boats on berths ranging up to 30m. The marina has quality toilets and showers, a launderette and an excellent Café Bistro - The Boat House Café. There is also 24hour a self serve fuel berth, dry stack storage, a specialist boatyard – Endeavour Quay and boat sales; electricity and water on the pontoons, berth holder car parking, free Wi-Fi and bottled gas is available. Gosport High Street with a variety of shops is just two minutes away and a quick ferry trip over the water will find you at Gunwharf Quays. Telephone or call VHF Ch. 80 for berthing. Contact: Gosport Marina, Mumby Road, Gosport, PO12 1AH. Tel: 023 9252 4811. premiermarinas.com/gosport
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A short ferry trip away is the popular Gunwharf Quays with its designer outlets, bowling alley, cinema, restaurants and bars. The Gosport Ferry provides fast shuttle services from nearby Gosport Ferry pontoon to the popular Gunwharf Quays with its designer outlets, bowling alley, cinema, restaurants and bars. Endeavour Quay offers a comprehensive refit maintenance and repair facility for commercial vessels and private sailing and power craft up to 40 metres LOA or 180 tonnes. Part of Gosport Marina, Endeavour Quay is also renowned for providing service and support for major yacht race projects. Supporting the yard’s lifting and storage services is a comprehensive range of independent onsite marine service tenants and a chandlery. The yard also welcomes owner’s contractors onto the site as part of its ‘open yard policy’. Endeavour Quay offers easy access to The Solent and English Channel, with no air draft restriction. There is 90m of serviced waiting pontoons, a 30m long and 8.5m wide lifting dock, and a 180 tonne travel hoist. Tel: 02392 584 200. endeavourquay.co.uk Royal Clarence Marina lies within a deep water basin fronting the Royal Navy’s former victualling yard, is less that 10 minutes from the entrance to Portsmouth Harbour and close to Gosport town Centre. The marina provides fully serviced pontoon berths ranging in length from 8 to 18m. There is also over 350 metres of alongside berthing available. The marina enjoys one of the deepest water basins in southern England with the capacity to take vessels up to 4 m daft. Royal Clarence Marina has 145 fully serviced berths including heavy duty and deep water berths. The marina now benefits from on-site, state of the art, toilets, showers, laundry and visitors lounge.VHF Ch 80, Call Sign ‘Royal Clarence Marina’. Contact: Royal Clarence Marina, Weevil Lane, Gosport, PO12 1AX. Tel: 02392 523523. royalclarencemarina.org
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RIVER HAMBLE & WARSASH 50°50’.40N, 01°18’.50W (ENT) RIVER HAMBLE & WARSASH
Internationally famous as a first class sailing centre, the River Hamble is also renowned for the excellence of its servicing and repair facilities offered in a variety of marinas and boatyards. Whether your interest is racing, power-boating or blue water cruising, the Hamble has the facilities you need; deep water, easy access to the Solent at all states of tide.
Popular with locals and visitors alike, the Hamble is perfect for weekend excursions or as a departure point for destinations further afield. It is used extensively by yachtsmen; competitors in Cowes Week and the Round the Island Race use the harbour as a base, and closer to home, local yacht clubs host the Hamble Winter Series, Warsash Spring Series, Bursledon Regatta, National, European and World championships. The river is not just a sailing Mecca, it is a nationally and internationally important site for nature conservation and a bird watchers’ paradise. Riverside walks or simply watching the world go by are popular pastimes. It also offers a safe location for rowing, canoeing and kayaking, and for the up-coming sport of paddle-boarding. The river is a constant hive of activity during the summer season and therefore care should always be taken. Access to the River Hamble is available at all states of tide, although waves can build up at the entrance in a southwesterly wind combined with an ebb tide. By day, from the vicinity of Hamble Point Buoy, follow the main channel which is clearly marked with lit port and starboard-hand piles. From the Warsash Maritime Academy Jetty, the starboard side of the channel is clearly marked by four lit starboard-hand buoys. A ‘preferred channel’ mark (pile) is at the southern end of the first pontoon encountered; leave it to port for the main channel. Thereafter, the main channel is clearly marked with lit port and starboard-hand piles. At night, follow Hamble Common Directional light on a bearing of 352°, then Sailing Club Directional light on a bearing of 029° and then follow the lit buoys and piles as above. Depths obviously vary. Most marinas are dredged to 1.5m. Depths in the main channel vary from at least 4m in the approaches, to 2.2m at Bursledon Bend. Tidal streams can be very strong, particularly on the ebb. Mariners are advised to keep to the centre line or to starboard of the centre line and not too close to the entrance piles, especially at low water.
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RIVER HAMBLE & WARSASH Walk ashore facilities are available for visitors at the Harbour Master’s jetty at Warsash and Hamble. There are also mid-stream visitors’ pontoons available between piles B1 and B6. For berth allocation, call the Harbour Master on VHF Ch 68 Call Sign ‘Hamble Harbour Radio’. There is a 6 knot ‘through the water’ speed limit from No. 1 pile and wash limit on all vessels whilst within the River Hamble harbour limits. No anchoring is allowed in the river, except in the Upper Hamble, above Manor Farm Country Park Jetty, where anchored boats must not be left unattended. Access to the Upper Hamble is through three bridges, the lowest of which (A27) has a clearance of 3.5 metres at Highest Astronomical Tide (HAT). Contact: River Hamble Harbour Authority, Harbour Office, Shore Road, Warsash, SO31 9FR. Tel: 01489 576387 Email: harbour.office@hants.gov.uk hants.gov.uk/hambleharbour Marinas may be contacted on VHF Ch 80 for berth availability. Deacons Marina & Yard is conveniently located on the river Hamble at Bursledon Bridge, just minutes from the M27. The marina is recently dredged and refurbished, and has 130 deep water walk-ashore pontoon berths and a full-service boatyard. Deacons Yard provides 150 spaces ashore for boats up to 48 feet, and the team can handle any task from paint and polish to keel removal, Coppercoat to a rudder rebuild. Onsite there are specialist riggers, electronics, Force 4 chandlery, Why Boats brokerage and a great café. Very limited visitor spaces, please call ahead to book. Contact: Deacons Marina, Bridge Road, Bursledon, Southampton SO31 8AZ Tel: 02380 402 253 Hamble Point Marina is hard to beat for its location alone, right at the mouth of the River Hamble with easy access to the worldfamous waters of the Solent. This makes the marina a magnet for competitive sailors from around the globe, and a favourite with racers and cruising yachtsmen alike. The 230-berth marina itself offers extensive shoreside facilities. Besides a well-stocked chandlery, bar and restaurant, Hamble Point also has the best range of new and used boats for sale on the South Coast. When approaching Hamble Point, please keep clear of commercial shipping in Southampton Water. From abeam Calshot Castle head for Hamble Pt South Cardinal buoy at the mouth of the well-marked river. From here the channel is narrow between drying banks, so be sure to leave the No 2 East Cardinal beacon to port. At night two directional lights lead to Warsash Jetty on the east bank. The entrance to Hamble Point Marina is 500m further north on the west bank. Hamble Point has 230 berths (max LOA: 30m) and 129 dry stack berths (max LOA: 10m). There is boat lifting and storage ashore; a 75-ton boat hoist; a 4-ton crane for masts / engines; slipway; boat repairs; electronic services; storage; chandlery; bar and restaurant; yacht brokerage; dry sailing facility; trailer sailing; electric vehicle charging; and MDL Wi-Fi
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Port Hamble Marina is on the River Hamble, right in the heart of the South Coast’s sailing scene. With thousands of visitors every year, this busy marina is popular with racing enthusiasts and cruising vessels looking for an exciting atmosphere. The picturesque Hamble Village, with its inviting pubs and restaurants, is only a few minutes’ walk away. Our easily-accessible fuel berth sells both petrol and diesel seven days a week, with late-night opening in summer. When approaching Port Hamble, please keep clear of commercial shipping in Southampton Water. From abeam Calshot Castle head for Hamble Pt South Cardinal buoy at the mouth of the well-marked river. From here the channel is narrow between drying banks, so be sure to leave the No 2 East Cardinal beacon to port. At night two directional lights lead to Warsash Jetty on the east bank. Port Hamble Marina is about 0.75 miles north, the second marina on the west bank. Port Hamble has 310 berths, max LOA: 24m; fuel (petrol/diesel) seven days a week; boat lifting and storage ashore at Hamble Point Marina and Mercury Yacht Harbour; electronic services; chandlery; laundry facilities; bar and restaurant; yacht brokerage; and MDL Wi-Fi. Contact: Port Hamble Marina, Satchell Lane, Hamble, Southampton, SO31 4QD. Tel: 023 8045 2741.VHF Ch 80. porthamblemarina.co.uk Stone Pier Yard – Marina and boatyard at Stone Pier in Warsash close to the mouth of the Hamble River. Services include craning, undercover and yard storage, berthing and dry-sailing. Contact: RK Marine, Stone Pier Boatyard, Shore Road, Warsash, Southampton, SO31 9FR. Tel: 01489 583572. rkmarine.com Mercury Yacht Harbour is set in a sheltered wooded site where the shallow waters of Badnam Creek join the River Hamble. Originally built by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the marina offers berthing for 360 boats and enjoys deep water at all states of tide. Among its excellent facilities are a well-stocked chandlery as well as a bar and restaurant with waterfront views. Mercury Yacht Harbour offers excellent boatyard facilities for boat repairs or maintenance work. Besides winter storage ashore for over 100 boats, there is a 20-ton travel hoist and boat mover. When approaching the marina, please keep clear of commercial shipping in Southampton Water. From abeam Calshot Castle head for Hamble Pt South Cardinal buoy at the mouth of the well-marked river. From here the channel is narrow between drying banks, so be sure to leave the No 2 East Cardinal beacon to port. At night two directional lights lead to Warsash Jetty on the east bank. About 1.35 miles north, Mercury Yacht Harbour is the third marina on the west bank.
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Contact: Hamble Point Marina,School Lane, Hamble, Southampton, SO31 4NB. Tel: 02380 452 464. VHF Ch 80. hamblepointmarina.co.uk
RIVER HAMBLE & WARSASH
RIVER HAMBLE & WARSASH
Photo: MDL Marinas
Mercury Yacht Harbour has 360 berths, max LOA: 24m; 20-ton travel hoist and boat mover; electronic services; towing; chandlery; laundry facilities; bar and restaurant; yacht brokerage; sailing schools; yacht charters; and MDL Wi-Fi. Contact: Mercury Yacht Harbour, Satchell Lane, Hamble, Southampton, SO31 4HQ. Tel: 023 8045 5994.VHF Ch 80. mercuryyachtharbour.co.uk Universal Marina an independently run exclusive family marina on the East bank of the River Hamble. Set in a tranquil woodland environment; no busy roads, leave the rat race behind and only 15 minutes from the Solent by water. Under new management their priority is customer service. Welcoming you during 2018, to new exclusive onshore amenities, including berth holders serviced lounge - TV, I.T and Wi-Fi; showers and toilets. Complimented by, Bistro 8 restaurant, free car parking for berth holders; holistic treatments and beauty at Natures Quay; Pilates studio or alternatively relax on the water and use their paddleboard or kayaking facilities. If you wish your friends to stay onsite but not onboard, Universal Marina can accommodate the opportunity to book rooms in their luxurious Woodland Lodge, overlooking Five Oaks Trout Fishing Lake. With no hidden costs, their annual berthing package includes FREE water, electric, Wi-Fi and three weeks ashore. 10% off lifting and launching prices. They also welcome short term berthing and have dry stack facilities. At Universal Marina there are a variety of Commercial Tenants that can assist with maintenance and all your boating requirements. Contact: Universal Marina, Crableck Lane, Sarisbury Green, Southampton, SO31 7ZN. Tel: 01489 574272. universalmarina.co.uk Swanwick Marina – Premier’s Swanwick Marina is situated on the picturesque eastern bank of the River Hamble, approximately two miles upriver from the
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Photo: Premier Marinas
entrance to Southampton Water. If you’re planning to visit Swanwick in the summer please contact reception by phone or VHF Ch. 80 for berth availability and directions. At Swanwick Marina yachtsmen can look forward to a new fully serviced boatyard, a new dry stack, new luxury facilities, new launderette, free WiFi, electricity and water on pontoons. There is also 24-hour security, berth holder car parking, a new self-serve fuel berth with a high-speed pump and a Café Bistro -The Boat House Café. Contact: Swanwick Marina, Swanwick, Southampton, SO31 1ZL. Tel: 01489 884081. premiermarinas.com/swanwick
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RYDE HARBOUR RYDE HARBOUR
50º43’.98N, 01º09’.31W (ENT)
Ryde Harbour is located on the northeast coast of the Isle of Wight and enjoys excellent views across the Solent towards Portsmouth.The well situated harbour is protected from adverse weather conditions from most directions.
Photo: Island Visions, Jamie Russell
Known as ‘the gateway to the Island’ and a popular destination for families, Ryde Harbour lies next to a long sandy beaches and is only minutes away from restaurants, a bowling alley, swimming pool, fun fair and a boating lake. Ryde Esplanade runs the full length of the seafront, followed by the promenade along the sea wall, which passes the Canoe Lake and reaches as far as Puckpool Park to the east. Connections to Portsmouth and Southsea are within easy walking distance. The harbour dries and is only accessible to vessels approximately 2.5 hours before and 2 hours after High Water Portsmouth for a boat with a onemetre draught. Available Depth is up to two metres on Spring tide. Ryde Harbour Master can be contacted on VHF Ch. 80 Call Sign ‘Ryde Harbour’. Approaching Ryde Harbour from the east, beware of Ryde Sands (dries), either pass north of No Man’s Land Fort or use the inshore passage between the fort and Ryde Sands beacons (lit port hand markers). Three Starboard hand markers and three Port hand marker mark the drying channel at 197º across Ryde Sands these are unlit buoys. Keep well clear of the hovercraft manoeuvring between Ryde Pier and the harbour, and the Wightlink high-speed ferries from and to Ryde Pier Head. The harbour entrance is lit after sunset by two fixed red lights (vertical) on the port side of the Harbour entrance, and one flashing green light on the starboard side of the harbour entrance. There is pontoon berthing for vessels for up to about 10 metres in length, there is the option for fin keel vessels to lay alongside the harbour wall. There are, showers and toilets close by as well as a public slipway, there is water on all pontoons, waste and recycling facilities. Boats may be scrub in the berths alongside harbour walls. Contact: Ryde Harbour, The Esplanade, Ryde, Isle of Wight, PO33 1JA. Tel: 01983 613 879 or 07970 009 899. VHF Ch 80 Call Sign ‘Ryde Harbour’. Email: ryde.harbour@iow.gov.uk Please note, information in this publication is to be used as a guide only and not for navigation
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SOUTHAMPTON WATER SOUTHAMPTON WATER
50º49’.00N, 01º17’.05W +(ENT)
Southampton Water is an extremely popular area for yachtsmen because it offers sheltered cruising in nearly all weather conditions, while the Hamble and Itchen Rivers are perfect for leisurely exploration.
As one of the country’s busiest and most successful deep-water ports, Southampton is a natural choice for a wide range of customers and trades, with facilities to handle virtually any type of cargo. Its natural deep-water harbour and unique double tide allow unrestricted access for the world’s largest vessels. ABP Southampton, in its role as the Statutory Harbour Authority for Southampton Water, has a strong commitment to protecting the local environment and plays an active role in ensuring that a balance of activities can be maintained, allowing port operations, recreational sailing, and wildlife to co-exist. In addition to its varied commercial activities Southampton Water is a haven for yachts and leisure craft, and ABP strives to preserve the safety of all users including recreational boat owners, as they sail the waters of the Solent. Contact: ABP Southampton,Vessel Traffic Services, Ocean Gate, Eastern Docks, Southampton, SO14 3QN. Tel: 02380 608208. southamptonvts.co.uk. Before contacting VTS by telephone, please consider whether the answer to your question can be found on the website Keep your VHF tuned to Ch 12, the Port working frequency, and listen for traffic information from the Harbour Master’s Operations Room, Call Sign ‘Southampton VTS’ (Vessel Traffic Services). The VTS Centre guards Ch 9, 12, 14, 16, 20 and monitors Ch 71 and 74. The following extracts from the Yachtsman’s Guide to Southampton Water and its Approaches, and Southampton Notice to Mariners No. 2 and No. 3 of 2014, are reproduced with the permission of ABP Southampton. Facts to keep in mind: The number of large commercial ships serving the Port of Southampton and the number of recreational craft afloat in local waters is increasing. Most commercial vessels you meet will have an ABP Southampton Pilot on board regardless of the ship’s flag. They will be working on and listening to VHF Ch 12. Most large ships travel at a speed of between 10-15 knots whilst in the Solent and Southampton Water. The lower limit will vary from ship to ship and is ‘as safe navigation permits’. For various reasons, ships travel faster than you might think, even in congested areas. Light, partially loaded or
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unevenly trimmed ships may require to maintain a higher ‘as safe navigation permits’ speed in order to remain under full control. It takes less than 10 minutes for a fast ship to reach you from the visible horizon in clear weather, and in hazy conditions it takes a lot less. At 10 knots, a ship travels 1 nautical mile in six minutes; at 15 knots it takes only four minutes. Large deep draught ships cannot easily avoid small craft in narrow channels; it is up to you to stay clear. A ship that is slowing down does not steer well; it needs the propeller action on the rudder to respond. When the ship’s engines are put ‘full astern’, its manoeuvrability will be affected. Remember that it takes time and considerable distance for a ship to stop. There are numerous other small vessels operating within the Port of Southampton. Watch out for ferries, hydrofoils, tugs towing barges, especially at night, when unlit barges may remain invisible. What can you do? Avoid sailing in the main navigational channels and fairways, especially in poor visibility. Obey Rule 9 of the ColRegs for conduct in narrow channels by keeping to the starboard side of the channel and crossing only when this does not impede the passage of a large vessel that can safely navigate only within the narrow channel. Do not underestimate the speed of ships. If your boat is slow, allow sufficient time to take effective evasive action in the vicinity of large ships. Be visible. At night make sure your navigation lights can be seen. If you see the navigation lights of a vessel and you think you haven’t been seen, get out of the way. Remember, from the bridge of a loaded container ship or large tanker, the Master or Pilot will lose sight of you a third of a mile ahead, although you can see the ship at all times. Keep watch at night. Even on a clear night you will have difficulty seeing a big ship approach. Remember that your lights will not be easily spotted from the ship. Watch the ship’s lights. If you see both sidelights, you are dead ahead - move out fast! Be aware that ships alter course at West Bramble and Calshot. Know whistle signals. Five or more short blasts on the whistle is the ‘Keep Clear’ signal. Check and see if it is for you - and if it is - give way. Three short blasts means ‘My engines are going astern’. Know flag signals and shapes. A large ship displaying a cylinder on her yardarm during the day or three red lights in a vertical line at night indicates the ship is severely restricted in her manoeuvrability so give her a wide berth. If you believe you have not been seen or you are unsure of a ship’s intentions, call them on Ch 12, then shift to a working frequency (6 or an alternative) for inter-ship safety messages. Safety in small vessels: A speed limit of 6 knots (over the ground) applies to all craft proceeding north of the imaginary line drawn from Hythe Pier through the Weston Shelf buoy to the Weston Shore unless granted an exemption by the Harbour Master. Although considered to be sheltered waters, Southampton Water and the Solent can be extremely hazardous. The six mile stretch of Southampton Water is exceedingly busy and has, on average, 70,000 commercial vessel
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SOUTHAMPTON WATER and ferry movements per year. Mariners in ‘small vessels’ are therefore reminded of the following requirements: If not confined to the fairway, they should not use the fairway so as to obstruct other vessels which can only navigate within the fairway. When crossing the fairway, they should do so at right angles and not diagonally. When crossing a fairway or turning they should not stop or slow down so as to cause obstruction/damage to any other vessel. As a general principle, they should navigate on the correct side of the fairway. Southampton VTS makes succinct Traffic Information Broadcasts as follows: • 0610 to 2210 daily all year round The broadcasts will be made every 2 hours from 0610 until 2210 (inclusive), on VHF Ch 14, subject to operational requirements, and will be preceded by a broadcast made on VHF Ch 12. Information given in these broadcasts will include: • Current and expected movements of significant vessels in the area. • Weather and tide readings with current trends at Dock Head, Southampton. • Navigational Warning in force. • Any other information relevant to navigational safety. The Southampton VTS website at www.southamptonvts.co.uk contains much useful information for mariners in small vessels and regular use is recommended. Port of Southampton - Precautionary Area (Thorn Channel) Notice to Mariners No. 03 of 2016 1. Notice is hereby given that all vessels navigating within the Port of Southampton shall ensure that a vessel greater than 220 metres in length overall shall be given a ‘clear channel’ in the area between the Hook Buoy and the Prince Consort Buoy (hereinafter referred to as ‘The Precautionary Area’ - (see Chartlet 1). The term ‘clear channel’ vessel is defined as: ‘a vessel greater than 220 metres in length overall which requires a clear and unimpeded passage ahead when transiting the Precautionary Area’. Vessels may enter ‘The Precautionary Area’ maintaining a safe distance astern of a ‘clear channel’ vessel. 2. Two vessels each having a length greater than 180 metres length overall shall not pass or overtake each other between Hook Buoy and a line drawn due south of West Bramble Buoy. 3. Moving Prohibited Zone (MPZ) (See Chartlet) Southampton Harbour Byelaws 2003 Byelaw No 11 enforces the requirement that all vessels over 150 metres in length overall when navigating within ‘The Precautionary Area’ referred to in this notice are automatically allocated a ‘Moving Prohibited Zone’ (MPZ). The MPZ is defined as an area extending 1000 metres ahead of the bow and 100 metres from the ship’s side on both sides of any vessel of over 150 metres in length overall whilst it is navigating within ‘The Precautionary Area’ (See Chartlet). The master of a small vessel (defined in Southampton Harbour Byelaws 2003 Byelaw No 3 as any vessel of less than 20 metres in length or a sailing vessel) shall ensure that the vessel does not enter an MPZ.
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For the purpose of indicating the presence of the MPZ the master of any vessel of over 150 metres length overall shall display on the vessel, where it can best be seen, by day, a black cylinder, and by night, 3 all round red lights in a vertical line. To reach any of the following marinas, proceed up Southampton Water keeping clear of all commercial shipping and beware of frequent cross Solent Hi-Speed and Ro-Ro ferries. Hythe Marina Village was the first marina village to be built in the UK and is still one of our finest. Located on Southampton Water’s western shore, it’s a unique development of a 206-berth marina, waterside homes, shops, restaurants, bars and a boutique hotel. The marina entrance is controlled by lock gates, operated 24 hours a day throughout the year, and there is easy access to Southampton Water and several of our other marinas situated in and around the Solent. On nearing Hythe Knock red buoy, at the junction of the Rivers Itchen and Test, Hythe Marina Village is conspicuous to port just beyond Hythe Pier. Call on VHF Ch 80 or by mobile for clearance to lock-in and for a berth. Enter via a short channel aligned 220° and marked by beacons. Hythe Marina has 206 berths; max LOA: 16m*; fuel (petrol/
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SOUTHAMPTON WATER diesel); gas; boat lifting and storage ashore; 40-ton boat hoist; slipway; boat repairs; laundry facilities; bars and restaurants; boutique hotel; brokerage; and MDL Wi-Fi. Contact: Hythe Marina Village, Shamrock Way, Hythe, Southampton, SO45 6DY. Tel: 023 8020 7073.VHF Ch 80. hythemarinavillage.co.uk *Larger vessels can be accommodated but check with marina in advance In the shelter of Southampton Water, and right in the heart of the city itself, Ocean Village Marina is much more than a marina. Surrounded by shops, restaurants, cinemas and bars, it offers outstanding recreational facilities. The basin, formerly used for commercial ships, is deep enough to offer mooring facilities for tall ships and large yachts. It has also become famous for hosting the start or finish of round-the-world yacht races. To approach Ocean Village Marina, at Weston Shelf green buoy, near the junction of the Rivers Itchen and Test, keep to starboard up the Itchen. Ocean Village is about 1 mile further north to port and just short of the Itchen Bridge. Call on VHF Ch 80 or by mobile for a vacant berth.
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SOUTHAMPTON WATER SOUTHAMPTON WATER
Ocean Village has 375 berths, max LOA: 90m; laundry facilities; cinemas, bars and restaurants; yacht brokerage; 5-star hotel and spa; electric vehicle charging; yacht club; and MDL Wi-Fi. Contact: Ocean Village Marina, 2 Channel Way, Southampton, SO14 3TG. Tel: 023 8022 9385.VHF Ch 80. oceanvillagemarina.co.uk Shamrock Quay is a marina steeped in history, taking its name from the famous J-class yacht, Shamrock V, which was built on this site in 1931 to challenge for the America’s Cup. The 255-berth marina is still a major centre for refit and boat building with many specialist trades on site, as well as a bar, restaurants, café and shops. It has a 70 metre superyacht berth, a 60 metre visitor berth and a modern shower and toilet block including disabled facilities, Shamrock Quay is able to cater for all boat owners. To reach the marina, proceed up Southampton Water keeping clear of all commercial shipping. At Weston Shelf green buoy, near the junction of the Rivers Itchen and Test, keep to starboard up the Itchen and observe the 6 knot speed limit. Shamrock Quay is 1300m beyond the Itchen Bridge on the port side, opposite No 5 green beacon. Shamrock Quay has 255 berths; max LOA: 70m; summer sports boat package; boat lifting and storage ashore; 75-ton travel hoist with a 3-ton jib crane; 47-ton boat mover; extensive marine trades and services; chandlery; laundry facilities; shops; bars and restaurants; café; yacht brokerage; yacht charters; and MDL Wi-Fi. Contact: Shamrock Quay, William Street, Northam, Southampton, SO14 5QL. Tel: 023 8022 9461.VHF Ch 80. shamrockquay.co.uk Saxon Wharf is a marine service centre offering outstanding facilities for superyachts and other large craft. Situated on Southampton’s River Itchen, north of Shamrock Quay, it’s the ideal location for big boats in need of secure, quick turnaround lift-outs, repair work or full-scale refits. Its position near the centre of Southampton gives it easy access to the motorway. To reach Saxon Wharf, go past the Itchen Bridge and Shamrock Quay and follow the left bend past No. 9 green beacon. Saxon Wharf is to port, opposite Kemps Marina. Call on VHF Ch 80 or by mobile for a vacant berth. Saxon Wharf offers marina berths (max LOA: 80m) and 121 dry stack berths (max LOA: 13m); 200-ton boat hoist; storage ashore; fully serviced heavy-duty pontoons with electricity; extensive marine trades and services; fresh water; CCTV coverage; showers and toilets; car parking; and MDL Wi-Fi. Contact: Saxon Wharf, Lower York Street, Northam, Southampton, SO14 5QF. Tel: 023 8033 9490.VHF Ch 80. saxonwharf.co.uk Kemp’s Quay - Kemps Quay has been established for over 35 years. The marina is situated on the east bank of the River Itchen, 2 miles north of the river mouth. Of the 260 berths available at the marina, 50 are non-tidal and afloat at all times, the remainder are semi-tidal. Hours afloat on these tidal
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Photo: www.townquay.com
Photo: Marchwood
berths vary in direct proportion to their proximity to the shore and are priced accordingly. The river bed is soft mud and affords stable berths for most craft when the tide is away. A landing/loading berth, afloat at all times, is available for boat owners who cannot leave or land within the tide window. Kemp’s Quay has single point security access; lift out and storage ashore; travel hoist with an 8 ton capacity; power washing; hard standing - 12 weeks for up to 80 craft - included in the mooring fee; fresh water to all pontoons; electricity at selected points; toilets and shower block; owners’ store. Contact: Kemps Shipyard Limited, Quayside Road, Southampton, SO18 1BZ. Tel: 02380 632323. kempsquay.com  Town Quay Marina, located on the eastern shores of Southampton Water, has 130 berths and a dedicated visitors’ pontoon. In the heart of Southampton, the marina is within walking distance of the city’s shopping centre, restaurants, bars and theatres. The marina is well served by transport links to the Isle of Wight, the New Forest and London and lies next to the Southampton Boat Show. Entrance to the marina is via dogleg between two floating wave breaks that appear continuous from seaward. Beware of the adjacent Red Jet hi- speed ferry. The marina offers berthing assistance; contact them on VHF Ch 80 or by phone. The marina is an RYA Active Marina and part of the TransEurope Marinas group. It has a berth holders’ reception- with free drinks, and is an official Ocean Safety drop off/ collection point and a SeaSafe service point for life jackets. There is a chillout deck with free use of gas barbecue, free bicycle hire for all customers, a slipway, car parking, laundry room, top quality shower rooms, free WI-FI, water and electric on all berths. Contact: Town Quay Marina, Associated British Ports, Management Office, Town Quay, Southampton, SO14 2AQ. Tel: 07764 293588 or 02380 234397. townquay.com
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VENTNOR HAVEN 50º35’.53N, 01º12’.50W (ENT)
VENTNOR HAVEN
Ventnor, on the south coast of the Isle of Wight, is sheltered by high cliffs. A steep road winds down from the terraced town past the famous cascade gardens to the seafront.
Photo: Island Visions, Jamie Russell
This fair weather haven provides the only stopping-off point along the south coast of the Isle of Wight, as well as an access facility for local boat owners, anglers, and other interest groups. You will find a harbour-side café and coffee shop, boat builders, boat charter, a fish landing stage with fishery outlet, and fish and chip shop. Navigating the Haven entrance is suitable only in certain weather conditions and tides. However, on a clear calm day it is one of the best runs round from the Solent. On approach, beware of races which occur south of St Catherine’s Point to the west and Dunnose Point to the east. Consult almanacs in advance for information on each race depending on the state of tide. The Haven mouth is approached from the east and is lit after sunset by two fixed navigation lights (vertical). Entry and exit are recommended 2 hours either side of High Water only with draught of less than 50cm. Stay close to the southerly markers to avoid sandbanks which form on the northern side of the mouth. Do not attempt to approach in easterly to southerly conditions as swell may occur at the entrance. The Haven is not suitable for sailing boats or motorboats which cannot dry out. The entrance dries completely at Spring low water and is very shallow during Neap Lows. The depth is variable, dependent on sediment movement and duration since the last dredge. Beware of the two rock arms - the largest extending seaward (south) from the site of the old pier before curving to the southeast. The smaller arm, some 58m to the east, extends seaward towards the first arm with a 24m gap.
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VENTNOR HAVEN
Shelter is reasonable in the lee of the rock arms during southwest through to northeasterly winds, and extremely vulnerable in east through to southsoutheasterlies when swells can enter. The Haven is exposed to strong winds from all directions except northwest to northeast. Cheetah Marine currently organise the dredging of the Haven removing seaweed and sediment with a custom built shallow water dredger. During some periods it is not possible to remove the seaweed as it is deposited leading to a build-up within the Haven and on the entrance. Limited space is available within the Haven on a first come first served basis. Please contact the Isle of Wight Council, Recreation, leisure and public spaces on 01983 821000. There is a 4 knot speed limit in the Haven. If harbour dues are not collected on arrival, report to the cafĂŠ at OceanBlue Quay above the Haven. No anchoring is permitted except in an emergency and no anchoring or mooring in the Haven entrance. Visiting boats should be aware of bathers and snorkelers swimming alongside the Haven rock arms. Fuel is not available at Ventnor, but can be obtained at the nearby villages of Whitwell (3 miles) and Sandford (5 miles). Do not pump out oily bilges into the Haven or surrounding area. Yachtsmen and all navigators are requested not to release washing water or to pump WC or bilge effluent into the Haven. This is particularly important in a drying harbour. The slipway is available free of charge for launch and recovery. Please exercise great care when manoeuvring your vehicle at the top of the slipway and on the slipway itself as it coincides with a pedestrian right of way. Contact: Ventnor Haven, Ocean Blue Quay, PO38 1JR. Tel. 01983 852398 or 07974 126378. oceanbluequay.co.uk/haven
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VBG AT HOME Bringing exceptional skills & plants beyond the boundaries of Ventnor Botanic Garden Whether you are trying to tame an unruly garden or lay out a new one, VBG AT HOME may be able to help.
Call or email us today to arrange a consultation with our Curator
01983 855397 info@botanic.co.uk solenthandbook.com
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WOOTTON CREEK WOOTTON CREEK
50º44’.09N, 01º12’.77W (ENT)
Wootton Creek is one of the lovelier creeks in the Solent, with wooded valleys sweeping down to a winding creek. Midway between Cowes and Ryde, it was once used by trading sailing vessels visiting the brickworks at Ash Lake, and the tide mill at the head of the creek where the Sloop Inn now stands.
Photo: Island Visions, Jamie Russell
Today, there is little left apart from the old names. If trading barges could navigate to the head of the creek, then visiting yachts should easily make their way at least as far as the pontoons of the Royal Victoria Yacht Club (RVYC) at the entrance to the creek. It should be remembered that those skippers worked their tides, and even today 70 foot ketches drawing over 8 foot have laid alongside the RVYC pontoons, but have swiftly departed once the tide is on the ebb. An ideal time to visit is when High Water is over a lunchtime, meaning a good height of tide, and time to sample the RVYC hospitality at its bar and dining room. It is well-liked by visitors, and popular with rallies, and as a destination for passage races. Be aware that the direction of buoyage in the eastern Solent is from east to west. Pilotage is straightforward with a compass, dependable echo sounder, and a good lookout. The entrance to Wootton Creek is beset by hazards to the east and west. It is a busy car ferry port, with regular Wightlink sailings throughout the day and night. To the east, are drying gravel banks that have been known to embarrass a passing ferry. To the west are rock ledges coming out from the shore, and the dangerous Wootton Rocks themselves.Yachts close inshore may have local knowledge and lifting keels! The entrance to Wootton Creek is best taken from the north cardinal, Wootton Beacon. It lies approximately 3.5nm from Cowes and only 1.5nm from Ryde Pier. It is best approached an hour or so either side of High Water on the first attempt. The ferry fairway is lit, with an occulting sectored light, and there is plenty of shore lighting on the link-span. No matter from which point of the compass you’re approaching, it is best to stay to the north of Wootton Beacon for your approach. Once at Wootton Beacon, if safe from entering and departing ferries, turn southwest and run
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down the western side of the ferry channel, staying outside of the channel itself. Keep an eye on the echo sounder, there should be plenty of water, if there isn’t, then you won’t get very far into the creek! Be aware that you may find ferries waiting to dock at the ferry terminal to the west of the fairway. By the time you come to No. 7 dolphin, you’ll see the ferry link-span on your port hand, and the Wootton Creek port and starboard buoys ahead of you; these are maintained and positioned as needed by the Queen’s Harbour Master (QHM) at Portsmouth. Head through them, and if heading further up the Creek you will see the leading marks off to starboard on the opposite bank. If calling at the RVYC, you will see their pontoons ahead of you. The northernmost pontoons are private, RVYC pontoon mooring is available past the visible sign. Berthing is straightforward, but be aware that at some states of tide there will be some flow across the pontoons. Do not approach through the private RVYC moorings, or indeed try to pick up one, as there are countless pick-up buoys and lines. If vessels are already berthed alongside hail and ask to raft up.
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WOOTTON CREEK The RVYC Manager may ask you to move your boat to accommodate other visitors. (Pontoon fees can be paid at the RVYC bar, or if the club is closed, dropped through the letterbox by the club entrance.) There is fresh water on the pontoons, showers and toilets in the clubhouse, a slipway, waste facilities, and an excellent bar and restaurant. The creek alongside the pontoons will dry, so unless you are prepared to take the ground, you must depart once the ebb starts to make. The water will seem to empty quite slowly for the first couple of hours, but be aware that around the third hour the tide goes away very quickly; do not linger over that last pint at the bar! The bottom is irregular in shape and consistency, and careful fendering, tending of lines, and a watchful eye is needed as your vessel takes the ground. The speed limit in the creek is 5 knots. The tidal current is relatively benign, seldom reaching above 4 knots although just after High Water at Springs, the sluice gates under Wootton Bridge are opened considerably, increasing the flow in the upper reaches. There are no visitor moorings in the creek and anchoring in the channel is prohibited. Anchoring outside the channel is not recommended due to the proliferation of abandoned ground chains and other mooring tackle. There is a Council owned public slipway suitable for small vessels between the Sloop Inn and the bridge at the head of the creek. The village of Wootton Bridge offers a full range of facilities; Post Office, take-aways, tea room, launderette, doctor and vet, supermarket and wine warehouse; just outside the village is a garage. It’s about 30 minutes walk from the RVYC, or take the dinghy up the creek on the tide and land on the public slipway on the west bank at the head of the creek, right by the Sloop Inn. Contact: Royal Victoria Yacht Club, 91 Fishbourne Lane, Fishbourne, Isle of Wight, PO33 4EU. Tel: 01983 882325. Email office@rvyc.org.uk. rvyc.org.uk
Photo: Donna Woodward Taylor
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YARMOUTH HARBOUR 50º42’.42N, 01º30’.00W (ENT)
YARMOUTH HARBOUR
The most westerly harbour on the Isle of Wight, picturesque Yarmouth Harbour is the ‘Gateway to West Wight’. A scheduled car ferry service from Lymington to Yarmouth brings thousands of visitors to the Island every year.Yarmouth Harbour is the destination of choice for many boaters who travel from far and wide, many from elsewhere in the Solent, but also from the West Country, Ireland, the Channel Islands, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, and Scandinavia.
Photo: Island Visions, Jamie Russell
Its close proximity to the Needles and the English Channel makes it ideal for those entering or leaving the Solent. When approaching from the east, leave East Fairway buoy to port, turn onto a bearing of 187° and follow the leading marks. When approaching from the west, leave the Poole Belle buoy to starboard, turn onto a bearing of 187° and again, follow the leading marks. These are exhibited as two white diamonds with a black horizontal stripe by day or two green lights at night. Yarmouth Harbour is accessible at all states of the tide. The approaches are maintained at 2.5m below CD and 2m below CD inside the Harbour. Yarmouth Harbour operates on VHF Ch.68, Call Sign ‘Yarmouth Harbour’, monitored by the Harbour Office and Berthing Masters on the water. The water taxi operates on VHF Ch. 15, Call Sign ‘Harbour Taxi’ and can also be called on 07969 840173. Vessels approaching the harbour should call Yarmouth Harbour on VHF Ch.68 to request a berth or refuel. The fuel berth is easily accessible being near to the entrance and we offer competitively priced petrol and diesel. The fuel berth is open form 0700 hrs until 1900 hrs GMT and 24 hours BST. On spring tides the last hour of the flood and ebb can see strong tidal movement in the harbour entrance and in various parts of the harbour. There can be a double high tide or a long stand at Spring tides. The Berthing Team are afloat and will assist you to a berth. If you are short-handed or you require assistance the Berthing Masters will be on hand to assist you every step of the way. A slide guide titled ‘Arriving-How to Enter Yarmouth Harbour’ can be found on the website yarmouth-harbour.co.uk.
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YARMOUTH HARBOUR Once here why not visit “Cockpit Essentials”,Yarmouth Harbour’s very own visitor refreshment lounge, where you can enjoy freshly ground coffee. Free Wi-Fi is provided and you can also charge your phones and devices while watching the news and weather on our new screens. They also have ice, toiletries, and other ‘essentials’ as well as various Isle of Wight products for you, your family and friends to enjoy. Other facilities include showers and toilets for wheelchair users, a launderette, wastedisposal, glass recycling bins and gas sales. Mooring fees remain competitive and now include free showers. They have also retained their popular short stay discount card, so make sure you have it stamped on every visit and enjoy a fifth short stay for free! There are several slipways that the public may use in Yarmouth. The largest slipway is on the corner between the South Quay and the Town Quay; accessed via the Wightlink marshalling area. If intending to pass through the Yar Swing Bridge into the river during the summer season please call Yar Bridge on VHF Ch.68. Boat owners re requested to co-operate by synchronising their bridge use around a schedule of fixed opening times, as published on www.yarmouth-harbour. co.uk. For winter operation, the bridge will be opened by prior arrangement with the Harbour Office, call sign ‘Yar Bridge’ on VHF Ch.68 or by phone on 01983 760321. The punctuality of boat arrivals to a close but safe proximity to the bridge is essential to prevent road traffic congestion. Yarmouth Harbour Commissioners were granted the powers of general and special direction and new General Directions came into force on 1st March 2012 replacing the Harbour’s previous Byelaws. Users of the harbour are asked to familiarise themselves with these new directions which are there to ensure your safety and enjoyment during your stay. They can be downloaded from the website www.yarmouth-harbour.co.uk. Contact: Yarmouth Harbour Office, The Quay,Yarmouth, Isle of Wight, PO41 0NT. Tel: 01983 760321. Email: info@yarmouth-harbour.co.uk yarmouth-harbour.co.uk Please note, information in this publication is to be used as a guide only and not for navigation.
Photo: Beken of Cowes
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SOLENT DIRECTORY INDEX
Photo: Beken of Cowes
Accommodation - Self Catering 132 Accommodation - B&B / Guest Houses 132 Boat Cleaning / Care & Maintenance 132 Boat Graphics & Hull Stripes 132 Boat Sales / Brokers 133 Boat Transport / Yacht Delivery 133 Boatyards / Boatbuilders / Repairers / Marine Surveyors 133 Chandlers / Charts & Pilotage 133 Charter Boats / Boat Cruises / Sailing Holidays 133 Cranes / Boat Lifts / Slipways / Hoists 133 Electrical / Electronics 133-134 Engines / Outboards / Marine Engineers 134 Event Management 134 Flowers & Gifts 134
Hospitality 135 Marine Surveyors 135 Masts / Rigging / Rope Systems 135 Moorings / Berths / Boat Storage / Dry Stack 135-136 Paint / Spraying 136 Photographers / Photographic Services 136-137 Pubs / Bars 136 Restaurants 136 Rib Hire & Charter / Sales 136, 138 Sailing & Power Schools 138-139 Sail Makers 138 Water Taxis 138 Weather / Astro / Training & Ocean Sailing 138 Yacht & Race Management 138 Yacht Clubs & Associations 138
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SOLENT DIRECTORY ACCOMMODATION - SELF CATERING
BED & BREAKFAST / GUEST HOUSES 24 Ward Avenue | 24 Ward Avenue, Cowes, Isle Of Wight, PO31 8AY EMAIL:
melissakilkelly@hotmail.com
WEBSITE: www.cowesbedbreakfast.co.uk
01983 292070
Britannia House | Station Street, Lymington, SO41 3BA EMAIL:
enquiries@britannia-house.com
WEBSITE: www.britannia-house.com
01590 672091
Quentin House | 62 High Street Cowes, Isle Of Wight, PO31 7RL EMAIL:
primefood@aol.com
WEBSITE: www.primefood.co.uk
01983 291111 | 07454 941096
BOAT CLEANING / CARE & MAINTENANCE Berthon Boat Company Ltd | The Shipyard, Bath Road, Lymington, Hampshire, SO41 3YL EMAIL:
enquiries@berthon.co.uk
WEBSITE: www.berthon.co.uk
01590 673312
Richardson’s Yacht Services | Island Harbour, Mill Lane, Newport, Isle of Wight, PO30 2LA EMAIL:
info@richardsonsyacht.co.uk
WEBSITE: www.richardsonsyacht.co.uk
01983 821095
BOAT GRAPHICS & HULL STRIPES Naughty Gull Marine Graphics | Craglyn, Rock Lane, Corley, CV7 8BD EMAIL:
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sales@naughtygull.co.uk
WEBSITE: www.naughtygull.co.uk
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01676 540769
BOAT SALES / BROKERS Berthon Boat Company Ltd | The Shipyard, Bath Road, Lymington, Hampshire, SO41 3YL EMAIL:
enquiries@berthon.co.uk
01590 673312
WEBSITE: www.berthon.co.uk
Boston Whaler UK | Dorset Lake Shipyard, Lake Yard, Lake Drive, Hamworthy, Poole, Dorset, BH15 4DT EMAIL:
sales@bostonwhaler.co.uk
01202 674531
WEBSITE: www.bostonwhaler.co.uk
BOAT TRANSPORT / YACHT DELIVERY Berthon Boat Company Ltd | The Shipyard, Bath Road, Lymington, Hampshire, SO41 3YL EMAIL:
enquiries@berthon.co.uk
WEBSITE: www.berthon.co.uk
01590 673312
Boat Transport Ltd | The Mainstay, 7 Fairview Drive, Southampton, SO45 5GX EMAIL:
info@boattransport.co.uk
07831 486710
WEBSITE: www.boattransport.co.uk
Shoreline Yacht Transport Ltd | 1 Hunston Villas, Main Road, Hunston, Chichester, PO20 1NR EMAIL:
terry@boat-trans.co.uk WEBSITE: www.boat-trans.co.uk
01243 785370 | 07836 789083
Southampton Boat Towing | Unit 5, Millview Barn, Off Grange Road, Netley Abbey, Southampton, SO31 8GD EMAIL:
ahoythere9@gmail.com
WEBSITE: www.boat-towing.co.uk
07973 445767
Southampton Trailer Hire | Unit 5, Millview Barn, Off Grange Rd, Netley Abbey, Southampton, SO31 8GD EMAIL:
ahoythere9@gmail.com
WEBSITE: www.southampton-trailer-hire.com
07973 445767
BOATYARDS / BOATBUILDERS / REPAIRERS / MARINE SURVEYORS Berthon Boat Company Ltd | The Shipyard, Bath Road, Lymington, Hampshire, SO41 3YL EMAIL:
enquiries@berthon.co.uk
01590 673312
WEBSITE: www.berthon.co.uk
Boston Whaler UK | Dorset Lake Shipyard, Lake Yard, Lake Drive, Hamworthy, Poole, Dorset, BH15 4DT EMAIL:
sales@bostonwhaler.co.uk
01202 674531
WEBSITE: www.bostonwhaler.co.uk
Richardson’s Yacht Services | Island Harbour, Mill Lane, Newport, Isle of Wight, PO30 2LA EMAIL:
info@richardsonsyacht.co.uk
WEBSITE: www.richardsonsyacht.co.uk
01983 821095
CHANDLERS / CHARTS & PILOTAGE Berthon Boat Company Ltd | The Shipyard, Bath Road, Lymington, Hampshire, SO41 3YL EMAIL:
enquiries@berthon.co.uk
01590 673312
WEBSITE: www.berthon.co.uk
CHARTER BOATS / BOAT CRUISES / SAILING HOLIDAYS Britannia Sailing Events | Unit A Waterside, 18 Marina Drive, Port Hamble Marina, Hamble, SO31 4PL EMAIL:
info@britanniaevents.co.uk
WEBSITE: www.britanniaevents.co.uk
02380 458900
Hamble Point Yacht Charters | Hamble Point Marina, School Lane, Hamble, SO31 4JD EMAIL:
info@yacht-charter.co.uk
02380 457110
WEBSITE: www.yacht-charter.co.uk
Solent Boat Charters | Unit 9 Saxon Wharf, Lower York Street, Southampton, SO14 5QF EMAIL:
admin@solentboatcharters.com
WEBSITE: www.solentboatcharters.com
02380 658790
CRANES / BOAT LIFTS / SLIPWAYS / HOISTS Berthon Boat Company Ltd | The Shipyard, Bath Road, Lymington, Hampshire, SO41 3YL EMAIL:
enquiries@berthon.co.uk
01590 673312
WEBSITE: www.berthon.co.uk
Cowes Yacht Haven Ltd | Vectis Yard, High Street, Cowes, PO31 7BD EMAIL:
info@cowesyachthaven.com
WEBSITE: www.cowesyachthaven.com
01983 299975
Lake Yard | Dorset Lake Shipyard, Lake Yard, Lake Drive, Hamworthy, Poole, Dorset, BH15 4DT EMAIL:
office@lakeyard.com
01202 674531
WEBSITE: www.lakeyard.com
Richardson’s Yacht Services | Island Harbour, Mill Lane, Newport, Isle of Wight, PO30 2LA EMAIL:
info@richardsonsyacht.co.uk
WEBSITE: www.richardsonsyacht.co.uk
01983 821095
ELECTRICAL / ELECTRONICS Berthon Boat Company Ltd | The Shipyard, Bath Road, Lymington, Hampshire, SO41 3YL EMAIL:
enquiries@berthon.co.uk
01590 673312
WEBSITE: www.berthon.co.uk
Greenham Regis Marine Electronics | Itchenor EMAIL:
sales@greenham-regis.com
WEBSITE: www.greenham-regis.com
01243 511070
Greenham Regis Marine Electronics | Lymington EMAIL:
lymington@greenham-regis.com
WEBSITE: www.greenham-regis.com
01590 671144
Greenham Regis Marine Electronics | Poole EMAIL:
poole@greenham-regis.com
WEBSITE: www.greenham-regis.com
01202 676363
Greenham Regis Marine Electronics | Southampton EMAIL:
sales@greenham-regis.com
WEBSITE: www.greenham-regis.com
02380 636555
ENGINES / OUTBOARDS / MARINE ENGINEERS
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ELECTRICAL / ELECTRONICS
EN EN
ENGINES / OUTBOARDS / MARINE ENGINEERS Auto Marine Services | 4 Blackbrook Business Park, Blackbrook Road, Fareham, PO15 5DR EMAIL:
admin@automarineservices.co.uk
WEBSITE: www.automarineservices.co.uk
01329 600430
Berthon Boat Company Ltd | The Shipyard, Bath Road, Lymington, Hampshire, SO41 3YL EMAIL:
enquiries@berthon.co.uk
01590 673312
WEBSITE: www.berthon.co.uk
Richardson’s Yacht Services | Island Harbour, Mill Lane, Newport, Isle of Wight, PO30 2LA EMAIL:
info@richardsonsyacht.co.uk
WEBSITE: www.richardsonsyacht.co.uk
01983 821095
EVENT MANAGEMENT Britannia Sailing Events | Unit A Waterside, 18 Marina Drive, Port Hamble Marina, Hamble, SO31 4PL EMAIL:
info@britanniaevents.co.uk
WEBSITE: www.britanniaevents.co.uk
02380 458900
Solent Boat Charters | Unit 9 Saxon Wharf, Lower York Street, Southampton, SO14 5QF EMAIL:
admin@solentboatcharters.com
WEBSITE: www.solentboatcharters.com
02380 658790
Solent Events | Unit 6, Dell Buildings, Milford Road, Lymington, SO41 0ED EMAIL:
admin@solent-events.co.uk
WEBSITE: www.solent-events.co.uk
01590 674900
FLOWERS & GIFTS Isle Of Wight Flowers | Avenue Road, Freshwater, Isle of Wight, PO40 9UT EMAIL:
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sales@isleofwightflowers.co.uk
WEBSITE: www.isleofwightflowers.co.uk
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01983 756333
SOLENT DIRECTORY Cowes Yacht Haven Ltd | Vectis Yard, High Street, Cowes, PO31 7BD EMAIL:
info@cowesyachthaven.com
EMAIL:
www.cowesyachthaven.com
01983 299975
Hamble Point Yacht Charters | Hamble Point Marina, School Lane, Hamble, SO31 4JD EMAIL:
info@yacht-charter.co.uk
EMAIL:
www.yacht-charter.co.uk
02380 457110
MARINE SURVEYORS
MASTS / RIGGING / ROPE SYSTEMS Berthon Boat Company Ltd | The Shipyard, Bath Road, Lymington, Hampshire, SO41 3YL EMAIL:
enquiries@berthon.co.uk
01590 673312
WEBSITE: www.berthon.co.uk
Richardson’s Yacht Services | Island Harbour, Mill Lane, Newport, Isle of Wight, PO30 2LA EMAIL:
info@richardsonsyacht.co.uk
WEBSITE: www.richardsonsyacht.co.uk
01983 821095
MOORINGS / BERTHS / BOAT STORAGE / DRY STACK Berthon Boat Company Ltd | The Shipyard, Bath Road, Lymington, Hampshire, SO41 3YL EMAIL:
enquiries@berthon.co.uk
01590 673312
WEBSITE: www.berthon.co.uk
Birdham Pool Marina | Birdham, Chichester, PO20 7BG EMAIL:
info@castlemarinas.co.uk
01243 512310
WEBSITE: www.castlemarinas.co.uk
Cobb’s Quay Marina | Hamworthy, Poole, Dorset, BH15 4EL EMAIL:
cobbsquay@mdlmarinas.co.uk
WEBSITE: www.cobbsquaymarina.co.uk
01202 674299
Cowes Yacht Haven Ltd | Vectis Yard, High Street, Cowes, PO31 7BD EMAIL:
info@cowesyachthaven.com
WEBSITE: www.cowesyachthaven.com
01983 299975
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HOSPITALITY
SOLENT DIRECTORY SOLENT DIRECTORY
MOORINGS / BERTHS / BOAT STORAGE / DRY STACK Deacons Marina | Bridge Road, Bursledon, Southampton, SO31 8AZ EMAIL:
berths@deaconsmarina.co.uk
WEBSITE: www.deaconsmarina.co.uk
02380 402253
East Cowes Marina | Britannia Way, East Cowes, Isle of Wight, PO32 6UB EMAIL:
berths@eastcowesmarina.co.uk
WEBSITE: www.eastcowesmarina.co.uk
01983 293983
Folly Moorings | River Medina, Isle of Wight EMAIL:
07884 400046
follymoorings@hotmail.com
Hamble Point Marina | School Lane, Hamble, Southampton, SO31 4NB EMAIL:
hamblepoint@mdlmarinas.co.uk
02380 452464
02392 601201
WEBSITE: www.hamblepointmarina.co.uk
Haslar Marina | Haslar Road, Gosport, PO12 1NU EMAIL:
berths@haslarmarina.co.uk
WEBSITE: www.haslarmarina.co.uk
Hythe Marina Village | Shamrock Way, Hythe, Southampton, SO45 6DY EMAIL:
hythe@mdlmarinas.co.uk
WEBSITE: www.hythemarinavillage.co.uk
02380 207073
Island Harbour Marina | Mill Lane, Newport, Isle of Wight, PO30 2LA EMAIL:
info@island-harbour.co.uk
WEBSITE: www.island-harbour.co.uk
01983 539994
Lake Yard | Dorset Lake Shipyard, Lake Yard, Lake Drive, Hamworthy, Poole, Dorset, BH15 4DT EMAIL:
office@lakeyard.com
WEBSITE: www.lakeyard.com
01202 674531
Mercury Yacht Harbour | Satchell Lane, Hamble, Southampton, SO31 4HQ EMAIL:
mercury@mdlmarinas.co.uk
02380 455994
02392 466321
WEBSITE: www.mercuryyachtharbour.co.uk
Northney Marine | Hayling Island, PO11 0NH EMAIL:
northney@mdlmarinas.co.uk
WEBSITE: www.northneymarina.co.uk
Ocean Village Marina | 2 Channel Way, Southampton, SO14 3TG EMAIL:
oceanvillage@mdlmarinas.co.uk
WEBSITE: www.oceanvillagemarina.co.uk
02380 229385
Port Hamble Marina | Satchell Lane, Hamble, Southampton, SO31 4QD EMAIL:
porthamble@mdlmarinas.co.uk
02380 452741
02380 238084
WEBSITE: www.porthamblemarina.co.uk
Quayside Marina | Quayside Road, Southampton, SO18 1AD EMAIL:
info@quaysidemarina.co.uk
WEBSITE: www.quaysidemarina.co.uk
Royal Clarence Marina | Weevil Lane, Gosport, PO12 1AX EMAIL:
info@castlemarinas.co.uk
WEBSITE: www.castlemarinas.co.uk
02392 523523
Saxon Wharf | Lower York Street, Northam, Southampton, SO14 5QF EMAIL:
saxonwharf@mdlmarinas.co.uk
WEBSITE: www.saxonwharf.co.uk
02380 339490
Shamrock Quay | William Street, Northam, Southampton, SO14 5QL EMAIL:
shamrockquay@mdlmarinas.co.uk
WEBSITE: www.shamrockquay.co.uk
02380 229461
Sparkes Marina | Hayling Island, PO11 9SR EMAIL:
sparkes@mdlmarinas.co.uk
WEBSITE: www.sparkesmarina.co.uk
02392 463572
PAINT / SPRAYING Berthon Boat Company Ltd | The Shipyard, Bath Road, Lymington, Hampshire, SO41 3YL EMAIL:
enquiries@berthon.co.uk
WEBSITE: www.berthon.co.uk
01590 673312
Richardson’s Yacht Services | Island Harbour, Mill Lane, Newport, Isle of Wight, PO30 2LA EMAIL:
info@richardsonsyacht.co.uk
WEBSITE: www.richardsonsyacht.co.uk
01983 821095
PHOTOGRAPERS / PHOTOGRAPHIC SERVICES Sam Kurtul Marine Photography | Fishbourne, Ryde, Isle Of Wight, PO33 4ET EMAIL:
skmarinephoto@gmail.com
WEBSITE: www.worldofthelens.co.uk
07720 600358
PUBS / BARS The Breeze Restaurant & Bar | Island Harbour, Mill Lane, Newport, Isle of Wight, PO30 2LA EMAIL:
thebreeze@island-harbour.co.uk
WEBSITE: www.island-harbour.co.uk/thebreeze
01983 533388
RESTAURANTS Lake Yard | Dorset Lake Shipyard, Lake Yard, Lake Drive, Hamworthy, Poole, Dorset, BH15 4DT EMAIL:
office@lakeyard.com
WEBSITE: www.lakeyard.com
01202 674531
The Breeze Restaurant & Bar | Island Harbour, Mill Lane, Newport, Isle of Wight, PO30 2LA EMAIL:
thebreeze@island-harbour.co.uk
WEBSITE: www.island-harbour.co.uk/thebreeze
01983 533388
The Shipyard Bar & Kitchen | Anchor House, Bath Road, Lymington, Hampshire, SO41 3YL EMAIL:
lucie@the-shipyard.co.uk
WEBSITE: www.the-shipyard.co.uk
01590 677705
RIB HIRE & CHARTER / SALES Solent Boat Charters | Unit 9 Saxon Wharf, Lower York Street, Southampton, SO14 5QF EMAIL:
136
admin@solentboatcharters.com
WEBSITE: www.solentboatcharters.com
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02380 658790
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SOLENT DIRECTORY SOLENT DIRECTORY
RIB HIRE & CHARTER / SALES Solent Rib Charter | Unit 6, Dell Buildings, Milford Road, Lymington, SO41 0ED EMAIL:
hannah@solentribcharter.co.uk
WEBSITE: www.solentribcharter.co.uk
01590 607101
SAIL MAKERS OneSails GBR (South) | Hamble Point Marina, School Lane, Hamble, SO31 4JD EMAIL:
south@onesails.co.uk
WEBSITE: www.onesails.co.uk
02380 458213
Paul Newell Sails | 6 Redwing Quay, The Embankment, Bembridge, PO35 5PB EMAIL:
newellsails@gmail.com
WEBSITE: www.paulnewellsails.com
01983 872834
SAILING & POWER SCHOOLS Hamble Point Sailing School | Hamble Point Marina, School Lane, Hamble, SO31 4JD EMAIL:
info@yacht-school.co.uk
WEBSITE: www.yacht-school.co.uk
02380 457110
Solent Boat Training | Unit 10 Saxon Wharf, Lower York Street, Southampton, SO14 5QF EMAIL:
admin@solentboattraining.co.uk
WEBSITE: www.solentboattraining.co.uk
02380 658790
WATER TAXIS Cowes Watertaxi | VHF Ch 06 Call Sign “Cowes Watertaxis” 07551 431993
Folly Launch | VHF Ch 72 Call Sign “Folly Launch” EMAIL:
07884 400046
follymoorings@hotmail.com
Folly Waterbus | VHF Ch 77 Call sign “Folly Waterbus” 07974 864627
WEATHER / ASTRO / TRAINING & OCEAN SAILING Berthon Boat Company Ltd | The Shipyard, Bath Road, Lymington, Hampshire, SO41 3YL EMAIL: enquiries@berthon.co.uk WEBSITE: www.berthon.co.uk
01590 673312
YACHT & RACE MANAGEMENT Berthon Boat Company Ltd | The Shipyard, Bath Road, Lymington, Hampshire, SO41 3YL EMAIL:
enquiries@berthon.co.uk
WEBSITE: www.berthon.co.uk
01590 673312
YACHT CLUBS AND ASSOCIATIONS Cowes Corinthian Yacht Club | 39 Birmingham Rd, Cowes, Isle of Wight, PO31 7BH EMAIL:
secretary@ccyc.org.uk
WEBSITE:
www.ccyc.org.uk
01983 296333
Marchwood Yacht Club | Marchwood, Southampton, SO40 4AD EMAIL:
secretary@marchwoodyc.org.uk
WEBSITE:
www.marchwoodyc.org.uk
02380 666141
Royal Lymington Yacht Club | Bath Road, Lymington, Hampshire, SO41 3SE EMAIL:
sail@rlymyc.org.uk
WEBSITE:
www.rlymyc.org.uk
01590 672677
Royal Thames Yacht Club | 60 Knightsbridge, London, SW1X 7LF EMAIL:
sailing@royalthames.com
WEBSITE:
www.royalthames.com
0207 2035 2121
Royal Victoria Yacht Club | 91 Fishbourne Lane, Fishbourne, Ryde, Isle of Wight, PO33 4EU EMAIL:
office@rvyc.org.uk
WEBSITE:
www.rvyc.org.uk
01983 882325
Royal Yacht Squadron | The Castle, Cowes, Isle of Wight, PO31 7QT EMAIL:
mail@rys.org.uk
WEBSITE:
www.rys.org.uk
Photo: Paul Wyeth Photo: Beken of Cowes
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SOLENT DIRECTORY SOLENT DIRECTORY
SAILING & POWER SCHOOLS
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SOLENT DIRECTORY
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COWES TIDE TABLES
COWES TIDE TABLES
2018-19
RISE & FALL OF THE TIDE AT COWES
Mean
s
Spring
Mean
s
Neap
TIDAL LEVELS REFERRED TO DATUM OF SOUNDINGS Place
Lat Long N W
Heights in metres above datum
Datum and remarks
MHWS MHWN MLWN MLWS
Cowes 50˚ 46’ 1˚ 18’ 4.2 Folly Inn 50˚ 44’ 1˚ 17’ 4.1 Newport 50˚ 42’ 1˚ 17’ 4.1
3.5 3.4 3.4
1.8 1.8 2.0
0.8 1.0 1.6
2.59m below Ordnance Datum (Newlyn) 2.59m below Ordnance Datum (Newlyn) 2.59m below Ordnance Datum (Newlyn)
© Crown Copyright and/or database rights. Reproduced by permission of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office and the UK Hydrographic Office (www.ukho.gov.uk)
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2018-19 COWES TIDE TABLES
All times GMT - add 1 hour for BST from 25 March to 28 October 2018 ENGLAND, SOUTH COAST, COWES. LAT 50046’N LONG 1018’W TIME ZONE UT (GMT). TIMES & HEIGHTS OF HIGH & LOW WATER
APRIL 2018 TIME m
KEY:
Full Moon New Moon
TIME m
MAY 2018 TIME m
BST add one hour
TIME m
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COWES TIDE TABLES
2018-19
ENGLAND, SOUTH COAST, COWES. LAT 50046’N LONG 1018’W TIME ZONE UT (GMT). TIMES & HEIGHTS OF HIGH & LOW WATER
JUNE 2018 TIME m
144
KEY:
Full Moon New Moon
TIME m
solenthandbook.com
JULY 2018 TIME m
BST add one hour
TIME m
COWES TIDE TABLES
COWES TIDE TABLES
All times GMT - add 1 hour for BST from 25 March to 28 October 2018
COWES TIDE TABLES
2018-19 COWES TIDE TABLES
All times GMT - add 1 hour for BST from 25 March to 28 October 2018 ENGLAND, SOUTH COAST, COWES. LAT 50046’N LONG 1018’W TIME ZONE UT (GMT). TIMES & HEIGHTS OF HIGH & LOW WATER
AUG 2018 TIME m
KEY:
Full Moon New Moon
TIME m
SEPT 2018 TIME m
BST add one hour
TIME m
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COWES TIDE TABLES
2018-19
ENGLAND, SOUTH COAST, COWES. LAT 50046’N LONG 1018’W TIME ZONE UT (GMT). TIMES & HEIGHTS OF HIGH & LOW WATER
OCT 2018 TIME m
146
KEY:
Full Moon New Moon
TIME m
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NOV 2018 TIME m
BST add one hour
TIME m
COWES TIDE TABLES
COWES TIDE TABLES
All times GMT - add 1 hour for BST from 25 March to 28 October 2018
COWES TIDE TABLES
2018-19 COWES TIDE TABLES
All times GMT - add 1 hour for BST from 25 March to 28 October 2018 ENGLAND, SOUTH COAST, COWES. LAT 50046’N LONG 1018’W TIME ZONE UT (GMT). TIMES & HEIGHTS OF HIGH & LOW WATER
DEC 2018 TIME m
KEY:
Full Moon New Moon
TIME m
JAN 2019 TIME m
BST add one hour
TIME m
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COWES TIDE TABLES
2018-19
COWES TIDE TABLES
All times GMT - add 1 hour for BST from 25 March to 28 October 2018 ENGLAND, SOUTH COAST, COWES. LAT 50046’N LONG 1018’W TIME ZONE UT (GMT). TIMES & HEIGHTS OF HIGH & LOW WATER
FEB 2019 TIME m
148
KEY:
Full Moon New Moon
TIME m
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MAR 2019 TIME m
BST add one hour
TIME m
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PORTSMOUTH TIDE TABLES PORTSMOUTH TIDE TABLES
VES
ll Moon
h
2018-2019
RISE & FALL OF THE TIDE AT PORTSMOUTH MEAN RANGES Springs 3·9m Neaps 1·9m
Mean
Mean
+2 h
+3 h
+4 h
s
Spring
s
Neap
+5 h
W
© Crown Copyright and/or database rights. Reproduced by permission of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office and the UK Hydrographic Office (www.ukho.gov.uk)
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PORTSMOUTH TIDE TABLES
2018-2019
PORTSMOUTH TIDE TABLES
All times GMT - add 1 hour for BST from 26 March to 29 October 2018 ENGLAND, SOUTH COAST, PORTSMOUTH. LAT 50048’N LONG 1007’W TIME ZONE UT (GMT). TIMES & HEIGHTS OF HIGH & LOW WATER
APRIL 2018 TIME m
KEY:
Full Moon New Moon
TIME m
MAY 2018 TIME m
BST add one hour
TIME m
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PORTSMOUTH TIDE TABLES
2018-2019
ENGLAND, SOUTH COAST, PORTSMOUTH. LAT 50048’N LONG 1007’W TIME ZONE UT (GMT). TIMES & HEIGHTS OF HIGH & LOW WATER
JUNE 2018 TIME m
152
KEY:
Full Moon New Moon
TIME m
solenthandbook.com
JULY 2018 TIME m
BST add one hour
TIME m
PORTSMOUTH TIDE TABLES
PORTSMOUTH TIDE TABLES
All times GMT - add 1 hour for BST from 26 March to 29 October 2018
PORTSMOUTH TIDE TABLES
2018-2019
PORTSMOUTH TIDE TABLES
All times GMT - add 1 hour for BST from 26 March to 29 October 2018 ENGLAND, SOUTH COAST, PORTSMOUTH. LAT 50048’N LONG 1007’W TIME ZONE UT (GMT). TIMES & HEIGHTS OF HIGH & LOW WATER
AUG 2018 TIME m
KEY:
Full Moon New Moon
TIME m
SEPT 2018 TIME m
BST add one hour
TIME m
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2018-2019
All times GMT - add 1 hour for BST from 26 March to 29 October 2018 ENGLAND, SOUTH COAST, PORTSMOUTH. LAT 50048’N LONG 1007’W TIME ZONE UT (GMT). TIMES & HEIGHTS OF HIGH & LOW WATER
OCT 2018 TIME m
154
KEY:
Full Moon New Moon
TIME m
solenthandbook.com
NOV 2018 TIME m
BST add one hour
TIME m
PORTSMOUTH TIDE TABLES
PORTSMOUTH TIDE TABLES
PORTSMOUTH TIDE TABLES
PORTSMOUTH TIDE TABLES
2018-2019
PORTSMOUTH TIDE TABLES
All times GMT - add 1 hour for BST from 26 March to 29 October 2018 ENGLAND, SOUTH COAST, PORTSMOUTH. LAT 50048’N LONG 1007’W TIME ZONE UT (GMT). TIMES & HEIGHTS OF HIGH & LOW WATER
DEC 2018 TIME m
KEY:
Full Moon New Moon
TIME m
JAN 2019 TIME m
BST add one hour
TIME m
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2018-2019
All times GMT - add 1 hour for BST from 26 March to 29 October 2018 ENGLAND, SOUTH COAST, PORTSMOUTH. LAT 50048’N LONG 1007’W TIME ZONE UT (GMT). TIMES & HEIGHTS OF HIGH & LOW WATER
FEB 2019 TIME m
156
KEY:
Full Moon New Moon
TIME m
solenthandbook.com
MAR 2019 TIME m
BST add one hour
TIME m
PORTSMOUTH TIDE TABLES
PORTSMOUTH TIDE TABLES
PORTSMOUTH TIDE TABLES
ADVERTISERS’ INDEX
ADVERTISERS’ INDEX 24 Ward Avenue 132 Greenham Regis Marine Electronics AkzoNoble 13 133, 134 Albert Cottage 79 Gulet Cruise Croatia 93 Anarchy Sailing Yacht Charters 139 Hamble Point Marina 136 Anchor Marine Surveys 135 Hamble Point Sailing School 138 Auto Marine Services 134 Hamble Point Yacht Charters 136 Azure Wear UK 21 Hamo Thornycroft 137 Beken Of Cowes 137 Haslar Marina 136 Bembridge Powerboat Training 75 HTP Training 77 Ben Coombes Small Craft 17 Hythe Marina Village 136 Berthon Boat Company Ltd 90, 132, Island Harbour 5, 136 133, 134, 135, 136, 138 Isle Of Wight Flowers 134 Birdham Pool Marina 135 Jillian Charters 58 Boatshed Isle Of Wight 78 Kemp Sails 150- 156 Boat Transport Ltd 133 LeeSan 132 Boatwork Ltd 27 Lake Yard 96, 133, 136 Boskalis Westminister Ltd 44 Marchwood Yacht Club 138 Boston Whaler UK 133 Maritime Training Academy 53, 139 Britannia Sailing Events 133, 134 MDL Management 62, 63, 69, Britannia House 132 95, 111, 117 Cobbs Quay Marina 135 Medina Yard 9, 135 Cowes Corinthian Yacht Club 73, 138 Mercury Yacht Harbour 136 Cowes Watertaxi 138 MgDuff 19 Cowes Week Ltd 55 Naughty Gull Marine Graphics 29, 132 Cowes Yacht Haven 9, 133, 135, Northney Marine 136 142- 148 Nuno Navigator 22 Craftinsure 26 Ocean Village Marina 136 Dean & Reddyhoff 140,141, One Sails GBR South 138 Back Cover Paul Newell Sails 138 Deacons Marina 136 Paul Wyeth Marine Photography 137 East Cowes Marina 136 Poole Quay Boat Haven 97 Endeavour Quay 108 Port Hamble Marina 136 Folly Launch 138 Profurl 161 Folly Moorings 136 Quayside Marina 136 Folly Waterbus 138 Quentin House 132 GJW Direct 2 Rick Tomlinson Photography 137 Go Earth 37 Richardsons Yacht Services 74, 132, Gosport Ferry 106 133, 134, 135, 136
Photo: Beken of Cowes
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ADVERTISERS’ INDEX ADVERTISERS’ INDEX
Rowell Yachting Services 33 Solent Yacht Services 57 Royal Clarence Marina 136 Songbird Villa 132 Royal Institutue of Navigation 7 Southampton Boat Towing 133 Royal Lymington Yacht Club 138 Southampton Trailer Hire 133 Royal Thames Yacht Club 138 Sparkes Marina 136 Royal Victoria Yacht Club 127, 138 TAO Travel 91 Royal Yacht Squadron 138 The Boat House Café, Chichester 71 Sailfish Marine 28 The Breeze 81, 136 Sailweek 98 The Price is Wight 159 Sam Kurtul Marine Photography 136 The Shipyard Bar & Kitchen 136 Sapphire Yachting 51, 131 The Teak Man 120 Saxon Wharf 136 TransEurope Marinas 60 Seaangel 115 UKSA 25 Sevenstar Yacht Transport 42, 43, 45, Ultimate Sails 113 Vanity 127 47, 49, 51 Vasari Technology Ltd 149 Shamrock Quay 136 Vecwash 76 Shoreline Yacht Transport Ltd 133 Ventnor Botanic Garden 83, 125 Solent Boat Charters 133, 134, 136 Venture Sailing 162 Solent Boat Training 119, 138 Whitlock Steering 157 Solent Cruising Winning Tides 20 & Racing Association 59 Wroath Marine 134 Solent Events 134 Yacht Discovery 163 Solent Rib Charter 138
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS There are many people to thank for their help with this seventh edition of the Solent Handbook & Directory. Firstly, we are very lucky to have the use of so many outstanding images from marine photographers Paul Wyeth, Rick Tomlinson, Beken of Cowes and Hamo Thornycroft. A special thank you to everyone who contributed photographs. To all our advertisers we wish you a very prosperous season, and to our readers we say, do remember to tell people that you’ve seen their adverts in the Solent Handbook. Tidal data for Cowes and Portsmouth, and the background chart of the Racing Marks Map and Location Map are reproduced by permission of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office and the UK Hydrographic Office (ukho.gov.uk). We have received help of one sort or another from numerous others including: Ellen MacArthur, Graham Sunderland, Craig Nutter, Simon Rowell, Cowes Week, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, RIN, Go Earth, SCRA, Poole Quay Boat Haven,Yarmouth Harbour Master, The National Trust, Newtown Harbour Master, Cowes Harbour Commission, the Royal Victoria Yacht Club, Ryde Harbour Master, Bembridge Harbour Master, Bembridge Sailing Club, Cheetah Marine, the Isle of Wight Council (iwight. com),Visit Isle of Wight (visitisleofwight.co.uk), Keyhaven River Warden, New Forest District Council, Lymington Harbour Master, Hampshire County Council (visit-hampshire.co.uk), Beaulieu Estate, Buckler’s Hard Yacht Harbour, ABP Southampton, Southampton City Council, MDL Marinas, Premier Marinas, Dean & Reddyhoff, River Hamble Harbour Authority, QHM Portsmouth, Portsmouth City Council, Fareham Tourist Information, Tudor Sailing Club,Visit my Harbour (visitmyharbour.com), Chichester Harbour Conservancy.
Produced and published by Inspired Media. Printed by Bishops Printers, Portsmouth. While every care has been taken in compiling this book the publishers do not accept any liability or provide any guarantee that the information is accurate, complete, or upto-date. Inspired Media and its employees and contractors have used their best efforts in preparing these pages and this publication. Inspired Media and its employees and contractors make no warranty of any kind, expressed or implied, with regard to the information supplied. Inspired Media and its employees and contractors shall not be liable in the event of incidental or consequential damages in connection with, or arising out of, the providing of the information offered here.
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SOLENT HANDBOOK & DIRECTORY 2018 - 2019