Boathook
Well-known member
Winds aren't to bad during the day and not bad enough to make Poole a 'no'. This evening is another matter !
Advice about Saint Alban's head passage tomorrow
- Thread starter MoodyChris
- Start date
Chiara’s slave
Well-known member
12-14kn is quite enough to spill your coffee against the ebb we’d expect today. I’ve been in there in a few boats, strangely I felt most threatened in a Contessa 26. When we did it most recently in the Dragonfly, it had blown up unexpectedly, more as we got close in. As it was our planned destination, for Poole Week, we pressed on. I would definitely get more sail off next time!
The issue, leaving from Yarmouth, is the desire for a west going tide at St Albans, which is an ebb at Poole entrance. If we are going to poole we’d usually leave late on the ebb, 2 hours from Yarmouth to the entrance. If we’re headed west, we’d be heading out of the harbour aiming to be west bound about 30 seconds after the tide turns west.
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dukeofted
Member
If you want to see what wind over tide at St Aldhelms is then this was my experience (around the 6 minute mark is where I'm in that area):
It was F5/6 W with a spring tide in my favour. I was sailing a Trapper 28 so small and with low freeboard, it was a very wet trip! Unfortunately the camera run out before a particularly nasty set of waves, the last one that fully broke over the boat and filled the cockpit. Luckily not too much went in the cabin as I should have had the washboard in for sure. I'm sure you would have a much more comfortable and dryer trip on your yacht.
It was F5/6 W with a spring tide in my favour. I was sailing a Trapper 28 so small and with low freeboard, it was a very wet trip! Unfortunately the camera run out before a particularly nasty set of waves, the last one that fully broke over the boat and filled the cockpit. Luckily not too much went in the cabin as I should have had the washboard in for sure. I'm sure you would have a much more comfortable and dryer trip on your yacht.
Boathook
Well-known member
Sailing nicely.
Heading west there a few years back seas went over the wheel house of my 9m Catalac. The crew outvoted me about carrying on and we went into Poole !
Tranona
Well-known member
Just got back from the club in Poole. Breezy with 18 knots gusting mid 20s SE. Would have been brisk wiz past St Albans with tide underneath for the OP. Hopefully will be snug in Weymouth before the next front comes through tonight
FOP
New member
The advice about standing well off St Albans in an onshore wind is sound. I’d be more concerned about the area around Bridge at the SW end of the Needles Channel (, given a strong SEasterly and an a big ebbing tide. I d go out via the north channel .
MoodyChris
Member
Hi all,
Thank you so much for all the advice.
We rounded Hurst Point early, meeting reasonably confused by very handleable seas there. Took a slight shortcut across North Head while watching enormous breakers out towards the Needles.
Wind stayed about a 3 for a few miles then began picking up as we hit the favourable current, but seas large but with decent period between and coming from South West.
All the way out recieving French "securite" warnings about the incoming weather. About midway over the bay just passed Christchurch received imminent and soon storm warnings over 16.
Looking at the size of the seas, increasing winds and decreasing margin as the storm approached we diverted to Poole, managing to get in before the ebb started.
Now in Poole Quay marina weighing up when I can get to Weymouth as my crew returns home tomorrow.
Thank you so much for all the advice.
We rounded Hurst Point early, meeting reasonably confused by very handleable seas there. Took a slight shortcut across North Head while watching enormous breakers out towards the Needles.
Wind stayed about a 3 for a few miles then began picking up as we hit the favourable current, but seas large but with decent period between and coming from South West.
All the way out recieving French "securite" warnings about the incoming weather. About midway over the bay just passed Christchurch received imminent and soon storm warnings over 16.
Looking at the size of the seas, increasing winds and decreasing margin as the storm approached we diverted to Poole, managing to get in before the ebb started.
Now in Poole Quay marina weighing up when I can get to Weymouth as my crew returns home tomorrow.
stephen_h
Active member
Portland marina is also worth a visit rather than Weymouth.
Boathook
Well-known member
Must admit never been to Portland marina. Rather like the bustle of Weymouth with all the shops and a vast selection of pubs.
Chiara’s slave
Well-known member
Portland is obviously a lot quieter. But very very handy if you’re heading west via the inshore route.
oldmanofthehills
Well-known member
Portland has the The Cove in Deadmans Bay, quite close to the Marina. It has nice cafes nearby too. And best of all its not Weymouth. (Family own cabin on the Bill so prejudiced)
It is timing wise quite a bit better to catch the slack before the eastgoing tide for the inshore passage, as its nearer the Bill. Slack before westgoing is Dover -1 to Dover +2 but avoid in Springs and go outside all the races though it adds considerably
DJE
Well-known member
Maybe Poole to Dartmouth for the next leg going well south of Portland Bill. Weymouth is a long way off the direct track.
FairweatherDave
Well-known member
Keep posting, you'll find plenty of people interested...and giving opposite opinions! My vote is for Weymouth as a tourist holiday destination it's great. And of course I have not been to Portland...just a quick overnight anchor off Castle Cove in the harbour. Hope you get some helpful weather soon for crossing Lyme Bay. Re. St Albans we stayed south of the overalls using the DZ bouy, but not tricky as that was from the Solent not Poole.
Tranona
Well-known member
Good move. Welcome to Poole. If you are stuck here for a couple of days - looks like things ease off on Friday but sill westerly - consider moving around the corner into Poole Yacht Club. Similar price to the Quay but quieter and more sheltered. Good facilities and only 15 minutes walk from the fleshpots of downtown Poole.
Support the suggestion to try and do Poole Brixham or Dartmouth in one hit. Weymouth and round the Bill is a nice experience, but not the moat effective use of limited time.
ashtead
Well-known member
Now you are tucked up in Poole Quay hopefully it’s not too noisy and you have found a decent eatery even if the facilities are dire at marina . I tend to agree that going into Weymouth by boat at least adds little particularly with the inconvient road bridge should town quay not appeal so Portland marina offers good facilities shower wise plus laundry and delights of Lidl plus if storm bound a bus trip around Portland etc . If you want to pass on experiences ashore at Portland head for Brixham marina although can get rolly there depending on wind direction and perhaps avoid that yacht club pontoon which looks at tad exposed. Brixham has much to offer in terms of walks and eateries etc and perhaps doesn’t suffer tidal mooring issues found in parts of Dartmouth I always seem to be told of by the marina there which might I guess be more pronounced just now? Maybe some pictures if time permits . Meanwhile back ashore we cut the grass and dream of getting away somewhere soon.
oldmanofthehills
Well-known member
Poole to Brixham is a long stretch at about 80 miles, and with westerly winds against you and lots of tacking, that will hardly be quick. The winds are easing so one could just motor against the wind but even so its over 12 hours chore banging into chop. We were well enough pleased to cross the effectively refuge free stretch from Portland to Brixham on our delivery run.
The OPs desire to complete the run before losing crew conflicts with pleasant sailing
The OPs desire to complete the run before losing crew conflicts with pleasant sailing
ashtead
Well-known member
I don’t disagree and we always stop in Portland from Solent and the run to Brixham normally in June can be quite boring without the diversion of large ships as found crossing channel . Autopilot on nothing much to see unless dolphins arrive really ,I think I had seen a desire though to get on and with what sounds like crew of more than one time for some to be rests during the bay crossing . Brixham also has diesel easily accessed compared to the chaos at Dartmouth to refuel .
Stemar
Well-known member
Weymouth's a nice place to stop but, on passage, Portland Harbour's a better place to be, We've anchored off Weymouth beach, which is pleasant and well sheltered in westerlies. We were there over a bank holiday once and were asked to move by the Harbourmaster as we were in the flight path of the Red Arrows the following day. We only had to move 100 yards, and he was happy, I reckon we had the best view of the display, and I'm pretty sure they used us as the target for their star burst manoeuvre.
John_Silver
Active member
Works well tidally too:
We usually drop down to Studland, the evening before, for a swift getaway (and to avoid tidal considerations exiting the main harbour)
Then catch the turn of the tide (HW Dover), off Anvil.
Reckon to average an extra +2 knots over the ground, past the DZ buoy, past a waypoint 5 nm south of the Bill and into Lyme Bay. On the west going tide.
Then stay a bit north of the rhumb line, out of the main (now E going) tide. Allowing around -1kt, off SOG, which we usually seem to better.
Gradually coming back south, onto a direct line, past half tide and as Start Point begins deflecting the main flow / tide turns back in our favour.
Generally seem to wind up off Dartmouth Castle in time for the start of the flood.
The better to carry us up to the Dittisham visitor buoys.
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Boathook
Well-known member
Doesn't Dartmouth have a fuel barge a bit like Salcombe ?