Aidy
regular
Reged: 19/01/2004
Posts: 3754
Loc: La La Land
|
|
anyone know if it's open to visiting yachts yet ???
I know there is not much their apart from the sailing acadamy, but it seems a sensible place to stop for boats in transit rather than going all the way down the bill into weymouth.
TIA
|
cnh
regular
Reged: 18/10/2003
Posts: 297
|
|
I think they'll charge you quite considerably for the privilege.
I remember askng about berthing fees when I was at last year's Southmapton Boat Show - they were Hamble level fees.
--------------------
Channel & Baltic Guide
|
neale
regular
Reged: 30/05/2001
Posts: 962
Loc: Essex Mud and Solent
|
|
Last I heard it was due to open around September time.
|
Robin
regular
Reged: 30/05/2001
Posts: 5440
Loc: Poole UK
|
|
As a stopover it will offer very little as it is far from Weymouth's facilities so why not anchor for free? You can still anchor off Castle Cove but the sailing club has moved and leaving a dinghy on the beach invites the local kids to jump in it, but at least it is a short walk to town.
That said I can see little merit in using Portland or Weymouth as stopovers unless you especially want to visit there, because the time taken to divert up into the bay and back out again plus the tide restrictions of the inshore passage round the bill IMO make it preferable to go direct from Poole across Lyme Bay to Dartmouth.
Going west there is a local back eddy tide from Studland/Old Harry to St Albans that starts at around -1.5HW Dover and allows you to reach St Albans (the inshore passage) at slack water turning west, after that you then have 6hrs of favourable tide, then an hour of slackish tide, so nearly 9hrs of tide total from studland to get you well out across Lyme Bay where the tides are weaker anyway. This is of course going offshore past Portland Bill usually by 4mls but more in heavier weather. We do Poole entrance to Dartmouth entrance in around 10hrs on springs, a bit more on neaps, if we keep up 6kts.
Eastbound from the West Country arriving offshore off Portland as the tide goes east gives you time enough to reach the Solent on the east going tide if you keep up 6kts.
--------------------
 Sermons from my pulpit are with tongue firmly in cheek and come with no warranty!
|
Twister_Ken
regular
Reged: 31/05/2001
Posts: 14991
Loc: k, stock & barrel.
|
|
Don't forget, if you're coming from the east and just want to rest up a bit or wait for the tide, you can anchor behind Portland if the wind's in the west. Did it once a long time ago, seem to remember there's a shallow bay about half a mile north of the bill.
--------------------
If, at first, you don't succeed...
...don't try sky diving.
|
Krew2
regular
Reged: 20/01/2005
Posts: 2191
Loc: Dorset
|
|
Quote:
so why not anchor for free?
Anchoring in Portland is not free, but there is a chance you will not be charged. To answer the OP's question, it's not finished yet.
--------------------
Before I can trade up I need to sell see here
|
Robin
regular
Reged: 30/05/2001
Posts: 5440
Loc: Poole UK
|
|
Quote:
Anchoring in Portland is not free, but there is a chance you will not be charged. To answer the OP's question, it's not finished yet.
I did know that they sometimes charged nowadays but I never have been. It doesn't seem worth paying anyone to collect from just one or two yachts and I think I might up and move on if they did because they provide the square root of naff all for any fee, no water, no rubbish collection, no dinghy landing, nada! I have willingly paid (actually by a donation because they never asked) a fee for using one of Castle Cove SC's buoys in the past before they moved and when they had a jetty and dinghy landing on the beach. We have friends in the area (Alan Hill ketch Noella) and prefer there as it is a short walk to their house.
--------------------
Sermons from my pulpit are with tongue firmly in cheek and come with no warranty!
|
Krew2
regular
Reged: 20/01/2005
Posts: 2191
Loc: Dorset
|
|
It's only the club house thats moved the moorings are still in the same place. You can still run up on the beach where the old club used to be, but there is a locked gate at the top.
As regards the charges you are right, before I moved my boat to Portland I used to anchor there occassionally, only once was I charged. A guy came out in a huge diesel rib probly worth more than my boat, and duly collected about £3.50 in fees.
--------------------
Before I can trade up I need to sell see here
|
Robin
regular
Reged: 30/05/2001
Posts: 5440
Loc: Poole UK
|
|
As I understand it the beach was a private one with the little cafe and it changed hands when the clubhouse moved and their wooden jetty we used to leave the dinghy at has gone. Recent visits have seen lots of local youths on the beach that thought other peoples inflatables were great fun and left there for their amusement. It did happen before with them jumping into dinghies from the jetty but has apparently got worse so if we anchor off there now we don't go ashore and our friends come out in their boat (they are now in Weymouth marina) and either lay alongside or anchor nearby. You probably know them, most folks do!
I heard also that the diesel RIB was used mainly for chasing away divers from the chained off south entrance wreck? We have seen it and once thought we were about to be visited but he just went on by!
--------------------
Sermons from my pulpit are with tongue firmly in cheek and come with no warranty!
|
longjohnsilver
regular
Reged: 30/05/2001
Posts: 7275
Loc: Devon
|
|
The wreck is almost certainly the Hood which I dived a few times in the 80s. Interesting dive but think it's now considered unsafe cos it's all collapsing. IIRC it was scuttled there to prevent u boats entering the harbour.
|
Previous
Index
Next
Threaded
Edit
Reply
Quote
