Solent to Brighton 17th - 18th July

Trevor G · 15 July 2010, 14:53

Hi All
We are planning to cruise from Southampton to Brighton this weekend.
The weather is currently forecast to improve for the weekend. With high tide being mid afternoon we are currently intending to leave Southampton area just after mid-day and round Selsey Bill at about 3pm to get slack tide. We should arrive at Brighton Marina at about 16.00.
We'll probably have a curry in town in the evening and are planning to sleep on the boat overnight. Intending to have Dim Sum on Sunday morning and cruise back (probably via Littlehampton) leaving Brighton early Sunday afternoon and getting back to the Solent mid afternoon.
Anyone who might want to join us is most welcome.
Trev

Neil Harvey · 16 July 2010, 18:56

Hi Trevor,

I can't make this trip now, as too much other stuff to do. It was always a long shot.

However, I do plan to get out tomorrow. I hope to be craned in about midday, and would be grateful of the company down southampton water at least, just to check engine warning has stopped signalling. I think (hope) it was just a loose battery connection.

Are you still planning to leave about midday?

Cheers

Neil

matt h · 16 July 2010, 21:57

Hi neil, have a good one dude!!

Trevor G · 16 July 2010, 22:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neil Harvey

Hi Trevor,

Are you still planning to leave about midday?

Cheers

Neil

Hi Neil - yes - plan is still the same - I'm hoping to be at MDL Saxon Wharf from about 10.30 fitting a 2nd Satnav and leaving midday or maybe a bit after. I'll give you a call or you can call me in the morning and we can arrange to run out together.
Trev

Neil Harvey · 17 July 2010, 06:54

great - see you later

Trevor G · 20 July 2010, 09:07

We're back - the boat has now been well and trully shaken down! Between our very rough run to Dartmouth over the May Bank Holiday and this one almost everything that could come detached now has!

We left Southampton at about 1pm to get slack tide around the bill. The run to Brighton once we past Selsey Bill was a bit challenging - rather than the 3kts wind forecast, the week before's storms and high winds took a bit longer to subside, so we had a Force 5 westerly tail wind and a following tide. The result of which made it almost impossible not to stuff the boat at some point as we came over each of the crests of the swell. I did indeed manage to nose dive into the trough and fill the boat with water to about 1/2 cm below the cill of the cabin door. Whilst on the Dartmouth Trip we managed to just lose the cushion from the console seat - this time the whole seat came detached, as did the entire bench seat at the back of the boat and our cool bag was floating in the boat as we were knee deep in water. If only I'd had my (waterproof) camera available!
Everything kept working thought (I would say "luckily" but I'm hoping this is by design rather than luck) and eventually the boat emptied and we finally got to Brighton although the boat looked like someone had had a temper-tantrum in it!
By Sunday the the wind had dropped to a F4 and we timed our return run so we had wind against tide so it was more like the normal Solent short-chop.
All in all it was still an enjoyable weekend away - maybe next year we'll do it in company!
Trev

C2 RIBS · 20 July 2010, 10:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trevor G

We left Southampton at about 1pm to get slack tide around the bill. The run to Brighton once we past Selsey Bill was a bit challenging - rather than the 3kts wind forecast, the week before's storms and high winds took a bit longer to subside, so we had a Force 5 westerly tail wind and a following tide. The result of which made it almost impossible not to stuff the boat at some point as we came over each of the crests of the swell.
Trev

Trev, we came back from Lymington late on Saturday afternoon and The Solent chop had also the same conditions, it was a very hard run back and saw many waves crashing around, the throttle was well and truly used to control the boat on the waves. It has been a long time since I saw such a change in Solent waters despite being out with other boats all afternoon with clients, the run back empty was challenging so I guess you had a hard run down to Brighton on the same tide/wind.

Into The Blue · 20 July 2010, 11:18

Impressed! - I was on Brighton Pier/prom on Saturday afternoon, watched a couple of ribs and sportsboats attempt to come westwards out of the Marina. Mostly they got little further than half way to the pier then turned around and went straight back in again.
Getting that far was quite a challenge, I would have said it was gusting a good 6-7 on the pier and the "chop" looked entertaiing to say the least.

At least you know what it'll get you through, and a perfect "Shake Down"

Sadly I forgot the camera.

Hambleite · 20 July 2010, 11:48

Well, I wasn't ribbing on Saturday but yacht racing. Finished racing off Gilkicker at around 3:00pm.

Then a long motor back to Hamble straight into the wind. I tasted quite a lot of waves whilst looking at the wind numbers! It never really dropped below 23-25 knots with gusts up to 30.