Southampton launching and trip

[212]

Hi,
I'm down in Southampton for a week with the family and I've brought the SIB on the trailer.

I'm looking for somewhere very sheltered to launch and to have a nice steady potter about for a few hours as will have a toddler aboard

Can anyone please suggest a nice gentle trip
I'm happy to pay to launch and travel to somewhere like Portsmouth way
Sheltered and steady going are the important bits on this trip

Cheers😃

[chris123]

Southampton is not ideal for you - although there are good launch options (Hythe Marina, Calshot) Southampton Water really doesn't tick the quiet and sheltered requirements.

If you don't mind travelling up to an hour East or West there are some better options. Have a look at boatlaunch.co.uk for more details on launch sites.

Based on quiet and sheltered, my first choice would be Itchenor into Chichester Harbour. Easy slip at all states of tide, short run to Dell Quay or longer to Bosham or Emsworth.

Top of Portsmouth Harbour quiet but not so pretty. Launch at Fareham marina or public slip at entrance to Port Solent marina. Both limited to a couple of hours around high tide.

Launch at Warsash and head up River Hamble. Likely to be busier. Not sure on tides / currents.

Launch at Bucklers Hard and explore Beaulieu River. One of the more scenic options, not sure on tides / currents.

Launch at public slip into river into Christchurch Harbour. Not sure on tides / currents.

Launch at Baiter Park into Poole Harbour.

Cheers

Chris

[212]

Thank you Chris, really appreciate the detailed reply
I will follow your suggestions

Cheers

😃

[Yabadabadoo]

Thumbs up for Buckler's Hard, very pretty around that way

[_monkey]

Try the slip at Redcliffe on the river Frome - slip is gentle and useable most of the time. It is a pleasant trip up to Poole harbour or Wareham the other way. Poole has a double high tide and the range is low anyway, so tidal flow is not fierce in the harbour (entrance is a different matter though).

[Noble95]

If it's a small ish boat, would go for the gravel slip by swanick marina, you then can go left or right on the river hamble, parking can be tricky, but get there reasonably early and it's ok, there is trailer parking and then normal parking.

[212]

Thank you all for the suggestions.
we launched at Itchenor today and had a lovely run round to Dell Quay and back.
Stopped for a picnic and even dodged the rain

A great introduction to Sib's for the boy 😃




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