Crosshouse Slip (of interest to Solent Ribbers only)

[Rogue Wave]

yeah I should have said that it's really tidal and is dry half of the time It's also a long way up the river about 55 minutes to speed deristriction

[Peter J]

Rouge: Thanks for that.

I particulary like the upper hamble as a cruising ground but I have a scaredie cat wife and a two year old who dont want to go on the blast down southampton water at top speed to get to the hamble so I could do with starting a bit closer.

With regard to town quay - I tried to find it from on the water and couldn't locate it. I am not looking hard enough, is it there?

[Louise]

Originally Posted by Peter J

With regard to town quay - I tried to find it from on the water and couldn't locate it. I am not looking hard enough, is it there?

Peter, a pleasant way to find Town Quay for the first time is to take the Hythe ferry to Southampton, as it docks at Town Quay. (Or I guess you could go from Southampton to Hythe!) It makes a nice little trip for the family (including a trip on the cute little pier train at Hythe) and depending on when you travel, you might get to see the QE2 or QM2 as it passes their berth. We used the ferry to get to Southampton Boat Show in 2004 and it was a very relaxed and (on a Sunday when parking at Hythe was free) cheap way to do it. More details here.

Once you've done the trip by ferry you should be able to find your way by RIB!

Edit: forgot to give credit to Alan for the idea of visiting SBS by ferry.

[Alan]

Originally Posted by Louise

(including a trip on the cute little pier train at Hythe)

Edit: forgot to give credit to Alan for the idea of visiting SBS by ferry.

Its even more pleasant if you stretch your legs and walk along Hythe Pier as opposed to being a lazy bugger and getting the train

[Rogue Wave]

Let me know when any of you are thinking of using the pier and I'll ring up my mates on the Donald Redford and make sure they are in Pompey!

Theres also an all access public slip down by Universal? which is towards the end of Moody's and before you get to Mark Pascoe Ltd

[Louise]

Originally Posted by Alan

Its even more pleasant if you stretch your legs and walk along Hythe Pier as opposed to being a lazy bugger and getting the train

Did the 'fitness freak' bit on the outward journey (interesting to look at the plaques along the pier giving snippets of Southampton's maritime history) but after an afternoon of walking round SBS took the 'lazy bugger' option on the return.

[MikeCC]

Originally Posted by Rogue Wave

Theres also an all access public slip down by Universal? which is towards the end of Moody's and before you get to Mark Pascoe Ltd

Yes - you go down a little road on the right just after Moody's (or on the left before if you're coming the other way). There's a decent size *free* car park with bays large enough to park without unhitching and it's right behind an OK pub. Also enough room to turn round with a biggish trailer and slip itself wide enough for two cars.

Don't know what it's like in the height of the season but hardly anyone there in November. Obviously a bit of a chore going down the Hamble.

There's more details on boatlaunch.co.uk

Top tip - don't go ANYWHERE off the shingle slip itself, however tempting it looks - it is very sticky mud and you *will* go in up to your axle.