Yachts : Weymouth maybe? – cancelled

Sounds like an ambitious plan! But the emphasis will be on safety and is dependent on the weather. A bonus is neap tides on the 16th. Before each leg we’ll discuss the options and agree the plan. Maybe we’ll get to Weymouth and back! Ideally leave CHI buoy at 09.00 Thursday (all times in BST and allowing for tides with vessel speed at 5 knots) taking tide to Lymington arr 13.00. A later start is OK but plugs the neap tide. Dan Bran pontoon party and meal at the Yacht Haven Restaurant. Studland Bay on Friday with a civilised start at 11.00, dropping anchor around 14.30. Supper aboard or ashore if a you fancy an April dinghy ride!

If the weather gods are with us we up anchor at 10.00 on Saturday to arrive Weymouth around 14.00 and berth on the pontoons opposite the Lifeboat. Optional restaurant/pub meal in the evening. In 2019 the forecast for the return leg from Weymouth was such that we agreed to abort this leg and returned to the Solent from Studland Bay.

Assuming we’ve made it to Weymouth, on Sunday we need to leave to get the last of the flood at Hurst Narrows before 10.00. This means an 03.00 start! So for those who’ve not night sailed before this is your chance – in company. We should arrive Newtown Creek around mid morning. There is time to leave at 13.00 and plug the tide arr CHI buoy by18.00 (LW Chichester Bar at 15.37 1.4m). Otherwise it can be a leisurely sail to your home port the next day.

If we don’t get to Weymouth there are various options – Poole Harbour or back to the Solent. If we do get to Weymouth and a night sail is not your bag, a later start is an option, the max ebb at Hurst is forecast at 2.2 knots, or there’s Poole or anchoring Swanage or Studland Bay.