Poole

[sjc avon]

I'm looking at taking my rib to Poole this year as was wondering how long it takes from Poole harbour to lulworth cove and durdle door? Also where is best to launch and store my rib, I'm wondering if it will be easier to leave it in the water but then I need somewhere to store my trailer.

Is Poole the best place on the south coast or is Weymouth or Southampton better?

[SteveHall]

I have launched at Weymouth many times, I launched at WPNSA and kept my trailer in the boat park and they offered me storage of the boat over night on the trailer in the boat park. Nice slipway, and has fresh water for washing down, showers, changing rooms.

Then you have the boat that rocks next door for the pint before you head home

[lukewhiting]

Originally Posted by sjc avon

I'm looking at taking my rib to Poole this year as was wondering how long it takes from Poole harbour to lulworth cove and durdle door? Also where is best to launch and store my rib, I'm wondering if it will be easier to leave it in the water but then I need somewhere to store my trailer.

Is Poole the best place on the south coast or is Weymouth or Southampton better?

Depends what rib & engine you have!

Off the top of my head i can think of either salterns marina, parkstone bay marina or Cobbs quay all in poole harbour. Up wareham river theres ridge wharf Yatch center but dont know much about them.

& baiter public slipway is good but no trailer storage (unless you want to leave it in the car park)

& personal opinion....Pooles best! Plus its central so you could head up the coast to either of the other places!

[hobbit555]

Depends if you want to make a day of the trip (poole) or just get there quick(waymuff)

[hobbit555]

Launch sites

Castletown Portland and its free but pay for parking

Wpsa portland pricy

Weymouth harbour not sure on the cost but following the Olymprics probably high

[Steve_B]

Best value would probably be MDL or Davis's Boat yard at Cobbs Quay. Both are suffering at the moment, so would probably be up for a good deal. Both have good slip ways.
An alternative is Parkstone Bay Marina, but can be restricted by tide.
If your prepared to leave the boat on a mooring, another possibility is Sandbanks Marina, right at the harbour entrance.

Poole is a good location to base your RIB as it offers access both East & West. Even if the sea conditions were too poor to go out, the harbour itself can be explored (a day +).

If you can maintain a speed of about 20kts, once clear of the harbour speed limit (10kts), it would typically take around 40/50 mins to get to Lulworth, but only when the range is closed (West of Kimmerage), otherwise you have to go about 6 miles out to sea.
The coast between Poole and Kimmerage offers some stunning sights and locations, so you may not need to go that far.
Give me a shout if you need more information as this is our "patch" and there are lots of members based in Poole who would be happy to help
Regards
Steve

[paulbrown22]

I'd certainly choose Poole as a base over Weymouth - I think it offers more opportunities. And even within the harbour, going around the islands, up the River Frome to Wareham, etc. can be very enjoyable days out if you don't fancy going any further.

Poole -> Weymouth is somewhere around 25 miles.
Poole -> Yarmouth (IoW) 15 ish miles.

So easy to head both East and West for a short trip.

If basing yourself in MDL/Cobbs/Davis, you have got to navigate the twin bridges. If it's a smallish RIB, fine, you can go straight under them at any time, but if it's a larger RIB or has any particularly large framework on it, you might be restricted by the scheduled bridge lifts, which can get highly annoying. Worth checking.

Salterns Marina is known for being expensive, but does have a reasonable slipway, and will normally be able to arrange most storage requirements you have.

Ridge Wharf up the Frome is typically well priced, and has plenty of storage space. But there's a reason for the price - you are half way up the river, right at the far end of the Harbour. So in the Summer, takes quite a while just to get to the harbour entrance!

[treerat]

No idea on the cost as I was a guest but the facilities here were great - The Royal Motor Yacht Club |

Easy access to both Poole harbour and the open sea

[Oscarguitar]

I'm based in Poole and have been for years. I live about 5 mins from the marina at Parkstone Bay, but if I wasn't based here I would seriously consider the Solent. Poole is a beautiful area, however there is hardly anywhere to go (to stop, have pint a bite to eat etc) apart from Studand (v busy) or Wareham (slow in summer) or the quay unless you want a 50 min trip to get to the IOW. Which is part of the reason why most of the Ribnet "cruises" go there.

The Solent offers a vast range of places to go, Yarmouth, Cowes, Bembridge, Wooton Creek, Lymington, Hamble, Portsmouth, Gunwharf, Port Solent, etc, etc. there is also loads to see and lots going on, events etc. without trekking across Poole and Christchurch Bay and back.

It will depend on what you want to do and where you live, but Poole can be a bit limited at times.

I'll now hide!

[diver 1]

kimmeridge makes a great option for exploring the purbecks by rib, its right in the middle of some of the best scenery, easy access to lulworth cover - most weekends when there si no firing at the ranges, and slightly inland excellent pubs dotted around, most landlords can put you in contact with a nearby farmer who may be willing to store a boat for a few days

[IanH]

Has anyone launched a sib at Lulworth?

[FOXFIRE]

Could be worth keeping an eye on the Sandbank Yacht Company, the slipway is due to re-open this year, and will have trailer and car parking across the road in the underground car park.

Sandbanks Yacht Company

[Low Flyer]

We stayed at Salterns and found them very helpful. Poole is not the cheapest but there is a huge amount to do and IOW is not far at all. We are now at Dry Stack Trafalgar Wharf and have to say is probably the best dry stack around.

[boristhebold]

Getting to lulworth past three areas of overfalls, time it takes will depend on your rib and engine package, your experience and what the weather is doing, on a good weather day it wont take that long at all and the scenery is spectacular along the way. You can hug the coast in good weather getting close to the cliffs if you know the area well enougth and check your charts.

Lots of nice bays etc to explore. My favourite is Warbarrow Bay, on a nice summers day Studland Bay will be packed and so will lulworth cove, but Warbarrow Bay is always nice and quite. If the army ranges are open you wont be able to get to lulworth but times and days are advertised, if it is firing day you can still go round to Chapmans Pool which agin is a nice quiet spot but if overfalls running high and your uncertain of taking the inside dash through them which runs extremely close to the cliffs then not advisable.

I would recomend Cobbs Quay as a good base, if you join as its an MDL marina then lots of benefits. If you have a biggish engine or use your rib a lot then taking advantage of the fuel at discount which you get with MDL can save significant amounts especially compared to Fuel costs at somewhere like Salterns marina or the fuel barge in the harbour. Plus at Cobbs you have showers, cafe and all other amnenities.

If considering being based from Poole go visit some of the marinas etc and have a chat with the staff. Also would recomend if intending to cruise in this area buy a book called "Inshore Along The Dorset Coast" by Peter Bruce, excellent book giving lots of information about the Dorset area and hazards etc.

Poole is a great base as youve got many great areas not far away like the Solent, Dorset Coastline, Isle of Wight etc to explore and on really crappy days with bad weather if you still want to go out you can explore Poole Harbour itself.

As to the two bridges to navigate to and from Cobbs Quay, I have a 7.5M rib with an A frame and have always managed to go straight under both, only pain Ive had with the two bridges has been on very busy summer days with the amount of muppet heads waiting for them to open and being very inconsiderate and blocking the channels with their gin palaces due to poor boat control, that can be a bit stressful at times.

[sjc avon]

Thanks everyone for your help, we may go Poole june and Southampton/Portsmouth August as couldn't decide where to go.