SEAMANSHIP
Why sea breezes are
best in the Solent
Sheltered by the Isle of Wight, these waters are ideal
for cruising or racing. With the Beneteau Cup in mind,
Chris Tibbs takes a look at wind patterns in one of
the most popular yachting areas in the country
I
t’s remarkable how different the not last long but be replaced with heavy Sunshine records show the south of the
weather can be just a few miles away. showers; still, the contrast before and after island is one of the sunniest places in
Not long ago I took a ride in a small the front passes through is dramatic. Britain and compared with a few miles to
plane from England to Holland, a flight But it’s not only when a cold front passes the north we have our own micro climate.
of around 150 miles. It started in bright through that we find a great difference in During the summer we often have sea
sunshine with clear skies but in the end the weather on different parts of the coast, breezes that can be strong as they funnel
we were dodging a large thunderstorm and as well as offshore and coastal. I live on through the Solent making it a difficult
torrential rain. This shouldn’t really be a the Isle of Wight and can often see heavy place to produce forecasts for. In many
surprise, as we often see satellite pictures cloud and rain on the mainland whilst ways the Solent is like a broad river with
on our television screens showing where we’re enjoying an almost cloudless day. the tide rushing through at 3-4kn in places
fronts and cloud are affecting only parts of before it slows down then reverses. The
the UK and not others. Even so, Island is almost 20 miles wide by 11 miles
it’s still a remarkable sight deep and, as such, has a big influence
when an active cold front
SOUTHAMPTON
Bursledon
on the weather as it heats and
passes through and,
Warsash
Northney Bosham
cools through the day’s cycle.
after a short period Cowes probably became the
Bucklers Hard PORTSMOUTH
Itchenor Chichester
of heavy rain, the centre of yachting and racing
sky quickly clears
Lymington
Cowes
Christchurch Ryde
for social reasons, because
giving sunshine.
POOLE
Newport
Yarmouth
it’s a tricky piece of water on
Bembridge
This dry slot might
Wareham
which to sail.
Swanage
THE BENETEAU CUP
This year the Beneteau Cup is being
supported by Sailing Today and is based
in Cowes, running from the 21-23 August.
Whether you’re racing in the event or
cruising through the Solent there are a
number of things to watch for.
Firstly, it’s well worth studying the
tides. The Solent seems a big place when
you’re beating against a spring tide – in
which case it’s well worth while staying
in shallow water to avoid the worst of it.
There are rocks around, particularly on
the Island shore, so accurate navigation
is vital. One of the places where the
tide is particularly strong is off Cowes
where significant tidal rips occur even in
moderate winds against the flow of the
tide. Most days I watch as crews struggle
to handle sails as they decide to raise or
lower them here. A little further out or
indeed closer in, life is a whole lot easier.
114 Sailing Today September 09
ST149 Wclass
RTG.indd 102 16/7/09 15:18:15
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