Coventry to the isle of wight

[Luke1971]

Hi I'm brand new to boating and am going to buy a small fibreglass canal cabin cruiser about 21 ft but I would like to no if it's possible to get from Coventry to the Isle of Wight or The Solent via canals and or rivers and what would be the best way to do this. I would appreciate any info you think would be related to to my planned journey or my planned boat purchase and or equipment my boat will have an outboard engine so will be hopefully be in fresh water and sea water if It is possible to complete this journey

As I say any info u think would be helpful would be appreciated

Many thanks

[saltysplash]

Hi

 

What is the Beam of the boat?

 

You will be able to take the boat via canals down to the Thames if your narrow enough, I assume you are if your buying on the water up there.

 

When you get to the Thames you will have to go Tidal all the way down the Estuary, Around North Foreland (Margate Kent) down past Dover along the South Coast till you reach The IOW.

 

For the Sea trip you will obviously have to make sure first that your boat is up to the journey especially the engine, Then make sure it is compliant with SOLAS V regulations https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/solas-regulations-for-pleasure-boat-users

 

Will you have enough fuel to make the sea journey, once you get past the Isle of Sheppy your bolt hole options get limited till you reach Ramsgate. Then Dover, then Folkstone. Then another long stretch to Rye depending on the Tides, Then another long stretch to Newhaven etc etc till you finally reach the IOW.

 

The Canal bit is dead easy. but you will need a lot of planning for the sea bit.

 

How about buying a trailer and towing it to Portsmouth?

[Scholar Gypsy]

I did enjoy the advice from the Coastguard, quoted here: http://www.kentonline.co.uk/kent/news/man-sails-round-isle-of-sheppey--a85754

 

Inland boats - including narrowboats - quite often go to the Medway, but beyond there it's a rather different ball game, as saltysplash says.

 

There is an article in the August Waterways World on what you need to make a boat seaworthy.

[Luke1971]

Hi

 

What is the Beam of the boat?

 

You will be able to take the boat via canals down to the Thames if your narrow enough, I assume you are if your buying on the water up there.

 

When you get to the Thames you will have to go Tidal all the way down the Estuary, Around North Foreland (Margate Kent) down past Dover along the South Coast till you reach The IOW.

 

For the Sea trip you will obviously have to make sure first that your boat is up to the journey especially the engine, Then make sure it is compliant with SOLAS V regulations https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/solas-regulations-for-pleasure-boat-users

 

Will you have enough fuel to make the sea journey, once you get past the Isle of Sheppy your bolt hole options get limited till you reach Ramsgate. Then Dover, then Folkstone. Then another long stretch to Rye depending on the Tides, Then another long stretch to Newhaven etc etc till you finally reach the IOW.

 

The Canal bit is dead easy. but you will need a lot of planning for the sea bit.

 

How about buying a trailer and towing it to Portsmouth?

[Luke1971]

Hi

 

What is the Beam of the boat?

 

You will be able to take the boat via canals down to the Thames if your narrow enough, I assume you are if your buying on the water up there.

 

When you get to the Thames you will have to go Tidal all the way down the Estuary, Around North Foreland (Margate Kent) down past Dover along the South Coast till you reach The IOW.

 

For the Sea trip you will obviously have to make sure first that your boat is up to the journey especially the engine, Then make sure it is compliant with SOLAS V regulations https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/solas-regulations-for-pleasure-boat-users

 

Will you have enough fuel to make the sea journey, once you get past the Isle of Sheppy your bolt hole options get limited till you reach Ramsgate. Then Dover, then Folkstone. Then another long stretch to Rye depending on the Tides, Then another long stretch to Newhaven etc etc till you finally reach the IOW.

 

The Canal bit is dead easy. but you will need a lot of planning for the sea bit.

 

How about buying a trailer and towing it to Portsmouth?

Hi salty splash I'm beginning to think I'm glad I found this forum already.? I was kinda thinking it was going to be as simple as using canals/ rivers all the way to Portsmouth or Southampton until I reached the Solent and then pretty much straight across to Ryde as I once heard of a narrow boat mooring at Ryde marina but now I'm beginning to think this could be a bit of a tall order n I would be better pottering along the canals were I'm 5ft away from land at all times ?? Dover/ramsgate ect is sounding a bit too adventurous for some one who has never driven a boat before!! I will be interested to see what other replies I get on here but your info has been greatly received so thanks

I did enjoy the advice from the Coastguard, quoted here: http://www.kentonline.co.uk/kent/news/man-sails-round-isle-of-sheppey--a85754

 

Inland boats - including narrowboats - quite often go to the Medway, but beyond there it's a rather different ball game, as saltysplash says.

 

There is an article in the August Waterways World on what you need to make a boat seaworthy.

Hi scholar Gypsey.

After reading that link it might be a bit of a big ask for me to do this although it was like reading something from a comic. Road map!! ?? 1 tank of fuel!! & the isle of sheppy!!! It did make me laugh I'm wondering if it a long distance relative of mine that I don't no!??

Any way thanks for the reply and the link ???

[Rob-M]

Check the width, a few years back we saw a cruiser moored up outside the Greyhound which somebody had just purchased and found out it was too wide to go through a narrow lock.

[the barnacle]

was the journey to move a boat for a reason or just for the fun of boating?

[X Alan W]

The narrow boats IIRC 3 off at various times were all trailered across the Solent I don't know how much water was involved in the trip towards the South Coast 1 of them was moored at Richardsons boat yard on the Medina for fitting out, on completion it returned to the Mainland & moored On the GU as said, dependent on size road transport is the way to go with a possible launch at Lymington or Portsmouth /South sea & boating over the Solent

[Sea Dog]

If you need to ask that question, the short answer is: No!

 

A slightly longer one would be: No! No! No!

 

To be fair, I suspect you were wondering if you could get right down to the Solent and then make the short sea crossing to the island. I base my (only partly tongue in cheek) answer on the requirement to come out of the Thames and traverse some of the busiest seaway in the world. There's a huge difference in knowledge and equipment needed to do that. I'd suggest you get down to a town with a convenient station and then take a ferry from Southampton or Portsmouth for the last leg.

 

Edited to add: I see you posted above as I was typing!

Edited July 15, 2016 by Sea Dog

[Fallowfield123]

I sailed off the Isle of Wight 20 years ago in a Wayfarer which is quick, light and responsive. I wouldn't even consider it in a narrowboat. Don't go to sea unless you know hat you're doing.

[bizzard]

I sailed off the Isle of Wight 20 years ago in a Wayfarer which is quick, light and responsive. I wouldn't even consider it in a narrowboat. Don't go to sea unless you know hat you're doing.

And me, Round Table regatta, Cowes week. five races.

[Luke1971]

i no I shouldn't laugh but that's so funny!??

hi barnacle

No it was just a pleasure type of thing that interested me

[Luke1971]

is there no rivers that come out in Southampton that are linked to the canals that I could use instead of the river Thames ?

I can see this journey is more complicated and dangerous than I assumed as I thought you could just cruise the canal most of the way and then get on a small river ( not the Thames) an end up popping out in Southampton waters but it seems not????

[Lysander]

Hi Luke - try this map which shows you the navigable waterways - https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-the-waterways/canal-and-river-network

[Peter X]

If you wait many years (it's quite debatable how long it might take) for the Wey and Arun canal restoration to be completed, there will be an inland route as far as Littlehampton. Then if someone restores another short bit of disused canal, the Ford to Hunston section of the Portsmouth to Arundel canal, you could in theory take a narrowboat via Chichester Harbour, round the top of Hayling Island and Portsea Island at high tides, into Portsmouth Harbour. You would still need to be seaworthy to cross 4 miles or so of the Solent.

 

There was once a plan for a canal connecting Southampton up to the K&A at Andover but it didn't get far, only some bits of it were ever built:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salisbury_and_Southampton_Canal

[Luke1971]

Hi Luke - try this map which shows you the navigable waterways - https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-the-waterways/canal-and-river-network

Hi Luke - try this map which shows you the navigable waterways - https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-the-waterways/canal-and-river-network

Thank you I will take a look at that.

[TheBiscuits]

For the sake of total clarity: If the boat (and you!) is not seaworthy, you need a trailer and a ferry for at least some of the journey.

 

Once you need lifting/slipping twice and the trailer and a vehicle to pull it, the actual mileage does not really affect the price that much - it's only a bit more diesel and a bit more time.

 

Ask Tony Andersen (Tonytugboat) for a quote - if he can time it so you go one way and someone else comes back the other it will save you a good bit.

 

He can shift boats up to nearly 30' on his assorted trailers, so 21' is easy.

[bigcol]

There are some folks than

Swim accross the Solent

And a few swim the Chanel

 

Some even canoe around the world

Some do it for fun in a bath tub.

 

A prepared properly skipper

A prepared properly boat

 

Should be a nice trip over the Isle of Wight in a narrow boat

 

Preparation is the key!!

Don't forget to take a A2Z

[magpie patrick]

Narrow boats have crossed the Solent - about 30 years ago one such crossing, in "Scumble" was reported in Waterways World.

 

How they got to the Solent is another matter, I suspect a lorry...

 

Of course, a narrow beam cruiser such as a Shetland or similar would be less of an issue if the skipper is up to the challenge - I own a viking 23, the boat would be fine, I wouldn't be!

[RLWP]

So, setting aside the fact that this is utterly bonkers for a moment

 

What boat and what route? I imagine a small GRP boat would fit the canal and be OK in the Solent. It would need moving off the canal network somewhere and taking to - where?

 

Richard

[MtB]

There was once a plan for a canal connecting Southampton up to the K&A at Andover but it didn't get far, only some bits of it were ever built:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salisbury_and_Southampton_Canal

 

 

I find myself wondering if it failed because the K&A doesn't pass through Andover!

[nebulae]

I have crossed from Hamble to Cowes many times in various small boats. From memory,the smallest was a Heron sailing dingy (11ft)..I have also had the odd hairy moment. Where the currents meet comiing round both sides of the island.it can get a bit tricky in a small boat. Unless you are a competant seaman I would not contemplate crossing the Solent,in a narrow boat .I can just imagine a steel narrowboat ducking and diving around expensive yachts during Cowes Week.

[Luke1971]

Hi RLWP

 

as you can tell I'm new to all this but I'm obviously thinking you can use the canal and rivers all the way down to Southampton waters and then straight across to cowes!

Bear in mind I'm more so wondering if it's possible that way so in theory only being exposed to the Solent and not the English Channel as if I had to face the channel the trip will never happen lol I thought there must be a way from the grand Union canal to Southampton waters some how!

Like I say I'm new to this so I don't intend on doing anything dangerous that would also waist the time of the hard working RNLI or coast guards

[RLWP]

Hi RLWP

 

as you can tell I'm new to all this but I'm obviously thinking you can use the canal and rivers all the way down to Southampton waters and then straight across to cowes!

Bear in mind I'm more so wondering if it's possible that way so in theory only being exposed to the Solent and not the English Channel as if I had to face the channel the trip will never happen lol I thought there must be a way from the grand Union canal to Southampton waters some how!

Like I say I'm new to this so I don't intend on doing anything dangerous that would also waist the time of the hard working RNLI or coast guards

 

From what I can tell, we have been through the 'do you know they don't connect' phase, and the 'I'm not sure that's a good idea' phase neatly side stepping the 'you must be mad' phase

 

Putting all that to one side - how would it be done? There's enough experience here to come up with a plan. I think the challenge should be to find a route with the shortest amount of boat trailering

 

Richard

[Ray T]

as you can tell I'm new to all this but I'm obviously thinking you can use the canal and rivers all the way down to Southampton waters and then straight across to cowes!

 

Luke,

 

Southampton Water can get quite hairy at times with the I.O.W. ferries coming and going, Cruise liners arriving and departing and many commercial vessels, not to mention many yachts and power cruisers. Add to that you get the odd jet ski. Do you know the "Rules of the road? " The tidal flows?

 

Also are you aware of Brambles Bank at the confluence with the Solent? There are also shipping channels for the commercial vessels to use.

 

Do you know about the IALA Maritime Bouyage System? http://navlib.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/iala-bouya-system.pdf

 

If the answer to most of these is no may I suggest you at least familiarise yourself with the RYA day skipper knowledge. https://www.amazon.co.uk/RYA-Day-Skipper-Handbook-Motor/dp/1906435553/ref=sr_1_4/000-6451953-6798177?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1468785289&sr=1-4&keywords=rya+day+skipper

 

http://www.rya.org.uk/Pages/Home.aspx

 

Trying not to be a damp squib but the sea, even the Solent can be unpredictable.

 

I speak from experience having my Yachmaster Offshore Certificate of Competence.

Edited July 18, 2016 by Ray T