I wrote to the winter issue of the Bulletin to tap into the collective wisdom of the Dinghy Cruising Association on two topics. One was how a complete ignoramus (me) should go about choosing an outboard for a 14 foot Leader, and I summarised in the last Bulletin the large amount of very helpful advice I received. The other was how, armed with my new outboard to give me confidence, I should negotiate the entrance to Poole Harbour, approaching from Studland Bay.

The need to study the weather, the tides, and the chart are obvious, as is the need to take account of one’s own level of skill. What I was hoping for, and was amply rewarded, was advice specific to the problems of Poole Harbour. I’ll draw together very briefly first the main threads that emerged, but beyond that I think it is best simply to allow those who responded to speak for themselves: there was much in common but, unsurprisingly, there was also a range of approaches, and anyone wanting to use this advice in practice needs to hear what those with experience actually said, not to get my second-hand resume of it. So this article is mostly made up of quotations.

Yes, I was right to take the harbour entrance seriously. Hazards are numerous — the chain ferry, the ferry to France (massive wash); maniacs in motor boats; a fast ebb that can be too much for a small boat; sudden lost of wind in the lee of other boats; the Training Bank — a long string of rocks just outside the harbour on the south side. There is comfort too. Use the small boat channel on the south side and use the strong tides to help you (obvious, but perhaps tempting to ignore it on a lovely sunny day when the tides aren’t convenient). Best of all, ever thought about towing or wading the boat in?

Come the summer holidays that’s what we’ll be doing, with a nice shiny new outboard on the back for entertainment purposes only I hope! First we’ll walk right round the top of Studland Bay and into the harbour, to see what it looks like in detail, and then (if all looks well) we’ll try towing, I wading in along the beach. Not the way to cover ourselves in glory, perhaps, but it’ll get us where we want to be at minimum risk. Then, once we know our way in rather better, who knows what more elegant mode of entry awaits us? A big thank you to everyone who has given us the courage to have a go.

This is the advice I was given, pretty much verbatim.

By Peter Ingram

‘Firstly, to think of sailing from Studland and up the Swash Channel and in past the chain ferry in a small dinghy is unwise to the point of being dangerous, particularly with young children. The reason is this is the Training Bank. This is a long string of rocks (mostly submerged at high water) which forms an impassable barrier on the port side when going in to Poole, and means that you have to come off Studland beach almost due east to get round the southerly end of it, marked by what used to be known as the Cage Buoy but is now just a floating buoy. This makes a long and potentially dangerous run in a small boat as the Swash Channel is pretty shallow and relatively narrow, and when the tide is ebbing a tremendous of volume of water comes out of the harbour, and standing waves of one or 2 metres high are not uncommon, particularly in a southerly wind. Added to which it can be very heavily used and these days Poole is home to a large number of powerboats. Sunseekers are built there after all, and the way they motor up and down the channel showing absolutely no consideration for any other water users has to be seen to be believed. The unfortunate result of their activity can again be a very confused and broken stretch of water.

Only last season, my wife and I went up there in a Roamer dinghy on a lovely sunny day, and because of the motor boats chasing each other had a very a rough passage. I have even found it a very uncomfortable at times in a heavy 26ft sailing cruiser.

It is I suppose just conceivable that you could sail along inside the Training Bank until you reach the shoreward end which is just south of Shell Bay, and then if your boat is not too heavily loaded, and you have some inflatable rollers, you could portage it around on the beach, but I have never tried this myself. The chain ferry is really the least of your worries, but I agree that you do not want to try going past it under sail alone. At the entrance to the harbour by the chain ferry the tide can ebb out faster than a small boat can get in and under such circumstances you would be better waiting on Shell Bay beach until it turns.’

By Len Wingfield

‘Even in difficult situations like the entrances to Poole, Christchurch or Bembridge harbours at maximum ebb and without a fair breeze, one can wade the boat in if single-handed, or tow from the shore if a crew is available. The point is that the towing strain from a boat like the Leader is negligible. At Poole entrance, one can tow along the sands on the south bank. At Christchurch use the west bank and at Bembridge tow on the east side of the channel (but taking great care if wading, the bank is very steep in places). At Hurst Point and at Langstone and Newtown harbours one can at least get in past the entrances in this way, and in many other places one can use the eddy-currents. Portsmouth Harbour entrance and Hurst Narrows are, however, difficult if wind and tide are both against.’

By David Sumner

‘Actually, it was Poole Harbour entrance that finally decided me to buy an engine. I have sailed into the harbour on two occasions and both times I came across the huge ferries which go to France. As I was having to tack across the fairway in light airs it was a frightening business. With an outboard you can keep to the side of the channel. The risks with this entrance are mainly those of collision, because the other boats are obsessed with engines and speed and the commercial operators don’t give a damn for a little sailing boat. The wash is pretty bad. Be careful of the tripper boats, fishermen, Royal Marines, Brittany Ferries, and Jack-the-lad in his gleaming speedboat. In my opinion the chain ferry is not such a problem. Remember that the south side of the entrance channel is the recognised small boat channel: you can put the boat straight on to the soft sandy beach at Shell Bay any time you are uncertain. I think it is essential to study the chart of the entrance before departure as there are some hazards just inside. I’m not too concerned about the entrance so long as I can keep to the small boat channel.

I tend to listen to the Harbour Control on Channel 12 for a while before entering, to gain an impression of forthcoming shipping movements. Once past the chain ferry you are blind to shipping approaching from around the next corner. As for the sea conditions in the area, I have twice sailed from Studland to Bournemouth. On both occasions it was a fast outward leg and a slow return against choppy seas, very enjoyable nevertheless. Be careful to keep a good way from the high-speed catamaran, say half a mile, due to its wash. I don’t think the strong winds are such an issue, but it’s often gusty around this area as the prevailing wind comes off the land. If real squall lines are visible then get all sail off at once.’

By Aidan de La Mare

‘Poole Harbour entrance is a nightmare! But surprisingly, very few if any people seem to die there, although I can’t understand how one avoid it. I’ve been in and out in a sailing dinghy as well as a motored in a larger boat, and it can be alarming. For a sailing dinghy it is worth applying the unofficial rule of the road that you give way to everything (except another sailing dinghy on port tack when you are on starboard). Make sure you know what the tide is doing and always try to carry a fair tide in and a fair tide out. The chain ferry is a major hazard and you should strictly observe a self-imposed exclusion zone up-tide of the moving ferry almost regardless of the wind direction. If you start to get pulled into this zone turn straight round and get out of it. The problem is often that you seem to be doing fine until you get into the wind shadow of the ferry or another boat, lose way, and drift into trouble. I believe that that is what caused the incident you refer to when two boats were caught against the ferry and swamped, and one of the crew was swept right under the ferry and nearly died. But don’t be put off: with care and awareness you can sail in and out with enjoyment heightened by the skill needed. It might be worth ignoring the rule of keeping to the starboard side of the channel going in and creeping inshore along the south side in shallow water and thereby keeping out of everybody’s way. Don’t forget the stone training wall outside the entrance on the south side. It can be sailed over at high tide but is a serious hazard at low tide, and you have to pass it each time from Studland to Poole.’ And lastly by Philip Asliwin

He suggested I find out about launching from somewhere in the harbour, because the tide runs very fast in the harbour entrance, particularly the main channel as you go to starboard round the bottom of Brownsea Island, a detail well worth knowing.