Slipway Care  (updated January 2005)

The views of the slipway shown on this page were taken at low water with approx tide height of 0.8m.

The winter storms appear to have replaced some of the shingle on the beach raising the beach level on the western side (Southampton side) back to just below the level of the lower slipway. The drop off on the eastern side with its rock protection still remains a hazard to crew and centre boards. (Portsmouth side).

Members using the slipway should be aware of the following points:

Tides / Shallow areas

The tides run across the slipway. At low water the bottom is sandy but shallow. This shallow area extends a fairway from the  end of the slip. On low spring tides the drying area can be extensive but is possible to pull a loaded trolley over the sand. Care should be taken to the east of the slipway where Elmore Point extends out towards the green lateral marker. This area dries at lower water and is too shallow for some boats and the safety boat from about half tide.

The general sailing area out to the North Channel is charted between 2m and 3m at chart datum. Is therefore likely that a fully inverted dinghy will have get its mast stuck.

Launching and returning to the beach

It is advisable to return to the beach area in front of the signal station to the west of the slipway (Southampton side) rather than directly to the slipway. This avoids crowding and leaves the slipway free for launching and retrieval of boats.   Approaching from the south or west avoids the shallow areas to the east of the slipway. Care should be taken to avoid the rock groin to the west of the signal station when making a shallow approach  to the slipway - this is marked with a green lateral marker.

Care should be taken to ensure that there are no swimmers in the area chosen to return or leave the beach. The beach is a public beach - although people are advised not to swim near the slipway they do.

Slipway etiquette

Access must be maintained at all times as:

• the slipway is a public slipway and not the sole preserve of the club

• the need to be able to launch any of the club's safety boats at short notice

The upper slipway is wide enough to rig and temporarily park boats on their trolleys. However members must ensure adequate space is left for boats and safety craft to be wheeled up and down the slipway (including the length of a free boom). Therefore boats should be positioned with their bow or stern over the shingle areas.

All members are reminded that leaving a boat rigged o the slipway is a hazard with varying wind direction and strengths. Boats should not be left unattended.

When launching and retrieving craft please do not hover on the slipway blocking access.

Club members are requested not to allow their children to play or swim on or near the slipway.

All members are requested to should assist in the launching and retrieval of the club safety boats.

Lower slip

The lower slip extension, visible in the photograph, is narrower than the main slipway. It is easy to miss this when the tide is covering this area of the slip.

The lower sections of the slip naturally have weed growth and so are very slippery.

Eastern Side (Portsmouth direction)

The drop off on the eastern side of the slipway is now almost 1 metre in some places.

The eastern side has been strengthen in the past by the use of large boulders - care should be made if approaching the slip from this direction.