| Tide Times and Sailing Range |
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If you want to come sailing on Seatern, the "Come Sailing" page is the important one to read. However, for those interested, this page explains in more detail how the times in the "Sailing Times Calendar" relate to the tides on each day and how that defines the maximum distance that it is possible to sail.
Short (single tide) Sailing Days (Green dates)
On these days the aim is to leave the jetty as soon as there is enough water to use Seatern's motor (about 3.5m above Chart datum) and to return before the tide goes out! The figure (left) shows an example of the tidal curve on a short sailing day. The map (right) shows the tracks of previous "short sails". Normally it is possible to sail either as far as the Netley Dome in the Royal Victoria Country Park, or to a point opposite the Mayflower Park. (Click on the figures to enlarge them). Typically a short sailing trip will last around 4 hours.
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Day Sailing (two tide) Days (Red dates)
By going out during the first tide and coming back on the second tide, several hours sailing can be had and the range is significantly extended. Unfortunately, trips to the west Solent are very unlikely to extend beyond Hurst Narrows and often will be shorter than that. That is because, depending on when we leave, there is only a very few hours before the tide starts to flood and the current becomes strongly east going. Trips to the east Solent are also more limited in length because the return trip has to be made against the eastward flood tide. These trips will be at least seven hours, more likely 8 or 9 hours.
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Long (Needles area) Sailing Days (Blue dates)
On a few days each month it is possible to leave very early in the morning - as soon as Seatern floats - and return on the second tide before it gets too late at night. Given good weather, this makes it possible to use the westward going ebb tide in the Solent to reach, and go through, Hurst Narrows. It is then possible to sail to, and beyond, the Needles before returning on the eastward going flood tide. Such a trip will typically last around 12 hours and cover over 50 nautical miles.
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