Calshot

This spot can be used in any wind direction with the prevailing SW wind blowing cross shore. During the summer, sea breezes blow from the South West and are funnelled down the Solent between the mainland and the Isle of Wight. This, combined with the fact that the sea breeze is generated from both the island and the mainland can lead to some incredibly windy afternoons. The general sea state depends on the wind direction and also the state of tide, at lowish tides there is an area of flat water off the beach which begins to lump up as you get further out. At high tide the water state can be quite lumpy  but there is little in the way of shore break provided that you chose you’re launch point carefully. As the tide turns against wind the water can become quite confused and choppy making sailing quite challenging. The Bramble bank out in the middle of the Solent can give some quite large waves but you will have to sail over the shipping channel to reach it. There is a wide variety of different sea states allowing the sailor to use anything between flat water and moderate rolling swell if you know where to find it.

On the lighter wind days the Solent is an ideal cruising location with Calshot located quite centrally giving good sailing access to Lepe in the West, the second closest point to the Isle of White ( 3-4 minute blast beach to beach in a South Wester). Cowes to the South although the mouth of the river is to be avoided as it is very busy area for yachts and ferries. To the east it is an easy sail across to Hill-head and Lee-on-Solent although you will have to watch out for larger ships using the shipping channel. The tidal flows in the Solent are complex and this, with the large number of marker buoys located around the area make it a great tactical racing location.

Calshot is one of the few spots on the south coast were you can sail in any northerly winds with north/north east winds coming straight in to the bay on the back side of the spit giving safe sailing , onshore winds and flat water blasting for around 4 hours during the high water period.

On neap tides there is a large shallow lagoon formed on the Solent side of the spit giving chest to knee deep water up to 500 yards off shore all day long making it an ideal spot for learning. The spit (above water level at this state of tide) gives a very good safety stop in a south-westerly wind.

Club membership is available from Calshot Activities Centre for just £50 for the year covering Car Parking, The use of showers and changing rooms and also concessions on some of the activities available in the centre.  Lepe country park which as mentioned above gives even better sailing in a westerly and can often boast about a force above Calshot in West and Southwest wind directions. Parking  can also be had on a daily basis either on the activity centre site (£5 per day park and launch) or outside the gates in the public Pay and Display car park.

The area is serviced by two Windsurf shops, one of which is located on the activity centre site just 20 yards from the water.