Port Solent Pilot Notes & Charts

PORT SOLENT MARINA
APPROACH BY SEA PORTCHESTER LAKE ENTRANCE The entrance to Portchester Lake, which is about a mile north of the harbour entrance, is marked to the west by pile No.57 and to the east by pile No.95. The whole channel is marked by red piles to the west, numbered 57 to 74 (leave to port) and by green piles to the east running from 95 to 75. Twenty of the piles are lit by navigational lights.
PASSAGE NORTH THROUGH PORTCHESTER LAKE At night make for pile No.57 - approximately 1 mile north of the harbour entrance this marks the entrance to Portchester Channel. You should also look for pile No.95 until the channel opens. Both these piles are visible at 3.2 miles. Immediately to the north of pile No.94 are two unlit spherical yellow buoys marking foul ground and these should be left to starboard. Although the channel in the south is wide, the best water is defined by large buoys, which are not lit, and should be left to port. At night this reach of the channel is clearly defined by lit starboard hand piles No’s 93, 92, 90, 88 and 86.
As you clear the buoys, in the vicinity of pile No.63 to port, and pile No.88 to starboard, the channel narrows and starts a long left-hand bend. North of 86 the best water now lies close to the three port piles No.66, No.67 and No.68. On the right-hand side opposite these piles is Tipner Lake. This entrance is marked by two piles red No.82 and green No.85
The former on the starboard side of the main channel can cause confusion. As you proceed around the bend the gates at lit piles No.68 to port and No.80 to starboard mark the sharp turn left into the final section of channel with Portchester Castle to port.
AT PILE NO.78 CALL PORT SOLENT ON VHF CH. 80 AND REQUEST A LOCK IN
In season, the upper section is well marked by moored yachts. Out of season, beware of many unlit moorings on both sides of the channel. From pile No.80 turn slowly almost due north to pile No.79 avoiding the shallow water immediately north of pile No.80. At low tide keep to the port side of the channel to pile No.72A, thereafter cross to the starboard side of the channel to pile No.76. pile No.75 opens the channel between rows of piled yacht moorings.
Proceed between the moorings steering on pile A and pile B. Once abeam of pile B, steer to follow a line leaving the outer pontoons to starboard. At pile B the lock entrance will be clearly visible. Do not proceed into the lock barrel unless three green entry lights show. If it is necessary to wait for the lock, moor to the outer waiting pontoon, clear of the lock entrance. Please note that during the ‘off-season’ the outer waiting pontoon may not be in position.
LOCK ENTRANCE WAYPOINT
Latitude 50º 50’ 37” N Longitude 01º 06’ 06” W

WICOR MARINE YACHT HAVEN
Directions by water from Portsmouth Harbour Entrance.
From the harbour entrance, keep on the port side of the channel towards Fareham.
Our downstream swinging moorings are on either side of the main channel between green fairway piles 47 & 48 and red fairway piles 25 & 26.
Peewit Island is on your starboard side as you pass through the swinging moorings.
Proceed along the channel a bit further and just beyond red fairway pile 27, you will see Bedenham Pier and its 3 cranes on your port side; you have arrived at WicorMarine Yacht Haven.
Our pontoons are identified by letters on top of the piles and the berth numbers are marked on top of the pontoons.