Yacht Charter Poole

With its beautiful natural harbor, sheltered sailing and cosmopolitan vibe, the Dorset town of Poole is one of the jewels of the English South Coast.

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Yacht Charter Poole

With its beautiful natural harbor, sheltered sailing and cosmopolitan vibe, the Dorset town of Poole is one of the jewels of the English South Coast.

The harbor itself is sheltered thanks to its shape, with the Sandbanks Peninsula protecting the waters inshore from the weather and seas. Its natural protection make it popular with all sorts of water sports enthusiasts from kite surfers to canoeists, and yes motor yacht and sailing yacht sailors.

A short sail from Sandbanks is the uninhabited Brownsea Island where Baden Powell used to train the Boy Scouts. Today you can enjoy its unspoiled wilderness before pottering back to the main town.

Ashore the town has an excellent seafront overlooking the Sunseeker superyacht factory where you can enjoy your favorite tipple over a good dinner at the local pubs and restaurants and watch them - even if you may only dream of owning such a luxury vessel yourself!

The RNLI also has a lifeboat factory and is based in Poole, teaching its volunteers the essential techniques you will hope you'll never have to receive. The town is a water sports enthusiast's paradise and well worth a visit at the start of your yacht charter.

Explore Poole By Renting A Yacht

Just to the south west of Poole is Studland Bay on Dorset's Purbeck Peninsula, a magnet for tourists every summer. Do be aware that a stretch of the sand dunes is still a nudist colony so not always a sight for the younger crew's eyes!

Round the famous Old Harry Rocks to the west and you will see the start of the Jurassic Coast with its fossils and quaint seaside towns like Swanage. Just beyond though is the military artillery firing range, which has a 12 mile exclusion zone out to sea - to get to Lulworth Cove on the other side for example, you'll need to do a detour of around 30NM instead of heading straight there.

The firing range is often why sailors in these parts tend to look east to the Solent, Isle of Wight and much of the South Coast as opposed to the South West. On your Poole yacht charter you can cruise to the east or perhaps follow the ferry out to the Channel Islands, a day's sail to the south.

How To Get To Poole

Road: Poole is just off the A31 dual carriageway that connects to the M27 and is around 2.5 hours from Central London. Those coming from the west can come down the A35 from Exeter.

Rail: Poole is on a main train line to London Waterloo. Trains run every hour during the week. Nearby Bournemouth has a cross-country service running to the Midlands.

Air: Nearby Bournemouth Airport has flights to much of Europe.

Marinas In Poole

There are five major marinas in Poole that are home to yacht charter boats. You can bareboat charter or take a captained yacht charter on a catamaran, monohull sailing yacht or motor yacht out on the out to the Jurassic Coast, Channel Islands or Solent with these as a base. They all have excellent marina facilities.

Cobbs Quay Marina

Berth Characteristics:

850 berths

Max Length 25m (82 Feet)

Max Draught: 2.5m (8.2 Feet)

List additional services: Shore power, water, laundry, WiFi, restaurants and bars, supermarket (nearby), boatyard, boathoist, chandlery, fuel

Port of Poole Marina & Poole Quay Marina:

The two marinas are part of the same complex.

Berth Characteristics:

200 berths + 15 swinging moorings

Max Length 70m (230 Feet)

Max Draught 3.5m (11.5 Feet)

List additional services: Shore power, water, laundry, WiFi, restaurants and bars, supermarket (nearby), boatyard, boathoist, chandlery, fuel

Salterns Marina

Berth Characteristics:

270 berths

Max Length 25m (82 Feet)

Max Draught: 2m (6.56 Feet)

List additional services: Shore power, water, laundry, WiFi, restaurants and bars, supermarket (nearby), boatyard, boathoist, chandlery, fuel

Parkstone Bay Marina:

Berth Characteristics:

50 berths - 100 swinging moorings

Max Length 17m (55 Feet)

Max Draught 1m (3.2 Feet)

List additional services: Shore power, water, laundry, WiFi, restaurants, shops and bars, boatyard, chandlery.

Suggested Sailing Routes From Poole

Where would you like to go on a Poole yacht charter? Many sailors are happy just to stay within a few miles, such are the delights to be had of the local waters! Brownsea Island and Studland Bay are enough for most! The Jurassic coastline or the Isle of Wight are less than a day's sail away - though you could reach the Channel Islands on your luxury yacht charter or bareboat boating vacation, the choice is yours.

The Solent - 7 days: On a seven day trip down to the Solent you can take in a stretch of the Jurassic Coastline, pausing at Swanage on your way east to Cowes on the Isle of Wight. The yachting nightlife is as good as Poole's but you may wish to take a break so why not head to Chichester Harbour for its laid back salt marshes. Heading back west you can stop at Portsmouth for another good evening ashore and then perhaps Lymington or Christchurch on the way back.

7 days - Poole and the Channel Islands: With a 60NM first and last leg, you may wish to do this on a captained charter though with the appropriate offshore sailing skills it is almost always within sight of shore. The almost unspoiled island of Alderney is your first stop, that has escaped the throng of tourists through the years. Guernsey would be another day ashore, and then the smaller Channel Islands of Sark and Herm before you head back. It's worthwhile considering a pause at the Isle of Portland on an evening and you can see much of the Jurassic Coast from before returning to Poole.

Best Times To Rent A Yacht In Poole

The sailing season runs from late March to mid September on the UK South Coast, though you will see hardier types afloat throughout the year. There can be gales at any time of year, with Westerlies especially fierce along the Jurassic Coast and the Solent. In the peak boat rental season of July and August it can still be fun sailing, though the bars and marinas can be expensive and full.

The Purbeck Peninsula and Sandbanks Peninsula can be extremely busy in peak summer of July and August so it could pay to do a Poole yacht charter at a different time of year.

Sailing Weather In Poole

April and May: Westerlies prevail but you will often find warm days with brisk sailing conditions of a F4-5. Gales will come through earlier in the year. This is Britain - expect rain!

June-August: In June there will be southerly and westerly gales at times but these tend to die out in July and August with the Azores High moving north and providing settled conditions and light easterlies. Expect temperatures in the high 20s C range with the odd few days at 30C plus. As ever, keep your oilies to hand as even in the height of summer things can change.

September-October: Grey skies and gales start to return. While often in the high teens Celsius in September with some great sailing conditions, the westerly procession of lows start coming up the English Channel and things can get a little uncomfortable by early October.

Frequently asked questions
What should I consider when renting a Yacht or Boat?

The main points to consider are what is your budget, have you got the necessary sailing experience and qualifications to manage the boat if it's not going to have a captain, whom you are taking sailing, where exactly you wish to go and what will the weather be like on the proposed dates of your trip.

What are the Marinas in Poole?

There are five main marinas in the Dorset town of Poole - Cobbs Quay has 850 berths while Salterns has 270. The Portof Poole and Poole Quay have 200 berths, and the smaller Parkstone Bay Marina has 50 pontoon berths and 100 swinging berths.

When are the best times to rent a boat in Poole?

May to August is best for sailing, though the first week of August is Cowes Week and launches the peak sailing season locally where it can be difficult to get a berth or table at a restaurant!

Do you have to pay a deposit when renting a Yacht in Poole?

You will typically pay 50% upfront on reservation the yacht rent and the balance on arrival. You will either pay a security deposit with your credit card on departure or can get insurance covering damage in advance. In some cases (such as the recent Covid situation) charter companies may be more flexible but this depends on the individual charter companies themselves.

What happens if my Yacht breaks down?

If you are at sea and in danger, call MAYDAY on VHF Ch16 or ring the coast guard on your phone if you have reception. If you have a mechanical fault and can make it to or are on a mooring you will be able to phone a help line number given by the boat charter company.

What should I think of before I rent a Yacht or Boat in Poole?

You should consider do you have the experience to handle the yacht charter or boat rental before you book and where do you want to go along with what the weather will be like. Bring warm weather and cool weather clothing if it looks like the weather can be cool as well as warm and remember at sea it can be cool on most evenings.

What Qualifications Do I need to rent a boat or yacht?

If you want to sail without a captain then you will need relevant qualifications like RYA Day Skipper/International Certificate of Competence (ICC)/ASA 104 Bareboat certificate or the US Sailing Certificate. For small 'day boats' or if you choose to have a captained on board your yacht charter you typically don't require licences.