Poole - Bursledon via the Needles in a Mirror Dinghy

A voyage from Poole Harbour to Bursledon (river Hamble), via the Needles, Oxey Lake (near Lymington) and Yarmouth. If you like this sort of sailing, have a look at the Dinghy Cruising Association, www.dinghycruising.org

[@londonboywanderer306]

I am simply hooked on your videos love to do what you do , very skilfull, a mirror out at sea very brave , a true sailor, I take my hat of to you sir, I am looking to sail, your videos cant stop watching Excellent

[@jackrabbit5047]

I really love the raw simplicity of the dinghy cruising lifestyle you portrait through your videos. You are a true seaman, and have a lot to teach the rest of us. Cheers and fair winds to you.

[@estarriol4710]

I've never really thought of taking something as small as a mirror out to sea! You're putting lovely ideas into my head :)

[@msf60khz]

Breccan, build up to it slowly. D

[@msf60khz]

No GPS carried, by the way - using traditional navigation methods.

[@sailboatskipper]

Please please, more of the same!! I've done the voyage on board a yacht, but in a dinghy! hats off to you, you are a true sailor. Love the easy, laid back, attitude.

[@toolongtoremember]

Your best video yet!

[@lancashirelad2742]

Thank you another nice video I have not seen before and thank you I can now see your sleeping arrangements I am thinking of Buying a mirror dinghy as they seem a very versatile boat and there are a few reasonable ones for sale for not a lot of money here in Lancashire at the moment Thank you . Geoff.

[@CaptMarkSVAlcina]

I love and will say it again love the gaff top sail

[@AndyJarman]

And the spanker just adds to the defiant non conformist attitude!

[@PhilbyFavourites]

The Mirror has a “Gunter” rig.......

[@davidjoelsen3399]

Hi Dave, I miss new videos from you. I hope you are ok.

[@AndysEastCoastAdventures]

Just bought my first mirror to do some minimalist cruising. Combining my wild camping equipment onboard for overnighting. Yet to make a bed system though. Tempted at the moment to use stalts rather than boards though. Do you make use of the bouyancy compartments at all for extra storage? Mainly will be for estuaries & rivers though. Back to basics. I have a bigger sailboat for coastal passage making.

[@msf60khz]

Hi Andy I use the aft compartment via a big hatch for keeping a few big light things. I use the bow compartment for warps and shore going shoes. I have doors over the stowage compartments, which are used for food, spares etc. I use 4 dry bags for camping: sleeping bag, clothes, self inflating mattress, and a small bag with jumper, hat, gloves etc. My two stowage boxes contain snack, cooker, cutlery, plate, cup milk, and the other has tools and nav items like PLB, sighting compass and torches. Good sailing. D

[@backtothebarky]

Where did you stay the night? Keyhaven? When you entered Yarmouth you said you were going to the 'sand hard' are you allowed to anchor/dry out there for free? I'm assuming it was the west side or NW corner? Thanks. Great vid.

[@msf60khz]

My overnight stop was at Oxey Lake, an inlet near Lymington. At Yarmouth you have to pay dues for the Sand Hard, same as on a pontoon.

[@ljd8520]

Great adventure ! Very inspiring to watch. I have completed the same passage in a much larger yacht which was testing enough ! Any tips for buying a new Mirror ? Aiming for summer 2021.

[@msf60khz]

Thank you Lee. re you thinking of a New one? I am afraid I don't know anything about the modern plastic ones. For cruising, I think wood is easier to modify and adapt. D

[@ljd8520]

@@msf60khz Hi, many thanks for the tip, yes I agree I prefer the look and feel of a wooden hull. I shall look out for one. Very much enjoying Roger Barnes's book very informative. Best wishes Lee in Salisbury

[@kevinu.k.7042]

Superb passage. These are not my local waters, but you had me wondering why you didn't pass 1.5 NM south of Hengistbury Head and on to Hurst Pt. Was it just a preference? Another great video - Thanks

[@msf60khz]

Hi Kevin Thank you for your nice comments. As I mentioned in the video, soon after leaving Poole, the wind direction enabled me to lay the Needles Fairway Buoy but would head me on a direct course to Hurst. Good sailing.

[@mattcol99]

When solo dinghy cruising, do you hold the tiller the whole time? or do you lash it down - to give your arms a rest?

[@msf60khz]

I have a tiller tamer, called the Huntingford Helm Impeder (after the DCA member who invented it), and that allow the boat to self steer to some degree. I can move around the boat in reasonable weather, and heave-to easily, and at other times the device means you can let go of the tiller quite a lot.

[@JeanZoomRindel]

Hallo from sunny Durban, South Africa! I like your videos very much. I was gifted a old mirror hull at the beginning of December 2021 and am currently fixing it up to start doing some harbor cruising. Question - I really like the way you made the main sail into a gaff rig. Why did you do that? I really would like to know, maybe I will do the same.

[@msf60khz]

Hi Jeanie. Glad you like the videos. My main reason for converting to gaff was as a learning exercise. However, the gaff is much lighter than the gunter yard, which makes the sail easy to haul up. The low sail plan makes the boat great for heavy weather, and at about F4 and below I can put up a topsail to go faster.

[@JeanZoomRindel]

@@msf60khz Thanks a lot! he aesthetic is also very pleasing.I am definitely going to do the same.

[@backtothebarky]

Very courageous Dave! What state of the tide did you go through the Needles at? I went through there in a 25' yacht tide was ripping accross, arrived too early, never again!

[@msf60khz]

Thanks for the comment. It was a good day with a fair wind and I went through at LW slack. Needles is best when it is still slightly ebbing as it holds back the Channel swell.

[@backtothebarky]

@@msf60khz just noticed I commented on this video 3 years ago too! Thanks for the advice makes sense I'll try to remember it. When are you posting another video? Come on.

[@malcolmmcdonald9991]

Could you please tell us where exactly in Poole Harbour you launched? Thank you.

[@msf60khz]

At Lake Road slip, Hamworthy.

[@malcolmmcdonald9991]

@@msf60khz Many thanks.

[@Captain_Bartolo]

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