While the days are still short and the nights are cold, sit in front of the computer and join us for a Quiz. Get out the wine, wind up the heating and see some friendly faces and join us to answer some boating questions. There are no winners or losers, just test your boating knowledge with your boating crew.

Entering Portsmouth Harbour is going back in time, Fort Blockhouse on your Port side and Old Portsmouth on your starboard side. Remember to stay in the small ship channel so the hovercraft and ferries can pass you. Once moored there is plenty to see around Gosport or in under a 10 minute walk and you can get the ferry to Portsmouth.

This is the first event of the year where we travel as a Flotilla. Leaving the Solent we pass Hurst castle and then the Needles, heading across Christchurch Bay, enter Poole by Sandbanks past Brownsea Island on your Port side and up to Poole Quay. Moored in Poole Quay Boat Haven you are in the heart of Poole and a gentle morning stroll along the quay along to Sunseeker is always a good start to the day.

Cowes Yacht Haven has always been a great place to visit, lots of places to eat and drink plus a bit of retail therapy. You are in one of the sailing capitals of the world. Like all the events we will have a club dinner so everyone has the opportunity to meet likeminded members over a coffee or a cold one.

The Tender run is something different. Moor your boat in the Hamble at the marina of your choice, run your tender up and meet everybody at the Jolly Sailor PH. We then travel up the Hamble, where your main craft cannot go, we turn to starboard until we run out of water. At times it feels like you are going through the Amazon. You can only do this at high tide and must return before it dries, so its only a short stop at the Horse and Jockey PH to pick up provisions before we make the return journey.

Lymington Seafood Festival happens annually in the heart of this vibrant town, book you ticket and sit and relax listening to live bands. First thing on a Saturday morning Lymington has a market along the high street and is well worth a visit, I can highly recommend visiting the Olive stall and trying their pickled garlic or try one of the cake stalls testing their rhubarb cake, plus don’t forget the fresh pastie from the pastie shop.

Bembridge sits on the most eastern part of the Isle of Wight. You pass Priory Bay (which you can walk too from the marina) on your starboard side and follow the marker buoys in, we moor at Duver Marina in the middle of this natural harbour. This is a fantastic place to get the tenders out or play on the paddle boards. On Saturday evening we might wander up to Brading Haven Yacht club for a light supper, the views from the patio across the harbour are amazing.

Gunwharf Quay is sitting underneath Spinnaker Tower. You are in the heart of Old Portsmouth, so once you enter the harbour opposite the Quay you make a Starboard turn (at the moment you radio in for permission). Once moored there are so many places to visit, try retail therapy, the old dock yards, or even a tour of HMS Victory.

We are starting to head towards the later part of the season, so let’s be in the middle of the Solent. Head up the Medina River past the chain ferry and East Cowes is on your port side, it’s the perfect place to relax. If it’s a warm day the Lifeboat PH is the perfect place to watch the passing traffic on the Medina.

This is our last event on water for the 2026 season. This event highlights the boaters who go out all year and will prepare you for the next 3 months where it can be a bit chilly. Personally, its some of the best boating in the winter months as the sea is empty and so are the marinas. The winter sun on the water is exceptionally beautiful.

Our annual dinner and dance, this year we are at the RAF Yacht Club, a evening to let your hair down have a chat with your fellow boaters and then dance the evening away.

It has been said Island Harbour is the ‘hidden jewel in the Solent’ once you are in this locked marina the world slows down and its time to relax. Don’t get me wrong you will not get bored the Folly Inn is a 15-minute walk in one direction and Newport in the other but that is a 30-minute walk. For the more adventurous you have a walk to the Isle of Wight Steam Railway, and if you have a dog its all away from any roads. Early next year the restaurant will be open and being Easter be ready for the Easter fun and frolics.

This is the second event where you can travel in company. If you have never been this far west it’s a great way to begin your adventures to go to the west country. We cross Christchurch Bay, then the south of Studland and then run along the Jurassic coast past Lulworth Cove and into Weymouth. When you enter the harbour, you watch the town open up in front of you and it is beautiful. We are moored and depending on numbers often rafted against the floating harbour wall you are just out of the 'hustle and bustle' but within a 2-minute walk of everything.

Yarmouth Harbour sits on the side of the old town. From here there are lots of places to visit, Freshwater is a great walk or for some who want to stretch their legs Tennyson Way to the Needles is a great walk. As a group we might walk up to the Red Lion for a quick pint, again most of it is off road. We usually raft aft too along the pontoon so it is a real party atmosphere.

This trip we aim to cross the channel and visit 5 marinas on the French coast. More information to follow.

Buckler’s Hard sits on the beautiful Beaulieu River, this 18th century shipbuilding village is untouched by the passage of time, you can still see parts where Nelsons armada was built. Wander through this old village where you can still walk into some of the cottages and see life as it was over a 100 years ago. After this walk back in time, stop in at the Master Builders PH where they serve modern drinks in a beautiful building. In the evening we aim to have a BBQ on the Hard and watch the sun go down over the river.

Lymington Town you can visit several times and it will always be different. This time we might pop into a yacht club there are a few in Lymington. Or do a tender run up to town. Where you put a line ashore in the tender park and find yourself in the heart of Lymington.

We will put a event on this weekend just not sure where yet.

Back in West Cowes where the town has got a little quieter so a walk along the promenade to stretch those legs and do 10,000 steps before retiring to a hostilely with a warm wood fire to sit and talk to fellow members about your adventures you have had with Solent Powerboat club during 2026 season.