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Plymouth, Plymouth Sound, Anchorages and Central Marinas
Courtesy Flag
Flag, Red EnsignWaypoint
Draystone Buoy 50:18'.83N 004:11'00W Shagstone (safe distance off) 50:19'.05N 004:07'.70WCharts
Admiralty 30, 1967, 1900, 1901, 1902, 871, SC5602Rules & Regulations
10 knts in Plymouth Sound, 8 knts in Cattewater, 5 Knts Approaches to Marinas, Dead Slow within Marinas.Hazards
Busy Naval and Commercial port, see text for regulations. Strong tidal streams, Upper Reaches Dry.Tidal Data Times & Range
HW Dover-0540 MHWS 5.5m MHWN 4.4m MLWN 2.2m MLWS 0.8mThis site is designed for slower, roaming broadband connections, like you would get at sea, so it needs JavaScript enabled to expand the text. Click here to show the fully expanded version
General Description
Plymouth is one of the finest deep water harbours in the country, although its sheer size makes it more suitable for big shipping than for yachts. Eddystone Rocks lay in the approaches at a good offing, and the details of the valliant efforts to build a durable lighthouse are covered in the history pages.
Plymouth is a busy naval and commercial port, and only in more recent times has it become popular for leisure craft. There are now four large centrally located marinas with excellent facilities for visitors, and several smaller marinas. Couple this with miles of navigable water in the rivers that flow into the main harbour, (with a multitude of anchoring opportunities), and you have an area that even deeper draft seagoing yachts could spend a good week exploring.
Nowadays Plymouth is an internationally renowned yachting centre and several major racing events are hosted here. Virtually all facilities can be found. ... read more
Approach
Approaching from the West the visiting yachtsman or motorboater will pass Rame Head and then Penlee Point, which has the Draystone Rocks extending for about a quarter of a mile to the SE. These are marked by the red can Draystone Buoy (Fl(2)R.5s), which should be left to port, although with a large scale chart safe passage can be made inside of this.
It should now be possible to see the conspicuous 23 m white lighthouse (Iso.4s10M) that marks the western end of the very low lying breakwater, which is sometimes difficult to see. At night the light is visible from 031 degrees to 039 degrees True, and points the way for shipping from the Draystone Buoy, to the western entrance.
The central breakwater was completed in 1841, and transformed the open roadstead into a fleet anchorage. It is almost 1 mile long and took 29 years to build.
From the Draystone Buoy a Northerly course, with a touch of East, will bring the small craft towards the entrance and clear of shipping. At night the white sector of the Maker lighthouse ((Fl(2)WRG 10s11-6M) will help get you in. Note the red can buoy Queens Ground (Fl(2)R.10s), which the small craft can leave on the starboard side thus keeping out of the shipping channel. You are now in Plymouth Sound, expect to see anchored ships.
Further Pilotage Details: ... read more
Berthing, Mooring & Anchoring
Just outside of Plymouth Sound to the West it possible to anchor tucked deep into the Cawasand Bay Anchorage if the wind is in the West.
It has a gently shelving beach with good holding and has a surprising number of facilities ashore. There is a no anchoring area around Penlee Point and it stretches to the north-east into Cawsand Bay, so anchor off the town fairly close in. It is unwise to leave your boat unattended here in case the wind swings to the East, which makes this anchorage untenable, however if on passage westwards and not wanting to mess about going into Plymouth it is a useful stopping point. Cawsand can get crowded at weekends with local boats.
Ashore there is a shop in Kingsand which is open to 9 p.m. seven days, selling fresh veg, frozen meat and an off-licence. There is a small chandlers That doubles up as a post office in Kingsand also. Hungry sailors will find a good choice of takeaway food and assorted pubs and eating places. Land by dinghy on the beach.
Inside Plymouth Sound anchorage can be found in Barn Pool, due West of Drake's Island. This is sheltered in most westerly weather but it is worth buoying your anchor as the bottom is foul in some places. This anchorage is preferable at neap tides, as getting ashore is easier in the dinghy.
North-east of the pier on Drake's Island is another option. Moorings in this vicinity belong to the Royal Marines. Beware of an underwater obstruction (0.9 m) 400 m due north of the pier.
It should be noted that Millbay Marina shown on the charts does not take visiting yachts, only residents. The four marinas with plenty of room for visiting yachts are now listed starting in the West with Mayflower International Marina, followed by Queen Anne's Battery Marina, Sutton Harbour Marina, and Plymouth Yacht Haven. Full entry details and visitors prices are now provided: ... read more
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