Ferry from Southampton to Cowes

[Sym7]

I'm trying to arrange a weekend away on the IoW but a mate of mine hates boats - I quote, "anything longer than 20 minutes I'll be vomiting!" The red funnel ferry timetable allocates one hour for the journey but I find it hard to believe it takes that long.

So the inevitable question is; how long does it really take...the actually sailing time that is? Hopefully some of you know the journey well.

Cheers,

[lauda]

If you get the Red Jet from Southampton to Cowes the journey is only about 20 mins. I think the ferry is about an hour from memory.

If it's choppy on the day though the Red Jet doesn't deal with waves very well so may make your friend sick anyway!

[Sixpackpert]

If you don't need a car then take the hovercraft. It may even be my mate piloting it.

[Puggit]

Fast Cat from Portsmouth is also good (no cars though) - again, doesn't cope with a little wind very well!

[Cock Womble]

He could always swim.

[beano500]

Sym7 said:

... timetable allocates one hour ...

IIRC it takes about 45 minutes just trundling down Southampton Water before it actually gets "out to sea". Have a look at the map - you get great unrushed views of the incinerator, power station and oil terminal - totally blocks out the potential disappointment of glimpsing the New Forest.

[Dick Seaman]

Southampton to Cowes is about an hour, most of it spent in the estuary.
Smoothest passenger crossing (in general) is Fast Cat from Portsmouth to Ryde.
If you have to take a car, then look at Wightlink, Lymington to Yarmouth, smoothest and quickest.

I travel to and from on average four times per week, on the whole it's a very smooth stretch of water.

[cyb]

I think Lymington to Yarmouth is the shortest in distance, can't remember how long it takes though.

[beano500]

30 mins, I think.

That crossing used to be (mid-80s) the highest cost vehicle ferry per mile in western Europe, you know.

[Le Mans Visitor]

What about the hovercraft from Southsea. from the looks of it it takes about 10 mins.

http://hovertravel.co.uk/home/

Edited by Le Mans Visitor on Tuesday 19th January 18:25

[Dick Seaman]

cyb said:

I think Lymington to Yarmouth is the shortest in distance, can't remember how long it takes though.

30 mins

[Sym7]

Thanks guys - that helps. We need our cars (sorry, should have said) so quick options like hovercraft are out. Thinking about it though we could just stick him on the hovercraft and the rest of us meet up with him later. Cheers.

[Mini1275]

I use to live there;
Red funnel car ferry is about 1 hour
Red jet about 20mins
Lymington to Yarmouth about 30 mins
HTH

P.S This was a few years ago.

[SS2.]

The Red Funnel ferries are shaped like bricks. They crawl up Southampton Water (which is almost always flat) without twitching. I doubt that your mate would even be aware that the boat was moving..

ETA - and yes, the ferries take 55 minutes to an hour from Southampton to Cowes.

Edited by SS2. on Tuesday 19th January 19:14

[maser_spyder]

Another vote for Lymington - Yarmouth.

It's a much nicer start point, and a much nicer end point!

If you're doing a weekend, get fish and chips in Lymington and eat them on the ferry on the way over, it's a perfect start to the weekend.

We often sail over from our mooring in Bucklers Hard, takes about 2 hours to Cowes, tide permitting, 3 hours-ish to Yarmouth. We're a bit slower than the ferry though.