10/09/2026
โ THURSDAY TOP TIP: KNOW YOUR SPEED LIMIT
Out on the Solent, open water can quickly turn into harbours, rivers, marinas and busy channels - and the speed limit can change with it.
A couple of local examples:
๐ค Portsmouth Harbour - 10 knots
The 10-knot limit also applies within half a nautical mile of the shore throughout the Dockyard Port of Portsmouth.
โ Upper Southampton Water - 6 knots
A 6-knot limit applies north of the line between Hythe Pier and Weston Shelf Buoy.
But knowing the number on the sign is only part of good seamanship.
A speed limit is a maximum - not a target.
Busy pontoons, paddleboarders, dinghies, swimmers, moored boats, poor visibility and your own wash may all mean you need to go considerably slower.
๐ Watch your wash
๐ Keep a proper lookout
๐ค Slow down around smaller craft
๐ Know the rules for the waters you're entering
โ And check current harbour information and Notices to Mariners before heading out
Because whether you've been boating for 30 years or you're enjoying your first seasonโฆ
Knowing where you are also means knowing how fast you should be going.
