Kingsbridge estuary

• General details
• Directions
• How the winds work
• Tidal conditions
• Hazards
• Facilities
• B&B's / Campsites
• Pubs & eateries

General details:

Vast expanse of flat water ideal for blasting, chop hops, and learning to gybe - even those elusive duck gybes seem possible here. can offer a great days sailing

There are no strong currents to worry about.

Just like a huge reservoir with added character, and proper sea flavoured water.

Chop hopping in the estuary (23Kby). This was a 'perfect' day SW6 which increased - leaving me totally over powered on a pryde streetracer 5.5m, and too lazy to go in and re-rig. Look at the luff over bending, sail losing shape even with leech wide open - wheelie induced by backwinding, not me posing for cameras!

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Directions to the right place:

Choose your favourite way to get to kingsbridge from the A38 (its signposted from A38).. from Kingsbridge head east towards Dartmouth, as you leave Kingsbridge the estuary comes into view - after approx. 1/2mile parking on left immediately before old stone bridge crossing the water.

From here, it's best to wade S a couple of hundred metres to the point, and launch from there.

Click here for map.

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How the winds work:

N: Very gusty. stay at home

NE: Just like a northerly

E: Still gusty. stay at home

SE: Starting to work - shorter reaches but sailable

S: Once you've made your way upwind from launch point, good sailing.

SW: Excellent. long reaches, easy sailing.

W: Excellent. Even longer reaches, upto 2.5miles.. big chop possible when it howls

NW: Can be gusty, often with chop - easy sailing.

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Tidal conditions:

Being an estuary, high tide is an advantage - neaps can give 2.5hours either side of high tide. Don't get caught on the mud - you can be a long way from home in what seems like seconds.. once the tide starts noticeably falling don't 'have one last go' ..if unsure follow a local - at least you'll have someone to blame!

No strong currents to worry about.

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Hazards:

Beware possible weed growth in May, can be a fin clogging nitemare but only lasts a couple of weeks.

Wear boots - its either stony foreshore or mud on offer.

On leaving rigging area its a 200m wade to the clean wind and headland, unless you're good at waterstarting/beating in a wind shadow. the waders always beat the showoffs!

LOCK YOUR CAR- it'll be out of sight once you're on the water, and theft has happened there before.

Harbour master, rarely seen, will entice you to buy day ticket for launching, unless your sticker's on your other board. or you're doing 30knots and can't hear him anyway.

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Facilities:

Free parking on roadside can get busy in summer but you'll always find a spot even if it means a walk, drop your kit off then park the car.

Toilets

Grassy rigging area.

No shop - this is for windsurfing not pie contests.

If going for a couple of hours stint - take water etc. with you to the launch point.

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B&B's / campsites

Lots - this is south devon.

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Pubs and eateries

Local pubs and takeaways in Kingsbridge 1/2mile away, wetsuits outside only!

Plenty of choice in Kingsbridge.. fish chips, awesome indian restaurant, couple of chineses too.

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Content supplied by Anon - Oct 2003.

Note: All comments and opinions mentioned in this section of the site are the personal opinions of the various contributors. Inevitably, one person's favourite may be another person's least favourite.

The information provided here is provided in good faith. We can take no responsibility for the consequences of any inaccuracies. Should you find any inaccuracies, then please take the trouble to tell us, using any of the update links.

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