F-Ribs And Sibs - Inflatable Boat Community

Launched from Knoll beach at Studland, Poole last night for a bit of snorkelling around Old Harry on a high tide and a bit of messing around in the bay. Great conditions with a warm sea.

That looks amazing. Very jealous. Stupid work!

Brilliant, Oh how I wish I lived on the south coast

Very nice, the fish look like they may be Cuckoo Wrasse?

That looks great, is there much tide run around there or can you anchor up reasonably easily?

How did you find it getting in/out of the SIB, did you use an access ladder or just clamber over?

Cheers,

Paul.

I think the Wrasse were all Balkan. Also plenty of small Pollock looking fish about.
Anchoring close in was okay and held no problem but had to watch the flow through the arch and over the rocks when snorkelling.
With fins on we have no problem getting back in the boat. Without then just a case of kicking like fury and clambering over. Out there tho I wouldn't snorkel without fins due to the tide ripping through at times.

Cool, thanks for the info. Looking at going down that way this summer and staying around Swanage. Where on the beach did you launch from? Is there a designated slip or just park up and wheel the SIB down?

Cheers,

Paul.

There is a slip in Swanage near the lifeboat house, quite steep and about £18 per launch plus parking if I recall.
For Old Harry and Swan age I launch off Knoll beach at Studland. Very busy at weekends and holidays with the car park filling up very quickly so get there for 9 as the gates open or you won't have space to set up. I generally go in the evenings after most have gone home. The only restriction is to not launch anything over 20hp from the beach and stay under 5knots within the speed restriction area oh and mind the swimmers!

Yes I had looked at the Swanage slip and thought it didn't sound great value! I do recall seeing a slip used by Jetski's at the end of the beach road by the shop/beach huts but not sure if this is allowed for anything else.

Is the Knoll beach a slip or is it just access to the beach so you can wheel it over the sand?

Cheers,

MM

The launch by the huts is private so you get charged there too but don't know many details of it.
At knoll beach I wheel between the huts and over the sand. You can pay to get a code for the gate and use the ramp but with a sib with wheels there's not much point, as was pointed out to me by the guy I spoke to at the National Trust!