THE SOLENT: SOUTHAMPTON WATER, PORTSMOUTH, COWES AND THE ISLE OF WIGHT, HAMBLE, LYMINGTON

The Solent: boating safety

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The Solent, between the English mainland and the Isle of Wight, is one of the busiest yachting areas in the world, with dozens of marinas, racing almost every weekend and the home of Cowes Week. It is also a major commercial waterway: container ships, cruise liners and car ferries use Southampton Water and Portsmouth Harbour, and strong tides run through the area.

LIFE IN DANGER AT SEA
Call 999
Call 999 and ask for the Coastguard. On the radio: MAYDAY on VHF 16, or DSC on channel 70.

United Kingdom: all rescue numbers → On the rescue map → Print an emergency card →

Harbour and marinas

Southampton VTS and the Southampton Patrol launches work VHF 12; Portsmouth (King's Harbour Master) works VHF 11; Cowes Harbour Radio works VHF 69 (not 24 h). Solent Coastguard takes routine calls on VHF 67 and VHF 77 is the recommended leisure working channel.

ABP Southampton – Marine Leisure Guide 2026 · ABP Southampton – Marine Leisure Guide 2026 · Cowes Harbour Commission · ABP Southampton – Marine Leisure Guide 2026 · ABP Southampton – Marine Leisure Guide 2026 ▾
southamptonvts.co.uk (2026-10-14): “12 - Southampton VTS / Southampton Patrol”
southamptonvts.co.uk (2026-10-14): “11 - Portsmouth VTS / Kings Harbour Master”
cowesharbourcommission.co.uk (2026-10-14): “VHF: Channel 69 Call sign: ‘Cowes Harbour Radio’ (Not 24hr)”
southamptonvts.co.uk (2026-10-14): “67 - Solent Coastguard Routine Calls”
southamptonvts.co.uk (2026-10-14): “77 - Recommended leisure working channel”

Weather

The Met Office inshore waters forecast for area "Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis" covers the Solent, issued four times a day out to 12 nm. HM Coastguard (MCA) broadcasts Maritime Safety Information, including warnings and forecasts.

Met Office · Met Office ▾
weather.metoffice.gov.uk (2026-10-14): “Forecasts for UK inshore waters are issued four times a day and cover a period of 24 hours from 0000, 0600, 1200 and 1800 UTC.”
weather.metoffice.gov.uk (2026-10-14): “In the UK, the Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) is responsible for the provision of Maritime Safety Information (MSI) to ships at sea, which includes the broadcast of warnings and forecasts.”

Local rules

Southampton Water: 6 knots over the ground north of the line Hythe pier – Weston Shelf buoy – Weston Shore, and within 200 m of the shore on either side. Small craft must not tie up to navigation buoys or marks.

ABP Southampton – Marine Leisure Guide 2026 · ABP Southampton – Marine Leisure Guide 2026 · ABP Southampton – Marine Leisure Guide 2026 ▾
southamptonvts.co.uk (2026-10-14): “A speed limit of 6 knots over the ground applies north of a line drawn between Hythe pier through the Weston Shelf Buoy to the Weston Shore.”
southamptonvts.co.uk (2026-10-14): “A speed limit of 6 knots over the ground applies within 200 metres of the shoreline (either side of Southampton Water).”
southamptonvts.co.uk (2026-10-14): “Small craft are strictly prohibited from tying up to, or mooring on navigational buoys or marks.”

Hazards

Every ship over 150 m in the Southampton approaches has a Moving Prohibited Zone 1,000 m ahead and 100 m either side; vessels under 20 m must not enter it. Such ships show a black cylinder by day or three red lights at night, often escorted by a patrol launch with a blue flashing light.

ABP Southampton – Marine Leisure Guide 2026 · ABP Southampton – Marine Leisure Guide 2026 · ABP Southampton – Marine Leisure Guide 2026 ▾
southamptonvts.co.uk (2026-10-14): “All vessels over 150m in length, will have a MOVING PROHIBITED ZONE 1000m ahead and 100m to either side.”
southamptonvts.co.uk (2026-10-14): “Vessels under 20m are prohibited from entering the MPZ.”
southamptonvts.co.uk (2026-10-14): “These vessels will display a black cylinder by day and three all-round red lights in a vertical line at night.”

Avoid the commercial ship channels, especially in poor visibility, and keep to the starboard side of narrow channels. Keep VHF on channel 12 for traffic information from Southampton VTS. Very strong ebb tides run around Cowes and the Needles.

ABP Southampton VTS – Yachting & leisure · ABP Southampton – Marine Leisure Guide 2026 ▾
southamptonvts.co.uk (2026-10-14): “Avoid sailing in the commercial ship channels, especially in poor visibility.”
southamptonvts.co.uk (2026-10-14): “Very strong ebb flows around Cowes and The Needles”

Hospital and medical

University Hospital Southampton's emergency department is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust ▾
uhs.nhs.uk (2026-10-14): “Our emergency department assesses and treats life-threatening injuries. It's open 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year.”

Frequently asked

Who do I call in an emergency at sea near The Solent?

Call 999 and ask for the Coastguard. On the radio: MAYDAY on VHF channel 16, or a DSC distress alert on channel 70.

How do I contact the harbour in The Solent?

Southampton VTS and the Southampton Patrol launches work VHF 12; Portsmouth (King's Harbour Master) works VHF 11; Cowes Harbour Radio works VHF 69 (not 24 h). Solent Coastguard takes routine calls on VHF 67 and VHF 77 is the recommended leisure working channel.

Where do I get the marine forecast for The Solent?

The Met Office inshore waters forecast for area "Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis" covers the Solent, issued four times a day out to 12 nm. HM Coastguard (MCA) broadcasts Maritime Safety Information, including warnings and forecasts.

Read before you sail

Cold water shock and hypothermia: what to doFog and poor visibility on the water: what to doPerson overboard: what to doEngine failure: what to do when you lose power

Nearby destinations

Channel Islands (St Peter Port and St Helier) 92 nmPlymouth 111 nmFalmouth, Cornwall 148 nmLa Trinité-sur-Mer and the Gulf of Morbihan 205 nmIJsselmeer (Enkhuizen and Lelystad) 272 nmKinsale and Cork Harbour 276 nmHarlingen and the Wadden Sea 286 nmOban 370 nm

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