Introduction
Calshot Spit in Hampshire is on the corner of the Solent and Southampton Water. Because of its unique geography, reliable winds, and easy parking right on the water’s edge, it’s a very popular spot for wing foilers and windsurfers.
I went there recently while visiting my sister-in-law in the New Forest. The wind forecast was good, and one of her friends, who wings, recommended it (thanks, Paul!). I had a great time, so if you live nearby or are visiting, I highly recommend a visit.
In a nutshell
Pros:
- Easy logistics: Free to launch, with parking right next to the water and plenty of space for rigging.
- Clean coastal winds: Enjoy reliable, clean coastal winds with minimal wind shadow.
- Cross-shore prevailing wind: Generally offers cross-shore winds, making it ideal for beginners and experts alike.
- Flat water sanctuary: The Spit creates a protected flat water bay, which is perfect for cruising and practising manoeuvres. This is wingable for 2 hours on either side of high tide.
- Built-in safety net: The bay creates a safe, forgiving landing spot downwind for beginners who lose ground.
- Long sessions: The Solent’s double high tide creates a remarkably long window of ridable water.
- Open Water Options: Experienced riders can launch directly from the other side of the spit straight into the Solent for wide-open space and bigger swell to ride.
- Community vibe: Lots of other wingers are there, creating a friendly buzz and providing instant on-the-spot tips.
On-site support: Local watersports shop right on hand for any forgotten gear, plus cold drinks and snacks.
Cons:
- Commercial traffic/shipping channel: The deep-water channel for Southampton Port runs close by. Be mindful of where it is and keep clear. Beginners should stay inside the headland, behind the spit.
- It gets crowded: It is an exceptionally popular spot, meaning you need to keep your head up and watch out for other water users.
- Submerged hazards: Hidden rocks near the parking area launch spot and mud banks to the left of the inner waterway are to be avoided. Ask a local rider for tips if you are new to the spot.
- Parking fees: While launching is free, you do have to pay for parking. Remember to pay before exit.
Where is it ?
Calshot is a village in Hampshire. It is located on the corner of Southampton Water where it joins the Solent.
Wing Foilers will want to launch from Calshot Spit, close to the sailing club and 24/7 Boardsports. The address is Jack Maynard Road, Hampshire, SO45 1BR.
From Calshot, follow signs to Calshot Castle or Calshot Activities Centre.
Parking/Rigging/Launching
The best place to park and rig up is on the spit just after the sailing club. From here you can choose to launch onto the flatter water behind the spit or into the open water of the Solent depending upon conditions.
As you come onto the spit, you will enter a one-way system; follow this round, continue to follow signs to Calshot Activity Centre and drive onto the spit. You will come to ANPR parking barriers; drive through these, you then pass the sailing club to your right. On the left there is space to park right on the edge of the inland bay. Alternatively, you can park and rig on the sea side near 24/7 Boardsports.
If the wind is the prevailing SW then you want to be opposite or just to the West of the shop to give yourself some downwind room to play with.
I parked on the edge of the spit. There was space to rig my board up right by my car. I anchored and inflated the wings on the shingle beach just in front. On the sea side of the road there is a bigger area alongside the shop that could be a good spot to rig if you haven’t made up your mind whether to go in the sea or inland side.
If you need toilets, they are located at Calshot Activity Centre, which also has a cafe.
Once you have finished and packed up, go and pay for parking at one of the machines. You enter your car registration number and pay the fee; the barrier will then open on exit.
On the Water
When I arrived, there were already other wingers setting up. With the breeze blowing 17 to 25 knots, I decided to stick to the inner bay behind the spit and stay in flatter water.
Before setting up, I chatted with a fellow winger to get some local tips. He highlighted some things to look out for:
- There are some hidden rocks near where we were parked (just West of the shop), so the trick is to wade out until the water is chest-deep before climbing onto the board.
- There are mudbanks near the seagrass area on the left as you look out, so it’s best to stay about 50 yards or so off that zone.
- Commercial shipping lanes. The deep-water channel is about 300 meters from the end of the spit near Calshot Castle, meaning it sits at least 500 meters away—and even more if you stay to the left heading out and keep upwind. Be mindful of where it is and keep well clear. I never felt like I was ever getting close to it and still felt I had plenty of space for long runs before gybing back.
The wind felt pretty strong, and I was initially torn about what wing to take. Based on what I saw others rigging up, I opted for my 5.5m. I wondered if the wind might drop a bit further inside the bay, but it didn’t, it remained very constant. After a slightly overpowered 20-minute session, I admitted my mistake and switched down to my 4m. Generally, the smaller wing was comfortably powered up, and I had several thoroughly enjoyable sessions.
Throughout my sessions, the wind remained very consistent across the whole of the bay. I did discover one little light patch to the west side level with the headland. There was then a stronger wind patch beyond that further out. I quickly got into the habit of keeping power on with the odd pump to bridge that gap, utilising the stronger wind further out to help complete my gybes cleanly.
When heading back to shore, you have to be mindful that it’s a popular spot. When I was there, quite a number of less experienced wingers were sticking much closer to shore. This meant the closer I got to the beach, the more likely it was to have to manoeuvre around someone. For most of my session, I preferred turning a bit further out to avoid that complication. Thinking back to my early days, it’s also just good manners to give beginners plenty of room. In addition, on the East edge of the inner bay, close to the headland, people were doing a powerboat course when I was there. I briefly got myself a bit too close to them and had to work quite hard to get back upwind. After that I stayed closer to the Western edge of the bay.
The further out into Southampton Water I went, the bigger the wavelets were. I never experienced anything significant though, even compared to the inland lake where I normally ride.
Between sessions, I walked over to check out launching on the open Solent side. It looked surprisingly easy, given that it was a windy day, with little shore dump to speak of. However, the water did look quite lumpy a few hundred yards out, which made me decide to stay on the inside where I was thoroughly enjoying myself.
Safety
There is no “official” safety cover in the bay. However, the activity centre has safety cover that may help, and the lifeboat station is right there on the spit in an emergency.
The main safety system here is the shape of the bay itself. Beginners should stay inside the bay behind the headland. If you launch further to the West, this gives you room to try and get up and running, then turn back to shore before the headland. So long as you stay inside the headland, a downwind drift will result in nothing worse than a “walk of shame” around the bay.
This depends on wind direction of course, but is true of the prevailing SW or WSW winds.
Weather
The wind forecast by Windguru is the one I used, and it was pretty accurate. If anything, the wind was more toward the gust level with lulls to the base level predicted.
If you plan to wingfoil in the inner bay, you will need to account for tides. Two hours either side of the two Solent high tides are good. Even on the sea side, low tide can mean a muddy slog back. To fully understand the effect of different wind conditions and tides 24/7 Boardsports has this handy guide.
In Conclusion
I had a really good time at Calshot. On a future visit to the area, I will definitely be checking the forecast and bringing my board. I hope to see you there. Let’s Go-Wingfoil.