Poole
Brief
Poole is entered from the Bar buoy through the Swash Channel, past the chain ferry at Sandbanks and up the Middle Ship Channel to the quays. The range is small, about 1.5m at springs, but the ebb runs to 4.5 knots in the entrance. Superyachts berth at South Quay, to 210m, or at Poole Quay Boat Haven on the town quay, and Studland Bay outside the entrance is the anchorage in settled weather.
Approach
The Swash Channel runs from the Bar buoy, marked and lit for use by day and night. The Middle Ship Channel is maintained to 7.5m and the Little Channel to the quays to 6m. At Sandbanks, a vessel under pilotage agrees its passage past the chain ferry slipway with the ferry.
Poole VTS monitors VHF 14 and 16. Vessels over 25m call an hour from the Bar buoy and again at 15 minutes for permission to enter the Swash, report at the Bar, Channel, Aunt Betty and Stakes buoys and when alongside, and report outbound at Stakes, Aunt Betty and the Bar. The speed limit is ten knots in the harbour and six knots in the Little Channel, between the quays and in Holes Bay.
Pilotage
Pilotage is compulsory at 50m and over, and at 30m and over with dangerous goods or 12 or more passengers. The service runs 24 hours on 24 hours' notice, and regular callers may hold exemption certificates.
Tides
- Range, springs
- About 1.5m
- Range, neaps
- 0.4m
- Ebb in the entrance, springs
- 4.5 knots
- Flood
- 3 knots
- High water, Thu 24 Sept, 20:31 2.0m
- Low water, Fri 25 Sept, 04:03 0.7m
- High water, Fri 25 Sept, 09:11 2.0m
- Low water, Fri 25 Sept, 16:24 0.9m
- High water, Fri 25 Sept, 21:13 2.2m
- Low water, Sat 26 Sept, 04:39 0.6m
Admiralty predictions, UK time, refreshed hourly. Planning information, not for navigation.
Berths
- South Quay
- Poole Harbour Commissioners
- 210m
- 8.7m
- ISPS security, CCTV and patrols. Craneage. Drinking water
- Poole Quay Boat Haven
- Poole Harbour Commissioners
- 75m in summer
- 4.8 to 5m
- 12.8m beam. 16 amp on every pontoon; 32 and 63 amp single phase and 63 and 125 amp three phase on a limited number of berths. Drinking water. Water taxi
- Port of Poole Marina
- Poole Harbour Commissioners
- 40m; 60 to 70m by prior arrangement
- 3.5m
- 12.5m beam. Power and drinking water
Alongside
There is no fuel berth at the Boat Haven. Salterns Marina in the North Channel has diesel and petrol around the clock, and Parkstone Bay Marina from 08:00 to 18:00 in summer. At the port, bunkering by tanker is notified to the Commissioners.
Pump-out at the Boat Haven is by the entrance, at GBP 10. At South Quay the environment charge covers general refuse and international catering waste, and other waste streams are arranged through the agent.
Ashore
South Quay has a helicopter landing area, by request to the port. Bournemouth Airport, with XLR Jet Centre handling, is open 07:00 to 19:00 and around the clock on request. The A31 and M27 lead to London, and Poole station is on the line to London Waterloo.
Sunseeker builds at Poole but publishes no refit or lifting service. The nearest lifting for a large yacht is Berthon at Lymington, to 45m, and Trafalgar Shipyard in Portsmouth Harbour, to 60m and 877 tonnes.
Questions
- At what length is pilotage compulsory at Poole?
- Pilotage is compulsory at 50 metres and over, and at 30 metres and over with dangerous goods or 12 or more passengers. The service runs around the clock on 24 hours' notice.
- What is the largest yacht Poole can take?
- South Quay, operated by Poole Harbour Commissioners, takes vessels to 210 metres and 8.7 metres draught. Poole Quay Boat Haven takes yachts to 75 metres in summer.
- How does a yacht report to Poole Harbour?
- Poole VTS monitors VHF 14 and 16. Vessels over 25 metres call an hour from the Bar buoy and again at 15 minutes for permission to enter the Swash Channel.
- Where does a yacht take fuel in Poole?
- There is no fuel berth at the Boat Haven. Salterns Marina has diesel around the clock, and bunkering by road tanker at the port is notified to the Harbour Commissioners.
Charges are revised each year. This page is a guide, not a quotation.
Poole Harbour Commissioners, including the pilotage directions and the Port Waste Management Plan; Poole Quay Boat Haven; XLR Jet Centres; Berthon; Premier Marinas. Checked 22 and 23 September 2026.