bristol channel advice

[hotnife]

Just bought an islander 23 as my first cruiser she's lying at penarth marina just now collecting her nxt time I'm home from sea was lookin for advice on what is best time of tide to leave harbour when leaving for home many thanks
. john

[Arghiro]

You don't tell us where "home" is but the tides there are the biggest in the UK & regularly over 10m, so you need to use them as much as you can & do not try to fight them! You will need to check your draft against available depth to ascertain the arliest time to leave, unless Penarth is an all tide harbour.

If you are unfamiliar with passage planning, may I suggest looking for a more experienced person to help you at least for the initial voyages.

[hotnife]

Home is the isle of whithorn in sw Scotland.i work as full time fisherman and hold an under 16.5 m skippers ticket which includes a 5 day navigation course so route planning isn't a problem just not familiar with tidal streams that far south many thanks
. john

[DaveS]

Home is the isle of whithorn in sw Scotland.i work as full time fisherman and hold an under 16.5 m skippers ticket which includes a 5 day navigation course so route planning isn't a problem just not familiar with tidal streams that far south many thanks
. john

Would this be of help? http://www.visitmyharbour.com/articles/ ... ol-channel

[hotnife]

Spot on helps give me better idea what to expect many thanks. John
now fingers crossed winds not in north when we leave.

[Arghiro]

Home is the isle of whithorn in sw Scotland.i work as full time fisherman and hold an under 16.5 m skippers ticket which includes a 5 day navigation course so route planning isn't a problem just not familiar with tidal streams that far south many thanks
. john

Apologies, it was not clear from your first post that you were that experienced.

Here is a site for Cardiff tide tables. http://www.tidetimes.org.uk/cardiff-tide-times

And here is a Stream Atlas for S Wals & Menai Straits that may help. http://sailingalmanac.com/Almanac/Tides ... tream.html

If you wish to travel thro the Straits, don't cross the bar in over SW 5 or before half tide unless you are utterly sure of your limits! There is a current chartlet of the entrance bouys & the Swellies passage on the Caernarfon Harbour Trust site. Safe passage of the Swellies is at 2 hours before HW Liverpool, the tides speed up very suddenly quite close to slack water (which is NOT local HW). Despite all these warnings, the Straits is a lovely passage & much calmer than going thro all the overfalls N of Anglesey, just respect the tides there! The range is second only to the Bristol Channel & the narrownes of the passage maes the currents far stronger. A displacement boat will not force a tide thro teh Swellies.

Enjoy your passage home.

[hotnife]

Many thanks old salt 2 nice sites and some sound advice( already copied into passage diary) might make it through one day but given a fair wind i fancy stop of in Ireland before final push for home
.

may the wind carry you wherever you need be.
. john

[claymore]

Never mind the tides, watch them Welshies

[hotnife]

1.charts
2.handheld gps
3.vhf
4.outboard
5.decoy inflatable sheep

[sahona]

We delivered from Penarth to Troon a few seasons ago on a bigger faster boat (Island packet) and made two stops in Ireland rather than staying on the East side of the water. I think it will take quite a while in your 23' so maybe you should plan for a similar voyage.
At least you will have light nights as you get closer to home - we did it in December...
Best of luck and enjoy your new boat.

[hotnife]

I did ponder going west but want to get as close to home as possible in 3 -4 day window as that's all the time of i have before heading back up north to work think its just a case of seeing what weathers gonna do take big crew of 6 and push on as fast as we can. 3 up 3 down everyone able to stand watches
many thanks john

[sahona]

Going over west gives you the double-tide-with-no-adverse-tide-in-between advantage - don't know if it works as well further East.