Charts / pilot books

Brentwales

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Morning,

Any recommendations on pilotage books for the Bristol Channel and charts handy to get?

Just a quick additional question. Would a 3.5HP motor be enough to push a 24ft fin keel against the tide in the channel?

Cheers!
 

Mark Miller

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I have admiralty chart, 1st edition SC 5608 Leasure Folio (Chart Set) & Bristol Channel & Admiralty tidal stream atlas Irish Sea NP256. I use these plus Navionics on a tablet.
 

rgsmg53

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My favourite is Bristol Channel & Severn Cruising Guide by Peter Cumberlidge published by Imray. My edition is 2008 - not sure if it's been updated recently. It's one of those books that's nice to re-read on a dark winter's evening too!

Constantly up-dated is the excellent website 'VisitMyHarbour.com' which for a modest fee gives you life-time online access to up-to-date charts and pilotage notes for the whole of the UK some of which can be saved to a tablet and / or laptop for use afloat.

As for hard copy charts, I have always used Admiralty Folio of the Bristol Channel (SC5608) which contains around 20 A2-sized charts covering the area. A2 is much more manageable than unfolding larger charts.

As a motor-boater, I personally consider 3.5 HP on a 24 footer a big risk on all but the calmest days in the Channel but I suspect someone better qualified than I will be along soon with an opinion.
 

LAlfonso

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My favourite is Bristol Channel & Severn Cruising Guide by Peter Cumberlidge published by Imray. My edition is 2008 - not sure if it's been updated recently. It's one of those books that's nice to re-read on a dark winter's evening too!

Constantly up-dated is the excellent website 'VisitMyHarbour.com' which for a modest fee gives you life-time online access to up-to-date charts and pilotage notes for the whole of the UK some of which can be saved to a tablet and / or laptop for use afloat.

As for hard copy charts, I have always used Admiralty Folio of the Bristol Channel (SC5608) which contains around 20 A2-sized charts covering the area. A2 is much more manageable than unfolding larger charts.

As a motor-boater, I personally consider 3.5 HP on a 24 footer a big risk on all but the calmest days in the Channel but I suspect someone better qualified than I will be along soon with an opinion.
There is a more recent one from 2012! Will try to find and post it here
 

Brentwales

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Thanks rgsmg53 I had a look at Bristol Channel & Severn Cruising Guide and it doesn't seem to be updated from 2008 but good to know it's still relevant and a good read.

Thanks for the tips on the site and admiralty charts too.

Cheers!
 

vodzurk

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I have a 4hp long-shaft outboard aux on my 21" mobo. I wouldn't use it as a primary.

When I've used it before, with it being a less than straight course I averaged 2mph, and that was with slack water. You might have more luck with a keel, I was bobbing around like a cork in a mobo.

I wouldn't use it against the tide... only to keep away from the shore in an emergency. If I needed to go against the tide, I'd try to find somewhere to sit it out at anchor and ride with the tide when it turns.

Navionics puts the flood tide speed at up to 4.6mph today... and I'd swear I've seen buoys shoot past at over 10mph as we wait for a lock-in.

Screenshot_2020-07-31-17-14-03-036_it.navionics.singleAppMarineLakesHD.jpg
 

Brentwales

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Cheers vodzurk, I read recently that the tide can run in excess of 3-5 knots, which got me thinking if a 3.5 on my size boat could beat it, albeit slowly. Best look for something a bit bigger to be on the safe side. Thanks
 

Snoopy463

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Morning,
Just a quick additional question. Would a 3.5HP motor be enough to push a 24ft fin keel against the tide in the channel?

Cheers!
I used to use a 4hp 2 stroke longshft in my Achilles 24, which was adequate for use in the BC, BUT not against the tide. I don’t think you should contemplate trying to go against the tide upstream of the Holms for any distance.
 

Allan

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I've sailed the BC on many boats the two extremes are an Etap 22i with a 6hp outboard in a well and a Westerly 33 with a 50hp Beta. The reason I mention these two is simple, on none of them have I "pushed the tide". In most other areas you have to decide whether to push the tide or not. In the BC it's simple, for instance, if you go into Cardiff lock and it goes to the bottom, you turn left, if it stays at the top, turn right. No decision to be made! 3.5hp will be fine if you think carefully about what the tide is doing and what you are doing.
Best of luck,
Allan
 

Brentwales

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I've sailed the BC on many boats the two extremes are an Etap 22i with a 6hp outboard in a well and a Westerly 33 with a 50hp Beta. The reason I mention these two is simple, on none of them have I "pushed the tide". In most other areas you have to decide whether to push the tide or not. In the BC it's simple, for instance, if you go into Cardiff lock and it goes to the bottom, you turn left, if it stays at the top, turn right. No decision to be made! 3.5hp will be fine if you think carefully about what the tide is doing and what you are doing.
Best of luck,
Allan

Cheers Allan!
 

Allan

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I think I should have been clearer. You need to do the right thing wherever you sail, in the BC it's just more extreme. Learn something about navigation, either by going on a course or by crewing for experienced people and then go and do it.
Allan
 

Brentwales

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Thanks, I'm taking things slow and learning loads as I go. When all this covid is over I'm planning to get my day skipper done. For the time being ill just be pootling around Weston bay :)
 

llywelyn1984

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Bristol Channel & Severn Cruising Guide by Peter Cumberlidge very handy for cruising around BC. We found in indispensable a fortnight ago when cruising to Ilfracombe via Lymouth and then back via Minehead.
We had the BC chart as well as a few others - i found it quicker to go below and refer to the chart than look up things on the nav.
Alot of obstacles around flatholme and steepholm....we went for a look around the east of flatholme on the way back from minehead and once past on the flood, we had the diesel on at full chaff going into cardiff avoiding the cardiff spit bouy., ie sailing adjacent to the tide. It would have been a long trip if we would have had to sail around and wait for the tide to change.

On the way out we had to punch to get to lynmouth, we were travelling at 1 knot in the end. With a smaller engine we would have had to go to porlock.
 

vodzurk

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Definitely not advice, but we've managed the past 3 years of cruising around the Bristol Channel without much in the way of incidents.

If I'd followed every word of advice before buying a boat and getting out on it, I'd never have gone out :). I just did PBL2, no day skipper. All the advice was good, but quite a lot of it.

What I'd say these days is (in no particular order, and unsolicited :p):
  • Plan a day or two ahead, but check weather within an hour of the start of your journey (and throughout the day if a long journey).
  • Be fearful of south-westerlies. They can turn the water into nightmare juice.
  • Know the tide, plan your journey around it, don't fight it.
  • Spare engines are good for keeping away from shore if required, but useless against tide, just drop hook and sit it out.
  • Take care at anchor that you know how much water is appearing or disappearing underneath you (can drag you under or ground you).
  • Know which bits dry out, stay away from them without a plan.
  • Log a cruise plan with a trusted friend, including timings when they should call 999 if they haven't heard from you. I think the RYA SafeTrax app might be good for this too.
  • Watch out for anything big in the Kings Road... and stay the heck away (also have a plan to get out of the way if anything appears). Bristol VTS is also your friend with this.
  • If you don't know what a chart mark means, stay away from it, except ones saying stay North/West/South/East, be sure to know those.
  • Watch out for the rock to the west of Flat Holm, charted as "Wolves"... one poor guy ran aground on it a year or two back.
  • Navionics is your friend. Remember to update it.
  • If using Navionics, have it on a backup device (when journey doesn't go to schedule you might suddenly need an extra 3 hours of charge).
  • Know how to put a distress call in, consider a handheld DSC radio, wear it (I've never had to put the call in, but I sure as heck know how).
  • Don't drive in front of any firing ranges without checking in.
  • Have beer after every outing, but not during!
Either way, enjoy it! It's great fun!
 
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Yellow Ballad

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I'm quite surprised nobody has mentioned the BCYA "Blue Book", local chandlers should have them.

The Peter Cumberlidge book has errors in it, certainly about the Usk and even though Imray have been notified failed to update.
 

Brentwales

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Thanks for all the tips,

I bought charts SC5608 for the BC, 2400 West Country pack, BC tidal atlas and BC Severn cruising guide. I'll look out for the blue book next time I'm in the chandler's.
 
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