Swale, maximum draft?

MagicalArmchair

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My new boat has a 2m draft , I’ve gone through the Swale from Queenborough to Hearty in my old boat with a 1.5m draft, should I go the outside route or should I man up and just make sure I carry a rising tide right the way around?
 

DoubleEnder

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Haven’t been through for a while but like Pyro took a spring tide Draw 1.75. Give it a go and let us know , but maybe a couple of days before springs just in case he he

seroiusly I think it’s ok. Do check the surge forecast though. It can make quite a big difference, sorry if you already know about it.
 

bluerm166

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Well the particularly shallow part from the Lilies buoy to the Fowley Spit buoy has what remains of the dredged channel used for the paper ships that entered the East end and passed through to Bowaters paper mill at Sittingbourne and that channel normally has cover at lowest tide . So if you follow the red cans you will have whatever the tidal rise of the day,at the hour of flood you choose. .Same goes for the old 'causeway ' crossing that is marked now by twin posts on each side where a major gas main crosses.There is more water on the North half at that point,as there is a long shallow bank extending on the mainland side.
 

Gary Fox

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Double-check that the railway bridge is likely to open for you, I used to phone Railtrack or some similar body.
When I was regularly ITA, the bridge button-pusher violently hated yachts, and would pretend he couldn't see you :)
 

AntarcticPilot

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I'm afraid I think of the Swale being a river in North Yorkshire! I remember memorising the tributaries of the Yorkshire Ouse - Swale, Ure, Nidd, Wharfe, Aire, Don from north to south. The town I grew up in was on the Calder, a tributary of the river Aire.
 

mrming

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Should be fine with 2m on a rising tide. I never actually think of it as particularly shallow - perhaps I’ve been around the East coast too long. ? I usually treat the shallowest bits as 0m and add the rise of tide to that.

The bridge are pretty obliging in my experience. Make sure you speak to them on your approach on VHF or phone. They will often ask you to wait for either a large ship or multiple craft to come through together. I’ve never waited more than 45 mins.
 

DoubleEnder

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Should be fine with 2m on a rising tide. I never actually think of it as particularly shallow - perhaps I’ve been around the East coast too long. ? I usually treat the shallowest bits as 0m and add the rise of tide to that.

The bridge are pretty obliging in my experience. Make sure you speak to them on your approach on VHF or phone. They will often ask you to wait for either a large ship or multiple craft to come through together. I’ve never waited more than 45 mins.
Or you can hoist a bucket in to the rigging to request an opening. I have heard...
 

MagicalArmchair

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No problem, man up and go for it. Phone number for the bridge keeper is in ECP, if you want to call well in advance to make sure it's not u/s.

It's like all these things - once I have done it once, I'll be fine! I have trouble trusting those charted depths mind you as I bet that hasn't been updated for some years. Let’s do some rudimentary maths, at LAT let’s assume we have no water (as per mrmings suggestion).

HW is at midday at Grovehurst Jetty on Saturday when I plan to travel. If I were to start the “Dodgy” part two hours before high water, at least if I screw up I'd float off. HW is at midday, so I'd need to traverse it at 10am. At that time I should have four meters over and above chart datum, even if you build in a one meter margin for the potential of surges and high pressures, I'd have a full meter under the keel. hmm
 

Cantata

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It's like all these things - once I have done it once, I'll be fine! I have trouble trusting those charted depths mind you as I bet that hasn't been updated for some years. Let’s do some rudimentary maths, at LAT let’s assume we have no water (as per mrmings suggestion).

HW is at midday at Grovehurst Jetty on Saturday when I plan to travel. If I were to start the “Dodgy” part two hours before high water, at least if I screw up I'd float off. HW is at midday, so I'd need to traverse it at 10am. At that time I should have four meters over and above chart datum, even if you build in a one meter margin for the potential of surges and high pressures, I'd have a full meter under the keel. hmm
All sounds good, you'll not have any trouble.
 

oldgit

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religiously stick to the channel between No2 and the Lilies, or vice versa.
Have been through once at LW about 5/6ft of water in the actual gut way. It is narrow. !
 
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oldgit

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Motorboats have built in audable shallow water warning .
After a rather ill advised somewhat lumpy passage to the Medway from Ramsgate, decided to try and find a little peace and quiet dodging behind Sheppey.
While on passage through the Swale,just had to answer a call of nature, instructed the crew to head for a bouy and went below.
Could hear the engines slowly losing revs and struggling just a tad.
Bringing events to a premature end, dashed upstairs to see a clear trail of disturbed mud in the boats wake.
Took several moments to work out which direction to turn.
Fortunately it was on a rising tide.
One of the locals.
 
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tony_lavelle

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religiously stick to the channel between No2 and the Lilies, or vice versa.
Have been through once at LW about 5/6ft of water in the actual gut way. It is narrow. !
Totally agree but really needs a chart plotter to do this, following the dotted line in the gutway which hasn't changed for eons.
 

oldgit

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Am so looking forward to going into Conyer again, taking the short cut across the mud and the delights of exiting via the Butterfly.
Can we get to the bridge before running out of airdraft and having to wait for a lift. :(
 

oldgit

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On my way in there this weekend if all goes according to plan. Coming the other way though so no bridge. In a slightly larger boat than last time so planning to use the Butterfly on the way in.
As a proper mud crawler my preference is to get in as early as possible when the gutway is still visible, we draw 3 ft and couple of feet underneath the props is just fine. :)
 
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