Approaches to Conwy

[Miker]

The almanac advice and that of the marina is that the channel is navigable upto HW+- 2 hrs with a fixed keel boat. I can wind my keel up to 0.85m so that would probably give me an extra hour. On what I could see on my previous and only visit, the channel does not appear to dry out. I would welcome advice on the minimum depth of water in the channel and maximum tidal flows.

 

[Guest]

I used to have a Fantasie draft 2' 6'' which I kept in Conwy. I was young and inexperienced at the time but I remember coming in at below 1/2 tide and I only touched breifly by the Perch. However it was dead calm with no waves.

Pilot books, marinas etc always err on the side of safety on this type of thing to prevent recrimminations later. Next time you go, and the weather is calm give it a go on a rising tide. If it all goes wrong you will only have to wait for the tide to rise to carry on. I wouldn't try it on a falling tide, because even if you get all the way to the harbour entrance the tide doesnt half pour out. I have seen many boats going backwards at full throttle. Them in the know keep close to the Deganwy side because the tide is less and there is even a back eddy.

Good luck and happy sailing

 

[Miker]

Thanks. I think that I will play it safe.

I certainly do not want to be caught in a tidal race on a falling tide. My problem is that the earliest I can get out of Fleetwood is HW - 1 to 1 1/2 hrs. I will plan on getting to the Conwy fairway buoy at around HW+1 at the latest and motor if I fall behind schedule.

 

[vyv_cox]

I'm not up to date, but the marina used to claim that shallow draught boats could get in and out on any tide and only deep keel boats would be restricted at springs. I always took that with a pinch of salt because I have touched on occasion in boats drawing 5 ft 6 in, probably about 3-4 hrs before HW. I think that in a boat drawing only as little as yours you should be OK if you get to the fairway buoy at HW +1.

As has been said, the water whistles out of the estuary so you need a good engine to push against it.

 

[Chris771]

Afraid that this is not going to be a very scientific answer, mainly because I am on an oil rig in Equatorial Guinea at present, without any exact data at hand, hence the vague answers from memory.

A couple of weeks ago I sailed from Conway over 3 hours before HW on a 7,9m tide (Liverpool). My Antares 760 draws a metre and I went down the channel without difficulty the least depth I ever saw was about 1.6 m under the transducer which was probably about 250/300mm immersed as I was just up on the plane.

On the preceding evening I came up the river at about 3hrs after hw and just missed the marina half tide lock by about 15 minutes, I don't recall seeing less than about 2 point something on the sounder coming up the channel.

The main thing which stood out in my mind was a red buoy on the starboard side of the channel for about the 3rd buoy in from seaward, which confused me a bit. Outbound the following morning there was a workbarge alongside it so it is now probably back where it belongs.

Sorry I cannot be more specific or helpful.

Chris

www.impact-computers.net/boat/cruiser.htm

 

[Guest]

Hi

Conwy is my home port and I can always get in or out of the river starting from either the FW bouy or the perch at 3 hrs either side of HW. I draw 1.7 M. There seems to be always considerably more water in the channel on springs than on neaps at the same state of tide.
I assume the bouy Chris refers to as being out of position is C6 which has just had its light repaired. This marks a dog leg in the channel and is always here. The bouys should be treated as waypoints - do not try to follow just port or s'brd markers but pass all in order as close as possible, certainly within 10 meters on the correct side.
The channel dries between c6 and c8 at LWS (the scabs). The strongest tide is at C7, running up to 5knts at springs, adjacent to the perch . The tide in the channel increases markedly as the bank uncovers. The river floods for 5 hours and ebbs for 7.
Drawing less than a meter you can use the channel at all times on neaps - if your brave ;-)


Regards
Andy