Ask the coastguard?

[Ruffles]

Coming back to the Solent from Weymouth on 7th August visibility was down to 300m in places. That 'orrible thin fog that lets the sunlight through and dazzles you. I hoped it would go before I arrived at Hurst and to my great relief it did. I don't have radar.

My question is would I have been justified in calling the coastguard and asking them what the current weather is in the Solent? I rarely use the radio and I particularly wouldn't want to be heard asking dumb questions during Cowes week

Rob.

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[snowleopard]

absolutely. i'm sure they'd rather you asked than pressed on regardless into fog and got into trouble.

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[pragmatist]

That depends entirely on the coastguard - had excellent response from Thames many years ago to an enquiry about vis across estuary. Asked question about vis outside Salcombe of Brixham coastguard and was told "no reports" (and plainly by the tone "don't bother us"). Salcombe harbour boats were asking the question of incoming boats and the answer was 20 metres vis.

Fortunately for you I think Solent CG are much more yacht-friendly.

<hr width=100% size=1>a pragmatist is an optimist with a boat in the UK

 

[bruce]

i agree, would expect they would rather talk than be called out. do they have radar? could ask about other traffic in the area etc.

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[dulcibella]

Please don't condemn Brixham CG on the basis of a single experience. Last summer I had a charging failure on the way from Guernsey to l'Aberwrac'h and decided to divert to Plymouth and to sail slowly in order not to risk compounding the problem by continuing to drive the alternator. I put in a routine call to Brixham, who called me on 16 every 2 hours for the whole night to check that I was still doing OK and finally signed me off when I passed Plymouth breakwater. A bit excessive on the care and attention rather than lacking in it! I think it depends on who is on duty - I have heard the whole range from super-supportive to couldn't-care-less from my local CG stations (Solent and Portland).

Incidentally, within an hour of arrival I diagnosed the problem. One of the spring contacts on the charging alarm light was a bit weak and making a poor contact, which disables the whole charging system. A piece of matchstick (still in place) put me back on the road.

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[Jools_of_Top_Cat]

If I am concerned about traffic I will usually call port control, normally ch12. I generally monitor this anyhow when around busy commercial ports.

When crossing the channel late at night at Milford I called up and was quickly assured traffic had ceased for the evening.

I would advise against abusing this, as these are professionals and would quickly tire of yachties calling up every 5 minutes in bright sunshine, but I decided at night with so many lights in the port it would be nice to know if I had a 20 minute window to cross in safety.

hope that helps

<hr width=100% size=1>Julian

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.topcatsail.co.uk>

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[andyrome]

I've always found the CG very helpful. Make sure that you call them on the correct channel. e.g. Solent coastguard should be contacted on ch 67 for routine enquiries.


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[Ruffles]

I actually tried channel 67 from the middle of Poole bay. Either I was too far away for them to hear or they were too busy to answer. Or my radios not working! Mind you I only tried twice because I was reluctant to spend too much time down below for obvious reasons.

Rob.


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[Joe_Cole]

Re: National Coastwatch Institute

On a similar subject does anyone know anything about the National Coastwatch Institute?

On more than one occasion I've phoned their Prawle Point site and they've given me a detailed report about conditions from Salcombe to Start Point. However I'm never sure if they appreciate calls or not. I'm a little surprised that they seem to be publicised so little. They don't feature in my Almanacs, or in any of the Harbour Guides which I've collected, in my pilot books or even (from memory) on my charts; it's almost as if they don't exist as far as the authorities are concerned.

As I say, when I've called them they've been very helpful, but I'm not sure what their role really is.

Joe



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[Fill]

A while ago, when we were planning a cross-channel trip, we phoned coastguard to ask if it was as foggy at sea as in the marina. We were surprised, but very grateful to hear coastguard putting out an all ships and asking if anyone in the Bembridge area had local information on vis.

A chirpy fisherman told them we would have no trouble and we had a very pleasant sail across. I think CG, when they are not too busy, welcome enquiries that show you are trying to save them real trouble later.

<hr width=100% size=1>Never ascribe to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity.

 

[janie]

Re: National Coastwatch Institute

My father-in-law used to help at Prawle Point. They're volunteers, although they seem to be supplied with good equipment - I think they liked being contacted.

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[Birdseye]

In general I have found them helpful, but not in the case of weather reports. They have a "dont want to know" attitude toward anyone calling in with a report and simply continue to give out the met office data or what they can see from their station. Suspect this is more about our infestation of lawyers than anything else, but it isnt helpful.



<hr width=100% size=1>this post is a personal opinion, and you should not base your actions on it.

 

[Oldhand]

There is no harm in asking for inforamtion directly concerning the safety of your voyage when not available from other sources (i.e. regular forecasts). As fog can be so variable, an update may be justified but the CG is likely only to be able to give the viz. they currently have, unless they have reports from other vessels. (would have been fine if the Needles look-out station was manned...)

However, if you had received a CG viz. update, had you already decided on what course of action you would take if it wasn't good, or were you going to mull it over on receipt? I guess what I am trying to get at is you should only have requested the viz. update if you had already decided what you were going to do on reciept of the information.

As an aside, Solent CG's area commences at Hengitsbury Head, so your call from "the middle of Poole Bay" may have been from outside their area. However, Solent should have heard you on their Needles aerial.

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[Abigail]

I once was in heavy fog off Bognor Regis heading for Looe Channel at about 6am. I rang the Solent CG on my mobile to avoid cluttering airwaves & because of distance to ask if the fog in the solent was as bad as where I was.

'Can't see the other end of my boat'I said, truthfully
'Er - how big is your boat madam?'
'23 feet' I said cheerfully.

Stunned pause, and the nice man said that no, they could see 2 miles in the Solent. We pressed on, to a beautiful day once through the channel. And we heard them broadcasting a warning of heavy fog reported from Bognor, which could only have come from us.

So in my experience not a problem and they didn't mind at all, and used the info.

BTW - the wall of fog ended abruptly just after the Channel and there was a three masted tall ship just weighing anchor in the sunshine. Rather like the Time Bandits, though I think they were more surprised to see us emerge.

<hr width=100% size=1>Sarah & Pip

www.greatlittleboats.com
UK & Ireland distributors of Swifgig

 

[nonchalant]

Re: National Coastwatch Institute

Their website address (http:// [url]www.nci.org.uk [/url]) isn't working at present - it looks like they failed to register the domain name - but there's some information at
http:// [url]www.experiencecorps.co.uk/xq/ASP/id_Content.697/id_Page_Parent.7/qx/article.htm [/url]
and
http:// [url]www.rame.org.uk/coastwtch/nciramehead.htm [/url]

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[EdEssery]

West of Hengistbury Head it should have been Portland Coastguard on 16 or 73

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[EdEssery]

Why not? Sometime they ask you...

On 8th August we made an early morning passage from Lymington to Weymouth. We lodged a passage plan with Solent CG as we went through Hurst at 05.30. When we called Portland CG to report our arrival in Weymouth Cove we got a very chatty and friendly watch officer who wanted to know what our trip had been like and what the visibility, weather and wind strength had been in Weymouth Bay. Excellent!

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[bob_tyler]

Brixham C/Guard office in a position where they probably can't see anything except Torbay itself!!!

 

[JonA]

Re: National Coastwatch Institute

Your URL for the NCI website has an extra space after the // which is why you arn't getting through. I was involved in setting up NCI Prawle Point though I have since given up as I have to have time to work. As far as I know Prawle Point still keeps watch from 0900 to 1700 hrs all the year with extra evening hours during the summer. The National Coastwatch Institution is a charity set up to improve safety at sea by reinstating a visual watch on the coast. Watchkeepers pass information, including weather, to HMCG. NCI stations are not licenced to use VHF radios (some are licenced to work with HMCG on Ch0) but are happy to pass on present weather if phoned. We did get the station phone numbers into McMillans 3 or 4 years ago but I dont know if they are still there, the same goes for the Admiralty yachty chart portfolios.

Jonathan

<hr width=100% size=1>JonA

 

[AndrewB]

I think its generally better to call on ch16. They will then queue you on a working channel, i.e. avoid having you butt in on routine traffic. Don't forget that different CGs use different working channels, some e.g. Dover use more than one.

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