Assistance with moving new boat -local knowledge required.

[rotrax]

If all goes to plan First Mate and I soon hope to become the owners of a 40 foot motor sailer currently in Gloucester Docks.

I estimate it will take a week or ten days to make her ready and provision her for the trip round to Gosport. She has had little use in the last four years and needs a thorough check and test. Planning to leave between the 8th and 10th of June all being well.

Is there anyone here who is familiar with the first part of the passage and can help with this part of the trip-perhaps to Watchet? All the way to Gosport or anywhere inbetween if you fancy it. She is a powerful modern boat with a fuel range of up to 1000 NM. The current owner tells me she can punch Bristol Channel tides under engine.

Local knowledge is the important bit-the Bristol Channel is an unforgiving place with few places of refuge should problems be encountered.

Our last boat came from Watchet six years ago-the delivery trip was an adventure!

If you feel like helping please PM me and we can discuss it further.

 

[rafiki_]

Sounds a great adventure. I wouldn't get too hung up about Watchet, as you have good alternatives at Portishead and Cardiff. I am planning to take my mobo from Portishead to the Hamble in June/July.

 

[single]

I doubt a motorsailer would punch the current anywhere from Sharpness to the severn bridges and if it did it would be very slow. The first bit from Sharpness to the new severn bridge is the only place you really don't want problems, after that its easy. Check the anchoring system just incase.

 

[Birdseye]

The trip through the two bridges is well marked and quite easy in the sense that once started there is no going back - you are flushed through like a *** down the khazi so arguably all you need is steerage way with the tide doing the rest. So there are two key issues - dont do it for the first time with a spring ebb against a strong westerly, and make sure your engine is good and your diesel is clean. Its some years since I last did that trip but I do remember almost square standing waves under the old bridge in wind against tide situations, ideal for shaking up the accumulated crud at the bottom of your diesel tank.

Check your likely timings - the lock at watchet is automatic and they have no real flexibility so you need to make the passage with some safety margin. That said it is 47nm and you have 11 hours from HW Sharpness to HW Watchet so plenty of time. If you were going well and with plenty of daylight I would think about going straight to Combe. The leg then becomes 73nm but with tide under you in a 40ft boat you should be able to average 7kn over the ground.

 

[rotrax]

Thanks for the advice.

We spent the last two days in Nielsons Shipyard disposing of 500 litres of non inflamable diesel.

I made a simple fuel polisher but it was not up to the amount of $h1T and accumulated water and bug so Neisons pumped it out and I cleaned the tank untill shiny and put 400 litres of fresh in along with fresh filters. We will top up before leaving the canal.

A forum member with the right experience is assisting with the top bit-thank you Paul-and a club member from Oxfordshire who is an experienced delivery crew is coming all the way to Gosport.

Hoping to leave around the 10th and only make two stops-Watchet to let paul off-and perhaps Falmouth or Plymouth for a break. Weather permiting, of course!

Thanks again for the advice and the offered help. This Forum is a good place..................

 

[SteveSarabande]

Overnight at Cardiff is a far better option than Watchett. Easier tidal access