Bristol Channel Sailing

[Seajet]

Just to clear up, I'll point out that Bristol is the only city I've ever liked, ( they can stuff London for a start, I'd be happy never to see it again ) and I like it a lot; I sometimes stay with a friend in Clifton.

The first International Festival Of The Sea there was definitely the best, I'll never forget the Pride of Baltimore going out to do battle with the lovely American frigate, whose name I sadly forget ( Chessapeak ? ) - in the daytime my friend's Dad had somehow organised a real 18th Century gig for me to row us around, a real treat as we chatted with the frigate's crew through the gunports.

I love Bristol, just not so convinced about its Channel as a sailing ground.

 

[Allan]

I sail two boats. My own, based in Cardiff and my partner's based in Southampton. We've done a few thousand miles this year and I can be counted as 100% pro BC. I don't recognise the place Seajet has been talking about.
Mattonthesea "There are so many lovely places to stop up here that are denied to me (correct me someone) with a long fin." Apart from Watermouth, the outer mooring at Ilfracombe and the hole at Porlock, I would prefer a long keeler for the BC. Bilge keelers are prone to leaning right over in the mud, fins and long keels tend to drop in vertically.
Allan

 

[[70521]]

By the way, Google Maps puts Bristol to Topsham (the close bit of the Exe) as an hour and half, not an easy hour as was stated early in the thread.

Topsham is a bit tide limited! Usually about HW+/- 2 and is very draft dependant. I can only take the current boat up there on Springs.

 

[Seajet]

The drive to my boat in Chichester now takes 1, 1/4 hours, when I was in Somerset it was the best part of a 3 hour drive; so what, if it gets one to a lovely place to sail from, and I enjoyed the drive on the A303.

Admittedly this might be an advantage of being freelance not 9 to 5 with a strict Friday PM and Monday AM - but I would never let that stop me sailing where I want, any pressure otherwise = time to change job, not mooring.

 

[contessaman]

The drive to my boat in Chichester now takes 1, 1/4 hours, when I was in Somerset it was the best part of a 3 hour drive; so what, if it gets one to a lovely place to sail from, and I enjoyed the drive on the A303.

Admittedly this might be an advantage of being freelance not 9 to 5 with a strict Friday PM and Monday AM - but I would never let that stop me sailing where I want, any pressure otherwise = time to change job, not mooring.

Can't you just trail your boat home for the winter? I've even contemplated a lorry and mobile crane for mine in the past when refitting and commuting was getting me down

 

[Seajet]

Can't you just trail your boat home for the winter? I've even contemplated a lorry and mobile crane for mine in the past when refitting and commuting was getting me down

A, I don't live in Somerset any more, I'm thankfully relatively close to Chichester,

B, I'd never dream of trailing my boat anywhere, she's too big and the running rigging etc is too complex, and I'll sail wherever I'm going ta very much !

 

[rotrax]

Are you in Australia or New Zealand ???

I'm in NZ-looks allright to me.......................................

 

[RIBW]

Because it is close enough to Christmas to still call it holiday time, here is some deliberate fred (sic) drift/catalyst:-

.... Bristol is the only city I've ever liked.........

You may need to refresh your views. Like Old Sarum 'moving' to Salisbury the centre of gravity around here has moved away to the M4/M5 junction.
Postcodes BS1 to 5 have been abandoned to politicians who prefer talking to achieving, an excellent university and a plethora of financial organisations who tell me "my call is important". Bristol is now world-class in deploying 20mph speed limits (One road went from 70mph to 20mph) and renaming buildings ('The Council House' is now 'City Hall' - 'Village Hall' would have been more believable). Other than that the Downs remain wonderful - if only incomers would realise there is no 'd' in Durdham!

Meanwhile to the north, the government has correctly decided that the railway station in the middle of new centre of gravity (Bristol Parkway) is the only Bristol station worth electrifying. There is an excellent university (UWE). Heathrow remains the more reliable 'local' airport. There is a vast shopping centre where parking remains free; the adjacent bus station is the terminus for many city bus routes. There is also plenty of industrial and residential land available (the vast Filton airfield).

It will take time (probably longer than I have) but Bristol will become an ex-city.

Season's Greetings
Bob

 

[RobF]

I've kept boats in both Portishead and Chichester. Currently in Chichester, but a few musings below
a) It is true that the water is bluer, the ports closer together, the water more crowded, the tides less severe and the costs generally higher on the S Coast compared to most of the BC

b) I suspect there are more boats parked on the Hamble than the entire BC. This has both pros and cons.

c) There are some great people and some complete <insert expletive here> in both locations. There are more people sailing on the S Coast so you do get more twits. There are more learners and more world class sailers on the S Coast too. Therefore the breadth of ability tends to be higher on the S Coast.

d) I've been to most places in the Solent. None of them have matched the beauty of Lundy.

e) I've done the Holms race and it's fun, but doesn't come close to the atmosphere of the RTIR.

f) Learning the tides and tidal currents is essential for BC cruising, but really is very straightforward. I used to leave an hour contingency coming into Portishead, but the immense tidal streams meant that there really wasn't any need. There are no double highs like Solent or HW stands like Poole.

g) The areas with massive tides generally have metres of soft mud, so you're unlikely to damage anything if you do get it completely wrong. The pool outside Portishead is one of the few areas I know where a fin keeler can dry upright. However, I understand that a wing keel boat may not come up with the tide.

h) Some have the opinion that a Solent mooring (e.g. half drying at the top of Langstone harbour) is preferable to a mooring on the BC. Others have the opinion that they would prefer to keep their boat on the BC as they prefer the cruising area, prefer the BC proximity to their home location or just fancy the challenge and uniqueness of the BC as a cruising area. I can't see either party being swayed from their opinions because different factors and priorities are influencing their opinions. Key thing is to ascertain what factors of a cruising area are important for you - and make a wise decision accordingly.

All IMHO.

 

[RobF]

... Other than that the Downs remain wonderful - if only incomers would realise there is no 'd' in Durdham! ...

Umm, I'm reasonably sure that Durdham is pronounced as you would expect (derdem). Happy to be corrected (although I did live on the edge of it for 10 years and had grazing rights!)

 

[Allan]

I've kept boats in both Portishead and Chichester. Currently in Chichester, but a few musings below
a) It is true that the water is bluer, the ports closer together, the water more crowded, the tides less severe and the costs generally higher on the S Coast compared to most of the BC

b) I suspect there are more boats parked on the Hamble than the entire BC. This has both pros and cons.

c) There are some great people and some complete <insert expletive here> in both locations. There are more people sailing on the S Coast so you do get more twits. There are more learners and more world class sailers on the S Coast too. Therefore the breadth of ability tends to be higher on the S Coast.

d) I've been to most places in the Solent. None of them have matched the beauty of Lundy.

e) I've done the Holms race and it's fun, but doesn't come close to the atmosphere of the RTIR.

f) Learning the tides and tidal currents is essential for BC cruising, but really is very straightforward. I used to leave an hour contingency coming into Portishead, but the immense tidal streams meant that there really wasn't any need. There are no double highs like Solent or HW stands like Poole.

g) The areas with massive tides generally have metres of soft mud, so you're unlikely to damage anything if you do get it completely wrong. The pool outside Portishead is one of the few areas I know where a fin keeler can dry upright. However, I understand that a wing keel boat may not come up with the tide.

h) Some have the opinion that a Solent mooring (e.g. half drying at the top of Langstone harbour) is preferable to a mooring on the BC. Others have the opinion that they would prefer to keep their boat on the BC as they prefer the cruising area, prefer the BC proximity to their home location or just fancy the challenge and uniqueness of the BC as a cruising area. I can't see either party being swayed from their opinions because different factors and priorities are influencing their opinions. Key thing is to ascertain what factors of a cruising area are important for you - and make a wise decision accordingly.

All IMHO.

Probably the best comparison I've seen, The only thing I would take issue with is the bit about being upright (g). I think that applies to many other places, Thornbury, St Pierre, Newport etc,
Allan

 

[Reptile Smile]

Like Allan, I have no beef with RobF's very measured approach. I've heard this thing about bilge keels getting stuck in mud but never seen it, and have had a number here. I suspect it's a bit of urban folklore, and happened to someone 'in the next harbour over'...

 

[RIBW]

Umm, I'm reasonably sure that Durdham is pronounced as you would expect (derdem). Happy to be corrected (although I did live on the edge of it for 10 years and had grazing rights!)

Rob (continuing in the holiday week spirit),
"Ow bist thee" was how I was greeted when I was a boy and I never heard the 'd' in Durram [not that many people bothered with saying anything other than "the downs".] Thee casn't say Derdham without revealing you must have been one of 'they posh people' that "lived on edge of" the downs so you were probably taught to speak proper like? [The arrival of ITV in the mid 50s (using a massive antenna to receive Sutton Coldfield, I remember) killed the local dialect!]

Nowadays, the incomers even think there is a 't' in Cabot!
Cheers
Bob
PS Good review of the sailing BTW.
PPS My first ever trip out on the BC, we came across an unattended yacht - radio playing etc. - on a sand/mud bank with no sign of the crew. We towed it back to Bristol. Hardly 'Marie Celeste'; just a crew that didn't understand the tides and/or mooring?

 

[Birdseye]

What I find infuriating about Seajet's approach is not his opinion - that, he is of course entitled to - it's the fact that he tries to switch so many other people off the BC, which, for those of us who run or are involved with small sailing clubs, is potentially very damaging.

Dont take him seriously. He's just another shandy drinking southerner. They all cluster together sailing from London on Sea ( the Solent) and then winge about ridiculous marina charges.

 

[Tim O]

I think Rob's point H is the salient one!

 

[classic jenny]

I sail out of Weston super mud and love it. Yes you have to be awair of the biggest navigable tidal range in the world but as I love the act of sailing and not the destination the fact so many don't like the brown sea means I get to go out sailing all day and occasionally see another boat be it commercial or leisure. You can keep your busy solant and leave me on my own ?

 

[mattonthesea]

Warning: thread drift take up re Bristol

You may need to refresh your views. Like Old Sarum 'moving' to Salisbury the centre of gravity around here has moved away to the M4/M5 junction.

No, no, no! The CoG has moved down here to Bedminster (Be'dminster) with the hipster beards and the yummy mummies!

Because it is close enough to Christmas to still call it holiday time, here is some deliberate fred (sic) drift/catalyst:-

Bristol is now world-class in deploying 20mph speed limits
Bob

This is a clever move to reduce and match the expectations and aspirations of drivers; the average speed is still below 15mph

 

[Allan]

Warning: thread drift take up re Bristol


No, no, no! The CoG has moved down here to Bedminster (Be'dminster) with the hipster beards and the yummy mummies!



This is a clever move to reduce and match the expectations and aspirations of drivers; the average speed is still below 15mph

Sorry, hipster beards, yummy Mummies and COG are all in St Werburghs!
Bristol is the only place that I know where the motorway (M32) has a 40 mph limit, due to defective barriers. Then a 50 mph limit where the barriers were plastic cones! Note, the defective barriers are the ones that have been there for years, someone, probably a child, has decided they are no longer good enough.
It's no wonder I prefer to arrive by boat!
Apologies for the thread drift.
Allan

 

[Graham_Wright]

g) The pool outside Portishead is one of the few areas I know where a fin keeler can dry upright. However, I understand that a wing keel boat may not come up with the tide.

Yup! Done that waiting for the queen to open Avonmouth. Pretty scary watching the tide come over the side decks.

One recommendation;- do sail the Shoots at high water and then at low water. The difference is educational!

That was where SWNMO learned that tacking sometimes need to be really slick!

 

[RobF]

Yup! Done that waiting for the queen to open Avonmouth. Pretty scary watching the tide come over the side decks.

One recommendation;- do sail the Shoots at high water and then at low water. The difference is educational!

That was where SWNMO learned that tacking sometimes need to be really slick!

I've only been brave enough to do the Shoots at mid-water. Managed to get an SOG of 10 knots, which wasn't bad for a 20foot trailer sailer.