Can we go over my passage plan? Belfast ---> Swansea (NI - Ireland - Wales or NI - NE - Wales)

john_morris_uk said:
That’s interesting as it’s very different to what’s shown on my Navionics chart.

I’m not sure about your comment regarding how you wish Navionics would mark anchorages. After all you can anchor almost anywhere there’s good holding and it’s shallow enough for the amount of anchor rode you’ve got available. Many’s the time I’ve slipped inside a headland or cove or bay and anchored for the night. Rarely is there a symbol on the chart suggesting that it’s an ‘anchorage’. Just a bit if common sense and a look at the prevailing conditions and forecast keeps you perfectly safe. Navionics would have to be putting anchorage symbols everywhere and even then people would complain because many of them would only be tenable in the right conditions.
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For harbours, a pilot book is your friend, though Visit my Harbour or the Marina companies guides are a fair substitute.

For lunch or overnight stops one can of course anchor many many places if holding fair and wind and tidal sweep not adverse. Thus much of the east coast of Ireland, and we have even anchored off Wexford in a strong southerly blowing us towards the inlet trusting our new generation hook and our transits to keep us safe while we slept and waited for HT to enter the town.

In the Upper Bristol Channel one must be more circumspect as tidal ranges are 5m to 14m so anchor scope is critical and one can drag if anchored too far out so ones 5:1 at setting in 10m becomes 2:1 as depth rises to 25m, and the 4kt current can be an issue as we discovered anchoring off Ferryside when our anchor started to drag through the moorings. In the BC the answer is always to anchor as far in as possible and seek any lump or bump that gives one tidal shelter, and love the mud that your hook sticks in
 
zoidberg said:
It's easy enough to lie to the downwind side in moderate conditions. Be wary of the 'very slick' surface underfoot when stepping on to secure lines - the pontoon is also used by seabirds, a lot!

I understand also there is a 'new' area nearby where anchoring is not now permitted, due to Welsh seahorses or something similar.
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To the north and inshore of the pontoon are 3 yellow visitors buoys marked Dale Sea grass. The depth isn’t great on them, but they aren’t really designed for any and all boats, their real purpose is to mark the inshore limit of anchoring, before the experimental sea grass planting beds are torn up.
I can’t help with the depth on them, I only need 1m for my bilge keels so haven’t paid much attention.

Dale Seagrass Moorings – Dale Bay – Seagrass protection moorings
 
oldmanofthehills said:
For harbours, a pilot book is your friend, though Visit my Harbour or the Marina companies guides are a fair substitute.

For lunch or overnight stops one can of course anchor many many places if holding fair and wind and tidal sweep not adverse. Thus much of the east coast of Ireland, and we have even anchored off Wexford in a strong southerly blowing us towards the inlet trusting our new generation hook and our transits to keep us safe while we slept and waited for HT to enter the town.

In the Upper Bristol Channel one must be more circumspect as tidal ranges are 5m to 14m so anchor scope is critical and one can drag if anchored too far out so ones 5:1 at setting in 10m becomes 2:1 as depth rises to 25m, and the 4kt current can be an issue as we discovered anchoring off Ferryside when our anchor started to drag through the moorings. In the BC the answer is always to anchor as far in as possible and seek any lump or bump that gives one tidal shelter, and love the mud that your hook sticks in
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I quite agree. I’ve sailed the Bristol Channel a bit (and twice up to Sharpness). I’ve kedged for the tide off the N Devon coast among other places and range is always a factor. It’s an interesting sailing area but the water is like liquid grinding paste at times further up the estuary. Once upon a time it wasn’t very clean either. As we used to say, “If you fall overboard, you don’t swim, you go through the motions.”
 
I've sailed in/around the Bristol Channel many times, and you need to have a very good reason to sail in those turgid waters. I did, for some years, but she married and moved away.
 
john_morris_uk said:
That’s interesting as it’s very different to what’s shown on my Navionics chart.

I’m not sure about your comment regarding how you wish Navionics would mark anchorages. After all you can anchor almost anywhere there’s good holding and it’s shallow enough for the amount of anchor rode you’ve got available. Many’s the time I’ve slipped inside a headland or cove or bay and anchored for the night. Rarely is there a symbol on the chart suggesting that it’s an ‘anchorage’. Just a bit of common sense and a look at the prevailing conditions and forecast keeps you perfectly safe. Navionics would have to be putting anchorage symbols everywhere and even then people would complain because many of them would only be tenable in the right conditions.
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Oh, I know. It's less about anchorages, but more about mooring buoy and marina locations. If you could see them better from further zoomed out, it would make your research a little easier.
 
DangerousPirate said:
Oh, I know. It's less about anchorages, but more about mooring buoy and marina locations. If you could see them better from further zoomed out, it would make your research a little easier.
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As others have said, better using something like the Irish Sea Pilot - Irish Sea Pilot - for planning overnight stops, rather than a chart like Navionics which is the wrong tool for the job.
 
dunedin said:
As others have said, better using something like the Irish Sea Pilot - Irish Sea Pilot - for planning overnight stops, rather than a chart like Navionics which is the wrong tool for the job.
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I use a combination of many things. I actually have that book but someone else borrowed it. Trying to get it back. But I think navionics would be a little better if it would show ports to call and mooring fields from further out. If it's all in one place, it's more convenient.
 
Never Grumble said:
Isn't that a problem with Navionics that it doesn't show bottom type.
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that remark prompted me to have a look. My Navionics on my phone does show nature of seabed, but I’m not sure whether it’s marked as frequently as it is on current Admiralty charts. Most of my charts are 3 1/2 thousand miles away and so I can’t compare.
 
dunedin said:
Sounds like it as works on my iPad. I was probably looking at a different test location - mine was Pabbay at W end of Sound of Harris. But should work anywhere.
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I just happened to be looking at Plymouth and could see the bottom type there but when I go closer to home couldn't see same in Chichester Harbour. Which prompted my comment.
 
Never Grumble said:
I just happened to be looking at Plymouth and could see the bottom type there....
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I note the news that a huge area of seabed in Plymouth Sound and Approaches has been discovered carpeted with an otherwise rare form of ancient seaweed, which 'fixes' lots of carbon.
Expect hordes of yoghurt knitters and muesli munchers - apologies, Life Members of the RYA's Blue-Green Brigade - to descend on Plymouth demanding no more anchoring, running of engines, moorings placement and submarine activities. Expect The King's Harbourmaster to have apoplexy, explode and disappear in a cloud of smoke.
 
Never Grumble said:
I just happened to be looking at Plymouth and could see the bottom type there but when I go closer to home couldn't see same in Chichester Harbour. Which prompted my comment.
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Just looked again - where I chose to look, NW Scotland (the sandy waters of Outer Hebrides) the Navionics chart shows exactly the same information as the detailed UKHO raster chart.
BUT, as you say, when I compare the two for Chichester Harbour (not an area I know) the Navionics seems to have omitted the seabed info (other than “marsh”) shown on the detailed UKHO chart - eg the S M shown on UKHO at East Head Spit.
Perhaps a question to pose of Navionics
 
dunedin said:
Just looked again - where I chose to look, NW Scotland (the sandy waters of Outer Hebrides) the Navionics chart shows exactly the same information as the detailed UKHO raster chart.
BUT, as you say, when I compare the two for Chichester Harbour (not an area I know) the Navionics seems to have omitted the seabed info (other than “marsh”) shown on the detailed UKHO chart - eg the S M shown on UKHO at East Head Spit.
Perhaps a question to pose of Navionics
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Glad I wasn't imagining it! I carry paper charts so generally it's not a problem.
 
I use ukho raster charts, ukho vector charts and various others such as shom
Ukho vectors are updated more often, and are simply better. I don't begrudge the cost, I take my sailing seriously.
I do miss the colours of paper charts sometimes.
 
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