oldmanofthehills
Well-known member
Certainly locking out at mid tide, mosying around and seeing how she steers and how fast she goes in actual waves then locking in again, might be the best bet.
Never ever go for fixed day. Blow the forecast - feel the wind, see the sea, and return to harbour or bed if it looks unsuitable. The barrage is very friendly and free and they and more than happy to let leisure fishers and such like out and later back in.
You will never have enough power to stem the Bristol Channel tides, but you are crossing them at 90 degrees not fighting them. Perhaps choose a neap tide day and simply leave as it starts to rise. If they run at about 3kts average between the Holms and you manage near 4kts at about 40 degrees downstream to cancel the tidal drift, the worse that can happen is that you end up at the eastern end of Weston Bay and have to work your way back to Uphill and there is a west going eddy inshore (Make sure echo sounder is sound)
The problem isnt the tide, its your relative ignorance of the boat and the conundrums of sailing
Never ever go for fixed day. Blow the forecast - feel the wind, see the sea, and return to harbour or bed if it looks unsuitable. The barrage is very friendly and free and they and more than happy to let leisure fishers and such like out and later back in.
You will never have enough power to stem the Bristol Channel tides, but you are crossing them at 90 degrees not fighting them. Perhaps choose a neap tide day and simply leave as it starts to rise. If they run at about 3kts average between the Holms and you manage near 4kts at about 40 degrees downstream to cancel the tidal drift, the worse that can happen is that you end up at the eastern end of Weston Bay and have to work your way back to Uphill and there is a west going eddy inshore (Make sure echo sounder is sound)
The problem isnt the tide, its your relative ignorance of the boat and the conundrums of sailing