Chcichester Harbour advice

Magic_Sailor

Magic_Sailor

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From anybody who knows Chich harbour well.

Tomorrows inshore forecast SW 4 or 5, Sea State moderate to rough

Whats your experience of entering HW -2 in these sort of conditions - any probs? any advice?

Thanks

Magic

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It kind of depends on your experience and what kind of boat you are going to be in?

It looks neapy so it wont be as bad as springs.

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Tongue in cheek....

25 knots right up to the 8 knot sign /forums/images/icons/wink.gif

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Seriously though

I have been using Chi harbour most weekends for the last four years and have never had any really bad experiences in getting in or out.

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It should be fine provided you avoid the ebb on a SW. Be aware that the last 1.5 miles approaching the W Pole will be lumpy in a SW as you are out of the lee of IOW. Prepare for this and you should be in good shape for a pleasant run up the harbour.

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Enjoy the surfing entry - SW 4/5 before HW is fine. Round up to 018 degrees half a cable east of the west pole which lines you up to the main starboard hand winner bank mark. Keep on the line between these two for the deepest water.
It gets a bit nasty in a SE 5+ though - we came in last Sunday in a SSW 5, quite smooth really. Once in the lee of Hayling island by the lifeboat station you'll probably need the engine..

There is a big urban myth about the entrance it is seldom as bad a people like to make out.

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Ian

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Re: Chichester Harbour advice

SW 4/5 2 hours before HW on Neaps will not give you many problems I would have throught.

As tome has said keep a bit to the south when coming from the forts as the swell does steepen a bit to the west and south of the pole.
Otherwise you will be ok until the ebb really starts to run couple of hours after HW. If in doubt lifejackets, harnesses and washboards.
Depends on your size but I tend not to be too concerned in Ronhilda unless I am couple of either side of LW on springs but I do like people harnessed in and washboards in such conditions

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Re: Tongue in cheek....

<blockquote><font size=1>In reply to:</font><hr>

25 knots right up to the 8 knot sign

<hr></blockquote>

...then drop to 22? /forums/images/icons/wink.gif/forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

<hr width=100% size=1><font size=1>Nobody is perfect.
I am nobody.
Therefore I am perfect.</font size=1> /forums/images/icons/wink.gif
 
As people say it will be a bit lumpy, but no worse than elsewhere before HW. At HW+2 or after, with the tide running against the wind, you would expect some smallish standing waves in the narrows near West Pole if it is a proper F5. The worst bit offshore is to the west of the Chichester bar beacon and the pole, hence the advice to steer south of the entrance and line it up. In more settled weather there is usually plenty of water to cut the corner to the beacon at or around HW, unless you draw more than 3m, but in anything above a F4 sou'westerly you will get breaking waves so I avoid it.

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HW - 2 in those conditions you will hardly notice any difference until around HW+1, as long as you stay in the channel in F4-5 SW

Chi bars reputation is no urban myth, and it has claimed lives even in recent years. The danger comes when the wind comes strong beteween S and SE, or if there is a heavy swell running in to Hayling Bay.

Heavy breakers build up on the bar in those conditions and apart from the danger of being overwhelmed/knocked down/ pitchpoled, many boats and lives have been lost when boats have been slammed repeatedly on the hard sandy bottom, even when sea conditions were otherwise within the boats capability.

If you have a WAP phone, you can connect to the Chimet site as you approach, and get up to the minute wind, and wave height readings at the Bar Beacon Point your phone at WWW.Chimet.co.uk/wap.

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Th urban myth I meant wasn't meant to understate the S rollers - You're right but above a F6 - then as I said watch it get messy..great big standing wave in the harbour behind the winner looks really scary..

Ian

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How was it?

I see it is indeed blowing WSW F5-F6 at the bar today.
Let us know how you got on when you next log on?

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Re: How was it?

Sorry Dave - plan to go tomorrow now.

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Re: How was it?

Probably a quieter trip, looking at Chimet this morning, though you may get south easterlies tomorrow.

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Re: How was it?

Inshore forecast

Outlook for the following 24 hours:
Wind: west or northwest 3 or 4, then becoming variable 1 to 3 overnight.
Weather: mainly fair.
Visibility: good.
Sea State: slight becoming mainly calm.

Hopefully

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Re: How was it?

My mistake, I'm a day out. Wishful thinking. Halo shows W3-4 for Thursday becoming N 2 overnight and NE 2-3 increasing 4+ later on Friday. I think Saturday and Sunday are predicted as SE according to BBC south last night, probably a good F4 or more depending on where that little low ends up.

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Excllent

I'm offski to Newtown Creek on Saturday!

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