Chichester bar conditions on Sunday

Re: Chichester Bar - boring here but over in Portchester . . .

C'mon, would you make a PAN PAN call from a 28ft sloop with engine failure blowing into the shallows near Portchester Castle on a rising tide?

I would have thought the sound of a beer can being opened on Ch 80 would have got half the Sunsail squad by your side in seconds.

Or am I an old cynic? (Don't answer that!)
 
Re: Chichester Bar: meanwhile, back on the ranch . . .

It's HW-3 and with the wind still gusting 35 knots the increased depth has radically reduced the amount of surf on East & West Pole, while the 'fairway' is pretty smooth. The point being that in your anxiety to get home safely you can come in too early - worth thinking about when passage planning.

Ah here's someone doing it by the book: that bright orange storm jib looks pristine, I've been watching it from the forts. Oh dear, he's been overtaken by another yacht carrying a No 2!

(Webcam? Are you trying to wind me up? 'er indoors has given up trying to get me to unpack a scanner which has been in its box for six months!)
 
Re: Chichester Bar: all quiet on the Eastern Front . . .

But off Hamble Point someone with no steerage is calling Mayday. So that's where the action is, yet here at HW-2 you could swim it, well nearly.

So the pilot book was right and another blow for literacy has been struck.

To answer the question of when one might cry off, it's gusting 40 knots out there and IMHO there's no danger in a well-found craft provided you hit this window of opportunity, for as we've seen today, too early was very uncomfortable.

From now on it will be wind-against-tide across the Bay - and even as I write someone's going out under sail: about 28ft LOA, long keel, transom-hung rudder . . it couldn't be our Ken showing me up as a couch potato could it?

Woe is me, for I am undone!!
 
Re: Chichester Bar: all quiet on the Eastern Front . . .

Thanks for the commentary CHuggin, update us as long as there is enough light, on the progress of the ebb, would love to see it.
 
Re: Chichester Bar - they\'re rollin\' home right now!

Erm.... I'm back! Apologies for delay in reporting back. Needed a bath and a hot meal after getting back into London

Left Bembridge at 6 am and sailed round to Cowes. Whilst on pontoon in Cowes checked the Navtex and saw that rather than F5 to F6 we were in for F6 to F8. We therefore left Cowes earlier than planned (c12.15).

Initially wind was not much above 20 knots and on our beam, so we were able to make fast progress with one reef in the main and about half the genoa out.

About 20 minutes out we caught an almighty gust and the Sadler was totally overpowered and heeling at about 60 degrees. The skipper was on the foredeck at the time and we didn't dump the mainsheet quickly enough.

After that bit of excitement we put the 2nd reef in the main and continued flying along at 8 knots. Once we got out of the lee of the IOW the wind really kicked in and we started to get much bigger waves on our beam. I was having a big fight on the tiller maintaining our course so we decided to drop the main and proceed under a 60 % furled genoa. Speed was still around 7 knots but much easier on the helm.

Waves quite closely spaced but not more than 4 feet high. I saw one reallly big breaking wave coming and headed up into it, but we still got a lot of water pouring in over our heads.

Very few other yachts around by now. We were lucky to only get hit by one brief rain squall. Most of the way we were in bright sunshine so it was beautiful out there.

As we approached the Chi bar at about 2.15 the skipper took the helm back, we gybed the genoa and made our approach (washboards in).

Running in at 6 to 7 knots we had big waves pushing us forward. One broke straight into the cockpit and soaked the washboards.

Amazing looking back seeing big waves rolling towards and past us.

Wind now gusting to 32 knots. Fairly hard work keeping the Sadler in a straight line in the channel but the waves gradually became smaller.

Overall crossing the bar was not as scary as I expected despite the high wind and big waves. It was primarily beautiful and spectacular.

We continued up Chichester harbour under 60 % furled genoa doing over 8 knots with the waves keeping pace with us.

So no problem. A really memorable weekend. My first time helming in F8 and the biggest waves I have sailed in to date. Thanks to everyone who responded to my initial post and gave me the necessary reassurance about Chi bar.
 
Re: Chichester Bar - they\'re rollin\' home right now!

Brilliant post, thanks and well done. Sounds like a well organised sail plan for the approach

I expect you enjoyed the pasage up the harbour!
 
Re: Chichester Bar: Reassurance?

You must be joking! I'm just reassured that my comentating from behind double glazing was as warm and dry as the forecast predicted.

Seriously tho', your Skip did what I warned against: succumbed to anxiety at the forecast, "left earlier than planned" (your words) and consequently arrived earlier than optimum by about an hour or more.

Nit-picking? The guides advise HW-2 onwards - it's all there for us to follow . . .

And another Golden Rule: skippers don't go onto the foredeck. It's crew who are dispensible . . .

Thanks for the feedback. But don't ever get complacent - the sea is an unforgiving mistress.
 
Re: Chichester Bar - they\'re rollin\' home right now!

[ QUOTE ]
I expect you enjoyed the pasage up the harbour!

[/ QUOTE ]
Absolutely fantastic experience. I was amazed that such a heavy boat could fly up the channel with so little sail up. I was expecting some surfing near the bar but not half way up the harbour.

An hour after we arrived another yacht returned to Chi marina with his genoa in a terrible mess. It was partially furled but with genoa sheets tangled all over the place. I think there were only two people on board so they probably didn't manage to control the genoa when they were gybing on the approach to the bar.

In the marina the wind was still very strong and the genoa was flogging horribly.
 
Re: Chichester Bar: Reassurance?

[ QUOTE ]
But don't ever get complacent - the sea is an unforgiving mistress.

[/ QUOTE ]
Having now seen what happens at the bar in windy conditions I have even more respect for the sea. I think the fact that the sun was shining made a big difference. If we had come in during one of the rain squalls it would have felt much scarier.

As we went over the bar we were rather surprised to see a yacht of about 27 feet motoring out into the waves. If we were finding conditions a handful in the Sadler he was going to really struggle in those conditions. Hope he was OK.

At the marina lock they told us that a large yacht took a look at the conditions at the bar and came straight back to the marina.
 
Re: Chichester Bar: Final Thoughts

I saw that one: he persevered and motored westward. Much later, before Slack Water, the one under sail described above plugged on regardless, making awful sideways progress with only a baggy little jib unfurled - couldn't have been Twister Ken after all. He too persevered and disappeared towards the Forts - it would have been dark before he got into shelter, and Sod's Law, the wind had veered somewhat making it even more of a struggle.

He looked to be singlehanded, hence only a headsail, but Gosh it looked hard work!

Looking at you all coming in, not a single boat followed the recommendation from another poster to stay well clear before rounding up for the entrance: every single yacht appeared to take the West Pole pile as a turning mark. Now that was put there when it was found that the sands were extending SW beyond the wooden structure. A nasty swell does build up in the vicinity, particularly near HW (yesterday some big rollers appeared at HW-1) and the prudent course is to leave it a good half-mile inshore before turning in; then stay away from the wooden beacon by at least 200 metres (So how do I read the tide gauge Skip?).

Another danger of passing too close to the old beacon when occasionally surfing down the waves is that the broach at the bottom may turn you right or left - and going left takes you into the shallow and rougher water of the Sands. Been
there, did it on Friday, had to sack the Autohelm!

I'm sure we've all learned this weekend (relearned too) that Chi Bar isn't a place to be treated lightly but presents no hazard to the experienced skipper in a well-found boat. In gale-force winds everything needs to be checked and double-checked, in particular the timing of your approach and the path you take. Shrink your tidal gate to HW-2 to HW-1 whatever your source material recommends, and keep well out before rounding up, also giving the beacons a good offing as you come in.

Of course, with rollers going your way you can't see which are breaking and where the 'smooth' path lies; all you can do is trust your vessel, batten down the hatches and keep everything crossed - remembering to clip on of course.

Go for it!
 
Re: Chichester Bar: Final Thoughts

As a relatively inexperienced (as good as bugger all in UK waters) sailor I thought it would be a good idea to try and sample rough conditions with someone who is (experienced that is, not rough). A friend (with I think a Legend 36) has suggested we do that this weekend - if the 'worst' forecasts are right it looks as though it could be lively without being too horrendous. But I see on this thread that Chichester Bar may not be a good idea on the ebb in any sort of weather. We would leave Birdham Pool around midday Saturday which I think would mean we were passing over the Bar around HW +1 or something (please forgive haziness - not familiar with the area and no charts at work) so presume the ebb would not have really got going, but I would be interested to know just how many spare sets of underwear I should take assuming say a F6 Westerly (and some sea left over from rather more than that Friday).

Cheers

Birt
 
Re: Chichester Bar: Final Thoughts

If it's really W'ly then not much of a problem, even on the ebb. If it's S (SW through SE) then F6 fine up to HW+1 but wouldn't leave it much later

We once came over on the ebb with W'lies gusting 58 knots. Lost our genoa, but no problems with the bar
 
Re: Chichester Bar: Trying once more . .

There are several postings flying around about probable weather this coming weekend (and some of the recommended websites are fascinating) but if you will leave Birdham at HW (noon - freeflow?) and belt down to the entrance you should be there in an hour. You're hardly going to turn back are you?

Those going out last Sunday afternoon did so at HW -2 for that's when the favourable West-going stream starts. You will already have 'wasted' part of that when you cross Hayling Bay so don't expect to get too far.

You've read the posts and have an idea what to expect. At this moment it's blowing SW7 here, but things look like quietening down on Saturday. The residual swell won't disappear immediately tho and I quite expect my own plans to be put on hold until the next tide. We shall see.
 
Re: Chichester Bar - they\'re rollin\' home right now!

I went to help the guy and his wife drop the genoa, which was flogging horribly, and threatening to do some damage. In the end it was decided it was too dangerous at that time, and they would wait untill the wind abated as was forecast. Eventually, I watched them drop it about one hour later.
 
Re: Chichester Bar - they\'re rollin\' home right now!

Good to hear that they were eventually able to sort it.

Did they tell you how they managed to get the sheets in such a mess?

I assumed it happened when they gybed the genoa but it would be interesting to know what actually happened.
 
Re: Chichester Bar: Trying once more . .

CHuggin

I wonder if you could say what it looks like now. I ask cos I was expecting to be coming back from the Folly this afternoon in a mobo but with the prospect of 30+ knots of SW wind and an ebb tide I decided yesterday that discretion was the better part of valour.
 
Re: Chichester Bar: Trying once more . .

[ QUOTE ]
maximum wave height 0.8m?

[/ QUOTE ]

Its the bottom of the ebb.
 
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