Christchurch to chapmans poole trip 3# HELP PLEASE

[propellerpete]

hi guys,

Ive been down to Chapmans pool in my boat 2x before already..... the first time I went with some boaty friends and the sea was beautiful and calm the entire way both there and back in the same day. the second time we went with not really too happy in boats friends and we had the worst experience of my boating life yet! we hit St Albans on a wind against tide, spring on our return and it was horrible! I guess youd call it an EYE OPENER to the importance of properly planning a trip..... well lesson well learnt and I have pre planned all my trips since. But this is my first trip back to Chapmans pool and want it to be as smooth as possible...... very important person on board this time.

so does any one know what time after/before Hw/Lw to a local port slack water occurs around Pevril and St Albans??? I will be traveling in my quicksilver 670 which will cruise at 18-24 knots so am planning to clear both areas over slack water.... I just want to ensure Im there when it is.... not the gut turning fear inducing pulse rate rising ride through hell it was last time :ambivalence:

Im now aware of the channel close to the head and should I need to il use it but id rather not have too much to worry about.

any help would be fantastic, thankyou

 

[AdeOlly]

Yes, we once caught St Albans Head at the wrong time the day after a blow and it truly awful plus there was no inshore passage... big standing waves right to the cliffs and a horrid swell to the east. Never again.

You'll find advice in the Reeds Almanac as to how it time passage round the head. I can't remember off the top my head though and my almanac is on the boat.

 

[bumpy_the_dog]

I've rounded St Albans Head under sail but never in a mobo. When I was last there it was riddled with lobster pots, many badly marked. There's no good place to get a pot line around a prop, but that must be a pretty bad place.

 

[Tranona]

As suggested, a pilot book or Reeds Almanac will give you the options. There are two main ways - either 3-5 miles out or close inshore about 100m off the cliffs. Best done at near low or high water slack. You can get those times by looking at the tide tables for either Poole, Swanage or Weymouth, although with Poole you don'tt get a single high so have to work from low water.

The race is at its worst with a spring ebb and a SW wind!

 

[powerskipper]

Use your Chart,
if you look at the Tidal Diamond for that area,
when it turns, ie changes direction at that point
, that is when it will be at its smoothest,
This is with any wind direction ,
but if wind has been blowing for a while it may still be a bit choppy but it will be the best it can be for that day.
if worried just go 4 or so miles out around the race.

 

[propellerpete]

Thanks guys, thats all really useful info. I best go out and get an alamac me thinks. Its such a beautiful length of coast along there but my god it could be hell if your caught out. Best place to get an alamac? Chandlers or interweb?? Cheers again.

 

[Scubadoo]

Thanks guys, thats all really useful info. I best go out and get an alamac me thinks. Its such a beautiful length of coast along there but my god it could be hell if your caught out. Best place to get an alamac? Chandlers or interweb?? Cheers again.

Amazon.co.uk is usually a good price, but cheaper if you can get it at a boat show.