AuntyRinum
Well-Known Member
I kept a boat at Gosport (Campers) for 8 years and sailed from there most weekends. I never once had any problems with Wightlink or any other ferries.
Colregs don't apply to the elite?
- Thread starter skyflyer
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southseaian
Well-Known Member
The height of low water Portsmouth today was around 1.6 plus 0.6 which equals your 2.4 metres minimum depth AT LOW WATER
This can and will vary according to other factors. Also remember some low waters will be lower.
It is easy to observe from shore (or even from within Portsmouth Harbour where I belong) lots of yachts using the Swashway transit near HW when depths will exceed 6 or 7 metres.
This is thoughtless and selfish for those who know how to read charts and calculate heights of tides.
Serin
Well-Known Member
The granny farm???
Gosh! I knew the Solent was beyond the pale, but......................:eek-new:
southseaian
Well-Known Member
Maybe that's before you navigate and sail in an intelligent and informed way unlike a small minority of arrogant leisure boaters with preconceived views of professional seamen.
l'escargot
Well-Known Member
Unlike the minority of arrogant ex yachtmaster instructors with limited experience of the area? What's the old saying, something like "Those that can, do; those that can't, teach"? Views based on many years experience can hardly be preconceived...
southseaian
Well-Known Member
No need to get personal and unpleasant just because your wrong old chap.
l'escargot
Well-Known Member
I suppose I could have said the same to you instead of making that post but I thought it would go over your head, you're clearly convinced you are right despite a number of other people telling you their experience differs. It's not uncommon for those that teach to under rate experience, they' often feel threatened by it.
southseaian
Well-Known Member
I was referring to Post 187 which talked about ferries overtaking each other. I referenced this to the Portsmouth area. The examples you now offer are ferries going in opposite directions.
southseaian
Well-Known Member
I most certainly have not made any comment about you. If you choose to read a forum post and feel it applies to you so be it.
I know nothing of you or your level of experience beyond what you write here on this forum.
I don't remotely feel threatened by you or any other forum user.
I am a very open person who hopes to keep learning for the rest of my life.
southseaian
Well-Known Member
This refers to the block of flats which form the rear mark of the Swashway's transit. They are retirement flats.
l'escargot
Well-Known Member
I made the mistake of assuming people knowing the area would recognise the reference, it was the subject of much debate on here some years ago. You assumed it was a reference to Portsmouth, it wasn't. Wightlinks actions at the time were contrary to colregs and outside their authority as statutory HM of Wootton, QHM told them so and they had to change their ideas, as has happened on a few occasions to my knowledge.
l'escargot
Well-Known Member
Likewise if you choose to think my comments about "arrogant ex yachtmaster instructors" applies to you, so be it...
BobnLesley
Well-Known Member
...Along with a planing Moth, 5 Oppies and a paddle boarder...
It's not just in Portsmouth: We were heading north from Miami on the Intracoastal Waterway a couple of weekends ago and discussing the thought process behind a some paddle-boarders choosing to use the ICW channel with its 30 mph speed limit, rather than going outside of it where it's a 'slow-speed, no wake' zone. We thought it particularly foolish that they would choose to continue on through the bridge span which the ICW channel used and doubly so to do this just as said bridge was making its half-hourly lift to allow the bigger vessels to pass through; perhaps triply foolish really, as that particular bridge was damaged so only one span could be lifted, making it especially congested - lucky for us mind as we were standing off to let the southbound boats through first before moving, so didn't get entangled in the melee. Time proved us wrong, and we soon discovered that none of the foregoing manoeuvres were really foolish, that adjective had to be reserved for the moment when the paddle-boarders were half-way through said bridge and one, a young lady, seemingly oblivious to the four 30-60' Mobos which were struggling to maintain steerage as they bore down on her, stopped paddling to answer her ringing phone! How all of the mobos managed to avoid both her and the bridge we'll never know, though the icing on the cake came when one of the Mobos gave several blasts on his horn and in the silence which followed, the young lady looked up and bawled at him to "keep it down, can't you see I'm trying to take a call here?"
Miami is a bit special when it comes to moronic water-users mind; we were within 5M of where we witnessed the wet-bike hit a 'slow-speed, manatee area' sign at 30+mph, when we passed through in December.
It's not just in Portsmouth: We were heading north from Miami on the Intracoastal Waterway a couple of weekends ago and discussing the thought process behind a some paddle-boarders choosing to use the ICW channel with its 30 mph speed limit, rather than going outside of it where it's a 'slow-speed, no wake' zone. We thought it particularly foolish that they would choose to continue on through the bridge span which the ICW channel used and doubly so to do this just as said bridge was making its half-hourly lift to allow the bigger vessels to pass through; perhaps triply foolish really, as that particular bridge was damaged so only one span could be lifted, making it especially congested - lucky for us mind as we were standing off to let the southbound boats through first before moving, so didn't get entangled in the melee. Time proved us wrong, and we soon discovered that none of the foregoing manoeuvres were really foolish, that adjective had to be reserved for the moment when the paddle-boarders were half-way through said bridge and one, a young lady, seemingly oblivious to the four 30-60' Mobos which were struggling to maintain steerage as they bore down on her, stopped paddling to answer her ringing phone! How all of the mobos managed to avoid both her and the bridge we'll never know, though the icing on the cake came when one of the Mobos gave several blasts on his horn and in the silence which followed, the young lady looked up and bawled at him to "keep it down, can't you see I'm trying to take a call here?"
Miami is a bit special when it comes to moronic water-users mind; we were within 5M of where we witnessed the wet-bike hit a 'slow-speed, manatee area' sign at 30+mph, when we passed through in December.
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southseaian
Well-Known Member
Apologies for making you get hot under the collar.
I read your words above and I just could not believe that any ferry in Portsmouth, the Solent or even in UK waters would overtake in the manner you describe.
Perhaps you meant ferries going in DIFFERENT directions.
Just as a reminder.............
Rule 13
(b) A vessel shall be deemed to be overtaking when coming up with another vessel from a direction more than 22.5° abaft her beam, that is, in such a position with reference to the vessel she is overtaking, that at night she would be able to see only the sternlight of that vessel but neither of her sidelights.
And we are back to where this thread started.
bedouin
Well-Known Member
Oh dear - your slip is showing again - I now have even more doubt about your supposed experience. You seem to be confusing the 2.4m of tide I said was necessary with 2.4m of water - a clear mark of someone who does not really understand tides and heights.
It is 5 years since I had a berth in Portsmouth so things may have changed a bit (although I still go in regularly). Then I would leave by the inner swashway at anything over half tide (in fact I would see whether the reinforcements we visible and turn right if not). Even at that I would regularly see less than 2.5m on the depth sounder.
As I understand it Wigthlink Ferries draw less than 3m anyway - which is little more than many yachts so are genuinely subject to the same constraints. If there is 6-7 metres then why are they being so thoughtless and selfish as to use the Swashway when there is clearly no need.
southseaian
Well-Known Member
Sorry, I miss read your post.
I do understand tides but like others on here i don't take the time to read posts carefully.
I guess i should also be careful that I take the time when reading tide tables, you may have the last laugh as you sail by!
I do regret the need of people on here to get personal on here, I've always been able to discuss stuff without the need to get at people.
Seems that Wight Link ferries are a touchy subject for many.
lw395
Well-Known Member
The ferries should use the swashway, and turn into the main channel around the war memorial, because if they come North of the swashway, they are entering the small boat channel. IMHO, as a sailor of small, slow boats, it's best that the car ferries are as predictable as possible.
99+% of the time they are fine.
But I lived and sailed around there for many years, saw a few dozen significant yacht-ferry conflicts, perhaps in 5% of those the ferry could have been held to be wrong.
95% it's some muppet in a yacht, powerboat, rib canoe or whatever either making a mistake or being oblivious of the LNTMs etc.
The odd Belgian yotting in under spinnaker was memorable.
But nobody got hit, AFAIK.
The problem is not the bloke on the helm of the ferry, it's the board that buys bigger ferries and sets the timetable etc.
dom
Well-Known Member
Well done for modifying your view: didn't want to get involved in this, but Bedoin is right to say that the Wightlink Ferries draw a smidge over 2.5m, the same as say me! Yet the ferries do seem to think that yachts can automatically move off to the side and I have even heard an illegal five toots when a ferry desires to overtake a yacht it is trying to intimidate!
That said I fully support your comment about some folk who get way too personal on here.
bedouin
Well-Known Member
There is - or at least was - a very good reason for that. Going back a few years now we would regularly get reports on here and elsewhere from people I know and respect of unacceptable behaviour by WightLink - and I experienced it myself once or twice. To be fair it does not seem to be as much of an issue now as it used to be.
I would suggest that describing sailors as "thoughtless and selfish" when they are complying with both COLREGS and LNTM comes pretty close to getting at people. Whereas you are defending the behaviour of ferries who comply with neither
southseaian
Well-Known Member
Actually it's my observation that very often the Wight link Fishbourne car ferries don't use the actual transit line but turn before it. This can be where the conflict with yachts can occur. The yachts are continuing just outside the main channel intending to turn onto the transit are faced with a ferry turning to starboard before the transit.
To some extent i do blame sailing instructors who use the transit to train beginners in the use of such.
I am happy to take some of the blame.
The ferry skippers know the transit is popular with yachts and I have been told by a skipper that is why they tend to turn early.
I am not trying to tell anybody what they should or should not do. I putting views forward for discussion. Apart from having used the Swashway hundreds of times I am daily within view of it and can hear the 5 short blast from my home.
To some extent i do blame sailing instructors who use the transit to train beginners in the use of such.
I am happy to take some of the blame.
The ferry skippers know the transit is popular with yachts and I have been told by a skipper that is why they tend to turn early.
I am not trying to tell anybody what they should or should not do. I putting views forward for discussion. Apart from having used the Swashway hundreds of times I am daily within view of it and can hear the 5 short blast from my home.