Benny1
Member
Re: Pwllheli Powerboaters
I thought that might engender a response....not sure what the solution is really....I can see the problem but also recognise the powerboaters pooint of view in that the harbour entrance is the harbour entrance and up to that point there is open sea...the problem is that no powerboater is going to slow down that much (ie to sub 5 knots when little or no wake is made) when there is still half a mile or more of sea between them and the harbour entrance - it just isn't in their nature - if they wanted to progress slowly, they would have bought a yacht.
However, whilst you can try your best to steer clear of all the yachts, it is difficcult when they are scattered all over the place, some taking down your sails (does that have a name?), others motoring under power, some stationary and some still sailing right up to the entrance.
It would be different if the approach to the harbour entrance was a narrow channel, as with Porthmadog, Barmouth, Aberdovey etc as pretty much every powerboat I have seen in these channels slows right down when passing a yacht, in order to minimise their wake - but in an open approach, such as Pwllheli it just isn't going to happen. I think it may also be psychological, as ther is the 5 minute trudge up the channel to the marina once you have entered the harbour.
Maybe some sort of seperation zone would work, but I think that I am probably in cloud cookoo land now.
As for experiencing wakes at anchor - yes have felt it often, but does not annnoy me that much unless they pass ridiculously close or speed through an anchorage where people may be swimming - its just one of the joys of being on the boat, rather than your patio - and remember, wakes affect anchored powerboats much more, as we have no keel and tend to bob about more in the water.
Personally, I always slow right down well before any anchorage. However at places such as St Tudwalls East (Church Bay to others) it is difficcult if you are passing the anchorage not to create a wake which will affect the anchorage - even if, as I do, you take a wide arc well over half a mile out, you wake still hits them eventually.
There is no way around the wakes at sea problem short of having a blanket 5 know limit within 3 miles of the shore - heaven to most yachtties I am sure - but not likely. I am not sure if you have noticed, but the bay around Abersoch gets pretty choppy on a windless summer day, all beacuse of speedboat wakes - go 2 miles offshore and its as flat as a pancake, in a location thats theoretically more exposed to the wind.
<hr width=100% size=1><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by Benny1 on 06/04/2004 10:17 (server time).</FONT></P>
I thought that might engender a response....not sure what the solution is really....I can see the problem but also recognise the powerboaters pooint of view in that the harbour entrance is the harbour entrance and up to that point there is open sea...the problem is that no powerboater is going to slow down that much (ie to sub 5 knots when little or no wake is made) when there is still half a mile or more of sea between them and the harbour entrance - it just isn't in their nature - if they wanted to progress slowly, they would have bought a yacht.
However, whilst you can try your best to steer clear of all the yachts, it is difficcult when they are scattered all over the place, some taking down your sails (does that have a name?), others motoring under power, some stationary and some still sailing right up to the entrance.
It would be different if the approach to the harbour entrance was a narrow channel, as with Porthmadog, Barmouth, Aberdovey etc as pretty much every powerboat I have seen in these channels slows right down when passing a yacht, in order to minimise their wake - but in an open approach, such as Pwllheli it just isn't going to happen. I think it may also be psychological, as ther is the 5 minute trudge up the channel to the marina once you have entered the harbour.
Maybe some sort of seperation zone would work, but I think that I am probably in cloud cookoo land now.
As for experiencing wakes at anchor - yes have felt it often, but does not annnoy me that much unless they pass ridiculously close or speed through an anchorage where people may be swimming - its just one of the joys of being on the boat, rather than your patio - and remember, wakes affect anchored powerboats much more, as we have no keel and tend to bob about more in the water.
Personally, I always slow right down well before any anchorage. However at places such as St Tudwalls East (Church Bay to others) it is difficcult if you are passing the anchorage not to create a wake which will affect the anchorage - even if, as I do, you take a wide arc well over half a mile out, you wake still hits them eventually.
There is no way around the wakes at sea problem short of having a blanket 5 know limit within 3 miles of the shore - heaven to most yachtties I am sure - but not likely. I am not sure if you have noticed, but the bay around Abersoch gets pretty choppy on a windless summer day, all beacuse of speedboat wakes - go 2 miles offshore and its as flat as a pancake, in a location thats theoretically more exposed to the wind.
<hr width=100% size=1><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by Benny1 on 06/04/2004 10:17 (server time).</FONT></P>
