Dentist/RYA Magazine.

[burgundyben]

I'm not a member of The RYA, this morning in the Dentist's waiting room I happened across a copy of the Autumn 2003 RYA Magazine.

Read a list of benefits, could not see anything of particular value, next page article on SOLAS 5.

Words to the effect of (cant remember exactly) you dont need to pay as much attention to the weather if going across Solent to Cowes as you do if crossing Biscay on a 40 footer.

Struck me as a remarkably short sighted comment. Fog mid Biscay not a major issue, fog in Solent is like crossing M25 blindfolded hopping on one leg.

Should we not always pay the highest level of attention to the weather forecast what ever trip we plan? Just cos help is more readily at hand its ok to not take as much care over the forecast then is it?










<hr width=100% size=1>Sod the Healey - I think I'll buy an E-Type.

 

[Sailfree]

Lesson 1 some 5 years ago. Quick trip saturday evening in winter Hamble to Cowes. I was busy talking to friends, SWMBO on helm when we discovered someone had put the bramble bank in the way! Luckily it was on a rising tide and only damage was to my pride. Lesson learnt always make clear who is in charge/responsible and there are NO short trips in a boat.
It was only during the previous Monday evening yachtmaster evening class that the Instructor refered to the bramble bank as the most hit bit of real estate in the world and I complacently wondered how people managed to do that!!
I wonder how the crew of the catamaran that hung onto their capsized craft overnight in the Solent feel reading the RYA article.

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[bedouin]

Well technically of course you don't need a passage plan to cross the Solent.

I think the point is that for a short trip of a couple of hours you can rely on your own local observation; which is likely to be more accurate than any weather forecast anyway.

For trips of longer duration, or further from the starting point, it is more important to take account of the way the weather is likely to develop.

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[burgundyben]

Er, yes you do...

You might not be required to have a passage plan by solas 5.

But you still need to have answered all the questions, is the right kit on board, whats the weather doing, are charts up to date, is there fuel and food and drink etc

Granted solent crossing weather is about local observation and longer passages its about weather systems in the area.

<hr width=100% size=1>Sod the Healey - I think I'll buy an E-Type.

 

[dieselhead]

Sorry Burgundyben, but I absolutely agree with the RYA guy. Of course you don't need to pay as much attention to the weather (ie, future trends) if you're just crossing the Solent compared with an open sea passage. It's easy to sit there and pick holes in articles by inventing absurd misinterpretations of what the author wrote, but why waste your time doing it?

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[Birdseye]

"Should we not always pay the highest level of attention to the weather forecast what ever trip we plan? Just cos help is more readily at hand its ok to not take as much care over the forecast then is it?"

in practise - yes. but not because the solent is particularly dodgy, more because the three day biscay forecast isnt worth the paper its written on in my experience. there is at least a chance that the met office might be somewhere near right for a 2 hour jolly in the solent.

funny thing is the met office claim something like 80% accuracy! suppose thats on their forecast that the sun will rise!


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