East Coast - maximum draft for weekend sailing?

[PaulGooch]

What's a keel ?

Aren't fins bits of a fish ?

Are you telling me you can't all get up the bits where there is only 2.5 feet of muddy water ?

 

[MoodySabre]

Mine has a 1.7m fin keel and Bradwell is HW+/-. Never had any problems on the East coast although my mental tidal height calculations have improved

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

Hee hee.... I did shock one un-named south coast sailor by doing a secondary port calc (roughly) in my head!

 

[bitman]

What's a keel ?

Aren't fins bits of a fish ?

Are you telling me you can't all get up the bits where there is only 2.5 feet of muddy water ?

i do as my boat only needs 1 feet of water (and did win the RTIR in her class by times)

 

[Koeketiene]

Hee hee.... I did shock one un-named south coast sailor by doing a secondary port calc (roughly) in my head!

Rule of 12ths - anytime - anywhere. Plus 'add a bit' to be on the safe side

 

[xyachtdave]

My mate who currently draws 2.4 m on an X 442 is thinking of upgrading to a X 55 with a whopping 3 m draft.

We (our friends) originally tried to talk him out of it, but now have given up and can't wait to have a go on it!

Should fly along!!

 

[johnalison]

My friend has an Island Packet 45 and it draws only 1.5m, so if you see a large boat with a dark hull sailing into the Backwaters don't be tempted to follow him!

 

[Lucky Duck]

My mate who currently draws 2.4 m on an X 442 is thinking of upgrading to a X 55 with a whopping 3 m draft.

I wish him the best of luck with that draft Aside from some river moorings such as at Burnham on Crouch, the only place that I can think of on the East Coast that will be accomodate that kind of draft would be Ipswich Haven/Neptune Marina or Chatham once over the lock cill.

Come to think of it there aren't that many places on the South Coast either but with that size of boat I don't suppose that is the kind of use it is designed for.

 

[Wobler]

Thanks for your responses...

You have all certainly given me something to think about. I have also been studying an East Coast Pilot book this week......I'm not sure what looks more stressfull - dodging all that mud or the 3 1/2 hour drive down to the Solent (we live near Saffon Walden). I think we'll have to try a season of each

 

[bastonjock]

Hee hee.... I did shock one un-named south coast sailor by doing a secondary port calc (roughly) in my head!

yes but did you warn him that you have a maths o,level

 

[cookjwm]

we had a 2m draft Benetub- and changed to 1.5 shallow draft Dufour 34. Not regretted for a moment - not quite as pointy upwind but we go pretty well where we want and have few worries about heights and in particular for us, the wallet spitway. The small difference makes all the difference.

 

[Marmalade]

2m draft here - no problems going anywhere - just time your run well for...

Pye end run to Hamford
Woodbridge tide mill
Heybridge basin

all accessible

 

[Pussersmate]

The point of a fixed keel....that's easy, it's the sharp bit at the end!

fully agree as you still looking for a boat.

i only want lift or swing keel boats anyway as i don't see the point of a fixed keel.

 

[Simon_and_Tanja]

You have all certainly given me something to think about. I have also been studying an East Coast Pilot book this week......I'm not sure what looks more stressfull - dodging all that mud or the 3 1/2 hour drive down to the Solent (we live near Saffon Walden). I think we'll have to try a season of each

East Coast only an hour away along mostly jam-free roads (A120). Drive to Solent would put me off completely!
Maybe I'm just crowd adverse but in my experience you'll spend more time dodging badly helmed boats in the solent than you would dodging (largely) stationary mud banks on the East Coast.

... and at least its mud! Spent a few days off Sweden in equally shallow water and pointy lumps of granite are considerably less forgiving than squishy oozey mud.