Ever sailed through a wind farm ?

[tyce]

Quite regularly sailed through the ones in the Irish Sea off barrow, never had an issue.

 

[PilotWolf]

Having been inside wind farms, whilst working, in poor weather and at night despite being an experienced skipper with a professional crew,survey standard nav equipment, radars, etc. I find them intimidating.

Some of the masts within the farm may not be lit for example, plus there maybe (should be marked but..) tide bouys/wave bouys.

It can be a heavy work load in less than perfect conditions so why subject yourself to it unless really necessary?

W.

 

[DaveS]

Perhaps this should be a new thread but bear with me. If wind turbines use the wind energy, convert it to mechanical then electrical energy then they must reduce wind energy to leeward. School boy physics tells us that energy can neither be created nor destroyed, just it's form changes, ie chemical to kinetic in an I/C engine.

So, I would think that hundreds of turbines upwind should, must, reduce wind speeds.

Do they? Have I got this right?

Steve

I would say this is generally correct, ignoring times of both low and high wind speeds when the turbines don't generate (although more recent designs have pushed up the high wind cut-off point). It's a bit like trying to overtake to leeward of another sailing boat: the "dirty air" contains less energy.

 

[hono]

I would say this is generally correct, ignoring times of both low and high wind speeds when the turbines don't generate (although more recent designs have pushed up the high wind cut-off point). It's a bit like trying to overtake to leeward of another sailing boat: the "dirty air" contains less energy.

Have just tested this! Windsurfed out from beach at Clacton(Holland Haven) straight to control tower in middle of Gunfleet Windfarm. There has been a very constant NE all day. Leaving the beach right up to the windfarm the wind was the same all the way, a constant F5, but as soon as I got to the first turbine there was a noticeable dip - still a good solid Force 4 but definitely less windy. I gybed at the control tower to head back and once I got out of the turbine zone the wind came back - solid 5 all the way back to Clacton. It was pretty quick sail so unlikely to be changing wind conditions. It would have been interesting to keep going beyond the turbines to see if the wind switched back on further out, already a long way out on a windsurfer though...

Didn't see anyone patrolling out there today, but on a light wind day I went out I was clearly about to get intercepted so - unsure about my rights out there - made an early exit before reaching the control tower.

 

[BelleSerene]

We should organise a slalom race. A to port, B to starboard, C to port... First through the farm wins.

 

[jdc]

Perhaps it's one of those things that the RYA can advise us about?

The CA has guidance for sailing through wind farms available (to members anyway.

In a recent meeting with the developers of the Navitus farm (the one SSW of the Needles) they were at pains to accommodate the needs of yachts sailing within the farm and much discussion ensued about marking, sending chartlets to Reeds etc. The distance between turbines depends on the size (bigger turbine -> further apart) but is typically 1km so actually it shouldn't be that difficult to sail through so long as one doesn't get disoriented.

 

[Supine Being]

I've gone through the London Array at Foulger's Gat. The scale of that installation is simply immense. Whatever the rights and wrongs of them are, it's an impressive piece of work.

 

[fortynine]

Sailed from Milford Haven to Arklow through the Arklow Bank wind farm, found it a useful navigation tool, I aimed for the third gap from the bottom end. I saw a couple of biggish trawlers go through aswell.(not fishing though).

 

[rptb1]

I sailed through Gunfleet Sands wind farm earlier this year. Proof! https://www.flickr.com/photos/rptb1/14820143913/in/set-72157645672614277

There were temporary exclusions around specific towers only when there diving operations. These were announced on channel 16.

Someone locally told me that the RYA had lobbied to ensure that wind farms were open to sailors. I haven't verified this, but would definitely be interested in a citation.

Edit: RYA article and interview with YM about wind farms and the RYA's policy and lobbying: http://www.rya.org.uk/newsevents/news/Pages/RYAtalkswindfarmswithYachtingMonthly.aspx

To quote the video at about 3:20.

Is every wind farm charted? Yes.
Can you sail through them? Yes. Simply, you can. Every single wind farm in UK waters.

 

[Otter]

I've gone through the London Array at Foulger's Gat. The scale of that installation is simply immense. Whatever the rights and wrongs of them are, it's an impressive piece of work.

Likewise. It's a spooky experience, especially with some of the tides that set through there. The buoyage is carp, three safe water marks trying to guide you through a long dog leg course. So much simpler to paint large red and green patched on the relevant turbines with the appropriate night marks.

 

[Lucky Duck]

The cross tide which runs 'through' Foulger's plus dirty air off the upwind turbines makes sailing through there a none too pleasant experience.

 

[photodog]

This is robin rigg in the solway... I don't think that in daylight there would be any issues sailing in there...