robertj
Active member
I witnessed a first here in the harbour this morning, a 38’ long keel yacht went aground. The harbour is certainly silting up, I wonder how long before Falmouth will be half tide moorings.
Falmouth harbour
- Thread starter robertj
- Start date
TernVI
Well-known member
An awful lot of Falmouth is not as deep as people sometimes assume, after some years of pottering around there happily enough in a 1.4m draft boat, I had quite a shock at how restrictive it is when you've got a race boat with 2.6m draft and a lead keel not designed for chipping rock! That was 15 years ago. Has is really changed much? Which part?
The deep channel is plenty deep, but it's quite narrow in places.
The deep channel is plenty deep, but it's quite narrow in places.
NPMR
Well-known member
You don't say where it ran aground but upper reaches are shallow. You have to work quite hard to go aground near the entrance.
It can be done. Or touch rocks if you are really close to the shore or Black Rock
It can be done. Or touch rocks if you are really close to the shore or Black Rock
doug748
Well-known member
Was it the town anchorage?
Just looked at Navionics and was quite surprised to see that to the South and West (including the run in to the fuel berth) there would have been less than 2m on this morning's tide.
Well worth bearing in mind, thanks.
.
robertj
Active member
it was off the fuel berth about 50m I’d say. I’ve never seen a craft of her size hit the putty there before. The harbour is definitely silting up.
rib
Well-known member
6 years ago you would touch bottom in a 2m draught boat at low springs. Don't think it is new.
LittleSister
Well-known member
If God had intended us to have 2m and plus keels, he'd have made harbours deeper. 
halcyon
Well-known member
If God had intended us to have 2m and plus keels, he'd have made harbours deeper.
It's been a ongoing fight since around 2000, it's within a SAC area and held up due to impact on the maerl or calcified seaweed, any dredging may harm the maerl beds.
Falmouth Packet report
Brian
penfold
Well-known member
If the harbour is silting or accumulating river transported sand there won't be any maerl there, it's too slow growing to cope with that environment. There are means of mitigating turbidity to prevent dredging harming adjacent areas with sensitive flora like maerl, the MMO need to get with the program.
robertj
Active member
I’ve never witnessed it so I differ there
rib
Well-known member
I used to spend 45 weeks a year sailing Falmouth. I did even touch bottom myself once..
robertj
Active member
I stand corrected sir.
rib
Well-known member
Respect ?