Getting out of Chatham

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Norfolknick

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I am about to do conduct a delivery trip of an Uncle's yacht from Chatham Marina round to the Hamble. Does anyone have any tips for getting out to the Estuary and the Channel?

Looking at the tides, Feb 15th is looking good for the trip with 80% springs although lord only knows what the weather do, especially if this North European high stays around.

Thanks
 
Chatham to Hamble

Hi,
Getting out from Chatham to the Channel is a fairly simple passage. The tides work really well for the first 10 or so hours. If you leave Chatham near HW you can take the ebb all the way to North Foreland (about 35-40 miles = 6hrs at 5kts boat speed). Assuming the boat doesn't draw more than 2m the 'Overland' route -well marked by various poles and beacons (mostly unlit) - through the Hook spit bouys (lit) is shallow but ok (assuming decent weather) as you will be going through at about half tide.
May be a bit nervewracking if doing it in the dark (esp if you don't know the area)
It's then a case of following the coast (via a well bouyed channel inside the sand banks) down to North Foreland.
At N Foreland the tide will then start flowing SW to give you a nice push either to Ramsgate or on toward Dover.

Lots of Medway and Thames boats do this trip regularly because the tides work so well.

But note the sad loss of a J133 recently that was doing this trip in reverse in poorish weather- if any poor weather is about go via the bouyed ship channel- marginally longer but much deeper!

Hope you've got your thermals
Andy
 
Without having any idea of your experience or ability, but assuming that because Uncle is trusting you with his pride and joy you should have plenty of both, I expect you'll have worked out that you can carry most of 3 consecutive tides with you on this trip if you're doing it in one hit.
BUT and it's a BIG but, if Uncle's baby draws any significant amount, unless you know the shallows of the North Kent Coast or are generally comfortable with only a few feet under you I would absolutely not use the inshore route - use the Medway Channel and Princes Channel.
I don't want to be picking any more pieces up off the beach, thank you!
 
I like to punch the last of the flood down river so that I get to sheerness by high water (if not staying overnight at stangate creek), mainly because I like as much water as possible when going through hook spit, dont like getting there at low water, plus it takes the pressure of getting there in time. If you can read a chart and have your head screwed on then you shouldnt have a problem. There's nothing wrong with the Margate sands..............as long as you dont hit them. :)
 
The plan

Aqua, thanks very much - I was considering exactly as you propose. The lock at the marina is apparently out of service from Mon 15 Feb. Thus my plan is to get out of the marina on Sun pm, sort myself and my crew out, get an early night then head out on the flood on Mon am to hit Sheerness HW-1, I should be able to then get to Ramsgate on the turn such that I have a flood around Goodwin sands and am flushed through along the inner TSS.

If the weather as it has been the last couple of days it should be a cracking trip - I'll report back on my return.
 
I hope all goes well, and yes your right, by leaving Sheerness at high water you should be ok for another 6 hours of favourable tide down from Nth Foreland into the channel. Good luck :)
 
Am I the only one who looks at the title of this thread and thinks there is an east coast connection to the film 'Leaving Las Vegas'?

Probably :confused:
 
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