Harwich to ramsgate/Dover - times

[Otter]

We're off soon to Ramsgate but preferably Dover on our way to IOW and CI. Tide planning doesn't come naturally to me so I'm after some help please!

Departure date will have a Harwich HW of approx 11.00am and we go outside everything, leaving the London Array to starboard. The tricky bit as I understand it is getting the arrival at North Foreland right so as not to be fighting the strong tide there. Departure can either be from Deben or if it's the wrong time we'll nip round the corner to Harwich.

What time would you leave Harwich? And what time would we need to be at North Foreland? Boat speed is the ubiquitous 5knots through the water.

Thanks. LK

 

[sailorman]

Our former marina neighbour & ex senior Harwich Pilot always reckons to leave Harwich @ HW as the track is mainly across the tidal flow & pick up the new flood off Ramsgit / Sandwich to take you down to Dover

 

[Otter]

So that would imply arriving at NF at around 3.30pm for low water. Working back from that point we have to cover about 40 miles divided by 5knots means a 7.30am departure - am I getting this right???

 

[sailorman]

So that would imply arriving at NF at around 3.30pm for low water. Working back from that point we have to cover about 40 miles divided by 5knots means a 7.30am departure - am I getting this right???

You sail HW Harwich was 11.00z

 

[Otter]

You sail HW Harwich was 11.00z

Yes, which makes it 3.30pm LW at NF?

 

[sailorman]

Yes, which makes it 3.30pm LW at NF?

then after 15.30 the flood will assist you towards Dover.
Last year we got as far as Sandwich @ the turn. cant remember thr timing / details as the log is o/b, it did get lumpy @ South Foreland

 

[wingdiver]

Using the 'leave at HW Harwich' model last year and heading out to Long Sand Head, Kentish Knock etc meant we had south flowing tide all the way to Dover. Think it takes us around 9 hours......we tend to make 7.5kts ave.

 

[Lucky Duck]

IIRC - The tide becomes foul at Dover around HW Dover -2, so my chosen strategy is to aim to at Dover a little beforehand and work my departure time back from that.

The tide turns fair around the North Foreland at HW Dover + 4.

 

[tidclacy]

Get yourself some tidal stream atlases. It is really quite easy to work out when best to leave and you know pretty well what the tide is doing every hour.

 

[sailorman]

Get yourself some tidal stream atlases. It is really quite easy to work out when best to leave and you know pretty well what the tide is doing every hour.

One does not want a foul tide going down the foreland, that is very hard going indeed

 

[Otter]

Get yourself some tidal stream atlases. It is really quite easy to work out when best to leave and you know pretty well what the tide is doing every hour.

I've got them; I'm just not good at using them.

 

[Otter]

Using the 'leave at HW Harwich' model last year and heading out to Long Sand Head, Kentish Knock etc meant we had south flowing tide all the way to Dover. Think it takes us around 9 hours......we tend to make 7.5kts ave.

Is that SOG or through the water? I thought it was a cross tide situation but if we can expect some positive tide that'll help.

 

[wingdiver]

Is that SOG or through the water? I thought it was a cross tide situation but if we can expect some positive tide that'll help.

That's SOG as we have seen in excess of 9kts at times

 

[Champagne Murphy]

We always try to be at Languard at HW +2. 4 hrs foul tide and pick up the S flow around the N Foreland. Tricky to get to Dover in one go if you average 5kts. Probably OK if you can make 7.5 like wingdiver! Foul tide in the estuary much easier than off Margate.
Also; don't be afraid to use Foulgers Gat, we did this week, no worries. Some guy fishing off the back of a workboat was all we saw.

 

[Otter]

Is there a route through the London Array or is it one massive forest?

 

[Champagne Murphy]

Yes, Foulgers. Sail through the forest!

 

[Otter]

I don't know, all those brown bits make me nervous. I checked on Navionics and it's 4 miles further if you go outside everything rather than threading through. That's 45 minutes extra journey time for a lot less stress.

 

[Champagne Murphy]

Not really 'threading'. As long as vis is good its no problem. As I recall we go to the N of Medusa and aim for Black Deep 1, then a right turn into Black Deep, didn't see a commercial vessel this time, and a gentle left into Foulgers. Or another couple of miles and left into Fishermans and a straight run to Ramsgate. Foulgers still has no buoys but its clearly marked on our chartplotter. We just sailed down the central reservation!

 

[Koeketiene]

I don't know, all those brown bits make me nervous. I checked on Navionics and it's 4 miles further if you go outside everything rather than threading through. That's 45 minutes extra journey time for a lot less stress.

+1
That's what we do - every time.

 

[Otter]

Not really 'threading'. As long as vis is good its no problem. As I recall we go to the N of Medusa and aim for Black Deep 1, then a right turn into Black Deep, didn't see a commercial vessel this time, and a gentle left into Foulgers. Or another couple of miles and left into Fishermans and a straight run to Ramsgate. Foulgers still has no buoys but its clearly marked on our chartplotter. We just sailed down the central reservation!

Wot no buoys! Good grief I'm glad Guapa has backed me up because that sounds lethal. Plus - and be gentle with me here I'm a tide novice - we're still on the ebb so I'm allowing it to take me outside? If I used suicide alley (AKA Foulgers unbuoyed Gat) then I'd be fighting the tide trying to get inside?