High and Dry ....

johnalison said:
That's why sailing upwind in the Baltic is so frustrating. It's not uncommon to have something like half a knot of adverse current, and never anything favourable.
Click to expand...
Half a knot is nothing.

IMG_5706 1000pix.jpg

Notice the speed through the water of 7.75 knots and the chart plotter showing 11.0 knots - that is tide. This was sailing down the Northern Ireland coast from Rathlin Island to Bangor, but I did have tide of up to 5 knots against me entering Scapa Flow in a westerly gale. You can read about that hairy day here.
Round Britain day 43
 
I wonder what these Baltic sailors complaining of half a knot would make of the Alderney race. Though the entrance to Morbihan is even faster, it's quite a small area, whereas the race is 10 miles of it. Hurst narrows too can reach 6-7 knots on springs, but again only 100m or so really. The western solent is 3+knots for 12 miles. Concerto is way more informed than me about the more northerly parts, but I think it's fair to say that barely any part of Britain has only half a knot of tidal current. The water is always on the move, often fast enough to be a menace to the unwary.
 
What’s this tide you speak of 🤔🤷‍♂️😜
In fact the whole area around Morbihan I know so well. For the French license to sail the high seas, we are given the chart for that region...and we practically have to memorize the whole thing...every port, lighthouse (and their flashing sequence), the tides and all buoys. So whenever I hear talk about the area I feel all nostalgic..despite only ever going to the Ile de Re and La Rochelle by car😎
 
Last edited:
Chiara’s slave said:
I wonder what these Baltic sailors complaining of half a knot would make of the Alderney race. Though the entrance to Morbihan is even faster, it's quite a small area, whereas the race is 10 miles of it. Hurst narrows too can reach 6-7 knots on springs, but again only 100m or so really. The western solent is 3+knots for 12 miles. Concerto is way more informed than me about the more northerly parts, but I think it's fair to say that barely any part of Britain has only half a knot of tidal current. The water is always on the move, often fast enough to be a menace to the unwary.
Click to expand...
Up north there are plenty of places where the tide can run at 4 to 8 knots at springs. However it can give you so much extra distance if you get the tide with you or a nighmare if you get it wrong. With your trimaran, tide is not so much of a problem as a slower cruising boat. For me I never worry about punhing 1½ knots of tide as a lot of my sailing days are 12 to 14 hours, so I know I will always have some adverse tide over that period.

The only time I know of a gravy train of tide is sailing from the Medway to Brighton/Eastbourne or vice versa. I can sail along the north Kent coast to N Foreland as the tide goes out, it changes then to take me down past Dover and the takes me westbound to Dungerness, then I hit about 4 hours of adverse tide heading toward Beachy Head and it becomes favourable again. This trip usually takes me 14 to 16 hours and with only 4 hours of adverse tide!
 
We do notice adverse tide. But not 1/2 a knot. 3 knots, sure we do. With decent wind in the right direction we can still make good headway, but obviously not if i’t 5 knots and on the nose, like a spring flood and SW wind going from Cowes to Yarmouth. We’d wait for the ebb if that was the case. 1/2 a knot is a lot less than the difference in speed from being 3” too slack on the mainsheet, reaching or close hauled.
 
Chiara’s slave said:
I wonder what these Baltic sailors complaining of half a knot would make of the Alderney race. Though the entrance to Morbihan is even faster, it's quite a small area, whereas the race is 10 miles of it. Hurst narrows too can reach 6-7 knots on springs, but again only 100m or so really. The western solent is 3+knots for 12 miles. Concerto is way more informed than me about the more northerly parts, but I think it's fair to say that barely any part of Britain has only half a knot of tidal current. The water is always on the move, often fast enough to be a menace to the unwary.
Click to expand...

Where do you see Baltic Sailors complain ?? The guy who posted the 'half knot' - is he Baltic based ??

Everyone I sail with is happy that we don't have anything like UK tidal races ...

I spent most of my life sailing UK .. Solent particularly. Experiencing Portsmouth entrance .. Langstone .. Chichester ... Needles etc.
 
Chiara’s slave said:
We do notice adverse tide. But not 1/2 a knot. 3 knots, sure we do. With decent wind in the right direction we can still make good headway, but obviously not if i’t 5 knots and on the nose, like a spring flood and SW wind going from Cowes to Yarmouth. We’d wait for the ebb if that was the case. 1/2 a knot is a lot less than the difference in speed from being 3” too slack on the mainsheet, reaching or close hauled.
Click to expand...


But I am sure you also know to creep along coastline to beat the high rates etc. In fact your Cowes to Yarmouth .. depending on which tide - the side you creep along can be literally counter ..
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top