Ilfracombe Harbour from Newport

[CAPTAIN FANTASTIC]

Not very familiar with Bristol channel; what is the best way to go to Ilfracombe (and back) from Newport?. I am thinking of sailing there this Friday and back Saturday or Sunday. Assume speed of 4 to 5 knots. Looking at the tides, HW Newport Friday is 07.41. What is the best time to leave Newport? thank you in advance.

 

[steveej]

Is it springs this friday? looks like it from the HW time.

It is about 45NM. At 4/5 knots that is getting on for two tides but all depends on boat. I would be tempted to punch at the Ilfracombe end. If you are early, you will need decent anchoring gear to wait the flood.

Bilge keels/ Fin?

Like to need to wait to be able to get in.

Will also need water to leave, but then you have lost the flood back so will either need to punch lots or anchor.

I would just punch eastwards as soon as you can get out and hope to get back on the next flood.

But it all depends on the boat.

Anchoring off and going ashore by dinghy may be better especially fi the weather is fine.

Anchoring gear very important in bristol channel as far as I am concerned.

 

[Snoopy463]

Leave Newport the night before and overnight in Barry. Leave Barry 2 hours before HT, hug the Welsh coast as far as Breaksea Point then head across the channel. Hopefully get to Ilfracome at low tide. Anchor off and wait for tide to enter harbour. As you have a bilge keel you can take to the ground in the outer harbour. Coming back leave 2 hours before low water and motor. With luck you’ll get back to Newport on one tide. Take plenty of diesel and don’t be afraid to use it.

 

[bitbaltic]

Assume 45Nm is going to take 12 hours in a bilge keeler capable of taking the ground in Ilfracombe

Assume you want to enter at half tide or better on the flood to get in and get secure, and in daylight

If HW is around 8pm you want to be there around 5 pm in the evening

Leave Newport at 5 am, punch last of the flood, ride the ebb 8am-2pm, punch the weaker flood 2pm to 5pm

But much depends on tide speed, if it is 2-3 kn foul you will be slower, but worst case scenario you arrive around HW still in daylight?

As said, generally it is easier to start going west in the BC at least from Cardiff because the tides are still v strong but not as strong as anywhere up Channel of Cardiff. Normal prescription for all trips west from Cardiff is to start at HW-2.

If bilge keel try Barry as recommended, assuming you are afloat early enough you gain versus time taken to lock out of Cardiff (about 45 mins, and low river flows to the bay are causing problems at the moment, see other threads here).

If you start from Cardiff or Barry worst thing that can happen is you have to wait for water to get into Ilfracombe I guess.

Never been there myself though (unsuitable boat) so all above is conjecture!!

 

[CAPTAIN FANTASTIC]

It appears that the best way is to make a start from Cardiff or Barry. Many thanks for the replies.

 

[Graham_Wright]

Is there a charge in Ilfracombe for drying out? Long time since I went there and we moored alongside the quay - no charge!

 

[Yellow Ballad]

I'm sure I've heard there's a charge for anchoring in the harbour limits but no harbourmaster's boat to collect fees.

Unless I'm thinking of somewhere else close by.

 

[TOKOLOSHI]

http://www.northdevon.gov.uk/media/378597/ilfracombe-harbour-charges-2018.pdf

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