Independence | Upadates & Cruising

[Portofino]

Hey I was never in the “ cor blimey / don,t do it “ camp

Not seen ought too bad yet ! - Understand the tech issues getting footage on the last day footage and Tnx for sharing .

1/2 of me looking at the vid thinks it showcases a great boat - space living wise in a grass is greener on the other side kinda way .
But the other 1/2 thinks thank Christ in our boat we can potentially do that leg in 3 hrs and have arrive for lunch .
You’ve put me off a SD / D boat - stints Just take too long and there’s nowt you can do about it .

Noticed the SS pole supporting the underside of the crane - you commented ^^^ noticed no star glazing around the crane .
It looks a well built boat nicely engineered, door frames , hand rails etc quality stuff

 

[MapisM]

You guy's though, cor blimey lol

LR, just to clarify a bit, since I guess you're mostly referring to my post #276:
If that gave you the impression that I was willing to engage in some sort of pissing contest on rough seas, I can assure you that I couldn't care less about that.
But as it happens, I'm not the only one here in the asylum who experienced first hand how 37kts of wind typically affect a sea surface, and imho the previous video doesn't even remotely resemble that.
Far from suggesting that you are lying, mind. Maybe it has to see with the geographic situation of that spot (wind blowing from land, very short fetch, whatever).
I'm just saying it as I see it, nothing else.

 

[pks1702]

I would have thought that the figure quoted was perhaps gust speed and also apparent wind if measured with any sort of onboard instrument.

 

[Greg2]

Worth saying that wind strength is only part of the equation Robin. Direction of wind, state of tide and direction, depth of water and shelter provided by land are also important factors that combine to create sea state and of course the final piece in the jigsaw is course steered relative to the conditions.

So I have happily cruised in 40 knot winds when we have been able to tuck into the lee of the coast in relatively calms seas but wouldn’t choose to in exposed waters in the same wind strength. Similarly force 4 or 5 wind over tide around a headland with over falls such as Orford Ness have created some of the worst conditions we have cruised in......washing machine would be an appropriate description

 

[pks1702]

I suspect on the day in question as the wind was NE the stretch from Brighton to Dungeness was largely in the Lee of the shoreline, particularly so between Rye and Dungeness. Once ‘round’ Dungeness the boat would have been fully exposed to the wind which they would have been punching and which is shown clearly in the video.

Short steep seas are particularly tiring, I agree with Greg that overfalls and shallow waters can make for a pretty uncomfortable time even more so with wind over tide. The stretch from Dungeness to Dover is an average LAT of around 20 meters so to an East Coast boater positivly huge depths, but those sort of seas tire you quickly with the constant bracing against the motion. Dover was a wise move to take stock and make decisions rather than pushing on further to Ramsgate, another approx 1.5 hours further on and arriving in the dark near the bottom of the tide. Good call from Charlie and crew IMHO.

 

[NGM]

LR

Are you planning to keep the Williams ? I don't know anything about the N Broads but I presume there are speed limits and if so the Williams a bit pointless. ? Given the meaningful weight it created high up did you consider doing the trip without it and leaving it on the Souuth Coast where buyers likely more plentiful ?

 

[Piers]

You know, as I read this long thread I ask myself would I have set out in these seas? Answer, no. But then I, too, have been caught out as the oncoming swell steepened and increased to the point where I believed it was too steep and the period was too short for Play d'eau to execute a 180 without the chance of of a broach. Did we survive? Of course. But, the great unknown would have been, 'What if we'd hooked a pot?'

I now have in my mind a factor of sea conditions in which I'd feel safe if we hooked a pot. So now I ask the rhetorical question, 'What would have happened if Independence had hooked a pot in those conditions?'

 

[Greg2]

I now have in my mind a factor of sea conditions in which I'd feel safe if we hooked a pot. So now I ask the rhetorical question, 'What would have happened if Independence had hooked a pot in those conditions?'

A fair question I think Piers. Picking up a pot on a coastal passage in the UK is a very real risk and one that is greater when sea conditions make them more dificult to spot. Local knowledge helps in home waters but not so much on a longer passage in unfamiliar waters.

 

[benjenbav]

...So now I ask the rhetorical question, 'What would have happened if Independence had hooked a pot in those conditions?'

Hooking some nets with a couple of matelots on board might be seen as a problem with its own solution.

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Far from suggesting that you are lying, mind. Maybe it has to see with the geographic situation of that spot (wind blowing from land, very short fetch, whatever).
I'm just saying it as I see it, nothing else.

A few weeks ago I was happily eating my 4 course dinner on board a boat cruising at sea in 51kts of wind. As you say, fetch is everything when it comes to sea state and so is the size of the boat

 

[londonrascal]

Christ in our boat we can potentially do that leg in 3 hrs and have arrive for lunch . You’ve put me off a SD / D boat - stints Just take too long and there’s nowt you can do about it .

We all are different, to me that is the point of boating. Take my 'usual' experience the Broads. Most boaters tend to go for about a couple of hours to the next village/pub and moor up. I prefer to spend the majority of the day cruising hence why I may leave in the morning from one location and 8 hours later be close on arrival at my destination thoroughly having enjoyed the journey there.

When we had left Brighton a planning boat was headed the opposite way (may have been a Fairline) and she looked good and really 'going for it' but having been on boats like this at speed and seen countless videos on You Tube I am not taken by the appeal of the speed and getting there, and had I bought one such boat would be one of those trundling around at displacement speeds and surly being told how silly that is and uncomfortable.

Are you planning to keep the Williams ? I don't know anything about the N Broads but I presume there are speed limits and if so the Williams a bit pointless. ?

Well since it was bunged into the deal for free, why not keep it? Sure there are speed limits (6MPH is the most) which makes having such perhaps seem 'pointless' but then plenty of people own performance cars yet don't get their full potential - back to speed again and my lack of care about it. I do like the look of the RIB and comfort so my plan is spend a summers afternoon to head to a local Broad, drop the 'anchor' and chill out with a mini-picnic and venture to places only the shallowest draft boat can go, yet be in a lot more comfort than a canoe or dinghy with oars.

Talking of draft, Indy is just about afloat at low tide - touches the mud when it is an exceptionally low tide though, this further limits my use to one river during about a 5 hour window - I sure did well with the purchase and location to keep her :ambivalence:

 

[BruceK]

But as it happens, I'm not the only one here in the asylum who experienced first hand how 37kts of wind typically affect a sea surface, and imho the previous video doesn't even remotely resemble that.

Nawww you cant be serious. I am often out in that sort of weather, usually trying to find shelter mind but sometimes just caught up in the thick of it. Camera doesn't do justice but these seas managed to squeeze the head's porthole trim cover off and threw the fridge out of it's bracket. It was ummm, bracing

 

[jrudge]

Christ in our boat we can potentially do that leg in 3 hrs and have arrive for lunch . You’ve put me off a SD / D boat - stints Just take too long and there’s nowt you can do about it .

We all are different, to me that is the point of boating. Take my 'usual' experience the Broads. Most boaters tend to go for about a couple of hours to the next village/pub and moor up. I prefer to spend the majority of the day cruising hence why I may leave in the morning from one location and 8 hours later be close on arrival at my destination thoroughly having enjoyed the journey there.

When we had left Brighton a planning boat was headed the opposite way (may have been a Fairline) and she looked good and really 'going for it' but having been on boats like this at speed and seen countless videos on You Tube I am not taken by the appeal of the speed and getting there, and had I bought one such boat would be one of those trundling around at displacement speeds and surly being told how silly that is and uncomfortable.

Are you planning to keep the Williams ? I don't know anything about the N Broads but I presume there are speed limits and if so the Williams a bit pointless. ?

Well since it was bunged into the deal for free, why not keep it? Sure there are speed limits (6MPH is the most) which makes having such perhaps seem 'pointless' but then plenty of people own performance cars yet don't get their full potential - back to speed again and my lack of care about it. I do like the look of the RIB and comfort so my plan is spend a summers afternoon to head to a local Broad, drop the 'anchor' and chill out with a mini-picnic and venture to places only the shallowest draft boat can go, yet be in a lot more comfort than a canoe or dinghy with oars.

Talking of draft, Indy is just about afloat at low tide - touches the mud when it is an exceptionally low tide though, this further limits my use to one river during about a 5 hour window - I sure did well with the purchase and location to keep her :ambivalence:

A Williams going slowly will not track in a straight line. It is worth good money. Sell it and buy something suitable for low speeds.

Try it out and you will see what I mean.

 

[benjenbav]

Also, I would have thought that any jet rib might struggle with blockages on inland waters with plenty of weed etc.

 

[MrB]

Absolutely true.
But even if I'm perfectly aware of this, the title "F7 going on 8" in the last above video is questionable to say the least.
No white foam, no breaking waves, WTH? I wish F7 to 8 seas were anything like that! :ambivalence:

And you would be right too. I asked Dr Simon Keeling from www.WeatherSchool.co.uk (Simonjk on here) and he said "I'd say F6 but impossible with that flow to be near F7 I'd say." Chart attached.

View attachment 69170

 

[MapisM]

Glad to hear the agreement of a professional, but let me reiterate that I didn't want to pick up any fight about true sea conditions - and I still don't.
Fwiw, the kind of sea which could be seen in the video is already beyond my personal acceptance anyway, if given a choice.
Knowing that the crew and the boat can withstand the conditions and reach their destination safe and sound is great, of course.
But in my idea of pleasure boating, if you take away the "pleasure" part, there isn't much left in it...
...and I'm too old to be interested in bragging rights!

 

[MrB]

Glad to hear the agreement of a professional, but let me reiterate that I didn't want to pick up any fight about true sea conditions - and I still don't.
Fwiw, the kind of sea which could be seen in the video is already beyond my personal acceptance anyway, if given a choice.
Knowing that the crew and the boat can withstand the conditions and reach their destination safe and sound is great, of course.
But in my idea of pleasure boating, if you take away the "pleasure" part, there isn't much left in it...
...and I'm too old to be interested in bragging rights!

I agree with you fully and only asked Simon so the guess work could be taken out of the equation. Some said how rough it looked and some cared to differ.

 

[jrudge]

Not joining the specific debate but it is funny that wave don’t photograph well!

We were anchored in Ibiza. The wind was supposed to swing and die. It swung but forgot the die bit.

We were totally exposed and it was horrendous. Took some video. I looked mildly bumpy - the only thing that told thectrue storey was the Williams rib bouncing about !

I called botafoch Marine for the 10 th time that day and they gave me a place. E650 for the night for a 58 ft boat. Welcome to Ibiza !

 

[BruceK]

Anglesey and the Llyn peninsula are great in that respect. No matter the wind direction there is always a sheltered side and we take full advantage of that. Of course this does sometimes means you have to pay the piper for the transits back to home port. The pic above was during Tropical storm Gert last year. Slap bang in the middle of our cruising holiday. We took advantage of a brief lull to get from Caernarfon to Aberdovey.

 

[londonrascal]

Thanks for the clarification - I still go by what my wind meter recorded at the time on the day so far as wind speed went once we had passed the headland. You are all being helpful to remind me though I must in future always have evidence to back up what I say since simply stating things after the event does rather get pulled apart some.

Of course the footage shown of the conditions was not for shot by me or for my Blog, but by those who had been following us along the coast and later met us at Dover. Anyway, its all academic now because she won't be seeing that sort of stuff again in my ownership.

Will be spending this weekend working away again on things on Indy these include fitting some dome style CCTV cameras, smart sockets so i can monitor temperatures and equipment on board when I am not, cleaning the bilge out and going through a bunch of things ready for my Boat Safety Scheme examination on Monday. I also need to find out what type of Hydraulic oil I the pump that powers the Thursters takes.

The other fun part will be driving my car - albeit with L plates on with my Stepdad some of the way to Norfolk. I have some more lessons coming up so that is my next biggy to sort out along with the boat as will make getting to and from the boat and bringing gear there a damn sight easier than the current situation with trains!