Journey advice

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ChappoC

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Friends,
My Seaking 24 is nearly ready to go out and I have been looking for a maiden cruise destination...She is moored in Leigh Marina and I have looked up the Thames but there seems to be few places to aim for , overnight and return in a weekend. I have two boys and aged 2 and 4 who will be with myself and my girlfriend so would like to end up somewhere with pontoon visitor berths so that we can take them ashore. I dont have a dinghy as I do not want to , with the boys this age, be rowing ashore etc...

I have therefore looked at perhaps taking a trip over to The Medway. We have family in Rochester who we intend to sail over to see at some point so an exploratory cruise in that direction would make sense.

So, what advice do we have for making this trip? I was thinking I would make my way along to the end of Southend Pier and head over to the I think Buoy No3 (?) then if I am going to go down river I go to the Nore Small Craft Channel..? or if I am going to Queensborough cross main channel and cruise in on the Kent side?

I have the charts and have plotted a basic course but do not have the information to hand ....

Thank you

Chris
 
Welcome, assuming you know what your doing and its sounds like you have some knowledge but maybe not the experience, for your maiden voyage do not take the kids and girlfriend:) Take a useful mate or experienced boater, have VHF, lifejackets etc... ready. Boats go wrong frequently and you don't want to test a boat in the middle of the Thames estuary.
 
Yes, I have experience. Sailed the Solent many times and am aware of the shipping and importance of correct passage regarding channels etc. I do have an experienced friend who did his training with me on the Solent. We are going to complete several sea trials before I contemplate taking the family and all safety gear aboard. I am currently looking for advice on the actual crossing from Leigh on sea. Any advice on route across, expected timings and where to cruise into the Medway and safe mooring options should an emergency present itself... I also need to know what the chances are of getting under Rochester Bridge are.

Chris
 
Wonderful stuff... I know a few people go over from the marina where I moor so would try the initial trip with them but they are motor boats so doubt I could keep up .... !
 
Hi.you should have no problems with this trip.Would come out of Leigh as soon as you float and basically head for the wreck and then turn into Medway.Estimate at a leisurely speed say 8/10 knots the journey will take around 3/4 hours and you can use the flood to do most of the work.
First diversion would be Queenborough if any problems,you can pick up a visitor bouy.
If everything OK then keep heading up river passing Stangate Creek on your left,good sheltered anchoring spot and a couple of commercial bouys if any trouble.

Two main marinas.My preference will be for MDL next to the old historic dockyard in Chatham,run by the loverly Tracy.
Comfortable easy berthing via lock and well worth the £25.00 quid or so for a safe relaxed stay.
Showers and bogs to die for,brownie points from wife ?
Lots of stuff to do nearbye including loads of resturants and a shopping outlet.
If you get time come round the corner into Rochester under the bridge and you can moor for free at Rochester Pier and perhaps even pop up to wander round the castle.
With lots of notice we may even be able to find you somewhere to park at RCC.
DSCN7470.jpg

MDL Chatham
MDLmarina.jpg

Rochester castle with the pier below .
rochesterkeep.jpg
 
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oldgit said:
Hi.you should have no problems with this trip.Would come out of Leigh as soon as you float and basically head for the wreck and then turn into Medway.Estimate at a leisurely speed say 8/10 knots the journey will take around 3/4 hours and you can use the flood to do most of the work.
First diversion would be Queenborough if any problems,you can pick up a visitor bouy.
If everything OK then keep heading up river passing Stangate Creek on your left,good sheltered anchoring spot and a couple of commercial bouys if any trouble.

Two main marinas.My preference will be for MDL next to the old historic dockyard in Chatham,run by the loverly Tracy.
Comfortable easy berthing via lock and well worth the £25.00 quid or so for a safe relaxed stay.
Showers and bogs to die for,brownie points from wife ?
Lots of stuff to do nearbye including loads of resturants and a shopping outlet.
If you get time come round the corner into Rochester under the bridge and you can moor for free at Rochester Pier and perhaps even pop up to wander round the castle.
With lots of notice we may even be able to find you somewhere to park at RCC.
DSCN7470.jpg

MDL Chatham
MDLmarina.jpg

Rochester castle with the pier below .
rochesterkeep.jpg
Click to expand...

Thank you very much for that info... Feel happier knowing what to expect when I get over there... Wish I had measured the height of the mast before it was stepped to be sureI knew my exact height... I haven't found any definative information on getting under the bridge, i.e height to pass under at high/low water. My draught is I think 2ft 6".. Having on driven over the bridge I don't know how high it is...

Showers and toilets will indeed be brownie points from the wifelet...

I have two small boys and no dinghy as I wouldn't want to be rowing ashore with them. Is there anywhere at Queensborough to actually moor alongside? I can take the ground if need be though would prefer to be alongside ....

So what is the best course to take. From looking at a chart i could make my way to the end of Southend Pier and make a bee line for I think No3 Buoy? Then keep out of but along side the shipping channel on the Kent side?
 
We can't give you course to steer, you need to take into account the effect of tide at the time of day you intend to cross and plot yourself a little vector to get course to steer, I would suggest a gps or plotter so that you can check your position on the way across, too many sandbanks to find. This would be dead easy in a fast mobo but a whole different ball game in sailboat, unless you can make 7/8knts under power.
 
Chris_d said:
We can't give you course to steer, you need to take into account the effect of tide at the time of day you intend to cross and plot yourself a little vector to get course to steer, I would suggest a gps or plotter so that you can check your position on the way across, too many sandbanks to find. This would be dead easy in a fast mobo but a whole different ball game in sailboat, unless you can make 7/8knts under power.
Click to expand...

Will have to ascertain max speed in the trials when we take her for a spin around Leigh...

Do you now anything about max height under Rochester Bridge ? Assume my mast about 30ft high ish...
 
OK forget the speed time suggestions.We do in fact have a small yacht moored at RCC,suspect he can only get under Rochester bridge around LW.
Still suggest MDL for your over night stop.
Would not personally go out as far as No 3,unless you desperately want to.Would turn at No7 on at the wreck by the time you arrive there will be more than sufficent water for your boat.We normally keep just outside the main channel.
 
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oldgit said:
OK forget the speed time suggestions.We do in fact have a small yacht moored at RCC,suspect he can only get under Rochester bridge around LW.
Still suggest MDL for your over night stop.
Would not personally go out as far as No 3,unless you desperately want to.Would turn at No7 on at the wreck by the time you arrive there will be more than sufficent water for your boat.We normally keep just outside the main channel.
Click to expand...

yes, took another look at the charts and did think that...mkes for a more direct crossing aswell...And I think I am possibly 1ft too tall to get under but I think it will be a look and see situation when we get there. There are moorings if I need to turn around and /or wait... worked out a max headroom of about 34ft...
 
HI ChappoC,

I also have a small sail boat which I keep at Gillingham and have often gone across to Southend. If I were coming back from Southend ie the pier, my route would be Sea Reach 4, Nore Swatch, Grain Edge and Grain Hard getting me into the Medway and Garrison Point. That gives you a direct route of about 5miles which at about 4knts through the water means somewhere between one hour and one hour and a half to make the crossing. From there to give you some idea, Queenborough is about 1hr away, Gillingham 2 to 2.5 hours away and MYC or Chatham about three hours away. Rochester could be another hour away above Chatham. Forget getting under the bridge, it will not happen unless you can easily drop your mast.

Having a small sailboat, you will soon know that using the tide is all important. So I would like to be crossing Grain Spit at slack tide low water so that I could use the flood tide to take me upriver.

The two best places to anchor on the Medway are Stangate Creek or Sharfleet Creek, but you will be restricted to your boat.

The only three places where you can moor up to a pontoon are at Queenborough, or the club pontoons at MYC or Upnor YC but all of these are for short term access only.

Now that we have lost Hoo Marina to visiting craft, Gillingham and Chatham are the only marina options. Whereas I accept that Chatham may have more numerous distractions nearby, don't write Gillingham off, it's a nice friendly place and for a small sailing boat saves half an hours travel time each way.

So far nobody has mentioned the Swale apart from Queenborough. I like Harty Ferry as a short destination and you can chose the inside (Swale) or outside route dependant upon the weather conditions. We usually do the trip as a round the island circuit.

Anyway whatever you chose enjoy it, but only after a couple of weekends pottering around the Leigh area to make sure that you and your boat are happy with each other and up to the trip.

Cheers, Len
 
Hi Len,
Sorry for not getting back to you sooner...Thank you for all that information...Charts will be out this afternoon ! Looking forward to getting out there as soon as possible....

Thank you again

Chris
 
We see plenty of small sailing boats arriving at St Kats from the East Coast. The boat is not an issue it appears!! :D
 
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