Lamenting Yarmouth Harbour

Seven spades,

there's a lot of truth in that; a few places like Yarmouth, Beaulieu, add Salcombe, would probably like to install turbines to command the tides so as to trap people in for another paying day !
 
Seajet said:
Twister Ken,

I have entered Yarmouth under reefed main & engine flat out, on a severely angled approach with one chance to get it right; try it on a lilo if you like, but you obviously haven't seen the cross tide there doing its' thing !
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No, I've only been into Yarmouth 30 or 40 times so I've obviously missed the water cannon effect you've experienced.
 
Twister_Ken said:
No, I've only been into Yarmouth 30 or 40 times so I've obviously missed the water cannon effect you've experienced.
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I kept a 10' and then a 14' dinghy with an outboard there for about 10 years that I used to use for fishing and I've got to say I never experienced it either...

Edit

Just as an aside, there is talk of an Indian restaurant opening in Yarmouth - the same people as run the Saffron in Cowes - not sure exactly where yet.
 
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l'escargot said:
I kept a 10' and then a 14' dinghy with an outboard there for about 10 years that I used to use for fishing and I've got to say I never experienced it either...

Edit

Just as an aside, there is talk of an Indian restaurant opening in Yarmouth - the same people as run the Saffron in Cowes - not sure exactly where yet.
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In the days that you could, I used to sail across & in on a Topper (had even less sense then).
The main hazard, being the pier if tide flooding & the ferry bowthruster, when wind lost at entrance.
Mind you, that was 30+ years ago, so it might have changed since then. ;)
 
l'escargot said:
I kept a 10' and then a 14' dinghy with an outboard there for about 10 years that I used to use for fishing and I've got to say I never experienced it either...

Edit

Just as an aside, there is talk of an Indian restaurant opening in Yarmouth - the same people as run the Saffron in Cowes - not sure exactly where yet.
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I think I saw it yesterday + lots of places now selling fish n chips.
 
Twister_Ken said:
No, I've only been into Yarmouth 30 or 40 times so I've obviously missed the water cannon effect you've experienced.
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Me too. I've been in there on a mini transat with what amounted to an egg whisk for an outboard at half tide and I don't recall being overly concerned that we were going to be swept past. Run down by the procession of Gin palaces that were also entering perhaps, but not swept past.
 
The cross current may be a significant factor on big tides, and when he's using full thruster power to dock, the ferry is a factor too.

However, ferry gliding in, to compensate for any tide, and keeping an eye on what the ferry is up to and how far he is progressing with his docking, I have a few times fallen vistim to the third challenge at Yarmouth.....

...the fishermen on the end of the pier. I've never been fishing myself but they seem able to cast their lines out well into the harbour approaches. And they loudly voice their concern if they think that you are going anywhere near them. Problem is that I can't even see their lines.

In fact, all considered, it's surprising we made it in there at all last weekend with the strong winds and all.

Cheers

Garold
 
When faced with long cast out fishing lines and bolshie fishermen shouting - at a different place - my crew's answer was to smile and lower our Scorpion centreboard; Ping !

As for cross tides at Yarmouth, do you think I'm making it up ?

Have a look at your tidal atlases chums.
 
Seajet said:
As for cross tides at Yarmouth, do you think I'm making it up ?

Have a look at your tidal atlases chums.
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Strange isn't it - at a guess several hundred yachts enter Yarmouth every month, but one never hears of one being swept into the pier, or onto the breakwater?

Of course there's a x-tide - that's why there are leading marks, so you can come in holding a transit.
 
Seajet said:
As for cross tides at Yarmouth, do you think I'm making it up ?
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Seajet said:
However I've seen tides off Yarmouth entrance which might easily see a yacht spat out to Hurst Narrows and the dangers of the Shingles etc, overfalls, lumpy seas and FATIGUE, quite unnecessary.
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Over egging it perhaps? Given that such a tide would have to be in the order of 5 knots before most cruising boats couldn't at least hold their own against it.
 
Twister Ken,

funnily enough I'm familiar with transits.

OK maybe it takes bad timing but you know the tides in the Western Solent and Yarmouth is on the deep side so why are you confused ?

I've been in there quite a lot myself but doubt I'll be going again when my boat is back in commission next season unless the set-up changes.
 
Seajet said:
...As for cross tides at Yarmouth, do you think I'm making it up ?

Have a look at your tidal atlases chums.
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I don't think anyone disputes there are cross tides but people who have probably been in and out of that harbour, in real life and not just looking at a tidal atlas, on probably hundreds of occasions have no experience of the extreme situation that you describe - I think the consensus is that it is more likely that you have made it up than they have...

As TK says, if it was that bad you would expect there to be frequent mishaps and there aren't.
 
Twister_Ken said:
Of course there's a x-tide - that's why there are leading marks, so you can come in holding a transit.
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Indeed, plus with the pier and the outer moorings there's plenty of visual references to keep your situational awareness.

I said above "it can certainly catch out those who are not expecting it", thinking of myself in Kindred Spirit a couple of years ago, the first time I'd been to Yarmouth in a while. I was on my own, so after dropping the sails I pointed up-tide with the engine on fast tickover, while I concentrated on stowing the main and mizzen and getting the warps and fenders ready. Once that was all done and I got back in the cockpit to steer in, I was mildly surprised to find myself well to the west of the entrance. My fast tickover, casually selected with the vague thought that "the tide's going west", hadn't been enough to hold me in place. So I, erm, opened the throttle to motor back up to the entrance and go in. No drama.

Several times since, I have sailed onto one of the outer moorings and tied up temporarily while I stowed sails and got mooring kit ready. If there's a spare buoy, this is quite convenient for the single-hander.

Pete
 
Seajet said:
Twister Ken,

funnily enough I'm familiar with transits.

OK maybe it takes bad timing but you know the tides in the Western Solent and Yarmouth is on the deep side so why are you confused ?

I've been in there quite a lot myself but doubt I'll be going again when my boat is back in commission next season unless the set-up changes.
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I'm not confused. I can get into Yarmouth whenever I want without being swept through Hurst narrows.

More to the point - do I want to go to Yarmouth now that it resembles every other marina on the S Coast?

(two letter answer beginning with N)
 
l'escargot said:
Just as an aside, there is talk of an Indian restaurant opening in Yarmouth - the same people as run the Saffron in Cowes - not sure exactly where yet.
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I saw the sign where Shenanagans claimed to be (did that place ever open?) - In which case, it is over the wightlink office with the terrace overlooking the harbour ....
If its the same as saffron I will be looking forward to the one thing Yarmouth has been missing for years ... anyone remember the dark little place that was where the blue crab is now?
 
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Very eloquent.

Meanwhile, what's happened to the keelboats and Folkboats which used to make a point of sailing in and out of Yarmouth ?

( Yes Ken they obviously picked their tides. :rolleyes: ).
 
Genoa said:
I saw the sign where Shenanagans claimed to be (did that place every open?) - In which case, it is over the wightlink office with the terrace overlooking the harbour ....
If its the same as saffron I will be looking forward to the one thing Yarmouth has been missing for years ... anyone remember the dark little place that was where the blue crab is now?
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Apparently there is an article due to go into the CP this week. The owner has some "interesting ideas..."... :D
 
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