Lifting bridge, Poole

[gary3029]

Hi
Need some advice how to deal with lifting bridge at poole. Have just got a mooring in the bay near cobbs quay. Now I have seen it done many times but never took much notice.

How do you approach the bridge and wait for it too lift. I have 24ft wooden sailing boat with 20hp inboard engine. I have the times when the bridge opens:

Do I have to call up or do I just turn up for the time opening?

How do I manage the tide run whilst waiting so I don't get dangerously near the bridge. Some boats just seem to sit there other make a hash of it....rather not be the latter.

What would be the plan for engine failure?

Any help/advice would be most welcome

 

[PhilipF]

The bridge will only open at the set times.

They should see you from their cameras, so the idea is to show up, and wait for opening, they let one side first, then the other (no set order) this indicated by the lights - might be a bit frustrating while waiting for the other side to come through! Specially so, if you do not feel over confident regarding holding your boat "on station".

 

[Tranona]

Yes, the times are fixed. Lights indicate who goes first, normally depending on tidal flow - tide with gets priority.

Yes, it can get a bit hairy if there are lots of boats and my strategy when I used it regularly with a low powered boat was always to be tail end charlie. The bridge won't close on you. You will find the tension lessens after you have used it a few times.

 

[Kurrawong_Kid]

In addition to what earlier posts have said, take careful notice of the tide. If it is flooding and there is not much wind behind you can usually very slowly stem the tide as you wait.
If it is ebbing, then it is more difficult if your boat does not like going slowly straight in reverse. Suggest you practise both in another location where there is tide but no obstacles to hit!

 

[gjgm]

Cant say I m a regular there, but having taken a few weeks of friendly boating in the west country, we dropped into Cobbs at the w/e. Well, there are some right to**ers, when it comes to the bridge. People pushing up past everyone, trying to push through when there are still boats coming the other way...
Its alot easier to hold back 150 yards, and let the idiots get on with it... As said elsewhere , the times the bridge opens are well published, and as you are unlikely to be the only boat, there is likely to be some delay before you can actually proceed.
One proviso, if you have a small tender/runabout that fits under the bridge (the current clearance level is on lights by the bridge !), then you can go through at any time of course, EXCEPT if right of way has been given to vessels coming the other way. They have cameras and PA system, so you will get told

 

[grumpy_o_g]

Couple of other points to watch - the RNLI station is right by the bridge. I think they still fire maroons when launching but do keep an eye out for either the All Weather or the Inshore lifeboat legging it out through the throng. Not that common but I have seen it happen.

Also watch out for changes to the bridge opening times a couple of times during the year, usually at beginning and end of the season. They're pretty well publicised in advanced.