Mewstone short cut

[Yealm]

In 20 years, I’ve only ever seen a couple of (>30 foot) boats take the short cut inner passage between the Mewstone and mainland on the way to Plymouth (or back).

But on Navionics it looks very do-able. Does anyone have experience/advice? I’m very tempted to take the plunge!

ps do any charts tell you how high the green bits are near the gap, I’m guessing less than a 1m?

 

[B27]

The crowd-sourced depths on Navionics are utter nonsense.
So, I turn that off for starters.
If I wanted to sail through there, I would have a good look at it from the land at low tide, then wait until there's another 3m of water.
My concern with this sort of shortcut is that some muppet will follow me and cock it up.

Clearly there is enough water at high tide, but it's not a place I'd choose to catch a lobster pot or some other distraction.
I don't know the place intimately, but I don't think there's a good transit or anything to keep you on a good track?

Did it used to be forbidden to sail inside the Mewstone when there was a MoD place active there?

 

[Jon Stacey]

In 20 years, I’ve only ever seen a couple of (>30 foot) boats take the short cut inner passage between the Mewstone and mainland on the way to Plymouth (or back).

But on Navionics it looks very do-able. Does anyone have experience/advice? I’m very tempted to take the plunge!

Went through recently in a Shrimper at low water with the Garmin on max zoom and eyes peeled. We as pretty twisty channel at that state of tide but we went through with the centreboard down. Like you, I've only seen a couple of bigger boats do it but, given the recent experience definitely think it would be fine at high.

 

[Yealm]

The crowd-sourced depths on Navionics are utter nonsense.
So, I turn that off for starters.
If I wanted to sail through there, I would have a good look at it from the land at low tide, then wait until there's another 3m of water.
My concern with this sort of shortcut is that some muppet will follow me and cock it up.

Clearly there is enough water at high tide, but it's not a place I'd choose to catch a lobster pot or some other distraction.
I don't know the place intimately, but I don't think there's a good transit or anything to keep you on a good track?

Did it used to be forbidden to sail inside the Mewstone when there was a MoD place active there?

A couple I met on the headland told me that you can use the transit marks for the Yealm backwards to indicate the channel- no idea if true. They said they used to do it often, and once went between the 2 Mewstones whilst racing- hard core!!

 

[Bilgediver]

A couple I met on the headland told me that you can use the transit marks for the Yealm backwards to indicate the channel- no idea if true. They said they used to do it often, and once went between the 2 Mewstones whilst racing- hard core!!

Not with my eyesight.

 

[doug748]

A couple I met on the headland told me that you can use the transit marks for the Yealm backwards to indicate the channel- no idea if true. They said they used to do it often, and once went between the 2 Mewstones whilst racing- hard core!!

Yes, that is right you can check it out on an Admiralty chart. As suggested may not be easy to see
Go at the top ish of the tide though.
I have seen a 48ft yacht go through.

.

 

[Greg2]

Not sailed the area but the title of the thread caught my eye - brought back memories of my time at the RN gunnery school (HMS Cambridge), which no longer exists. Back then yachts occaisionally brought proceedings to a halt as we waited for them to clear the range

 

[ProDave]

Not sailed the area but the title of the thread caught my eye - brought back memories of my time at the RN gunnery school (HMS Cambridge), which no longer exists. Back then yachts occaisionally brought proceedings to a halt as we waited for them to clear the range

Same here with the Fort George range. Boats have a right to transit and there is something mildly satisfying when the firing stops as you enter the range boundary and resumes when you reach the other end.

 

[Hermit]

A very, very sensitive transit!

 

[Sandy]

Very 'doable' ideally at high water, says man at Saltash.

 

[Yealm]

A very, very sensitive transit!

View attachment 163512

indeed!!

 

[Jacana139]

indeed!!

Why? It’s obviously possible but it’s probably only 20 mins extra of relaxed motor/sailing to go round the Mewstone. I sailed with my Dad out of Plymouth for 20+ years. Even after a liquid biased lunch in The Ship at Noss Mayo we wouldn’t have returned home that way!

 

[penfold]

Not sailed the area but the title of the thread caught my eye - brought back memories of my time at the RN gunnery school (HMS Cambridge), which no longer exists. Back then yachts occaisionally brought proceedings to a halt as we waited for them to clear the range

How do matelots learn to hit things then?

 

[Greg2]

How do matelots learn to hit things then?

I don’t know - perhaps it is all simulations during training now with live firing from ships in the fleet.

When I went to Cambridge there was a variety of gun turrets but there were three types still in use at that time - think it is one now. Also close range weapons (bofors and oerlikon and after the Falklands bmarc). I haven’t visited the site since my last course there in the mid- ‘80s but I have seen photographs and there is virtually no sign that the place ever existed.

 

[penfold]

That's a bit sad, I was given a tour of the place in the mid 90s.

 

[Frogmogman]

How do matelots learn to hit things then?

Or more to the point, where do they go to get shouted at (which seemed to be one of the main objectives of RN gunnery school) ?

 

[penfold]

Or more to the point, where do they go to get shouted at (which seemed to be one of the main objectives of RN gunnery school) ?

The basic shouting is still done at Raleigh.

 

[Greg2]

Or more to the point, where do they go to get shouted at (which seemed to be one of the main objectives of RN gunnery school) ?

Getting shouted at and doubling up the hill from the range as punishment for perceived misdemeanours were indeed features of life at HMS Cambridge. Character building!
.

 

[john_morris_uk]

Well we’ve been through several times. 33’ boat and more recently our 39’ boat. I usually choose high water plus or minus and yes to using the leading marks in the Yealm.

What’s the problem? The navigable bit is pretty wide really.

But there again I trained many years ago with John Goode and he was always getting students to explore the green bits on the chart.

And I’ve been through Trouz Yar inside the Raz du Seine. (Spelling?)

 

[Chiara’s slave]

We’ve been through, though not for maybe 20 years. Last time in an F27 tri. No difficulties worth mentioning, daggerboard down, drawing 1.6m