Navigational question, for experienced

[davidej]

The Wallet is notorious for choppy seas.

Simple rule - you can sail against the tide or against the wind but not both.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

Once again that is a personal thing. If leaving early I like to sleep on the boat the night before because my body gets used to the motion of the boat & helps with the seasickness. But if leaving a bit later, I sleep at home, as I get a more comfortable night & a more relaxed start. ( I only live 4.5 miles away) Obviously I cannot do that if not at my home port.
I do not eat breakfast, except coffee & a mince tart ( Had that for 30 years, it is a sugar balance thing for migraine )

Where you get a good nights rest is immaterial and neither myself or the OP stipulated whether it was to be on the boat, your own bed or one in the Ritz. It's the good nights sleep and rest that is important. Perhaps it would be wise not to spend it energetically with your mistress in the Ritz or anywhere else for that matter though.

 

[Daydream believer]

. Perhaps it would be wise not to spend it energetically with your mistress in the Ritz or anywhere else for that matter though.

I did say that it was a personal thing. I was talking about a thrash up the Wallet, you introduced a thrash in the Ritz
Somehow I think you have a different interpretation for use of the Wallet

 

[onesea]

It’s all been said above, by people who know the waters.

However given that scenario and must do passage at that time. I would consider looking for less tide. Generally shallow water, hugging the coast.

However in this occasion it would of put you on a leeshore not ideal.

With a plotter now it can be easy to see when the current changes. When forced to Sailing uptide and wind we often decide to sail between say the 2m and 15m contour.

Much depends on the slope of the sea bed, wind speed direction and strength of tide and how frequently we want to tack.

Dodging the current can reduce the chop your beating into.

 

[johnalison]

The Wallet is notorious for choppy seas.

Simple rule - you can sail against the tide or against the wind but not both.

The ‘Dutch HR’ method was that if required to motor into the wind you would wait for an adverse tide, which would give calmer water. However, I have a disinclination to wasting fuel and we are talking about sailing anyway. Sometimes one is forced to tack uptide, something we find ourselves doing down the Orwell when heading for the Backwaters, and our track on the plotter ends up looking like a cat’s cradle.

 

[oldbloke]

If you are going to make a habit of beating in a breeze a suitably sized jib is orders of magnitude better than a furled genoa. A lot of oldboats have one tucked away somewhere, or a second hand one from a racing boat won't cost much. On our Spring 25 we had one from (I think) a Melges 24.

 

[johnalison]

If you are going to make a habit of beating in a breeze a suitably sized jib is orders of magnitude better than a furled genoa. A lot of oldboats have one tucked away somewhere, or a second hand one from a racing boat won't cost much. On our Spring 25 we had one from (I think) a Melges 24.

Possibly in smaller boats, but a good laminate jib with a padded luff can be pretty good and the ability always to have the right sail area means that you will overall make much better progress.

 

[Daydream believer]

It’s all been said above, by people who know the waters.

However given that scenario and must do passage at that time. I would consider looking for less tide. Generally shallow water, hugging the coast.

It is years since I had to return to Burnham but from memory
Problem is , that heading for Burnham the Op has to keep out a bit to clear the Eagle sands between Clacton & the start of the River Colne. If heading for Brightlingsea, there is an inner channel but not preferred in low water.
The route means heading out , in the general direction of the Wallet Spitway, to cross between the Buxey & Gunfleet sands at the Swin Spitway. For a newbie that is hard enough heading into the wind. Worse still is the channel along the Swallowtail which is poorly buoyed along the south side of the Buxey sands.
However, by that time, if one had managed an adverse tide all the way to the Swin he would have a good tide into the Crouch. So the 2 balance out. I would prefer the best tide into the Crouch as there is less room to tack from the Swin onwards..I would be getting fed up by then & the engine would work better in the Crouch with the tide.

 

[johnphilip]

Yes you are misreading the original post. He sailed from Burnham to Harwich OK but then the next day he attempted to return against both wind and tide.

You also appear to be misunderstanding the wind direction. It was a SW wind. That is blowing from the south west.
.

No what he said was
"On a bright day of 29 July 2023 we done a silly thing and without planing sailed to Harwich from Burnham.on crouch, was such a nice sailing.

We overlooked one thing, 30 July everything was against us to come back. "

ie on 29th he sailed from Harwich to Burnham, on 30th he returned NE from Burnham to Harwich. A SW wind would be behind him

 

[johnalison]

No what he said was
"On a bright day of 29 July 2023 we done a silly thing and without planing sailed to Harwich from Burnham.on crouch, was such a nice sailing.

We overlooked one thing, 30 July everything was against us to come back. "

ie on 29th he sailed from Harwich to Burnham, on 30th he returned NE from Burnham to Harwich. A SW wind would be behind him

Behind, as in ‘everything against’ perhaps?

 

[VicS]

No what he said was
"On a bright day of 29 July 2023 we done a silly thing and without planing sailed to Harwich from Burnham.on crouch, was such a nice sailing.

We overlooked one thing, 30 July everything was against us to come back. "

ie on 29th he sailed from Harwich to Burnham, on 30th he returned NE from Burnham to Harwich. A SW wind would be behind him

On the 29th he sailed to Harwich from Burnham ....... He said, "On a bright day of 29 July 2023 we done a silly thing and without planing (sic) sailed to Harwich from Burnham.on crouch, was such a nice sailing."

On the 30th he attempted to return SW from Harwich to Burnham.
He says:
"Wind is 20 knots with gust of 26kn, coming from SW
So right up our nose"

 

[johnphilip]

On the 29th he sailed to Harwich from Burnham ....... He said, "On a bright day of 29 July 2023 we done a silly thing and without planing (sic) sailed to Harwich from Burnham.on crouch, was such a nice sailing."

On the 30th he attempted to return SW from Harwich to Burnham.
He says:
"Wind is 20 knots with gust of 26kn, coming from SW
So right up our nose"

View attachment 174278

Sorry, get new glasses

 

[DanTribe]

Many years ago we had an 18ft traditional 2.5 tonner. She sailed pretty well in flat water but we hadn't tried her much in a chop. Heading back from Walton backwaters to Burnham we had the tide with us until Clacton but could make little progress once the ebb started, just tacking in and out by the pier. She seemed to just fit into the wave length, going like a rocking horse, the bowsprit got a good wash. We plugged on and made progress as the ebb eased, so we took 3 tides to get home.
My 4 year old son said " do you know where I'd like to be now? Round at Nanny's having her roast dinner" Wise words from a kid.