Ouch!

Rivers & creeks

Rivers & creeks

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Waiting to go into Shotley in preparation for the Pirate Weekend, we drifted downtide of the stupid Shotley poles and gently ran aground. The thing is we are now displacing 15 tons not a mere 3 so 'gently' does a whole bucket of damage, probably on an old WW2 concrete block. Turns out we ripped the gel coat and some layers of glassfibre along about 15 feet of the keel. Thank goodness for good insurance with small a excess :o

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:eek:
 
That's bad luck. I've always been wary of encapsulated keels and have heard of people putting sacrificial bits on them.
 
Phoenix of Hamble said:
If it's any consolation, your not the first to go aground by drifting out of the channel there!
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The problem is that there can be a very strong cross tide, with few marks to line up on.

Coming out from Shotley, look for the two posts (Starboard and East Cardinal Marks). Between them on the southern shore you will see a peculiar grey-painted gantry structure (part of the Trinity House facility, I believe). Keep the gantry lined up between the posts and you will run straight down the dredged channel. Be a little careful as you come up to the posts. There is a tendency to point straight at the gantry, rather than lining it up between the posts, allowing the cross tide to push you on to a post. Keep over towards the up-tide post!

Coming in is a little more difficult. I know about the Inogon beacon, but I find it difficult to see in bright daylight. Instead, look from the posts to the lock gate. Behind the gate are some poplar trees, one of which lines up with the gate. Keep it lined up as you come in, and again you will run along the channel. It would be even better if Shotley could put a nice lit beacon there, perhaps with a light on the inner lock gate as well, but we can't have everything!
 
Ouch is right! Saw someone else aground there on mOnday later....
 
The Lazy Kipper said:
Waiting to go into Shotley in preparation for the Pirate Weekend, we drifted downtide of the stupid Shotley poles and gently ran aground. The thing is we are now displacing 15 tons not a mere 3 so 'gently' does a whole bucket of damage, probably on an old WW2 concrete block. Turns out we ripped the gel coat and some layers of glassfibre along about 15 feet of the keel. Thank goodness for good insurance with small a excess :o


I have been told that a steel barge wreck lies just to the west of the east cardinal mark. You are not the first to cause significant damage to you boat, on it. The wreck is marked on Imray 2000.4.
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Ooer! I've certainly drifted out of the channel there once or twice. Now knowing of the concrete blocks plus sunken barge will concentrate my mind better next time.
Thanks for the transit tips
 
peterb said:
The problem is that there can be a very strong cross tide, with few marks to line up on.

Coming out from Shotley, look for the two posts (Starboard and East Cardinal Marks). Between them on the southern shore you will see a peculiar grey-painted gantry structure (part of the Trinity House facility, I believe). Keep the gantry lined up between the posts and you will run straight down the dredged channel. Be a little careful as you come up to the posts. There is a tendency to point straight at the gantry, rather than lining it up between the posts, allowing the cross tide to push you on to a post. Keep over towards the up-tide post!

Coming in is a little more difficult. I know about the Inogon beacon, but I find it difficult to see in bright daylight. Instead, look from the posts to the lock gate. Behind the gate are some poplar trees, one of which lines up with the gate. Keep it lined up as you come in, and again you will run along the channel. It would be even better if Shotley could put a nice lit beacon there, perhaps with a light on the inner lock gate as well, but we can't have everything!
Click to expand...

I'm going to try & print this - thanks.

PS - may even be worth the six sheets of paper I've just used..

Sorry to see your troubles, LK, but she will be good as new, at least.
 
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johnalison said:
That's bad luck. I've always been wary of encapsulated keels and have heard of people putting sacrificial bits on them.
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I wondered that as well, but what would you use? Having said that I've run aground many times and this is the first damage, I rely on the East Coast's mud to prevent this sort of thing :o
 
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