Passage Planning

hlb

hlb

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With perfect timing, we managed to hit the Skerries spot on half tide, with wind over tide.

Passage planning is very important and fit's in between getting up time, parking time and booze time. How ever we did manage to find overfalls not yet charted, which seemed to change our speed between 10 knots and 20 knots all on there own, not of course helped by the 225 gallons on the arse end.

Drenched in sea weed and with a couple of seals which had been washed aboard, we took a breather in Almwich for a cup of tea, before battling on again through the cruel sea.

Not sure whether we went round Puffin Isle or over it, it was so rough.

However, back to passage planning. We did get to the Menei bridge in time for Henry's pee. As I said, perfect passage planninjg.
 
hlb said:
With perfect timing, we managed to hit the Skerries spot on half tide, with wind over tide.

Passage planning is very important and fit's in between getting up time, parking time and booze time. How ever we did manage to find overfalls not yet charted, which seemed to change our speed between 10 knots and 20 knots all on there own, not of course helped by the 225 gallons on the arse end.

Drenched in sea weed and with a couple of seals which had been washed aboard, we took a breather in Almwich for a cup of tea, before battling on again through the cruel sea.

Not sure whether we went round Puffin Isle or over it, it was so rough.

However, back to passage planning. We did get to the Menei bridge in time for Henry's pee. As I said, perfect passage planninjg.
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Venting Henry's passage is so important
I reckon yer did a great job
Considering all the Calcs you must have gone through.
I think there is a Market in the Nautical publication World for to see that pets are catered, ney looked after properly during such adventures.:rolleyes:
 
:D:D:D I'm glad you were paying attention Haydn.

I came out of Camaes once in a little W25' with young kids & SWMBO on board. We had been trying to sit out a NW'ly gale (wrong place to get caught - I know!) anyway we came out to dash for Holyhead right into the slackening F5-6 wind over tide. SWMBO & I were holding on to the gunwhales with whitened knuckles & a fixed grin on our faces, with sheets of spray over all & sundry & the o/b coming out of the water at regular intervals. "Isn't this exciting?" we said to the kids, but I don't think that they were convinced!

It was a wild ride, but as a rule, the boats are more seaworthy than the crew & we made Holyhead to our immense relief & no damage done. The overfalls along that North coast of Anglesey have to be experienced to be believed. The massive rocky cliffs on your lee don't help, nor does the lack of safe havens.
 
Kawasaki said:
Venting Henry's passage is so important
I reckon yer did a great job
Considering all the Calcs you must have gone through.
I think there is a Market in the Nautical publication World for to see that pets are catered, ney looked after properly during such adventures.:rolleyes:
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The Prince Madog was not here when we arrived, but was expected shortly. So rather than faf around, we took a buoy.

To the guy, who needs a massive gennie, we've got the TV on and the heating and other stuff, just supported by the little Honda, gently purring away. It's got a bit hot, so have opened the door.

Back to passage planning. Just taken Henry back to the Madog, which has now arrived back from Howth. He had a pee and got a sausage from the captain, hows that for timing.

Note to self. Must add in sausage time, to the passage plan.

Ok we missed the tide for Conwy by a mile, but one needs to look at the bigger picture at sea.

On the Up side, we got here for tea time, got set up with heating and tv for Emmerdale time and coronation St time. Watched all at sea, which was a bit rubbish really. Whilst getting out of bed at 11 am and restocking the drinks cabinet.

I need to go out with Kwackers on his next training course. It's far more complicated than he thinks. If we include SWMBO timing, it is a whole other ball game.:eek:
 
Tidal curves
An sausages an terds
Plus SWMBO'S
Delicate timings
It seems to me
hlb
That training is forlone
To calculate
What you need Mate
Would baffle even Nelson
So don't ask me
To help you out
I think yer on yer
Own Son!
 
Kawasaki said:
Tidal curves
An sausages an terds
Plus SWMBO'S
Delicate timings
It seems to me
hlb
That training is forlone
To calculate
What you need Mate
Would baffle even Nelson
So don't ask me
To help you out
I think yer on yer
Own Son!
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It's about happy boat and happy crew. Henry's had a pee and got a sausage.

Debs is going to bed. MF has had a nice exiting time and is feeling quite pleased with her self. The cup of tea in Almwich was grand.

The Skerries need to think again when MF is coming, they got a bloody nose.

Mind, I suppose she did use more juice than normal, but expect that was just flattening the dam things down. You would think the council would do it, like snow ploughs do. Bit much to ask MF to come along. Anyway, the dam lump things are flattened for a while. I'll speak to my MP.
 
Ok I'll come clean. MF dealt with it impeccably as she always does. Knocked off the auto pilot at one point, and went down to 8 knots. No idea if I needed to. No waves over the deck or anything, it was all a bit disappointing from the tales. Only problem was, she kept sitting on her arse. With bows in the air. I've shunted about 70 gallons of diesel forwards. So that might help.

I think folk worry about over falls to much. Yep they will be awful in bad weather. But in F 3's and 4's there no problem to a mobo. Even less problem to a good Mobo. It's mostly just up and down a bit and a bit swirly. They only usually last for a mile or two. Much quicker than going round.
 
I think you are quite right about two things in particular;

Lots of power, because short steep waves can stop a boat dead in the water. I suspect that has a lot to do with your extra fuel consumption. I have seen a small bit of disturbance halve Sea Rush's speed for the same revs. Doing 2k revs in smooth water = 4kts, but a bit of disturbed water knocked this down to 2kts for the same revs. OK I could shove the power up to 3k revs or more, but she starts to take sheets of spray over the cockpit then - wherein lies the second point;

Sailing indoors is a huge benefit in poor conditions, you are warm & dry with a nice cup of tea (or whatever:D) and no need to be wearing loads of oilies, gloves, hats etc. You don't have the feel of the wind & spray, but that just increases the feeling of security - false or otherwise!
 
Searush said:
Sailing indoors is a huge benefit in poor conditions, you are warm & dry with a nice cup of tea (or whatever:D) and no need to be wearing loads of oilies, gloves, hats etc. You don't have the feel of the wind & spray, but that just increases the feeling of security - false or otherwise!
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Its not quite all glamour Steve, you may be dry, but if it gets really poohie, you still are hanging on and trying to keep the internal contents of the boat in their rightful places...;)
 
AndieMac said:
Its not quite all glamour Steve, you may be dry, but if it gets really poohie, you still are hanging on and trying to keep the internal contents of the boat in their rightful places...;)
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Sure, but now add freezing cold buckets of water being thrown over you all the time. That's being in a cockpit. I mean, would you sit on your foredeck in such weather? Even a flybridge, which is usually high & forward enough to be mostly out of the spray will seldom be used in bad weather.

The one single thing that I would change if I could about my boat would be to have a greenhouse. I have just fitted a conservatory (Canvas cockpit cover) which is superb on a mooring, but restricts my visibility & headroom too much for it to be practical even if only motoring.

Anyone got a Westerly Vulcan going cheap?
 
Searush said:
Sure, but now add freezing cold buckets of water being thrown over you all the time. That's being in a cockpit. I mean, would you sit on your foredeck in such weather? Even a flybridge, which is usually high & forward enough to be mostly out of the spray will seldom be used in bad weather.

The one single thing that I would change if I could about my boat would be to have a greenhouse. I have just fitted a conservatory (Canvas cockpit cover) which is superb on a mooring, but restricts my visibility & headroom too much for it to be practical even if only motoring.

Anyone got a Westerly Vulcan going cheap?
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Maybe even a solid dodger/wheel-house and make your own motor-sailer. Customise it to suit yourself, maybe canvas panels in the sides to open up on a nice day etc.

The only time you should have water in your face at the helm is when the seawater is no less than 25 deg. C and the air temp. is around 28 deg. C, or it's a tropical rain shower to cool you down. :)
 
hlb said:
Never ever drive from downstairs, unless it's dead calm and no dangers about. I like to see whats going on, particularly if it's rough.
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The ride certainly feels softer in head seas from the fly, but my thoughts are always 'whats going on downstairs', wondering how much stuff has been thrown out of cupboards.

A number of years ago, while being a skipper on a commercial catamaran with an upper helm only, in rough conditions, the head sea smack would swing open the fwd athwartship mounted beer and wine fridge.
The poor little hostess would be running around trying to round up bottles of wine and stubbies of beer as they rolled down the aisles into the passengers feet, as the fridge doors opened and slammed shut with a big wave slap.
 
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That's Cats for you, the width causes twist in the hull & catches get popped.

I once flew on a Russian Tupolev internal flight & the hostesses on that took turns to walk up & down the aisle shutting lockers! You could see the panels moving against each other as it manouvred. :eek:
 
Searush said:
That's Cats for you
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To be fair Steve, it was pretty much a river cruise cat with low tunnel clearance, when she had a full lot of punters and wind against tide over 25 knots, things would sometimes get interesting.

A proper offshore, narrow-ish, power-cat running hard at lightships, loves the rough stuff.
 
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