Passage Queenborough to Ramsgate

[Thallac]

Hi All

I am planning a passage from Queenborough to Ramsgate for the first ime
I have a displacement MBO capable of 7-8 knots
There is a lot of conflicting advice and much of it old on these forums

There seems to be three choices, Queens Channel, The Gore Channel and Princess Channel
I will be making the passage during daylight, and plan to leave Queenborough around High Tide

If i go Princess Channel, going West I am okay to keep on the South side of the channel passing close to E Cant N Red Sand Red buoys, through Princess Inner Channel Round Princess South then E Margate and North Foreland.

For the gore channel i used a passage plan from Crossing the Thames Estuary which i am worries may be out of date, but this foes Spile, Overland, Hook, Se Margate, North Foreland. Does this sound okay what conditions would make this not possible and what time should i leave Queenborough

For the Queens Channel I have not planned a route, what would i use as waypoints between spile and e margate

Thanks for your advice, this is the first time to do the trip for me and i just want to get your views on the best route

Tim

 

[CLB]

I came the other way recently. Took the inshore route, whatever that is called. There are enough buoys to keep you in the right place.

 

[ChrisHanley]

I frequently do this passage, although more often from the other direction as I deliver Dutch Barges from the continent. I would also go The Overland route via the Gore Channel. It is the shortest passage and keeps out of the way of commercial shipping, but it is a little shallow in places.
Leave Queenborough soon after high water Sheerness and you will have the tide all the way.
As you leave the Medway use the Secondary Channel to follow the port hand buoys, which are conveniently on you port side. Once past Number 2A I then head due east keeping an eye on the post on The Cant. When it is due south I then head South East’ish for the Spile buoy. This marks the start of the Four Fathoms Channel. I believe you can go closer to The Cant, but notes about “Numerous Wrecks” make me a little nervous...
The Four Fathoms Channel leads into the Overland Passage and then onto the Copperas Channel. You can either go south of the Last Bank or follow the buoyed channel and skirt the south edge of Margate Hook. One thing to be aware of, the exact shape of the Margate Hook changes and so both E Last and Hook Spit buoys may not be where your chart shows them! Keep S Margate and SE Margate to starboard and head for Longnose and North Forland.
Chris Hanley

 

[DoubleEnder]

You may already be aware of this and if so I apologise. But it is quite important to keep an eye on wind and tide in relation to each other. Last week we came up from the S Coast in a sailing boat, and the bit between Dover and N Foreland was really uncomfortable in a fresh N wind against a strong north going tide. Off Ramsgate the seas were getting very lumpy. I've done this trip several times before in both directions and it is by no means something to be scared of, but do have a think about likely sea state

Graham

 

[oldgit]

Probably a bit late but you do not want to be using that inshore route unless the weather is half decent.
It will be a lot more pleasant trip if any sort of wind esp. N or NE if you use any of the offshore routes.
The 4 Fathoms can build up some short steep chops and with no water under the keel this can get a bit "interesting".
On a fine day the inshore route is very pleasant trip,with decent views of the shore.
Just a few knots of wind on a long reach against the tide,esp a spring , can make a trip along that north coast very uncomfortable to say the least.
We have in the past nipped into the Swale on the way back to the Medway from Ramsgate.