Pilotage help - rounding Portland Bill "inside" route

[Skylark]

After a bit of help from Captain Google I've found this chartlet. I've also learned that I should depart Portland at HW-2 Dover for my west going passage. I'd like to take the inside route, subject, of course, to daylight and weather on the day.

Can any kind soul add to this, please?

For example, what's the depth profile? Any additional sketches to help the safe rounding?

I understand that there's a rocky ledge 30m from the Bill with its root being marked by an obelisk. To stay in safe water, I need to keep its top within the red band of the Lt Ho. Is this still valid. Any sketches to clarify?

Anything else to be aware of?

Many thanks in advance.

 

[Twister_Ken]

The old saw is to round within a biscuit toss of the Bill.

My recollection (sorry, no charts to hand) is that the worrying bricks are close-in on the SW-facing side.

At HWDover -2 there might be enough water over them for it not to matter.

 

[sarabande]

It might help to visualise the underwater area.

Try this.

Here's the .kmz for Google Earth:
http://tinyurl.com/dorismap.


They show the geomorphology of the offshore structures by Portland Bill, and may be hepful in understanding the race.

 

[SimonD]

Is it depart Portland or round the Bill at Dover HW-2? I can't remember but if it's the latter bear in mind it's about 5nM from Portland harbour to the Bill. Anyway, get the timing right (preferably at neaps) and in the right weather it's nothing to worry unduly about. Follow the track on your chartlet, stay about a cable off, and don't turn west until you've got well past Pulpit Rock. The main thing to watch out for is pot buoys.

 

[superheat6k]

View attachment 34488

After a bit of help from Captain Google I've found this chartlet. I've also learned that I should depart Portland at HW-2 Dover for my west going passage. I'd like to take the inside route, subject, of course, to daylight and weather on the day.

Can any kind soul add to this, please?

For example, what's the depth profile? Any additional sketches to help the safe rounding?

I understand that there's a rocky ledge 30m from the Bill with its root being marked by an obelisk. To stay in safe water, I need to keep its top within the red band of the Lt Ho. Is this still valid. Any sketches to clarify?

Anything else to be aware of?

Many thanks in advance.

Avoid in heavy weather, otherwise keep an apple core handy for throwing onto the rocks, cos that's the distance off you want to be as you go round, however if the race is running you can clearly see where not to be. Getting to the Bill just as the tide goes slack will see you round with no fuss, and with a west running tide it goes to the north west past the Bill carrying you nicely up the rear (western) edge away from the race you are trying to avoid.

Enjoy, it's not that bad, and I met worse at St Albans a couple of years ago on a strong Southwest setting ebb against a SW 4-5 . The so called inshore passage there was someway up the cliff that day ! Time we got to Weymouth the boat had a for sale sign ready !

 

[VicS]

Round the bill on the first of the ebb if going west so that the tide helps you well past and into Lyme bay before it turns.

( Leave Weymouth at HW Portland + 3 hrs, presumably a little later from Portland harbour )

The inshore passage is approx ¼ to ½ miles off the Bill.

ITYWF that the dog leg in the track on your chartlet to the west of the Bill is the recommended track for vessels east bound although the tide will carry you NW a bit even when west bound

Decent pilotage notes in Reeds ITYWF

 

[jakeroyd]

If staying in the marina (downstream from the bridge) bear in mind that first opening IIRC is 8am.
We cocked up by wanting to leave at 6am to get the right tides but had to wait till 8am.

We took the offshore route on your chartlet.

I remember looking at the GPS which said we would take 42 hrs to get to Dartmouth!
We were doing 5 knts through the water.

The streams slacked off and our ETE became a little more realistic

 

[lw395]

I seem to remember being off the Bill right at the end of the E going tide, which means leaving Weymouth 2 hours before and keeping close in to Portland.
Depends on wind direction, size of boat etc.
With a small boat, in a westerly wind you want to be in Dartmouth before the tide goes strongly E down there.
Mark Fishwick's book is worth having IMHO.