Pirate weekend

[bastonjock]

okay neil and fellow wannabee pirates,looks like ill be heading down to SYH for the 5th july.

My intention is to drop my boat in the water on the friday night,after that im open to suggestions,is there somewhere to anchor close by? i intend to head out sat morning and sail to the meeting place.

what advice would you give to someone who has never been down the orwell?

 

[eastcoastbernie]

You can pick up a mooring in the river. There are moorings either side of the river immediately outside SYH. Be sure to stay inside the fairway until the safe water mark. Many boats turn to port or starboard too quickly and run aground there.

Be aware that big ships travel up the Orwell to Ipswich and boats have been hit by said ships while attached to a mooring. It is therefore advisable to show an anchor light if you are on board even on a mooring.

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

Or go down the Stour a short distance.... lovely anchorage at Erwarton Ness..... great holding, and very quiet!

 

[eastcoastbernie]

Sorry, just read the whole of your post.

The Orwell is pretty easy. There are a few shallow places and running aground opportunities but fine if you stay away from the banks.

As you get closer to the cranes, watch out for the container vessels at the docks, the big ships going up to Ipswich and the ferries going to and from Harwich. The channel is dredged to 14 metres or so, but just outside the channel it is pretty shallow in places. At high water you can 'cut corners'. At low water you can't.

If you look at your chart you will see there is a 'recommended yacht track'. This route keeps you out of the way of commercial traffic so you might like to follow that. To get to Stone Point, you need to find Pye End, then follow the line of bouys in, turning to port at the little cardinal.

I'm doing all the above from memory, so please check a chart first in case I've got something wrong or forgotton to mention something important.

 

[eastcoastbernie]

He's doing this at night Neil and his first time in the river. He's got to drive his boat round, launch it on the slip and all after a day's work. It would be easier to pick up a mooring in the river just outside SYH than to go all the way to Ewarton Ness in the dark.

 

[bastonjock]

thanks guys,ill pick up a chart for the area this weekend,these moorings just outside SYH,are they private? can you just grab one?

im not too fussed about depth,as long as i have 16 inches i can float,any rocks to worry about?

 

[pyrojames]

No rocks, (that I can remember) just a breakwater on the south side of the harbour entrance at Harwich, normally shows but covers at high springs (as it was on Sat pm) marked at the seaward end.

 

[eastcoastbernie]

Don't think there are any rocks.

Most of the moorings belong to SYH. But if you are there after 5.30 pm the harbourmaster will have gone home. If you leave relatively early in the morning ....

Need I say more?

 

[bastonjock]

im hoping to get away by 5pm at the latest,traffic at that time will no doubt be a pain,even if i get there by 8pm ill still have plenty of time to rig and launch,as long as i get the mast up before i hit the water,the rest of the rigging is easy.

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

With your draft, you'll be able to get into the Walton Backwaters at any state of the tide as well.....

As Bernie says, SYH moorings easiest....

 

[bastonjock]

ill probably park her on the beach,if its suitable /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

Yep.... I'll be there probably from Friday night.... so i'll check it out at Low Water, and if you make contact when you arrive, i'll point you in the direction of the best bit of beach to use.... some is quite steep, but there are one or two perfect areas... so worth checking first....