Planning our first foray beyond the Blackwater.

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So my passage plan of head East until out of the Wash, then head South until I'm level with the Deben at which point I head West until I find the mooring, isn't too complicated then ? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

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This would probably have been my stance on the navigation if I was sailing solo or someone who is not my better half.

Unfortunately as Swmo suffers stress realted psoriasis, I have to be seen as doing all the right things /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
In all honesty, my passage planning does tend to err on the safer side, for safer, read deeper water /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Not overly keen on touching down just yet, though I know it's going to happen sooner or later
 
Yes touching bottom is definately one I can cross off the list of things done. Fortunately only mud and was between our fore and aft moorings and able to get the boat turned round so we could reach the bouys. But was a bit concerning for a moment.

Swmo was giving me a flea in the ear about not being able to be stuck there until the next hight tide without a bottle of wine for her to enjoy. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
First time ever on a sail boat, a certain sailor of this parish had to call on CH16 that he had run aground, I am so glad I have now done the DSC course /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Always make sure that beer and wine are adequately stocked /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
And anti foul, just in case /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
well i had what started as a good days sailing,i left wells in light winds and decided to go look at the wind turbine farm at skeggy,I hoisted the mainsail and pottered along at 3-4 knots,then i motorsailed a bit before turning back.

I was playing with some of my gadgets and decided that my new Spinnaker needed and airing.I loaded her onto the jib halyard,set the lines and hoisted the chute scoop,it all looked magnificent,most impressive,theni spotted it,at first i thought it was my imagination,but a small gap between the segments of cloth appeared,then it started to travel,i dropped the lines and manhandled the spinny in as fast as i could,unfortuneately with all the depowered flapping,the separation had grown to about 3-4 feet long.

well i guess im going to test the suppliers "two year guarantee" tomorrow
 
My swmbo gets all agitated if trips take longer than planned so I always give her a later time than the real ETA. It keeps her from fretting. She doesn't like arriving in failing light, either. That can be sensible as it means the bouys can often only be seen in silluete against the setting sun.

I've also made sure that she knows the minimum depth I want to sail in (2m) and keep a plot on the chart so she can always tell near enough where we are.

That and a crossword puzzle book keep her happy.

BTW, I have two waypoints in my GPS; Wallet Spitway and Naze tower. I just sail up the Wallet on a falling tide, favouring the landward side, until I get the clearing bearing ( I can't remember what it is, a bit west of north ) on the Naze tower, then turn left and head north for the yellow racing mark with the smiley face to port, keeping a good look out for pot bouys which come in groups, Pye End to port and into the yacht channel. Whatever you do, don't try to go inshore of the cardinal mark on the Harwich shelf!

Have fun.
 
For some strange reason the thing she is worrying about most at the moment is locking in at shotley. Can't understand why as we have been there and watched people locking in and out. And the fact that we lock in and out basin which isn't as technicaly advanced as shotely.

I think its to do with the number of people on hand to take a line and having to do it all ourselves.

After the advice I have gotten I have gone from 27 waypoints down to about 7 that includes making my plan from the basin to bradwell and then bradwell up to shotley.

Will mark a warning regarding the cardinal on the harwich shelf.
 
Tell her that Shotley is one of the easiest locks on the East Coast.... there are large floating buffers on either side, and the lock is narrow enough that even a complete disaster only results in the bow on one side, and the stern the other at a slight angle...... there really isn't that much that can go horribly wrong.....

A centre line makes shotley really very very easy.... and there is only an audience on the hottest of days..... otherwise any observers are fellow boat owners who know only too well how to mess up a lock in, and understand and don't judge!
 
My thoughts exactly. I think the basin looks more difficult than shotely and we haven't had a problem getting in or out of that.

Do the marina guys normally stick the over nighters on the hammer heads?

After speaking to the guys at bradwell, they said that they will put you the hammerhead or fill a space that is vacant from one of the residents size and dimesions permitting.
 
OK, after all the helpful advice given here I have re-planned our route for you journey from Bradwell upto Shotely.

After leaving Bradwell I have plotted the following waypoints.

Waypoint 1: 51D45.18--0D57.54E
Colne Bar: 51D44.33N--1D2.30E
HOS Radar Mst: 51D47.36N--1D13.36E
Naze Pier: 51D50.24N--1D17.54E
Stone Banks: 51D53.18N--1D19.25E
Cliff Foot: 51D55.36N--1D18.24E
Grisle: 51D56.51N--1D18.12E
Shotley Marks: 51D57.18N--1D16.43E

If someone wouldn't mind just perusing and advising if this is ok or things to watch out for besides the hidden floaters. I would be most grateful.
 
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