Poole Bridge basin trial yesterday

[scej]

I was aware of the Harbour masters trial with the holding basin arrangement yesterday and did need to go out on the 10.30 bridge for seatrials on a boat.

The harbour commisioners have picked a time when there was almost no current to stage a trial, it seemed to me that it was deliberately timed so they could get the right result. A much better time to have done this would have been with the full spring ebb.

The structure for the twin sails bridge looks as if it will look good once it is finished but why is there such a narrow section that opens? it would have mad sense to make it wider IMHO.

 

[sarabande]

it doesn't seem to be popular with certain sections of the water community, and the political motivation of rich development (who benefits, I wonder ?) appears to be behind the project.

Did I read that the span is 19 metres ?

 

[maverickofpoole]

Egg will be on their faces when a large tide coincides with either a very busy hot summers day at 10:30 or 4:30 or even worse on a nice bank holiday week end.

Glad I don't keep my boat in holes bay or marinas in there.

Martin

 

[PhilipF]

Glad I don't keep my boat in holes bay or marinas in there.

Martin

Excellent places to keep ones boat. Really sheltered as compared with the majority of the rest of the moorings and marinas in Poole Harbour.

I doubt there would ever be much of a problem of boat control in the basin.

My only pity however is the fact that they are discontinuing showing green to whichever side they were going to let through first. We now have to wait til the leaves are fully raised before the lights go green. Formerly, in our case we could proceed through, as soon as there was enough height. I've been informed this is a "safety issue"!

 

[gjgm]

The harbour commisioners have picked a time when there was almost no current to stage a trial, it seemed to me that it was deliberately timed so they could get the right result. A much better time to have done this would have been with the full spring ebb.

QUOTE]
Surely it makes sense to try it first in easier conditions? I am sue you will have years to practice in tricky ones

 

[Peanuts]

I am surprised nobody has mentioned that the HM stopped the number of boats going in to the basin to 30 because that's the number they thought was safe - 30 I ask myself, there are 1000 boats in Cobbs alone plus Davis's and the rest on the trot moorings. Yes I know they don't all go out at the same time, some never move at all but we were told it would be more than that, imagine being told sorry you can't go out at the moment there is no more room in the basin you will have to wait another hour and why even now do boats that do not need the bridge lift still go out and now have to wait at the red lights.

Off my soap box now!

 

[EddieBlue]

Until April I was on the hammer head at Cobbs, and I assure you that on a busy weekend (you remember those when the sun use to shine) I have still been on my berth at 10.30 unable to get off as the queue of boats goes from Cobbs down to the bridge!

30 boats with little or no tide? a fair and realistic test then!

I am glad that we moved the other side of the bridge, but will wander up at 10.30 on the next bank holiday for a laugh!

Eddie

 

[strakeryrius]

I was one of the boats taking part in the official trial, and at the 09:00 briefing the HM did say that the day and time had been specifically chosen for the best possible conditions to give them an idea of the absolute maximum number of boats that the basin can hold. There were 41 boats in the basin approaching 10:30, but those of us at the front were flipping close to each other - too close for real comfort.

The HM stated that they think with the removal of all of Jenkins Marine's boats, plus the addition of enough waiting pontoons to accomodate 15 boats plus the same number of raftees, that in ideal conditions they will be able to allow 60 boats into the basin.

However, they do recognise that this is for "ideal" conditions, and in practice the weather/tides will not be good enough for this many to be allowed in, and the bridge operators will be briefed and trained to restrict the numbers on the grounds of safety when the conditions are not so good.

 

[strakeryrius]

The structure for the twin sails bridge looks as if it will look good once it is finished but why is there such a narrow section that opens? it would have mad sense to make it wider IMHO.

Once its completed it will be exactly the same width as the existing bridge.

 

[scej]

You would have thought that they would have made it wider so maybe 2/3 boats at a time would go through instead of the one behind the other procession we have now!!!

Also when the old bridge breaks down and the council realise they have overspent on the twin sail bridge and have no money to repair the old bridge then we will see what a total balls up they have made. I think the old bridge will be out of action sooner rather than later and then we will be back to where we are now!!

All IMHO

 

[strakeryrius]

A wider lifting span would require more heavy duty engineering and much more cost. 19 metres is plenty wide enough for two boats to pass through abeam of each other its just that we are too cautious to do so unless prompted to do it by the bridge operator.

If you don't believe me tell it to the idiot who came through a red light against the flow of traffic at the 18:30 lift on Saturday.