Portland Bill....again! W-E tomorrow or Friday?

[Claribel]

Hi again! We had a bit of engine trouble so still in Torbay after aborting our plan to cross Lyme Bay on Sunday in our Oceanis 45. All ready to go now and looking at weather- not quite enough wind for sailing across Lyme Bay tomorrow but looks kind of blowy to round the bill on Friday? Suggestions for boring motor across versus slightly anxious rounding of bill on Friday with gusts up to 29 knots?

 

[Bobc]

There be dragons at Portland Bill. They grab your ship and drag you down - aaarghhhh!

 

[richardbrennan]

I would motor tomorrow. It might be boring, but if you go on Friday you will be worrying all the way about conditions at the Bill

 

[Stemar]

There be dragons at Portland Bill. They grab your ship and drag you down - aaarghhhh!

This is true, but they only venture a few miles out. If it's a bit breezy, go round the outside and you'll be fine.

Whether the crew will appreciate it is another matter. I once thought S 4-6 becoming SW was a good forecast to leave Weymouth for the Solent. I kept well off St Albans Head, but with Bramblemet offering a steady 33 knots, it was a bit like the intensive wash cycle on our Snapdragon 24; It didn't feel dangerous to me, but it cost me every sailing brownie point I'd ever earned with the Admiral

 

[Sticky Fingers]

T....
Whether the crew will appreciate it is another matter. I once thought S 4-6 becoming SW was a good forecast to leave Weymouth for the Solent. I kept well off St Albans Head, but with Bramblemet offering a steady 33 knots, it was a bit like the intensive wash cycle on our Snapdragon 24; It didn't feel dangerous to me, but it cost me every sailing brownie point I'd ever earned with the Admiral

Had that very experience last week although I started somewhat off St Albans Head having abandoned a trip to Weymouth from Poole, and turned a bit N of E and ran for Lymington. Pretty uncomfortable in F6. May or may not have a connection with my subsequent thread on the Mobo forum....

 

[PhillM]

I would motor tomorrow. It might be boring, but if you go on Friday you will be worrying all the way about conditions at the Bill

Having only done it once, I would agree with the take a boreing motor over too much wind and associated sea state.

Last week I did Dartmouth to Lymington, leaving about 4 pm and staying about 8 miles off. It was a lovely solo night sail. I managed to get past the Bill by midnight and to about St Albans head before the tide turned. F4 SW Wind over spring tide did make it ever so lumpy for a few hours.

 

[KevinT1]

Met Office is showing 15 knots Westerly for Thursday afternoon and similar for Friday, so it may have all changed from the forecast that you saw earlier.

 

[lw395]

I'd suggest looking at XCweather (or any other GFS-based forecast), the BBC and the Met Office.
Tomorrow looks adequate, bit breezy in the evening.
BBC has Friday steady W 20mph all Friday basically. Does not seem excessive for a 45ft boat going downwind, if the tide's with you.
Eiher day I'd expect some gusts in rain showers.

 

[ashtead]

Had that very experience last week although I started somewhat off St Albans Head having abandoned a trip to Weymouth from Poole, and turned a bit N of E and ran for Lymington. Pretty uncomfortable in F6. May or may not have a connection with my subsequent thread on the Mobo forum....

Don't think I would have done that in the mobo you mentioned but I have reade Traders like rough weather and provide hours of fun video opportunities so maybe that's the one as opposed to the V42 to try out ?

 

[Kukri]

The thing about Portland Bill is that you seem to spend for ever looking at it!

 

[lw395]

The thing about Portland Bill is that you seem to spend for ever looking at it!

Particularly when you turn left for Weymouth and nearly sail around it instead of leaving it astern.

 

[Sticky Fingers]

Had that very experience last week although I started somewhat off St Albans Head having abandoned a trip to Weymouth from Poole, and turned a bit N of E and ran for Lymington. Pretty uncomfortable in F6. May or may not have a connection with my subsequent thread on the Mobo forum....

Don't think I would have done that in the mobo you mentioned but I have read Traders like rough weather and provide hours of fun video opportunities so maybe that's the one as opposed to the V42 to try out ?

Having seen London Rascal's trader videos I'm not thinking so. No. Maybe that's a good idea to re-align Mrs Scala's expectations...

 

[LadyInBed]

W F5 up your chuff will seem like a 3-4, so couldn't be much better.
If you can, make sure you are on port tack before the Bill so you don't have to gibe whilst rounding.
Better still, ditch the main and run on foresail.