Portland Bill this week - Inshore passage?

[Frontier]

Thinking of heading west from the Solent this week. Only been round Portland once and kept well off. Wondered about taking the inshore route.

Any advice on how close to stay in and if any particular state of tide is best.
we are a 32ft planing Mobo. Not used to passing anywhere close in, if that is the best route is planing OK (any rocks?)

OK got as far as Portland then had a bit of trouble with the boat. Now thinking of heading back as the weather looks poor (for comfort) On the way west I kept off Anvil and St Albans Head. Looking at the chart it looks like it could be calm inshore and more direct is this possible?

Thanks again
D



Cheers

D

 

[VicS]

Yes if the weather is settled the inshore passage is fine.

Pass about 1/4 mile off.

Best time is to arrive at slack water at the start of the west going tide if going west but not that critical I would think in a powerful mobo. A raggie needs to get well clear before the tide turns (and takes him back the other way again).

Look at the chart and the tidal stream atlas ... there are some eddies it's worth knowing about but probably only of real concern to a raggie.

I promise you that if its calm and you keep to the 1/4 mile off you will wonder what all the fuss is about.

 

[hlb]

Take no notice of needing to throw rocks at the beach. It's fairly obvious. Best is to come from Weymouth. Any weather that your not going to be worried about crosing Lyme Bay, will be OK. In your case head about half way down the headland, then follow it round, quite close in. There are no rocks. You can see the lumpy sea to your left. Just keep between the lumpy stuff and the shore. Once passed the lumpy stuff, you can head out.

Mostly you can just plow through overfalls, exept in bad weather.

 

[andy59]

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6855&page=1 found this old post in my favourites , may be helpfull .

 

[Robin]

Thinking of heading west from the Solent this week. Only been round Portland once and kept well off. Wondered about taking the inshore route.

Any advice on how close to stay in and if any particular state of tide is best.
we are a 32ft planing Mobo. Not used to passing anywhere close in, if that is the best route is planing OK (any rocks?)

Cheers

D

The only reason to take the inshore rout would be if you depart from Weymouth or Portland, from Poole or the Solent just head 4 miles south of the Bill. If you take the inshore route ideally you need to be there at slack water, about 40mins before HW Dover, offshore you can go easily anytime with a favourable tide (for fuel economy if nothing else, tides offshore are still over 4kts).

 

[Frontier]

Thanks guys

Hi thanks for all the advice.

Cheers

D

 

[bendyone]

Keep as close in as possible but watch out for pots.

 

[VicS]

watch out for pots

That one is well marked! Looks almost like the lighthouse

 

[gjgm]

as HLB says, its quite visible ! Close inshore you can see calm water, or rough water further out south.
Going west, and tide dependent, you might need to swing quite away round the headland, ie its not just the tip of Portland.
BTW, if the sea is calm, take a trip along the coast and drop into Bridport and Lyme Regis, if the tide is in !Its more intersting than cutting straight across.

 

[Sundowner Portofino]

Whilst heading from the Solent it can be as easy to head out, it is great fun to tak the inshore passage, and a good nav excercise

As HLB says you can see it coming a mile of, just avoid the white lumpy stuff and keep in close.

Take it at slack water, times already posted ref to Dover.

Good luck

 

[Frontier]

OK got as far as Portland then had a bit of trouble with the boat. Now thinking of heading back as the weather looks poor (for comfort) On the way west I kept off Anvil and St Albans Head. Looking at the chart it looks like it could be calm inshore and more direct is this possible?

Thanks again
D

Edited my original post but not sure if that puts it up again. so posted this reply as well.