Portland Race and Shambles

[jimi]

Coming round the outside of Portland at 1am on Sat morning in an easterly F6 on the last of the flood I briefly thought of cutting in just to the west of the West Shambles cardinal but resisted the temptation and ploughed on until I was past the East Shambles before shaping up for Weymouth. Sea state was rough. Do you reckon I would have been clear of the race or I would I have run a significant risk of being set into it with the turn of the tide? Was I being overcautious or seamanlike? Potentially, cutting the corner could have saved 2 hours. I would do the same again but the boat I rafted up with did the shortcut on the previous tide, what do you think?

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[BlueSkyNick]

Without getting out charts, tide tables etc, can't comment based on facts.

However, in a F6 'Better Safe than Sorry' is a sensible approach. Also, as you said you would do the same again, you obviously made a decision with which you are comfortable and is correct for you, regardless of what the other boat chose to do.

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[AndrewB]

Sounds a little cautious to me as the gap between the race on the flood and the Shambles is about 2 miles wide, enough for safety provided you have a very positive ID on the West buoy. The Shambles would be decidedly nasty in an F6 if you made a mistake, specially with wind against the tide. It's a spectacular sight in a easterly gale, more so even than the Race.

But what the hell, anything you do that gets you in safe and sound and in good order is just fine. It's your call.

 

[jimi]

Hmmmm!! Strong southerly current down East of Portland, lee shore on one side and Shambles on other, quote from almanac "in an Easterly gale against the flood the race may extend eastwards to the Shambles Bank" Hmmm

Want to hear about my neighbour's experience?

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[Chris_Robb]

Jimi - I think you were right - a few years back - (I was not the navigator!) we approached that way under motor - flat calm with spring tide - we ended up through the race. Better safe than sorry.

Chris

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[tome]

Jim

I thought of doing this in similar circumstances (stiff breeze and the tide was starting to turn) but decided against it as the tide runs round the Shambles anti-clockwise giving a nice lift into Weymouth from the east. Always looked back at that as a sensible call.

I think you did the right thing, the race is vicious in any sort of weather and I only use the inshore passage in good conditions.

Regards
Tom

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[Spacewaist]

Re: I was there too!

I was going the other way about 10 miles south of the Bill around the same time going down wind in a very lumpy sea. When the tide turned (due around 01.30 I recall) it got a whole lot lumpier. We had about 30kts of true wind, (25 in the lulls and gusting 35kts)

I wouldnt have fancied beating to windward in that sea even in my boat, let alone yours, (an Oceanis 331), you have my admiration for considering it, more so for deciding to tough it out.

It wasnt quite springs, it wasnt quite a gale and it probably would have been OK to cut inside the Shambles close on the West Cardinal provided you could find it. But what matters is what feels right, and I did say probably. That means it might not have been OK and you really didnt need to take the risk.

(PS The leading beacon in Salcombe is back on station all spic and span in bright red and white - thought you'd want to know)

<hr width=100% size=1>A pontification from the Panjandrum of orotund bloviation AD2003

 

[AndrewB]

Neighbour\'s experience?

<blockquote><font size=1>In reply to:</font><hr>

<font size=1>Want to hear about my neighbour's experience?</font size=1>

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Of course! Why didn't you say ....

 

[jimi]

Re: Neighbour\'s experience?

it was a Westerly Seahawk (I think), chap reckoned that the whole boat was airborne at least once and experienced really dreadfull conditions, not only that but fighting the strong southerly current prolonged the agony and in fact he reckoned he would have been faster going around the Shambles. He had got there at a very similar time on the previous tide.

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[jimi]

Re: I was there too!

Yep was a bit lumpy! We had come across from Brixham. Did you see the yacht going west with both its nav lights and tricolour on? Confused the hell out of my crew initially! I tried to call him on CH16 but got no response.

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[Spacewaist]

Re: I was there too!

We heard someone (presume you) calling him - didnt see him .....and, yes, I sent my man forward to check ours!

As it happend, spent Saturday night in Salcombe, rafted to two skippered charters full of guys on a stag week end from Plymouth - destination Salcombe (sic) (and sick too all over his dodger).

One of the boats left his steaming and sidelights on overnight, meaning I presume that I too was aboard a vessel (the raft) exhibiting the wrong lights!


<hr width=100% size=1>A pontification from the Panjandrum of orotund bloviation AD2003

 

[AndrewB]

Re: Neighbour\'s experience?

Yes, you are right about that backeddy, which comes off the Bill at up to 2 knots on Springs shortly after high tide. I believe its the reason the Shambles is there. Good call then, you didn't actually lose two hours. Though I imagine the headbashing against wind-over-tide south of the Shambles would have been pretty rough in itself.

PS We came back that way from Brixham three weeks ago in a dead calm and it was flat as a pancake, even through the midde of the Race!

 

[Spacewaist]

Re: Neighbour\'s experience?

"We came back that way from Brixham three weeks ago in a dead calm and it was flat as a pancake, even through the midde of the Race! "

Bet Jimi really wanted to know that.

<hr width=100% size=1>A pontification from the Panjandrum of orotund bloviation AD2003

 

[nicho]

Re: Neighbour\'s experience?

Nah! Jimi's a hard man from North of the Border - that kind of trip's only for soft Southerners!!

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[BlueSkyNick]

Best place for a Seahawk.....

..... right out of the water !!

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[MADFISH]

Re: I was there too!

I'm with you jimi. Round the outside in that sort of breeze. I very nearly met my maker there in '96.(Another story). Nasty bit of water the shambles.

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[jimi]

Re: I was there too!

Oh go on, tell all!

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[Guest]

Re: Neighbour\'s experience?

Ah, well, if you want to make Jimi sick, the week before he left Brixham, we did the run from Brixham to Christchurch in just under four hours, and the Shambles was as flat as a mirror. Hehehehe.

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[claymore]

Jamesie - I think you are being a bit harsh on youself - you made your plan so the Yachtmaster cert isn't going to get taken off you - maybe you were a bit undecided and possibly there was a better way of going around - but I don't think you need to think it was a shambles - possibly just a little muddled?

<hr width=100% size=1>regards
Claymore
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[MADFISH]

What happened was...

ok jimi

In the 96 commodores cup I was Bowman on an IMS 36ft converted one ton boat called The Red Dragon.

One of the offshore races took us round west shambles then back to poole fairway. Wind was wsw 5/6. Tide was ebbing hard. we rounded west shambles at 0100 and hoisted the chicken chute and roared off downwind on starboard jibe. 15 mins later we needed to jibe on to port. Just at the worst bit of the shambles race.

I was in the middle of jibing the pole when the helmsman jibed the main over. For some reason the old running backstay was not let off fully. (Someone was probrably stood on the tail but it was dark so we will never know). This left the main sheeted in still at about 45 degres. This and the huge breaking swell started off a death roll. I still had not completed jibing the pole when we chinese jibed round so violently that the top of the mast hit the water. I hit my head on something and fell into the sea as the guardwires were 2ft under water. Someone then blew the kite halyard and we came upright and bore off acceleratng up to 8kts still trawling the kite and me. I remember nothing else undil we got back to cowes but apparantly I helped winch the kite back in before being dragged below and put in a bunk.

I owe my life to my harness as it was a moonless night so I don't think it would have been easy to find me again.

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