Portsmouth Harbour - Small Boat Channel

l'escargot

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2 new LNTM re the small boat channel basically consolidating current rules and saying that there will be a new pile marking either end (one replacing Ballast Buoy).

I thought there was an interesting inclusion for The Swashway:

Mariners in high-speed craft are cautioned not to assume that other mariners, particularly those whom they are overtaking, are aware of their presence, and are to give them a sufficiently wide berth.

Could this be a reminder for Wightlink?
 

Stemar

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"Small Boats should remain on the Starboard side of the Small Boat Channel and should adjust their speed to remain within the Small Boat Channel rather than overtake and be forced into the main channel."

Am I being naive to think that this might instill a little discipline in the SBC?

If I'm doing 3-4kts, I suspect a big stinky will have some difficulty in staying in control behind me!
 

alahol2

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"A Red Beacon is sited .5 cable to the south of Fort Blockhouse. Small Boats transiting between the Inner Swashway and the Small Boat Channel are to leave this to port."
This is the killer for small boats on a serious ebb. They'll be stuck in a roaring tide for a hundred yards before getting anywhere near the entrance.

Who's going to be first to hit the southern pile? Stinky or raggie?
 

Stemar

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Re:
Who\'s going to be first to hit the southern pile?


My money's on a raggie, because we just don't have as much power to manoeuvre in the tide.

On the other hand if I’ve got a stinky stuck behind me at 3kt, it could be him, cos his rudder(s) won’t be doing anything at that speed!
 

ShipsWoofy

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Obviously Stinkies dan sath have different steering arrangements to those oop north. We have often had power boats of all sizes following us out and none of them seemed to have any problems remaining at a safe distance and politely following us out at 4kts.

Seems strange reading on here that none of the Portsmouth power vessels can actually travel at less than 6kts.
 

Rob_Webb

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Re: Who\'s going to be first to hit the southern pile?

So the obvious answer is to get every stinkie to tow a raggioe behind him against the current at 10kts. Eveyone gets where they want to with no overtaking. Win-win!
 

fireball

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Re: Who\'s going to be first to hit the southern pile?

Many a fun hour can be had by motoring up to chichester basin then pottering back through the moorings at 2.5 knts ... with a load of stinkies unable to overtake due to oncomming traffic .... they didn't seem to be able to hold a straight course .. perhaps though they just hadn't had enough Gin! /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
 

DJE

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Hopefully we will get a bit more discipline in this area this season. Well done to QHM for trying.

But the ones you have the trouble with probably haven't read the LNTM anyway. I expect the volunteer harbour patrol are going to be busy "educating" people all summer.

LNTM 15/05 includes: "12. Contravention of the rules contained within this General Direction is a criminal offence." A couple of court cases in the local papers and on local TV would help spread the word and "encourage the others".

That 100 yard gap is going to look very small in strong tides. Leaving on a strong flood we hug the Gosport shore and then go hard to starboard and open the throttle as soon as the tide hits the bow. Even doing this it is still very difficult to avoid being carried East in to the main channel.
 

Solitaire

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[ QUOTE ]
I expect the volunteer harbour patrol are going to be busy "educating" people all summer.



[/ QUOTE ]

Initially maybe, but now that the QHMVP is about to start it's 2nd year we've found that by correctly positioning ourselves at strategic points we can, just by the vessels presence, "control" traffic movements without the need to "advise"!

The introduction of the new piles is intended to more effectively control the small boat channel and avoid potential collision situations caused by vessels coming in via the inner swash way and vessels exiting - correctly - from the SBC. The pile will "push" vessels out more toward No4 bar and improve visibility for both entering and exiting.

Ballast has in fact been moved slightly further east to allow more room for vessels exiting via the SBC and leaving Ballast to port as is required already.

In terms of the overtaking situation then that will be monitored to ensure vessels do not encroach into the main channel. The issue will be more with the powerboats than with yachts, and we will continue to monitor "wash" situations as well.
 
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[ QUOTE ]
the QHMVP is about to start it's 2nd year

[/ QUOTE ]
How soon can in inbound Haslar yacht cut across to the marina?
 

Talbot

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Re: Who\'s going to be first to hit the southern pile?

[ QUOTE ]
Many a fun hour can be had by motoring up to chichester basin then pottering back through the moorings at 2.5 knts ... with a load of stinkies unable to overtake due to oncomming traffic

[/ QUOTE ]
If you do that to me in my raggie, I will be just as peeved. My tickover speed is 3 knots in zero wind, and if there is any wind, tickover is not enough to give me any steering (one engine/twin rudders) a lot of stinkies have the same problem, especially the outdrive boats that have no steering at all if engine is in neutral, so perhaps you could have a bit more concern for other people and try to prevent a dangerous incident, rather than be the cause of one!
 

fireball

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Unamused?

Gawd - can't you take a laugh?! FWIW - we've done it once in a 22' comming back from Dell Quay and it was just into the moorings from the north where I'm not so used to navigating .. the pile up behind us was mildly amusing .. no accidents - just 1/2 dozen larger vessels chomping at the bit to run up to 8knots ...
 

Solitaire

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[ QUOTE ]

How soon can in inbound Haslar yacht cut across to the marina?

[/ QUOTE ]

As you do now, nothing's changed there! It's only if you are wanting to cross to Gunwarf/Camber thay you are required to go to Ballast and cross (after requesting permission on Ch11).
 

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