Portsmouth small craft channel

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Because it's a port lateral mark! They are RED.

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A red lateral mark should be left to port when going upstream/inbound and to starboard when downstream/outbound. There is no provision for a road-bollard style navigation mark in the IALA rules. Red/white indicates safe water either side but doesn't specify which side to pass. The only technically correct colour to use would be yellow (special purposes).
 
Re: Too many words

Your post illustrates exactly what the problem is, poor use of the English language at QHM HQ.

All we need is publication of the following sentence. "The regulations associated with the new 2005 Inner Swashway pile only apply to boats using the Inner Swashway."
 
Hold on ParaHandy, there is no need to get personal.

I'm not deaf, and I can count, but a few moments before the ferry gave 5 short blasts, it sounded one long blast when it was very close to the sterns of the two outbound yachts.
I felt for the the skippers of those two yachts because in my opinion the ferry, which remember was in the small boat channel, was very intimidating and one could argue irresponsibly close. Those two skippers did well not to panic and kept very cool heads under the circumstances.

Viewing some of the latter posts, I would add that after I had passed No4 bar buoy I reduced my speed (yes I did have the engine on and in gear) to give way to an incoming IOW ferry, which was approaching from my port side. It can only have been via the Inner Swatchway.
Now obviously the skippers of the ferrys know the local conditions, but is this permissible?

In the end, as the QHM said, the're "Masters" and are always right!
 
Ballast Pile, or the old Ballast bouy as was, is the port lateral mark for the main channel. Special provision for the small boat channel is allowed and does not require a special mark i.e Yellow. The same applies in the small boat channel in Poole harbour. The Eastern boundary is marked by the red lateral marks afforded for the main channel. The westerly boundary is marked by red posts! Not a green or yellow in site! The only difference is that the main channel in Poole may be used by vessels under 20 metres, whereas this does not apply to the main channel in PH.

You could argue perhaps there could be a prefered channel mark But then you'd have a different colour each side of the pile. This could have been applied maybe to the new pile situated outside the Harbour entrance, but then again it's not saying prefered, it is a clear and definite instruction to leave the pile to port!


It's every mariners duty be aware of the regulations specific to each port - the almanac contains them - the LTNMS has them in far more detail, including a map/diagram of how it operates. These are published on the QHM website and are also promugated via the local press. Certain LTNM's issued BY QHM Portsmouth also ask that marinas post them as well. There should therefore be no excuse for not knowing.

I have to say that the vast majority of folk seem to understand the new system, it is however the 'ignorant' few who then upset the whole system, akin to a car driving the wrong way on a motorway.
 
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I have to say that the vast majority of folk seem to understand the new system, it is however the 'ignorant' few who then upset the whole system, akin to a car driving the wrong way on a motorway.

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I think this is what you would like to believe! I would say that the interest that this post has generated says otherwise.

The comments made here are those of interested and concerned yachtsmen and should not simply be dismissed as being made by those too 'simple' to understand.

I now am happy to have that my previous understanding of the correct side of the Inner swash pile ( That is, not always to port!) confirmed by WAFU.

Regdss Nick
 
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If exiting towards the east, in the small boat channel, are you saying that you keep the 'inner swash' pile to Port?



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No! If you are going to head East then you will just continue out to No 4 bouy, as such the pile at the innerswash way will be irrelevant to you. In other words you just come down the small boat channel as 'normal'. It is only if you are going to turn West using the innerswash that the situation of leaving the outside pile to port applies on both entering and exiting.
 
Jes, shall we set up a helpline tomorrow? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif See you in the morning - David /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
 
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I now am happy to have that my previous understanding of the correct side of the Inner swash pile ( That is, not always to port!) confirmed by WAFU.



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If you are using the innerswash way then you leave the pile to port! Always! If you stay in the (main) small boat channel out to no 4 bouy then the innerswash pile is irrelevant and yes, you will pass it to starboard when exiting the harbour. Look at the diagram posted earlier.
 
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the whole system, akin to a car driving the wrong way on a motorway.

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The system is more akin to a badly signposted contra-flow on a motorway near a junction.

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I have to say that the vast majority of folk seem to understand the new system, it is however the 'ignorant' few who then upset

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This thread indicates that 10% of small boat skippers have completely misunderstood the regulations and another 20% transit the harbour entrance hoping they got it right.

You should be really concerned that this scuttlebutt sample is based mostly on local East Solent users. Just wait for high summer visitors, you will be busy!
 
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You should be really concerned that this scuttlebutt sample is based mostly on local East Solent users. Just wait for high summer visitors, you will be busy!

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Stop us getting bored then won't it! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I'll actually report back tomorrow as to how statistically significant your figures are! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
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If you are using the innerswash way then you leave the pile to port! Always! If you stay in the (main) small boat channel out to no 4 bouy then the innerswash pile is irrelevant and yes, you will pass it to starboard when exiting the harbour. Look at the diagram posted earlier.

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Adding some simple phrase like this to LNTM15/05 may have avoided all this discussion. I must say that I read and re-read the LNTM before coming to the correct interpretation.

As a matter of interest, how many of the craft stopped or advised by QHM harbour patrol are even aware of the LNTM's?
 
Superb thread - not quite sure who exactly to respond to /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
This was also discussed at great length last year.
I think we can all agree that in the SBC then we are all power driven vessels with appropriate regs being applied.

So, in good vis conditions, we have two vessels - one exiting Portsmouth going out to Bouy 4 and another entering from the swashway with a risk of collision situation developing. (Shoot me down but) the vessel from the Swashway is stand-on (due care and ready to take avoiding action if necessary) with the exiting vessel bound to give way by altering course/speed and to avoid crossing ahead.

Therein lies the dilemma- the exiting skipper can slow down or go behind the vessel coming in from the Swashway (but there maybe other vessels behind and there's a pile in his way and possibly shallow water).

It's as other have pointed out; it's like a motorway - only the slip road vehicles have priority on entering the motorway (even though the Authorities refer to the Swashway as not a recommended route).
 
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it's like a motorway - only the slip road vehicles have priority on entering the motorway

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I have the distinct impression that a lot of drivers think that is the case on motorways! That said, is it any surprise that people make up funny rules on the water when they don't have to pass a test before going out.

(note multitasking thread - col regs, bad drivers, mandatory qualifications. If I can just slip in something about anchors we can try for a record... /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif )
 
Sorry Cap'n, just trying to be a better sailor ,Sir!!
At least the 20 or so postees now probably have a good idea what the "rules" are, that just leaves the remaining 20,000 or so to enlighten; think I'll stay ashore awhile.

" Who dares wins, but not always!"

Regards to everyone, Aye, Mike
 
As you will discover, there are certain topics that get the collective interest round here - col regs, choice of anchor, bad driving, the pope, royalty, Blair etc. If you can combine several into one thread you've a good chance of logging 100+ posts.
 
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Why not paint this unconventional navigation ballast pile with unconventional colours, say blue and yellow bands.

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Because it's a port lateral mark! They are RED.

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I am sorry Mr Solitaire but in my reading of the regs what you have said is WRONG.. If Ballast is a Port Lateral Mark WHY is QHM instructing me in a small boat to go the wrong side of it? I would agree however it is a Port Lateral Mark for Large ships.

"A traffic pattern is established around Ballast Beacon; Small Boats entering the harbour are to pass close to the east of Ballast Beacon and those exiting close to the west." Sure this makes it a Safe Water Mark or something!

Also I too e-mailed QHM about 2 months ago - no reply - I don't know what is the point of having a link to 'contact us' if there is no intention of replying!
 
Quite agree with you. I came out of the harbour the other day to find a wagging finger attached to a lady on an inbound yacht telling me I was in the wrong. Sooner or later someone will have a bad ding -if they haven't already.
 
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...the vessel from the Swashway is stand-on (due care and ready to take avoiding action if necessary) with the exiting vessel bound to give way by altering course/speed and to avoid crossing ahead.

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Why? - I would have thought the exiting vessel is the stand on vessel because he is following the channel. The boat entering from the swashway is crossing the channel so surely he is the give way vessel? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 
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