Queenborough to Medway

[Thallac]

Hi All
(reposting from Thames forum)
I am planning a passage from Queenborough to Ramsgate for the first time
I have a displacement MBO capable of 7-8 knots
There is a lot of conflicting advice and much of it old on these forums

There seems to be three choices, Queens Channel, The Gore Channel and Princess Channel
I will be making the passage during daylight, and plan to leave Queenborough around High Tide

If i go Princess Channel, going West I am okay to keep on the South side of the channel passing close to E Cant N Red Sand Red buoys, through Princess Inner Channel Round Princess South then E Margate and North Foreland.

For the gore channel i used a passage plan from Crossing the Thames Estuary which i am worries may be out of date, but this foes Spile, Overland, Hook, Se Margate, North Foreland. Does this sound okay what conditions would make this not possible and what time should i leave Queenborough

For the Queens Channel I have not planned a route, what would i use as waypoints between spile and e margate

Thanks for your advice, this is the first time to do the trip for me and i just want to get your views on the best route

Tim
Read more at http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?483469-Passage-Queenborough-to-Ramsgate#rmTXwPqcqzGk7rym.99

 

[Aurai]

Hi

Normally, 110 degrees from the Montgomery wreck sees a line of yachts and mobo traffic heading for Ramsgate across the Cant, all leaving at High Water Sheerness. You might get an up to date chart as the buoyage has been revised near the Reculver Towers and it does get shallow through that bit. Princes and Queens are options, but only if most direct route is not viable. Tide or wind direction for non-mobo traffic.

 

[tillergirl]

re you using the Second Edition? Go to the download page: http://www.crossingthethamesestuary.com/page29.html and scroll down for the Kentish Flats Windfall and you can see the correct buoyage for the Copperas Channel. There have been no recent Notices to Mariners relevant.

How much do you draw? I would assume leaving at HW Sheerness you will ample water - but the direct short route via the Copperas Channel has the least water. A strong north-east/easterly wind will meet the ebb so will be bumpy. But any route will be the same. If you are worried abut the depth jsut before the Copperas Channel, you could depart Queensborough before HW to quit the Medway Channel at HW; you would be at the Copperas Channel at 7/8 kts about HW+2 so still more than half tide. Assuming a reasonable draught I would think you would be fine.

 

[Thallac]

Hi Thanks for this, the update makes things clearer. I draw 3 foot
Tim

 

[Cantata]

With 3' draught you will be absolutely fine through the Copperas Channel off Reculver expect maybe between LWS+/-2. But do make sure you understand the new buoyage before you go there, it's completely different to the old route marked by the Hook Spit and East Last buoys, which are no longer present. There have been quite a few folk arrived there over the years since the changes (which were made at least 4 years ago IIRC) and come to grief looking for the old route. I live not far away so I get to hear of these things....

 

[xyachtdave]

We do the Ramsgate run from the Medway a few times a year, our boat speed similar to yours if it's blowing hard.

I prefer the inshore route for a number of reasons, there is no shipping to worry about, you don't arrive at North Foreland 4 miles further out than necessary above the Margate Sands and with SW or NE wind I find I get better wind angles than down the Princess Channel.

In SW wind, the wind and tide are together so the water is flatish on the way there, it can be lumpy on the way back so watch the wind speed if F5+ forecast.

I'd aim to be at Garrison Point, the entrance to the Medway at HW, you'll easily get to the Copperas buoy mid tide or just after, we need 2m to float and I've not seen much less than 0.8 m under the boat (only for a few patches), the least water is on the Reculver side.

A couple of hours either side of LW is fine for us, so you should have no problems at all.

I'm doing a mile builder with a friend on Friday next week, she needs another 60 mile passage under her belt for a Yachtmaster exam, so we've got a lap of the Margate Sands and back to Medway to do, will go out through Reculver and back around the top of the sands and up the Princes channel, a long old day to end up back at Chatham!

 

[Thallac]

Thanks for your response. I have the Imray Chart for the area as of 2015, i will check against my chart plotter and check that i can see your bouys around copperas channel and reculver when i do my passage plan. Tim