Recommended Distance From Coast

[TwoHooter]

Dover,......... don't try the eastern entrance or the ferry chaps will get quiet excited)

First time I have disagreed with anyone on this forum. Sorry and all that.

The eastern entrance is open for leisure craft. Do what the book says, call 'Dover Port Control' on 74 when 2 miles off. Give your name, position, and request Western or Eastern entrance. They will tell you to call back when 200m off. That's quite close. They may ask you to use a different entrance to what you requested but usually you will get what you want. You may have to hold off a while for commercial traffic to pass (both entrances are busy, it's not just ferries), or you may be asked what your speed is and if you are quick enough they will slot you in. They are really helpful. We were leaving by the eastern entrance a while back and as we approached they asked our speed and then told us to scarper quickly which we did (all of 6 knots, it's a motor/sailer), and a ferry crossed behind us. The control room is on the landward pier at the eastern entrance with excellent views and they have cameras everywhere which they watch like hawks.

PS: When leaving don't just request western or eastern entrance, also say which way you are heading after leaving the harbour.

 

[rubberduck]

Some great tips, will now finalise plans & wait for some weather !! Failing that its back up the Thames again but further with our new folding mast. Looking to do the trip in August which if all goes to plan I have arranged for us to take off.
Also looking to leave her down there for the boat show & possibly pay someone to bring her back to Chatham in sept/oct as we wont have time, any volunteers ?

 

[alant]

First time I have disagreed with anyone on this forum. Sorry and all that.

The eastern entrance is open for leisure craft. Do what the book says, call 'Dover Port Control' on 74 when 2 miles off. Give your name, position, and request Western or Eastern entrance. They will tell you to call back when 200m off. That's quite close. They may ask you to use a different entrance to what you requested but usually you will get what you want. You may have to hold off a while for commercial traffic to pass (both entrances are busy, it's not just ferries), or you may be asked what your speed is and if you are quick enough they will slot you in. They are really helpful. We were leaving by the eastern entrance a while back and as we approached they asked our speed and then told us to scarper quickly which we did (all of 6 knots, it's a motor/sailer), and a ferry crossed behind us. The control room is on the landward pier at the eastern entrance with excellent views and they have cameras everywhere which they watch like hawks.

PS: When leaving don't just request western or eastern entrance, also say which way you are heading after leaving the harbour.

I always contact Dover Port Control, even when transiting. They will keep a very close watch way past Dover.
Only ever used the western entrance, which again you need to contact control, just in case other traffic. The tide across the entrance, can be fierce, so make sure you aim for the uptide breakwater when using the entrance.

 

[oldgit]

Personal take on Chatham to Ramsgate.
If weather is good,Inshore route would be my choice if tides right and no or little wind.
If weather is iffy,Offshore can be a lot more comfortable.
Still in sight of land which ever route you decide on.
You are probably aware of this very useful webcam to give you a good idea of whats going on outside.There are four excellent quality cameras giving a wide sweep of esturary.
http://www.iossc.org.uk/weather/?sn=cam1#.VQhWII7LKFU.



One other tip sometimes due to wind/tide/bottom of river etc it can seem a bit lumpy leaving the Medway at Garrison Point.If you press on past Sheerness for half mile or so it will quieten/get worse giving you a more true picture of conditions for the rest of your journey

 

[Aardee]

The last time I went via the Looe Channel, we had a friendly dolphin swim alongside for a few minutes...happy memories (especially on a morning like this when I can't even see the forts from Gunwharf Quays)

 

[jfm]

Leaving aside special things like the sands, for ordinary passagemaking curving around a coast, 4 miles is far too far out imho. I'd normally be planning 1 mile out, and closer to headlands that had no special properties. Obviously where there are bays and estuaries you would go across in a straight line so might find yourself further from land briefly

I've only done this trip 3 times, but I would go inside Goodwin, passing Deal close ish

 

[rubberduck]

Looking at doing "route mk11" this week if I get time, will get it closer where I can. How far out do fishermen leave pots etc ?

 

[southseaian]

Be careful if you are instructed to use Dover's western entrance. The cross tide can be very strong and when combined with a strong opposing wind the sea conditions will be nasty.
In a near life time of boating my scariest and worse ever experience was in Dover's western entrance. The second being in Eyemouth harbour entrance just north of Berwick on Tweed.
As someone has indicated Brighton Marina entrance can be nasty and has claimed a few over the years. As regards Eastbourne's Sovereign Marina the entrance is more sheltered BUT although listed as an all tides the approaches are prone to silting preventing approaching at lower tide levels.
Check on this with local knowledge. Someone on here may advise just how often this is a problem.

How far off-shore has been covered. I personally would stay only a mile or so off (less in some places) subject to shoreline dangers. I do that because it adds to the interest of the trip.
In a slow boat tidal streams may be a consideration, they tend to run faster in-shore around headlands.

 

[DAKA]

Planning on going around the coast from Chatham to Southampton somewhere, route we have plotted is between 4 & 8 nautical miles from the coast on average, is this too far out ?

Ive done this trip a lot from the east coast and about 3 times from the Thames.

Personally I plot a long way off headlands such as elbow for first example.

If its rough you want to be clear of the races and headland amplification.

If its calm you can easily cut the corner.


When you actually plot your course on your chart you will see the races and shallows, go around them all knowing its easy to cut a corner when it's calm but very difficult to plot a new course when your bouncing in over falls.

Elbow, straight line to cut very close to white cliffs of Dover, no point in going round goodwins, if you try to go round keep an eye on your track they sort of suck you in .

Edit

Dover is easy to fuel, go in the east and out the west .

When going in the east you need to have a chart of Dover port open, they give instructions such as head for knuckle

 

[rubberduck]

Route now suitably amended, thanks all for your help. However the whole thing is now in doubt as our much loved Cavalier King Charles, Gizmo is currently in hospital in Cambridge after an ulcer on his eye which seemed to be getting better suddenly perforated last night & we had to rush him up there for an emergency opp. It is now touch & go for a few days, may just end up with some gentle trips around the estuary, we will see.

 

[Johntheoil]

Best Wishes Rubberduck, and especially to 'Charles Gizmo'. We have a little Maltese Terrier, best crew ever.....always eager to get on the boat, and never complains. He can also get around the decks more than twice as fast as me

 

[rubberduck]

Thanks, opp went well, staying in hospital til at least mid week to give the repair best chance, looking at the weather we are not missing much, missing him however, rather a lot.