river Itchen speed limit

mad_boater

mad_boater

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I'm on one of the outside pontoons in Shamrock Quay so the wash from speeding boats can be bad.There is supposed to be a speed limit of 6 knts in the river.I cant believe the number of idiots that come by well above that.I know this is a bit of a pointless rant but I wish I could borrow a unform and a radar gun.
 
I'm just upriver from you at Saxon Wharf. Had a "discussion" with one of the rowing support inflatables that told us off for going too fast (we were virtually drifting as swmbo was up on the foredeck putting fenders out). He the shot off at full chat, creating a huge wash, to chase his rowers.

I find it's the rib experience boats from Drivers and the bigger cruisers that seem to be the worst, not to mention the black Police rib :rolleyes:

What you want is a rifle rather than a speed gun, works a treat on ribs (so I've heard )
 
jokerboat said:
I'm just upriver from you at Saxon Wharf. Had a "discussion" with one of the rowing support inflatables that told us off for going too fast (we were virtually drifting as swmbo was up on the foredeck putting fenders out). He the shot off at full chat, creating a huge wash, to chase his rowers.

I find it's the rib experience boats from Drivers and the bigger cruisers that seem to be the worst, not to mention the black Police rib :rolleyes:

What you want is a rifle rather than a speed gun, works a treat on ribs (so I've heard )
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The rifle sounds a bit more effective.Its the dopey look they give when I hold up 6 fingers in a hope they might slow down a bit or sometimes they laugh(nice people).
 
With you on this Mad_Boater, also in the same marina and often had the same thoughts, there seems to be quite a range of different boats from 16ft speedboats to those bigger commercial cruisers etc. Have considered talking to the harbour authority about it.

Waving and shouting at the worst offenders makes no difference, especially if they have loud music playing as well!
 
The breaking of this speed limit happens from Woodmill all the way up to past Shamrock Quay. I have been sat on the boat at Cobden bridge with jet skiis, ribs and speed boats on full plain under the bridge.

I also work at the Crest developement (Vospers) at woolston and can honestly say very few keep the limit, very few are on a plain, most hover just above, even the tugs are well over the 6 knott limit, and the rusty old ship that may be part of the oil spill response? that doesn travel at 6 knotts.

I used to speed there and still do on occasion, but im nearly always following and being followed by others happy to travel about 10:confused:
 
Warpa said:
I used to speed there and still do on occasion, but im nearly always following and being followed by others happy to travel about 10:confused:
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Well next time you do take a look over your shoulder and look at the problems you're causing with your wake. Especially when passing the marinas. Or are you saying you cause no wake at 10 knots :rolleyes:
 
I cause wake at 6 or 10 knots as do the majority of craft. My 17' boat causes a lot less than some, in particular the commercial ones, even the site seeing boat is over the limit.

Let's face it who sticks to the speed limit on or off water:rolleyes:
 
I think if you ask mad_boater about this you might get a response :rolleyes:

It's not about speed as such it's the wake that you generate. Your boat will probably be at it's worst at 10 knots. If you are still generating bad wake at 6 you should knock it back a bit more until your wake dies off.

It's not quite the same as speeding on the road, and that's another legal and moral issue, if you generate excessive wake on a river you are potentially causing damage to other peoples boats, or compromising their safety.

Take a, possibly extreme but valid, example.

Chap up the mast of his small yacht trying to fix something. You barrel past at 10 knots without a care in the world.

a) He get swung around causing injury to him.
b) He breaks whatever he was trying to fix as he tries to hang on
c) He drops his mole grips of whatever on his mates head or onto his deck causing damage.

Or just as bad I'm balance on the back of my boat pouring petrol into the tank and you come past making me spill some of that very valuable investment. :mad:

As I said look behind you to see what effect you are having on other peoples property before deciding that it's OK to cause wake.
 
Maybe my perception of ten knots is out, it's when the lever is just in gear and revs I move up to just over 1k rpm. My worst wake is just before the planning speed. What's six knots.... About a brisk walking pace? And yes I know what bad wash does as I kneel on my swim deck with a 20L petrol can in my hands:eek:
 
10 knots would, I suspect, for your boat be just before getting over the hump onto the plane, i.e. worst possible speed.

6 knots is probably just pushing onto the hump.

5.5 knots would most likely be just raising a ripple.

Mine (21ft) is OK to just over 6 knots but at nearing 7 is starting to raise a bit of a chop.

At 40 knots it hardly causes a wake at all :D

Interestingly on Saturday I got sandwiched by 2 power boats doing silly speeds just off Weston shore, hold on I thought, but virtually nothing but a ripple.

The same boats going up the Itchen at 8 knots however, well :(

You've probably seen them about, the Honda racing experience ones.

Just goes to show :rolleyes:
 
I see the Honda race boats every day while at work, and on two occasions have been passed by them when going out and coming in. Maybe my speed estimation is wrong and I don't do ten knots. Running at just before planning speed is a hidious waste of fuel in my boat :eek:
 
Warpa said:
I cause wake at 6 or 10 knots as do the majority of craft. My 17' boat causes a lot less than some, in particular the commercial ones, even the site seeing boat is over the limit.

Let's face it who sticks to the speed limit on or off water:rolleyes:
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No dissrespect meant but if we all just went a whatever speed we wanted to chaos would rule.I hope there is never a tme when you are holding on whilst trying to do cleaing or maitainace with a mini tidal wave under your boat.
 
mad_boater said:
No dissrespect meant but if we all just went a whatever speed we wanted to chaos would rule.I hope there is never a tme when you are holding on whilst trying to do cleaing or maitainace with a mini tidal wave under your boat.
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I get the impression that warpa has not got any idea as to what speed he's actually doing and is working by guesstimate.

Anyway it's not the speed but the wash and some boats still create too much wash at 6 knots. Perhaps they should change the rules to have no wash areas like they do in the states. Easier to spot as well. Mind you that doesn't mean that people can do 40 knots up the river so there has to be an upper limit on speed as well I suppose.
 
:o sorry :p

Perhaps there should be a minimum speed as well. Though shalt not travel at a speed less that min planing speed + 30% ;)

It would mean that I would get back to the marina quicker instead of wasting 20 minutes chugging along at raggie speed. :D
 
jokerboat said:
:o sorry :p

Perhaps there should be a minimum speed as well. Though shalt not travel at a speed less that min planing speed + 30% ;)

It would mean that I would get back to the marina quicker instead of wasting 20 minutes chugging along at raggie speed. :D
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That's more like it! :D
 
A couple of shaky vids from my phone at work, not looked to see if the iphone has a zoom for video as well. can be watched in full screen and i would say all 3 boats are over the limit, the single boat on its own is around the speed i go. Seeing the wash was ok by eye but not as good for the phone:D



 
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