River Wyre/Skippool/Fleetwood Draft Questions

[savageseadog]

I know that there's lots of shallow water and drying stuff in and around those places but is it practical to sail with 2.5m draft to Skippool and Fleetwood? I'd need about 2 hours each side of HW. Are there any big lumps to avoid?

 

[BGarner]

Hi

I have sailed from across the way from Skippool for the last few seasons.
I think it would be do able with 2.5m draft and a good spring tide but the path up the river is a little tricky and you would need to know the best route to get the depth you need.
My own boat (Prevoius one) drew just over 1 m but once the channel was located there was plenty of depth.

The best route also changes so you might need someone with current knowledge to be on the safe side.

Regards

Brian

 

[Davy_S]

I used to moor at Skippool creek, later at Fleetwood. It is possible on the right tides. However, I would be very reluctant to do it! Going from Fleetwood to Skippool , once you are under the pylon wires near Wardleys creek at the top of the tide you are ok. The worst bit is before the Pylons, the bend near the old ICI works, the water is 6 metres deep here in the channel, stray out of the channel and go aground on a falling tide and you are in trouble, the yacht could in theory fall into the channel. There are Many yachts that have gone aground in the river over the years. If you could, I would reccomend driving to Stannah at low water and having a look for yourself how the river bends. It could be worth having a word with someone at Blackpool and Fleetwood yacht club, there used to be a guy called Bob who sells fish from a van, he knows the river well, he could get out on neaps!
You have a deep draft, take care!

 

[landlockedpirate]

I learnt to ski here in the 70's and skied and raced through the 80's. There really isnt a lot of room for error with your draft, but it is possible on a big enough tide.

Google earth is useful, it shows the river at low tide, but as others have suggested, I would give the club a call and see if anyone will guide you up there.

 

[savageseadog]

Looked on Google earth and it's a challenge, in the aerial view what height of tide might that be? It's low but probably not as low as it could be.

 

[BGarner]

I just looked on GE and the tide looks very low on those images. My old boat is in the picture moored off Wardleys club.

If you can find someone with the local knowledge it will give you much more peace of mind. Especially where the deepest channel crosses the river. Its easy to see on google but a bit harder when the tide is in.

Brian

 

[ffiill]

You definitely need local knowledge-I kept my boat there on one of the little jetties next to The Yacht Club.In 1995 I set off to sail my boat to its new home on the Clyde but bad weather forced a return initially to Fleetwood Marina.
After about 5 days as weather hadnt improved set of back up river and got well and truly stuck about half way along-falling tides but luckily before the high tide so got off but by the time I reached my jetty on a falling half tide took a run at it and grounded half way on.
If things havnt changed drastically in past 15 years there was a deep chanel running past jetty ends so as tide fell I was left with boat balance for and aft at about 45 degrees and I had to spend the night with it to get it moved up next day!
Having said this there were plenty of people who regularly went out into Morecambe Bay for a days or overnight sail to Peel.
PS Davy S is right its opp. ICI that I grounded.