rounding inside Portland West to East

[clyst]

The information is so beautifully clear in the local tidal atlas and pilots.
Beggars belief to me to ask.
Wot the OP wants is a fly-by-wire Portland Webcam next?
The trick is to 'weigh' information..Wot U gonna do if you take the northern inshore route and conditions go pearshaped twixt Torbay and Portland eh? FFS.
Go outside, take a bus from Weymouth, go looksee after the event, ignore the internet, learn to sail with regard to risk strategy, what do I know eh?

I'm well aware and conversant with tidal atlases and Reeds ,if you read my post I was asking for " local" knowledge . IE any tips from frequent users . WTF is wrong with that ?? I really despair with the unhelpful attitude of some posters around here.

 

[pcatterall]

I'm well aware and conversant with tidal atlases and Reeds ,if you read my post I was asking for " local" knowledge . IE any tips from frequent users . WTF is wrong with that ?? I really despair with the unhelpful attitude of some posters around here.

+1

 

[seadog30]

Hi

We have done the trip both ways many times, the info in Reeds or the Shell Pilot is good but -

1) The old fishermans saying was that you should be within a stones throw of the land at the bill.
2) Don't do it at night or with much tide flowing as there are many pot floats and they are difficult to see at the best of times.
3) If in doubt go out i.e. uncertain weather.

Its great when you get it right but can be scary if you don't.


Good luck

 

[VicS]

I'm well aware and conversant with tidal atlases and Reeds ,if you read my post I was asking for " local" knowledge . IE any tips from frequent users . WTF is wrong with that ?? I really despair with the unhelpful attitude of some posters around here.

Perhaps the wording of your original post was not clear enough.

You stated that you need local knowledge. I have been round Portland several times. I do not believe we had any "local knowledge. The pilotage notes in Reeds seem to be adequate.

You asked what is the best time to round the Bill. The answer to that question is in Reeds.

You asked how far north of the Bill to aim for. There is no firm answer to that. It will depend on the boat, whether it's springs or neaps and on how early, or late, you arrive.
Answers range from none at all to anchoring off the eastern end of Chesil beach for a few hours. Weather permitting of course.

 

[Giblets]

Rounding the Bill west to east on 12 November 2013 at 15:30ish. Full neaps. 1.5hrs after HW; 3hrs after slack water; current was setting 113 deg at 2.7kts. Wind - naff all!

Should have taken some shots over the stern but it did not look nice in that direction!!!!

Clicky the black box to start playing

 

[daviddb]

Oh dear! .......... this sort of response will put people off asking sensible questions and do nothing for the forum's reputation. Better if you hadn't bothered to post.

+1

 

[Blueboatman]

I'm well aware and conversant with tidal atlases and Reeds ,if you read my post I was asking for " local" knowledge . IE any tips from frequent users . WTF is wrong with that ?? I really despair with the unhelpful attitude of some posters around here.

Ah well. You appear to have received some valuable responses too. I have been through the inshore passage when it wasn't there. The only time I ever took a complete wave into the cockpit which appeared as though to leap vertically from nowhere, threw the boat backward, and yanked the tiller out of my hand.. I was able to put the bow through the wind and be tide-led clear only by backing down on the angled rudder . And the water was the wrong colour. And it was a Sunday morning and the red helicopter was doing a practise and aborted and side slipped nearer , I think they fully expected the boat to be pushed onto the Bill with the next couple of seas ... And it was 'only' around 20 knots ( headland effect) at The Bill from the SW ..
Which is rather a long way of saying....
So.... I am delighted you are competent , equipped, able to take account of imprecise actual tides and I wish you fine weather and a nice sail.

 

[clyst]

Ah well. You appear to have received some valuable responses too. I have been through the inshore passage when it wasn't there. The only time I ever took a complete wave into the cockpit which appeared as though to leap vertically from nowhere, threw the boat backward, and yanked the tiller out of my hand.. I was able to put the bow through the wind and be tide-led clear only by backing down on the angled rudder . And the water was the wrong colour. And it was a Sunday morning and the red helicopter was doing a practise and aborted and side slipped nearer , I think they fully expected the boat to be pushed onto the Bill with the next couple of seas ... And it was 'only' around 20 knots ( headland effect) at The Bill from the SW ..
Which is rather a long way of saying....
So.... I am delighted you are competent , equipped, able to take account of imprecise actual tides and I wish you fine weather and a nice sail.

Thank you . As regards to local knowledge ..... In my neck of the woods both the pilots and charts indicate that there is no safe passage between the local island and main land . However fishermen and locals alike know and have been having safe passage between them for centuries cutting an hour off the journey and avoiding over falls in inclement weather ,so much so that it is also locally known that a boat with 2mtr draft can safely use this short cut any day at 6 o'clock so seeking local knowledge is well worth seeking .

 

[PeterR]

Local knowledge needed . What is the best time to round Portland west to East using the inside channel ? Coming from Torbay how far north of the bill is recommended before turning south.

cheers

Theoretically, obviously, slack water is best when going through the inshore passage. However, in practice coming from a long way west it is very difficult to get your timing so precise that you hit slack water just as you round. The best I have ever aimed for is to ensure the tide is underneath me when I go round the Bill. For years I never aimed off and just went for the tip of the Bill directly without any problem until one year we got there at half tide on a big spring tide. No amount of motoring due north was enough to keep us out of the race. These days if its any more than half way between neaps and springs I aim to be close inshore 1 mile north of the Bill.

 

[VicS]

Thank you . As regards to local knowledge ..... In my neck of the woods both the pilots and charts indicate that there is no safe passage between the local island and main land . However fishermen and locals alike know and have been having safe passage between them for centuries cutting an hour off the journey and avoiding over falls in inclement weather ,so much so that it is also locally known that a boat with 2mtr draft can safely use this short cut any day at 6 o'clock so seeking local knowledge is well worth seeking .

There is no passage between the Isle of Portland and the mainland........ trust me ... local knowledge

 

[Seajet]

There is no passage between the Isle of Portland and the mainland........ trust me ... local knowledge

Maybe but a canal through Portland Harbour / Chesil Beach has been the subject of conjecture for a couple of centuries at least; the tides and topography make it a bit awkward.

If one really has to use the inshore passage when coming from the West, - and Studland / Poole is nearly as quick and a lot safer - keep well North into the bay to avoid being set through the Race.

When I had my frightening trip ( about 1984 ) around the inshore passage I found the actual getting around was not too bad - with a responsive boat - it was the hours going towards the white water on the horizon which did little to cheer me up, once there it was over in a few hectic minutes.

I would never go for the inshore passage from the West again though, too much journey time for the weather to change; we started off motoring in a calm and hours later were in F6-8, whatever it was it had my full attention and I'd nervously snapped at my g/f of the time not to keep turning on the windspeed display...

One other consideration if going on East is the gunnery range off Lulworth, try 01929 404819 for when they're feeling like firing stuff around !

 

[LadyInBed]

You need to be at the West side of the Bill at HW Dover +5 to and pick up the strong South current to round the Bill at HW Dover +5hr30 and pick up the N going current on the East side.
I assume you are heading for Weymouth because if you are heading for Poole / Solent, the outer (five miles South) passage is better.

Have a look here: http://montymariner.co.uk/tide-stream-charts-2/
There is a tide stream chart showing where the race is and a copy of this image:

 

[clyst]

Maybe but a canal through Portland Harbour / Chesil Beach has been the subject of conjecture for a couple of centuries at least; the tides and topography make it a bit awkward.

If one really has to use the inshore passage when coming from the West, - and Studland / Poole is nearly as quick and a lot safer - keep well North into the bay to avoid being set through the Race.

When I had my frightening trip ( about 1984 ) around the inshore passage I found the actual getting around was not too bad - with a responsive boat - it was the hours going towards the white water on the horizon which did little to cheer me up, once there it was over in a few hectic minutes.

I would never go for the inshore passage from the West again though, too much journey time for the weather to change; we started off motoring in a calm and hours later were in F6-8, whatever it was it had my full attention and I'd nervously snapped at my g/f of the time not to keep turning on the windspeed display...

One other consideration if going on East is the gunnery range off Lulworth, try 01929 404819 for when they're feeling like firing stuff around !

Thanks point taken onboard

 

[clyst]

You need to be at the West side of the Bill at HW Dover +5 to and pick up the strong South current to round the Bill at HW Dover +5hr30 and pick up the N going current on the East side.
I assume you are heading for Weymouth because if you are heading for Poole / Solent, the outer (five miles South) passage is better.

Have a look here: http://montymariner.co.uk/tide-stream-charts-2/
There is a tide stream chart showing where the race is and a copy of this image:

Thanks