Rounding Portland

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Andrew M

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Hi, a quick question …….

We are relocating the boat to Brixham from the Solent. Hoping to move on Tuesday this coming week as it looks like there's a nice little calm weather window with low winds. Am probably going into Weymouth en route for a quick stop and to take on fuel. Timing wise this will mean we could be rounding Portland at HW. We have mostly gone round there in the inshore passage in decent weather at the recommended HW+4hrs and it's always been lovely. My question is : on a neap tide and with low wind, what should I expect Portland to be like if it's at HW and not that +4hrs ? having read everything it looks like the timing is geared to getting the tide helping you across Lyme Bay which I'm guessing is to help sailors, but is that all it's about or will the sea state be uncomfortable if rounding on HW ? anyone got experience please ?

Thanks.
 
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Andy,

I've gone from Lymington straight to Brixham a couple of times so haven't bothered with the inside passage and just kept a mile or so off the Bill. I do try and time it with a slack tide just to minimise any wind over tide conditions. I haven't looked at the forecast to see what the wind direction will be but your HW +4 puts you a little after slack tide at the inside passage so I would round the Bill at about HW +3. Around 10.30am.
 
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Richard.C said:
Andy,

I've gone from Lymington straight to Brixham a couple of times so haven't bothered with the inside passage and just kept a mile or so off the Bill. I do try and time it with a slack tide just to minimise any wind over tide conditions. I haven't looked at the forecast to see what the wind direction will be but your HW +4 puts you a little after slack tide at the inside passage so I would round the Bill at about HW +3. Around 10.30am.
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Great information there Richard .
 
Andy,

I just checked Windfinder, it's saying less than 10 knots of wind and looking like NE to E direction. If that stays true you could leave a little earlier while the tide and wind are together, so if the wind stays NE or E and below 10 knots I think anytime between 9.30am and 10.30am to round the Bill should be fine.

Are you in Lymington today? I was hoping to be down this weekend but had a chest infection this week so staying wrapped up.

Good luck with the trip and hope to see you in Brixham some time.
 
We delivered our then boat (Sealine T47) one January from the Solent to Falmouth via a night stop at Portland Marina. Even in a NE F6 gusting 7 the inside passage was fine at slack water although the nearby race looked fearsome. We did hit some very bumpy overfalls west of the Bill but just uncomfortable, not dangerous.

With the weather you are expecting everything should be fine but look out for the lobster pot floats in the passage which are very likely to be pulled under if there is any kind of a tide running.

Safe trip.
 
The first time I rounded the Bill, many years ago, I carefully read the pilot book before setting off.

As I approached the inshore passage I began to worry whether I had read the instructions properly.

Before I had time finish thinking about it I was whisked out of the other side and safely on my way to Portland!
 
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Richard.C said:
Are you in Lymington today? I was hoping to be down this weekend but had a chest infection this week so staying wrapped up.
Good luck with the trip and hope to see you in Brixham some time.
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Hi R, thanks, nope not there today, we popped down yesterday to get a few things ready for the trip and will go down tomorrow after work for a, hopefully, nice early, calm, flat departure.
Hope you feel better soon and yep well meet up somewhere, but will keep in touch anyway.
Andy
 
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Ok, thanks chaps, good advice and will consider all that later when I finalise the plan for Tuesday. Another option is to fuel in Lymington , miss out Weymouth ,
and just stay out wide of Portland and get over there in 1 leg, it's nigh on 90nm so at 16/17kn it shouldn't take too long either, hmmmm.
 
We do not worry about the tide around the bill, if the crossing forecast is ok for the bay, much prefere to carry tide across bay, when leaving Weymouth marine the bridge openings tend to dictate what time we leave, fishing boats sit out there all day, as you have quoted as your not in a sailing boat, does not make much difference ,we always keep close inside ,good advice to keep lookout for pots,
 
Andrew M said:
Hi, a quick question …….

We are relocating the boat to Brixham from the Solent. Hoping to move on Tuesday this coming week as it looks like there's a nice little calm weather window with low winds. Am probably going into Weymouth en route for a quick stop and to take on fuel. Timing wise this will mean we could be rounding Portland at HW. We have mostly gone round there in the inshore passage in decent weather at the recommended HW+4hrs and it's always been lovely. My question is : on a neap tide and with low wind, what should I expect Portland to be like if it's at HW and not that +4hrs ? having read everything it looks like the timing is geared to getting the tide helping you across Lyme Bay which I'm guessing is to help sailors, but is that all it's about or will the sea state be uncomfortable if rounding on HW ? anyone got experience please ?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

PM cheap fuel in Weymouth always sort me out!
 
Thanks Lulla-belle, that's the guy I use as well, he's brilliant isn't he ? I'm trying to weigh up the equation of time saved by going straight there staying outside the race against the time to pull into Weymouth (which then puts me at the Bill at HW) and the significant cost saving if I take on a full 1200ltr load from him. It's Portland at HW I'm not comfortable with, but then it is only showing 4knts of wind and its neaps
 
Andy , looking at weather forecast and tidal streams I would say between 10.30 and 11.30am would be perfect to be rounding the bill tomorrow. Neaps and barely any wind it will be flat.
This was coming back the other way with a 3 to 4 south westerly and about 2 hours earlier in the tidal stream.
 
Thanks Andy ,good to see. I have also spoken today to a couple of Weymouth people and they also reckon it should be pretty flat/benign tomorrow on the inshore route. So unless anything changes overnight I'm pretty well set on stopping in Weymouth for a cuppa and fuel, leaving pronto once that's done and then going round inshore once I've called the Coastwatch guys to see what their description of the sea state is. will also try and get some video to post up here if it's nice.

Thanks for all advice/help.
 
Hi,

Well, for info, we had a stunning journey from Lymington to Brixham on Tuesday, absolutely fabulous day for it, left LYH at about 0900 , easy trip into Weymouth for a quick sandwich and to take on fuel, then off round Portland..... It was fab !. we were rounding it at about 1hr after HW, which I was a bit unsure about but all general and local info indicated it would be ok as it was a neap tide and low wind, 6knts. I phoned the coastwatch guys as we left Weymouth and they said it was nice and benign so we went using the inshore route, it was just lovely, I did get some video so will try and get it posted here soon. past the lighthouse and then straight over Lyme Bay to Brixham. quite stunning crossing Lyme Bay, all the way at 18knts, lovely and smooth. Brixham looks fab, looks like lots to do and visit in the area so we are looking forward to next year down there.
Thanks for all the help and info with the planning.

Andy

Here's leaving Lymington
Lymington Departure 2 22Oct 2019 resized.JPG

And here's mid way across Lyme Bay
Lymington Departure 3 22 Oct 2019 resized.JPG
 
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