Sailing through overfalls: how to sail safely through them.... Or go around?

[oldmanofthehills]

Hi Everyone,

I seem to get caught out with overfalls or underestimate how bad they can be which is why im doing my homework on them.

Just some cases- back in April i was sailing around the isle of man, We took Chicken Rock - about 1 mils outside the overfalls on the chart but they was still rough

Just before Christmas we was heading down from Caernarfon to Pwllheli stayed on the outside on The Tripods - about 1 mile again and was rough.

Both these times was with tide heading in the direction we was sailing and light winds - They was doable and not to bad but was rough for 20/30 minutes. - Devils ridge was flat.

We have just left Fisgard (17th Jan) to Milford Marina. Winds about 13kts to 18kts southerly, spring tide. Everything was great, really good sail up to St David's, we went through St Georges Channel which i was aware of and knew it was going to get choppy but choppy was an understatement. We was motor sailing and it was that rough the engine failed which I'm assuming was a fuel issue. it came back on shortly after with no issues.

We crosses the bay, motor sailing, and tide pushing us. I was going to go through Jack sound as we should have hit their at low water slack, but the wind was a bit high and the conditions we just had i changed my mind to go around Skomer and go through Broad Sound, Again i took this wide, about 1-2 miles outside the overfalls on the charts. It looks choppy so i decided to go around Stockholm (Wild goose race). This was a disaster. We get F***ed. Massive waves easily 4-5m. Towering. Engine failed multiple times as i tried to hit them on the shoulder. Was a sh*t show. Completely my fault for under estimating them. But this is the first time i feel like i badly messed up and put us in danger. Jack sound should have been low water slack but i was going at 11.8kts at this point. The tide was ripping. I had an anchorage on the north side on Skomer which at this point was only 1.5miles away so we tried to turn back, i was doing 1kt with engine at full speed. We had to turn into it. I decided to head out further to hopefully get out the overfalls. 20,30 minutes of slamming and battling the waves they finally settled down. Luckily i had the sail out reefed which kept steering when the engine failed.

Luckily we are all good and no damage to the boat, the inside was a mess with a few things broken that got flung about.

I don't want to make this mistake again. I wanted to see what yous do, do you avoid overfalls, do you time them for slack water? My thoughts at the moment is to go miles (3/4 if not more) around them. I need to know what's the best approach to these as i can see im going to encounter a lot around the Bristol Channel and south of the UK.

Also, just FYI, we both had a PLB on us and both Harnesses in. But i hope to never get to the point where im thinking we need to use it. Also when i say caught out on overfalls - I mean it like understate them. I am fully aware of them on the charts when i do my planning.

Thanks in advanced.

Jack Sound slack is about 2 hours after HW or Low water. I have had an interesting time going through to early due to failure to amend for BST and as a result came through at 14kt when engine on idle result in almighting splash when boat hit still water. So next time I went via Stockholm, and like you hit vertical waves of 4m. Much splashing and alarm but nothing landed in the cockpit.

Since then I go correctly through Jack near passage slack or plan my route via Broad Sound more carefully.

In fair weather and daylight few races are that much of an issue, except Portland and Shambles, as one can see to avoid the worst and often sneak inside them. Poor weather and poor visibility needs one to keep well away

 

[Boathook]

We race on and out of the North channel and Needles fairway. Sometimes that entails taking it on the chin However, calmer water is easy to find, on the Island shore for instance, just that the tide may be less advantageous. At Portland, we’d go inshore unless there’s a good breeze with a lot of south in it. St Albans we take no notice of, TBH. Christchurch ledge can be a surprise for people. Not dangerous, but you can get banged around.

I'm wary of St Albans since going through an 8 foot standing wave on a flat calm day; and either go close in or out to the DZ B buoy towards the southern end of the ledge.
I have had the range safety vessel asking me to alter course a few times.

 

[rotrax]

I'm wary of St Albans since going through an 8 foot standing wave on a flat calm day; and either go close in or out to the DZ B buoy towards the southern end of the ledge.
I have had the range safety vessel asking me to alter course a few times.

Tom Cunliffe had a busy time in St. Albans Race one time. On a bad day, at the wrong time and with a strong WoT is can be a bitch.

From direct experience!

 

[tico]

If Jack sound is bad then consider going through Little sound but not at low water (theres a rock there)
However The Wild Goose race is worse, more like a washing machine
As noted elsewhere, slack at Jack sound is about 2-2.5 hrs after HW/LW milford

 

[johnalison]

Tom Cunliffe had a busy time in St. Albans Race one time. On a bad day, at the wrong time and with a strong WoT is can be a bitch.

From direct experience!

My first experience of the St Albans race was more exciting than my wife would have wished, when we were faced with a series of water walls. Since we had the tide under us, I just slowed to just having steerage way and let the current take us through, which the boat managed with no trouble at all.

 

[[194497]]

I went past Portland Bill in bad weather once and seven miles offshore was only just far enough...

 

[oldmanofthehills]

I went past Portland Bill in bad weather once and seven miles offshore was only just far enough...

We have watched the Portland races from our chalet on the Bill and seen them toss RN minesweeper about. Only Pentland Firth and Corrie Wrekan scare me more and I have kept clear of them when passing even in good weather

 

[mattonthesea]

I went past Portland Bill in bad weather once and seven miles offshore was only just far enough...

We left West Bay for Weymouth mid evening in light winds, knowing that they were due to pick up. Two waypoints 5 miles out and either side of the races. One waypoint 6 miles off at the mid point. Rival 32.

Sure enough, wind built to F5/6 but the sea state was ok so we cut the corner and crossed at 5 miles. It didn't take long. Our SOG increased dramatically to 9 kts plus and the waves were quite steep. I noted to my partner that we must be in the races. In the dark we looked back at what appeared to be standing waves, steeply wavering above the Aries. We put the splash boards in, ready to be pooped but it didn't happen.

A little while later it settled and we raised the cardinal on the east side. Anchored off the beach at midnight. Then into Portland marina to see out that July 21 storm!

For several days we looked out, over the maelstrom, glad that we hadn't been a day later!

 

[oldbloke]

Maelstrom?

 

[mattonthesea]

Maelstrom?

Been through when like that too

 

[MontyMariner]

As shown, PB isn't always bad. I used to have a 22 footer moored in Portland Harbour, on a nice day when the tides were right it was a lovely day sail up around the Bill and back when the tide turned. Ran out a fishing line, then Mackerel or Bass for dinner, happy memories.
On the other hand, when it was blowing a bit and I couldn't launch the dinghy to get out to the boat mooring, you knew the Bill was a place to keep away from!

 

[Chiara’s slave]

We’ve been through inshore in glassy calm, able to see the seabed. And when far from glassy calm, 6 miles offshore, 4 kn of positive tide, SW F5-6. At that distance it was, I suppose, just ordinarily rough for that much wind and tide. 37kn apparent at one point.

 

[oldmanofthehills]

As shown, PB isn't always bad. I used to have a 22 footer moored in Portland Harbour, on a nice day when the tides were right it was a lovely day sail up around the Bill and back when the tide turned. Ran out a fishing line, then Mackerel or Bass for dinner, happy memories.
On the other hand, when it was blowing a bit and I couldn't launch the dinghy to get out to the boat mooring, you knew the Bill was a place to keep away from!

Indeed, we have sailed just off the old launch crane in flat calms and seen little to bother us even if we had strayed south towards the race, and once spent most of that part of the passage trying to catch the attention of my nephew ashore.

On bad days however ...

 

[ithet]

Tom Cunliffe had a busy time in St. Albans Race one time. On a bad day, at the wrong time and with a strong WoT is can be a bitch.

From direct experience!

I have never actually come across smooth water no matter how far inshore at St. Albans. I think that narrow passage is a figment of Tom's imagination.

 

[MontyMariner]

. I think that narrow passage is a figment of Tom's imagination.

It's there but you need to be in spitting distance of the coast.
See Poole to St Albans Head : Monty Mariner

 

[AntarcticPilot]

It's there but you need to be in spitting distance of the coast.
See Poole to St Albans Head : Monty Mariner

There's a similar inshore passage at the Mull of Kintyre - and you need to be close in for that one, too.

 

[rotrax]

It's there but you need to be in spitting distance of the coast.
See Poole to St Albans Head : Monty Mariner

We took it once when going to anchor in Chapmans Pool. It exists, but at the time we went round-from Studland-it was but a mere ripple in the race. Neaps and slacking off before high water.