Sailing to southend

[Patsy]

Hi me and my partner have a 22ft small sail boat. We are moored at medway marina. Can we just sail over to Southend, or do we need a license. Also we want to go down the other way via Rochester bridge (we know we have to put mast down) Do we again need a license? Thanks for your time .

 

[LittleSister]

You don't need a licence to goto Southend, but you do need to know what you're doing in terms of navigation - especially tides, buoyage, the rules of the road (i.e. the collision regulations - you're crossing a busy channel for big, fast ships, and there will likely be fishing and other small vessels moving around elsewhere) - and weather.

 

[Billy Blue]

Hi me and my partner have a 22ft small sail boat. We are moored at medway marina. Can we just sail over to Southend, or do we need a license. Also we want to go down the other way via Rochester bridge (we know we have to put mast down) Do we again need a license? Thanks for your time .

Going upstream, you will need to buy a licence once you get to Allington lock i.e. for the none tidal part of the Medway. You can purchase a visitors licence from the lockeeper. It gets shallow up to Allington so you need to work out the tides to get up there.

 

[DanTribe]

You don't need any licence or qualifications, but you will need to think about what to do once you arrive. Not many yacht friendly spots at Southend unless you can take the ground, don't think you can tie up to the pier. An obvious destination would be Leigh or Smallgains, for that you would need a chart a tide table and a means of sounding. Exciting times, I can just about remember my first Thames crossing, we thought we were rounding Cape Horn.

 

[oldgit]

Up stream. and draw about 4ft ?
Need to work out the height of your mast, you should have no problem getting under Rochester Bridge if you pick your tides.
For the first trip go on neaps through the central bridge arch around low water this should give loads of airdraft and water under your keel.

just continue upstream until you get fed up/bored or its HW then turn round to come back down.
ADMIRALTY EasyTide
If you go up with the tide you should have plenty of water but not a lot of wind.
For the really determined Aylesford Bridge will be the first real barrier to anything with a mast.

Downstream.
Try to use the tides to both go down and up.
Avoid anything with a lot of easterly against any big tide.
A radio on Ch74 is sensible and stay well clear of the Gas Terminal at Grain.
Cam 1 - Web Cams and Weather Station, Sheerness | IOS Sailing Community