sharpness too watchet..wot do i need too know

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sixtimes

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Small 27 ft cruiser (canal river boat) 15 hp outboard.could i do it in one tide sharpness to watchet . distance to travel dont know....where to pull into if weather turned bad.....also boat has 1 foot bilge keel which runs along most ov the boat underneath..thats 7 inches wide too...would the keel just sink into the sand/mud or would my boat topple over it tide went out...thanks for reading this hope too hear from u soon
 
An unsuitable boat
A long passage
A complicated route
Potential rough sea
Probably need to anchor outside watchett for the gate to open
Can you navigate? You dont even know how far it is

I dont think its very sensible. Good news is there are a few lifeboat stations en-route
 
Yes seen how ruff it can be at watchet.as i visited there regular but by land.everytime bin it was bad.the sea wouda smashed my boat to pieaces.and i wouldnt even go on it if i seen a wave.hehe.as for navagation not sure.but lived on my boat 20 years if that helps me.never done tidle through.even the river trent is bad in the wrong conditions.soppose not like the sea....thanks for the advice steve
 
I agree with Steve in that I can't understate what a bad idea the suggestion of this passage would be in your boat. Ports.com (http://ports.com/sea-route/gloucest...nited-kingdom/watchet-harbour,united-kingdom/) says it is something in the order of 60Nm. If your boat will do 5 knots then, not taking into account the tide, that is going to be 12 hours at sea. I don't know what your boat might behave like at sea but I would think there is a chance you might not get far enough south on the ebb tide before you find yourself punching the flood long before you get to Watchet, and the flood up in the inner part of the channel is so strong it might bring you literally to a standstill. As mentioned the alternative is Cardiff but you might struggle to make that and even then Watchet is a long step away on the next ebb. Travelling on the ebb with the prevailing southwesterlies gives you maximum exposure to wind over tide which kicks up the rough seas. there are various shoals and banks on the way which kick up worse than the deeper parts of the channel and you need to know how to avoid these. Are you considering doing this soon? Daylight is limited and respectfully is seems you are unfamiliar with sea navigation in daylight let alone night. Does your boat have navigation lights? When you get to Watchet you will as said need to enter near high water, and there is usually a cross-tide running at the entrance- the harbour is quite tricky to enter. A passage like this is not difficult for a sea boat but that's because they have hulls designed to punch big seas and carry the charts, almanacs etc which allow proper passage planning including contingency plans and emergency measures. I think you and your boat are about something different- not worse, but not suitable for this passage. I'd either consider road transportation or decide to enjoy gloucester some more.

Cheers
 
Thanks for advice bitbaltic. yes seen watchets inlet part and thought to myself id never get through without getting smashed into walls.but that was only in ruff weather that seen it.thought it was a distance i ad to travel.but maybe i could try too break it up.yes av got lites.but more worrid about comming to a standstill in the currant.was thinking about doing this in couple months time.but that was only if its suitable.was thinking getting boat transported too if its cheap enough. enyway thanks for taking the time to write ur artical to this
 
Why do you want to go there? If it is for the experience of going to sea then try doing sharpness-portishead-bristol and go back via the inland route. A much easier passage, but still with a lot of sandbanks in the way.

I dont see the point of transporting it to watchet. Once there you will still have the same problems going out to sea in a river boat.
 
Wanted to move too watchet.i know id have same problem but at least i could only go out in calm weather.if posible.or get cheap sea boat time im there.
 
Been courting a lady near watchet for 8 months or so.wanted to be nearer to her nearest place is watchet.2 miles from her.as im far from her now.my boat is ok i think turbines .solar panels .etc plenty room in boat.so was trying to get to watchet.as then i have my home still and belongings
 
sixtimes said:
Been courting a lady near watchet for 8 months or so.wanted to be nearer to her nearest place is watchet.2 miles from her.as im far from her now.my boat is ok i think turbines .solar panels .etc plenty room in boat.so was trying to get to watchet.as then i have my home still and belongings
Click to expand...

Fair play I completely sympathise with that. I'd say try and get the river boat transported to Watchet- ring the yacht owners association and see if there are any upcoming boat movements you could hitch a one way ride on. Or alternatively consider selling the river boat and buying a sea-going one. Easier said than done I know but if you stay in Watchet you will a) find the river boat very limited and perhaps frightening if you put to sea in it and b) difficult to sell on for a sea boat once it's in Watchet as any purchaser will have the reverse problem of transporting it back to the river/canal network.

Cheers
 
I beleave they do liverboards at watchet .well there web page says that they do.but last time i walked past they wasnt many boats about.unless there in dry dock..bin looking for cheap sea boats near too watchet on ebay/gumtree .but none local too watchet area.was one not long ago at newport twin diesil engine cruzer .but wasnt sure to go for it.as some deisil engines are not very cheap too run.my friend drives is boat 3 miles it cost him 45 ,00 pounds but that is a massive sea boat on trent.known other ppl too travel 21miles its cost em 90 pounds..cost me 30 pounds to do 45 miles.enyway not going on.next time i visit watchet/minehead will look to see if eny cheap boats for sale.thank u ppl for reading this artical and taking time replying too it
 
I think the dangers are being heavily overstated here. In a calm spell during the summer you will have no problems with sea conditions (remember the Bristol Channel isn't actually the sea!). Obviously you need to know the potential dangers but in a calm spell these will be minimal. A bigger engine would help. All vee bottom boats with flat sections will plane although they may not be very comfortable in choppy conditions but if you could do 20 knots on a calm day the trip would be much simpler. Depends on what power your boat is rated to take as well.
 
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