sharpness too watchet..wot do i need too know

At watchet the channel is a lot more than a few miles wide, nothing like a river. Big tidal currents, big tidal height range, lots of sandbanks and some big consequences for missing a tidal gate. I have had some pretty rough conditions on the watchet to cardiff passage.
 
It really doesn't matter whether it is sea, estuary, river or ocean. The Bristol Channel has plenty of hazards to catch out the unwary or inadequately equipped. On a nice calm day, it will be easy, but every prudent skipper has something up his sleeve to cope with the unexpected.

The OP can brush up his navigation and seamanship skills, and equip the boat with all the necessary. What he can't do is make an unsuitable hull design suitable for the conditions he might encounter.
 
Interesting!

I had thought of adding to this thread but it is interesting enough without me! After loads of threads with none BC sailors saying how dangerous the channel is, we have someone saying it's fine.
Personally I consider the sea starts just upstream of Sharpness and would never go to sea without two means of propulsion. I have powerful sails and 50 horsepower. That is my minimum. We are all grownups and can make our own decisions.
Allan
 
Its called the river severn.hehe but wot do i know.nearly brought a 65 hp engine the other day hoping that may help my journey allot quicker .it woulda been two stroke engine.mite cost me allot more in petrol.but then again it wont as i wouldnt be thrashing it.like i would be with my honda 4stroke 15hp
 
Yes it is rough at watchet seen it with my own eyes .if i was on the sea them days it woulda smashed my boat into watchet lite house walls hehe.but ive never been too watchet on a calm day.
 
My boat is a burland 27ft.cruizer.they was made with either in board engine or a out board engine.im sure i read ages ago that there inboards was 35 hp deisil
 
Burland.jpg

Something like this
 
sixtimes said:
Ive also noticed allot ov boats on the sea sailboats got very small outbords on back.enyway wot do i know.
Click to expand...

If you are talking about very small (less than 5hp) outboards they might be for the tender, not the boat itself, and stowed on the taffrail? but lots of smaller sailboats (under about 25 ft) are driven by smallish outboards of around the 15hp mark, because a) the engine is not used for voyaging but only close quarters stuff getting in and out of harbour- it is an auxiliary; and b) these boats are small and relatively light, and they are not usually carrying their owners' worldly posessions. I think the idea you had about getting a bigger engine is very good if you want to do this trip. Looking at the pic steve has posted I have to say I am having a hard time following PCUK's vision of it up on the plane at 20kn, especially with the outboard you have. What does it weigh with all your gear on board?

Cheers
 
If my boat was ready I would be happy to escort you on the trip but it is unlikely to be launched until mid summer at the earliest. Maybe someone else would be interested. You probably need around 100hp to get her up on the plane and you'd need to strengthen the transom but a 65hp would be a good lump for the trip and not stressed by running flat out. Personally I'd wait for a calm period and do the trip over a couple of days at your current cruising speed. There are many single engined boats that do long trips without any problems thanks to good maintenance. I used to cruise the East Coast in a single engined pinnace conversion.
 
Looking at this from another angle it might (no it would) be safer and produce less tears all around, if you were to consider looking for a new lady companion living somewhere that could be safely navigated to using only the inland waterway system. Only saying.
 
What speed can you do with the 15hp? Reliability is more important than hp for this trip. Losing power and grounding in the upper reaches of the estuary could easilly cost you the boat or worse. The strong tidal current has been known to roll boats over after grounding.

I am guessing it will give you about 6 to 8 knots in calm water. You can only leave Sharpness close to HW you then have the whole of the ebb tide to get to Watchet with the tide helping you will achieve this ok provided the motor keeps going and you dont waste any time.

You cant enter Watchet until about 2hrs 30 mins before HW so you now have to wait before entering. I would suggest anchoring west of Watchet or you will end up fighting the tide to get there .

I wouldnt recommend doing any of the above unless you have absolute confidence in both the engine and your own navigational skills.It would also have to be done in perfect weather conditions.No more than 10 knots of wind in the forecast and good or very good visibility.

Portishead will still be accessible when you get there so could provide a refuge if needed Cardiff is the next place you could make for if needed .I would want a second auxillary outboard for the passage and ideally have it on a bracket ready for use. Lifting a 15hp outboard off the stern to change them over will be difficult at sea. The auxillary could be an 8 or 10 hp which will be enough to keep you going should the 15 fail.

Remember that the engine is going to be more thirsty running hard than trickling around the inland waterways so take lots more than you calculate you need.If you are delayed and end up motoring against the flood tide your speed will drop dramatically hence the need for a substantial reserve of fuel.

I dont know you or your boat so can only say that this passage is not something to be undertaken lightly in anything less than a reliable properly equipped boat.
 
take the sound advice off graham. prior to barrage days we anchored off porlock and went up with the tide. the most important is to go in company with another boat
 
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