Shotley to Chatham

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BigBill123

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Hi folks,

Looking like setting off on our first long sail this weekend and heading from Shotley to Chatham. Looks like Easterlies for Sat and fairly light (hoping for a bit more come the weekend). Its not a passage I have done before and looking for any helpful tips. Current thinking is to head out an hour or two ahead of LW (7am LW in Harwich) and get out past the windfarms and take the route down Black Deep, avoiding the Wallet Spitway combo. Ride the tide down as far as I can and then fight up into Chatham against the tide. Any thoughts greatly appreciated!

Thank you.
 
Any particular reason you want to avoid the Wallet/Spitway? The Black Deep is the long way round, and you'll have to contend with the big ships.

FWIW, Windy is showing a F5 North-easterly for Saturday afternoon.

I'd be tempted to stop at Queenborough and wait for a fair tide up the Medway. The pubs there are far better than in Chatham.
 
Black deep was the way others I had spoken to had gone , assumed I would get good wind and tide out there. Happy to be guided by others.

The wind is a total pig. Windy has NE, XC has southerly and WF SE (yesterday Easterly) all I need is a westerly for the full house!
 
+1. I don't know why you would want to go the long way round.
We usually aim to be at the Whitaker around low tide. The tide in the Wallet is slacker to push against and you then get the whole tide push up to and into the Medway.
 
Hi
an indication of your boat size & sail or motor would help. The tide in the Thames runs harder than the Wallet. I would aim to be close to the Spitway at low tide (it's pretty straight forward) and then take the tide up from there. We regularly did Walton Backwaters to Gillingham in a day.

almost a repeat of pandrod!
 
Super helpful... 36ft sail boat. Draws 1.9m. Looking at Navionics it is suggesting split the difference and go for Kings Channel and Middle Deep....
 
From Harwich we would always go through the Little Sunk passage. Although not marked, it is wide and has about 3.5m at LW. It is necessary to stay well clear of the position of the old beacon which is a hazard.
 
Drop down to Pyefleet on Friday evening, then cross Spitway first thing to carry the Saturday morning flood all the way up to Chattham
Be crossing the Thames by HW to return with the ebb.
 
oilybilge said:
Any particular reason you want to avoid the Wallet/Spitway? The Black Deep is the long way round, and you'll have to contend with the big ships.

FWIW, Windy is showing a F5 North-easterly for Saturday afternoon.

I'd be tempted to stop at Queenborough and wait for a fair tide up the Medway. The pubs there are far better than in Chatham.
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Beware that Windy uses different models and will display which ever one you choose. I normally use ECMWF, GFS uses a large scale (25km per side grid square)
 
WFA said:
Drop down to Pyefleet on Friday evening, then cross Spitway first thing to carry the Saturday morning flood all the way up to Chattham
Be crossing the Thames by HW to return with the ebb.
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This was my original plan but taking to dog as will be in London for a week or so, so would like to overnight in a Marina so he can stretch his legs. Looking at tides I could get into Pyfleet but not Brightlingsea or Bradwell
 
Via Wallet and Spitway between a wpt outside of Harwich Harbour to a wpt in the Medway Approach Channel is 36.22nm. On Springs (i.e. Saturday) at 5 kts average boat speed best start time is -6.00 Sheerness (i.e. 0832 BST), duration = 6hrs. But that is exactly at HW Sheerness so a plug against the tide to Chatham might not be great.

Via the Barrow Deep (same wpts) = 41.08nm. best start time is +4.30 Sheerness (i.e. 0700 BST), duration 6hrs 16 minutes arriving at an hour and 15 approx before HW Sheerness (starting via the Wallet and Spitway at 0700 BST would give you a duration of 6hr 18 minutes arriving at the same time (obviously) approx. So to take an hour and a quarter of flood tide from the Medway Approach Channel to Chatham it doesn't matter which way you go!

Of course at average 6kt Boat Speed it would be different!:)
 
tillergirl said:
Via Wallet and Spitway between a wpt outside of Harwich Harbour to a wpt in the Medway Approach Channel is 36.22nm. On Springs (i.e. Saturday) at 5 kts average boat speed best start time is -6.00 Sheerness (i.e. 0832 BST), duration = 6hrs. But that is exactly at HW Sheerness so a plug against the tide to Chatham might not be great.

Via the Barrow Deep (same wpts) = 41.08nm. best start time is +4.30 Sheerness (i.e. 0700 BST), duration 6hrs 16 minutes arriving at an hour and 15 approx before HW Sheerness (starting via the Wallet and Spitway at 0700 BST would give you a duration of 6hr 18 minutes arriving at the same time (obviously) approx. So to take an hour and a quarter of flood tide from the Medway Approach Channel to Chatham it doesn't matter which way you go!

Of course at average 6kt Boat Speed it would be different!:)
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Tillergirl - Thanks for this. Just to understand the theory if I may. Aim to be crossing the Thames Estuary at around HW or shortly after so work back? Sorry - keen to learn. Leaving at the times you suggest is better for two reasons, a) winds will pick up and b) the bacon sandwich becomes more digestible post 6am! Looking like a 6.30 am (ish) start at Shotly and see what we fancy.
 
Well my tables can work backwards - and I am hoping that Imray will allow me to produce a third edition that would greatly simplify a completely new set of tables - which allows you to make 'social navigation' judgements (i.e. how long can I stay in the berth and still arrive at a reasonable time) as well as others.

Everything turns on your average boat speed. 5 kts average or more or less? ignore the tide, the tables deal with the tide. And then what do you want? Do you want to allow for one hour or more of flood tide from the Medway Approach Channel? Or more or less?

A 6.30 BST start would be - at 5 knots - via Spitway 6hrs 22 mins duration arriving at one hour 38 minutes before HW Sheerness. Via Barrow Deep 6 hrs 23 minutes arriving at exactly the same time (give or take a minute :)).
 
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RivalRedwing said:
After that length of journey I would strongly recommend still having a little bit of tide with you going up the Medway, it will make a valuable contribution to your arrival time, especially on spring tides.
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do we think an earlier departure? I'm thinking a 6am run and cross my fingers for a few puffs on the way down. She will average 6 so long as there is a modest breeze.
 
I usually use Black Deep, rather than the Spitway as I you will get more tidal benefit. You rarely see a ship either in Black Deep. You should on your timings get well into the Medway if you achieve 5.5+ knots over the ground.
 
Its been a few years since I have done this trip, my recollection is that providing the boat is through the spitway and making good speed at or before low water then all is well. Use the iron assistant up the Wallet if needed to not lose time. The tidal range of the Medway is about 5.2m on Saturday
 
Done this trip many times, probably travelling slightly quicker than most so adjust timings etc. I have similar draft to yours and wouldn't want to be at the Swin Spitway this weekend at low water.

if you do you'll be seeing some very scary numbers under the boat, if it's blowing and overcast you'll be wishing you'd stayed at home, my least favourite part of the East Coast for sure.

I'd usually be out of Harwich and in Medusa area around low water. getting to the Swin in about 90 minutes. Rising tide at this point so not as worrying crossing from Wallet to Swin.

That would leave about 4 hours to get into Garrison Point and if decent breeze most of the way to MYC before foul tide.
 
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