solent crossing OK?

Lakesailor said:
I used to carry the ubiquitous Tohatsu 3.5 on the lifting bracket on my 15ft boat. Steering wouldn't be that tricky and an extension tiller arm is just a push-fit piece of tube.
If your main engine should break down, it is a life-saver.

Runningwell1.jpg
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A life saver? On a lake where you would drift ashore in 30 mins most days?

But I take your point for open sea/ tidal use & completely agree.
 
William_H said:
http://www.transport.wa.gov.au/imarine/19089.asp

This sight is the local government site which lists mandatory equipment for a boat like yours. (if you were in West Australia)
The RST is the skipper's ticket which you must have here. The rest is just good sense.

Note a radio is mandatory except for operations close to the shore and an EPIRB for operations beyond a few more miles but not for the local boating areas to Rottnest Island. That is 10NM of pretty rough water and there is always a sea breeze to 20 knots in the summer afternoons.

Your kind of boat is extremely popular here. However they almost always have 80 plus horsepower. (I don't know why) I think it is just this type of boat that instigated the regulations here for skipper's ticket boat registration and safety gear. Too many people saw a steering wheel and reckoned it is just like driving a car.
I might think that if you had money to throw around another 20HP or replace with a bigger motor might be useful in the open water. Of course a more powerful motor can be very dangerous to this kind of boat in big seas just as under powered might see you working very hard to stay on course.
good luck and enjoy olewill
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No restrictions, licences, qualifications or mandatory equipment requirements in the Uk
Here you are free to buy a boat with a zillion horsepower engine, fill it with as much fuel as you can afford and blast off without charts or any other equipment, subject only to local speed restrictions and local harbour fees if they can catch you.


I believe the maximum recommended HP engine for the Shetland 498 is 40 HP although I also believe many have 50 Hp engines.

Chi girl's 20 Hp may not be a good choice if it is not enough to get on the plane. There is little advantage over say a 10Hp if it wont plane. She is simply going to use a lot more fuel trying climb her own bow wave if she is not careful.

I know next to nought about power boating but I am surprised 20hp wont get her on to the plane. Maybe it needs some expert advice on propeller size or trim.
 
VicS said:
I know next to nought about power boating but I am surprised 20hp wont get her on to the plane. Maybe it needs some expert advice on propeller size or trim.
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I know little about them too - but we had a 25hp (4str) on a 4m Narwhal rib - 2 up in a significant sea and it would struggle to plane - when it did it wouldn't go up above 15 knots or so ...
Flat water was obviously better and you could coax it up to 20kts ...

We've now got a 5m rib with a 50hp (2str) - this does ~30kts in flat water and gets on the plane easily with the usual 2 or 3 people onboard.
 
the engine choice was a big compromise. i wanted a NEW engine for safety and reliability and 99 percent of my boating will be the chi harbour and maybe trailed to the arun and once a year to the norfolk broads.

i looked a used engines but i saw so much nearly new stuff that looked tatty and most things had no service history.

so i bought what i could afford and what would be ideal for 99percent of my usage.
the trip over the solent is just a dream i have but if i need to put myself in harms way then i will never leave the harbour.
 
Well, it seems you have plenty of common sense (self preservation) so all I would say is pick your day, wait for calm weather and neap tides and if you can find someone to come along, all the better. You've got the handheld VHF, you're planning on a GPS, those plus a chart of the area and the right conditions, you should be ok. Search back a few weeks for my post about taking a Bav 300 from Brighton to Shoreham, it was a good laugh I think for all who read it and to be honest, someone to "hold your hand" is no bad thing, Hells bells, I'd never have done that trip by myself, but we all supported each other and it was ok (apart from the chucking up!!!).
 
i was also thinking of getting seastart but it may be overkill but id rather pay for assistance than call out the rnli.

my boys are 10,13 and 15 and they love using the boat in the harbour for fishing but the idea of going into the solent wories them but to be honest if they want a day at bemebridge then there is a ferry not too far away.

can anyone point me to a webpage that tells me which channels to use for the vhf and what to say in an emergency as i havent been on the course yet but will do later in the year
 
chi-girl said:
can anyone point me to a webpage that tells me which channels to use for the vhf and what to say in an emergency as i havent been on the course yet but will do later in the year
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Strictly speaking, you shouldn't use VHF if you haven't passed the test and got the licence. There is an exemption for distress calls which should be made on Channel 16. The various levels of distress and the form of words are described here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayday_(distress_signal)
 
After your PB course why don't you pick a good day and cross Hayling Bay ...

Exit Chi Harbour - go to West Pole and turn right - head due west and after about 4 miles you can turn North to go into Langstone Harbour.

Get the timings right and you can continue to the top of the harbour and go through the old Halying Billy line - under the Bridge and back into Chi Harbour.

It gives you under an Hour outside the harbour and is a nice ride round - we've done it as a test run for our Rib before.
 
can anyone point me to a webpage that tells me which channels to use for the vhf and what to say in an emergency as i havent been on the course yet but will do later in the year
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Get the RYA VHF handbook ( Written by some stroppy bug ger called Tim Bartlett who posts on here from time to time )
http://www.rya.org.uk/shop/pages/pr...aultCatalog)&mode=t&type=BK(RYADefaultCatalog)

Or at the very least the little booklet http://www.rya.org.uk/shop/pages/pr...aultCatalog)&mode=t&type=BK(RYADefaultCatalog)
and the syllabus booklet http://www.rya.org.uk/shop/pages/pr...aultCatalog)&mode=t&type=BK(RYADefaultCatalog)

These last two were all i had to get my VHF licence ( Tim Barlett's book did not exist when I took my test)

BTW Quite independently of your operators certificate get a licence from Ofcom for the radio. Its free if you do it on line.
You have a choice between a Ship Radio Licence which licences the boat as a radio station and will give you a call sign or a Ship Portable radio licence.
The later is issued to you personally rather than the boat. It comes with a licence number rather than a callsign but it enables you to use your H/held on any other boat. ( you can have both if you like ... I have)

https://services.ofcom.org.uk/
 
Twister_Ken said:
The various levels of distress and the form of words are described here:
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I'm often the only one on-board who knows how to use the radio, so I've got instructions for sending a distress signal, and the appropriate words, printed and laminated over the radio as a reminder to my safety talk.

By the way, if you see one of these, get out of the way.
 
If 'just listening' to the VHF before getting a licence, Channels 11 & 12 can be handy on 'dual or tri-watch', along with 16, the standard calling Channel.

11 is 'QHM', Queens Harbour Master, Portsmouth.

12 is 'VTS', Vessel Traffic Scheme, this is based near Southampton but controls big ship movements all over the Solent by radar etc, exactly like Air Traffic Control; either can be informative as to shipping movements.

One top tip; if you see an IOW ferry, turn and look the other way as his chum will probably be coming in the opposite direction !
 
i'll just listen on vhf to see what goes on around us.
i have the mobile numbers for the ferry etc so will only use vhf in an emergency or if someone else needs help
 
The list of channels used around the solent HERE might be of interest.

Its a good idea to compile your own list of VHF channels and phone numbers for harbours, marinas, water taxis etc
Something like this

scan0090.jpg
 
fireball said:
After your PB course why don't you pick a good day and cross Hayling Bay ...

Exit Chi Harbour - go to West Pole and turn right - head due west and after about 4 miles you can turn North to go into Langstone Harbour.

Get the timings right and you can continue to the top of the harbour and go through the old Halying Billy line - under the Bridge and back into Chi Harbour.

It gives you under an Hour outside the harbour and is a nice ride round - we've done it as a test run for our Rib before.
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+1! :D
 
someone told me today that she did it on one of those stand up paddle boards a few weeks ago.
i need to pick the right time and just go for it.
i can always stay in bembrige if i cant get back
 
You sound like you have plenty of common sense, and I'm sure you'll be fine and enjoy the trip; the most important thing may well turn out to be sun-block !

The point about staying in Bembridge if the weather goes pear-shaped is a good one, and I think a factor too few people consider.

It's usually possible to leave the boat safe and get a ferry and train back to one's car, and most hairy moments ( certainly for me ) have happened to people when under the delusion " got to be back at the office on Monday "...
 
i think in life if you're dead set on something then things go wrong quickly and badly.
i dont mind leaving the boat and getting ferry home and get a lift from portsmouth.
i cant cost much to leave the boat for a few days.
 
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