Speed limit in Chi Harbour 8 knots for everyone?

Reef = throttle back?

As an incurable coward, I tend to reef my dinghy in any more than about 12 knots of breeze. I have to say, there's never been the least chance of my going dangerously fast, or losing control in a way that inconvenienced others.

If I felt an ISC I14 fleet getting too close, or taking testosterone-fueled stupid liberties, then even as a keen dinghy sailor myself, I'd give 'em an earful.

Ultimately, there's no invariable necessity for racing dinghies to piss on the speed limit just because it's breezy. Reducing sail is easy enough - they just don't want to. On that basis, PWC helms might claim they 'didn't want to' amble along at eight knots. It's not a good reason and no excuse, if there's serious danger in prospect. Dinghy crews' raison d'etre is speed, even where that has no place. They need telling. I don't, of course.:o
 
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Oh nice one Ricky :rolleyes:
Now I will have to buy a full licence if he spots my tender licence @ £3.20 scam .

Cheers mate !

Daka Smith
'Sally of Chichester'

;)
 
The acting HM (Richard Craven) has confirmed the speed limit is only for powered vessels.

I am awaiting his permission to publish his email here.
 
Seajet said:
Deleted User,

No experienced or competent dinghy sailor will go around beaches at dangerous speeds, I suspect the characters you saw were probably novices, or setting off from the beach ?
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Nope they dont set off from the beach, they just sail through the anchored boats. Given that they mostly manage to avoid the boats, I guess they aren't novices
 
ricky_s said:
The acting HM (Richard Craven) has confirmed the speed limit is only for powered vessels.

I am awaiting his permission to publish his email here.
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Did he say why? Is it because he thinks that if you're clobbered by a 20ft sailing dinghy, its going to hurt less than if youre clobbered by a 20ft mobo or is it because he can't be arsed to try to control the anarchy? What constitutes a powered vessel anyway? If I put the staysail up on my 60ft Grand Banks, can I roar through Chi Harbour at 20kts with impunity?
 
Deleted User said:
Did he say why? Is it because he thinks that if you're clobbered by a 20ft sailing dinghy, its going to hurt less than if youre clobbered by a 20ft mobo or is it because he can't be arsed to try to control the anarchy? What constitutes a powered vessel anyway? If I put the staysail up on my 60ft Grand Banks, can I roar through Chi Harbour at 20kts with impunity?
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He didn't give a reason.

I will post his full email later if he gives me permission.
 
Deleted User said:
Nope they dont set off from the beach, they just sail through the anchored boats. Given that they mostly manage to avoid the boats, I guess they aren't novices
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Deleted User,

In that case ( as sniper rifles are frowned on for some reason, otherwise I'd bag a few PWC ****'s, bait diggers destroying ancient history, monobrowed fishermen deliberately making a large wash in the early morning, etc ! ) I can only suggest having a decent camera to hand; as a supposed pro' you may be surprised by the power of a camera.

There are times however when discretion is the better part of valour - ie one wishes to avoid being thumped senseless even if 'one' is in the right !

For pro' photographers there are such things as 'candid attachments', very much the same as a periscope on its' side with a dummy lens and a mirror at 45 degrees which fit onto the camera and give the option of viewing, metering and shooting at 90 degrees from where one appears to be pointing, but this is unlikely to fit with the usual small digital camera carried casually nowadays; better to just fire a few casual shots in the direction of the villain - but make sure the give-away flash is turned off, if that's not possible, mask it !

It's possibly worth mentioning, as not many people are aware, that individual digital cameras can be tracked, but hopefully only by 'authorities'; as to whether this facility may be abused by the police, I'll leave it for you to decide...
 
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Richard has given me permission to pass on his comments.

"Dear Ricky

Thank you for advising me of this conversation. I can confirm that the harbour speed limit applies to power driven vessels only. All vessels are of course required by the IRPCS to travel at a safe speed. With regard to racing in the East Head anchorage, the harbour clubs (under the auspices of Chichester Harbour Federation) have recently amended their code of conduct for racing in the harbour and have agreed not to set courses which will take vessels into the East Head anchorage if it is likely to be congested.

Regards

Richard

Richard Craven
Acting Manager & Harbour Master"

He also added in an email a moment ago.

"Ricky

I'm happy for you to pass my reply on. Our preferred approach to balancing conflicting demands is through education rather than regulation, we are working closely with Chichester Harbour Federation to minimise any conflict between racing and non-racing vessels; you might want to look at their recently revised code of conduct for racing on their website.

Regards

Richard
"
 
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Well done everyone, 10 pages and still going strong !

'And another thing' !

I once saw a well built wooden boat laid up in Haines boatyard, Itchenor to have a hole in the topsides repaired; said hole was an exact match for an International 14 bowsprit...

On the other hand, my boat was smashed into and approx' £500 damage caused by a powerboat at Poole town quay when I was absent, witnessed by a few people but the boat name was either illegible or hidden...

Another case for a camera.

I always carry a cheap camera in my cars, in case A, there's an accident I'm involved in ( I do NOT photograph other accidents )

or B, a flying saucer lands in front of me and some alien berk climbs out, saying " Eric and I bet you can't record this, no-ones going to believe you ! "
 
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As a matter of interest, it is a condition made by all sailing clubs that I'm aware of - certainly in Chichester Harbour - that all boats including dinghies are fully insured.

Not so sure about the powerboat prat who damaged my boat at Poole town quay while I wasn't there then cravenly ran away though; another case where cameras are nigh on essential.
 
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ricky_s said:
Seajet said:
Not so sure about the powerboat prat
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I get the impression you aren't keen on people with motor boats.
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I don't think there's a problem with all MoBo'ers, just some of the behaviour of some of the drivers.

From a post by Seajet at teatime today;
my boat was smashed into and approx' £500 damage caused by a powerboat at Poole town quay when I was absent, witnessed by a few people but the boat name was either illegible or hidden...
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It pays to read the thread before jumping down someone's throat. "Look before you leap?" :rolleyes: :D
 
Searush,

ta; and I'll say it again, cameras are a huge advantage; unless one's in the wrong, bit of a pain in the transom then ! :)

I have no problem at all with power boats, as I thought I'd explained; as Searush says maybe a case of going and looking at previous posts.
 
Seajet said:
Searush,

ta; and I'll say it again, cameras are a huge advantage; unless one's in the wrong, bit of a pain in the transom then ! :)

I have no problem at all with power boats, as I thought I'd explained; as Searush says maybe a case of going and looking at previous posts.
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Glad to see you aren't against all motor boat owners. If you met me you would find me a nice bloke as you probably are too. :)
 
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ricky_s said:
The acting HM (Richard Craven) has confirmed the speed limit is only for powered vessels.

I am awaiting his permission to publish his email here.
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You only have to read the Byelaws to discover that there is a speed limit applicable to power vessels!
A LTNM draws attention to this.

There is no mention of a speed limit applying to sailing vessels.

Dunno what all the arguments are about or why it should be necessary to waste the Acting HM's time.
 
VicS said:
You only have to read the Byelaws to discover that there is a speed limit applicable to power vessels!
A LTNM draws attention to this.

There is no mention of a speed limit applying to sailing vessels.

Dunno what all the arguments are about or why it should be necessary to waste the Acting HM's time.
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I did read the latest LTNM

2/00 Chichester Harbour - Speed of Vessels
Attention is drawn to the speed limit of 8 knots which is in force for the whole of Chichester Harbour. Attention is also drawn to Chichester Harbour Byelaw No. 4. Maximum fine - £2,500. ‘The Master of a vessel navigating the harbour shall navigate the vessel with care and caution and in such manner as shall not cause annoyance to the occupants of any other vessel or cause damage or danger to any other vessel or to any moorings or other property'.
Vessels navigating within mooring areas shall take particular care to comply with Byelaw No. 4 by:
a) reducing their speed so as not to cause undue wash;
b) not overtaking in mooring area fairways, if such overtaking action shall place the two vessels abreast of any vessel or vessels navigating the fairway in the opposite direction;
c) furling spinnakers in plenty of time in adverse weather conditions, before reaching the moorings - this is particularly applicable to large vessels, which should be under power at busy periods;
d) using the main channels and not navigating between the lines of moorings, whenever possible.

There is no mention of it applying to motor boats either!
 
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