Spin spitway in a blow

James W

James W

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Morning East Coasters! Heading north tomorrow from Burnham to Tollesbury in forecasted northerlies 15 knots gusting 25. Crossed the swim spitway many times, but always in fairly benign conditions. What’s it likely to be like? Boat Sadler 29, bilge keels
 
OK. If t'were easterlies you would expect a determined swell and a bit of the steep wave sort of thing. But from the north, doubt it would be particularly different. I am assuming you would be there on the ebb? Wrap up, it's going to be chilly.
 
tillergirl said:
OK. If t'were easterlies you would expect a determined swell and a bit of the steep wave sort of thing. But from the north, doubt it would be particularly different. I am assuming you would be there on the ebb? Wrap up, it's going to be chilly.
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Thanks for that, it’s also fairly soon into the Northerlies, so not much time to build. You’re right about wrapping up, the temperature’s going to halve overnight! ?
 
Daydream believer said:
Whimp!! What is wrong with the Ray Sand Channel?
The Swin is for visitors.
The Raysand is for locals. ( & bilge or lifting keelers with no sense of fear :rolleyes:)
Now when I was a lad------------?
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???? I’ve not had the draft to go for the Raysand before, and I’m not starting now! ?
 
tillergirl said:
Oh, t'would be fab with a Sadler 29, running due south darn the 001 meridian over the Rays'nd.
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I wrote the initial post harassed by children, the wind is from the North. I’d imagine the raysand is an entirely different game when you’re beating into it!
 
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Oh yes. I had mentally transposed 'Tollesbury to Burnham'! Sorry, I was in haste. You are going to have a long beat to windward from the Spitway. But I am not seeing any 20's in the forecast.
 
James W said:
???? I’ve not had the draft to go for the Raysand before, and I’m not starting now! ?
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I used to go through regularly in my stella with 4 ft draft. I used a bamboo cane for a dipstick & i would often get to a few inches below the keel. However, sea bed was so level I never touched. Does a Sadler have any more draft? Surely there will be plenty of depth if one gets a reasonable tide time.
I have had more scares through the swin with 1.800 draft & had to turn backto the Whitaker twice, due a hump near the spitway buoy which was alarming in F6 plus.
 
It might be touch and go to have enough water to go over the Ray Sand tomorrow and get over the marina cill, if indeed that is the ultimate destination. Not the biggest tide.
 
I wouldn’t think twice about it, at least, I wouldn’t have when I had a Sadler 29. You just need to reef early for a comfortable ride. In fact, it was at the Spitway when I realised that my then-new foam-luff genny was greatly superior to the old one when a few rolls were taken.
 
johnalison said:
I wouldn’t think twice about it, at least, I wouldn’t have when I had a Sadler 29. You just need to reef early for a comfortable ride. In fact, it was at the Spitway when I realised that my then-new foam-luff genny was greatly superior to the old one when a few rolls were taken.
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Excellent! Just turning in for the night, looking forward to it!
 
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