St Georges Channel / Irish Sea Passage planning

[AngusMcDoon]

They are well marked so no real navigational problem. In addition you can work the tides to your favour.

Don't forget to have a detour to Strangford Lough on the way. It's well worth it.

How are you going to work the tides to your favour on a non-stop trip from Land's End to Belfast, a trip which will likely take 3 days?

They may not be a navigational problem, but that bit of sea can be seriously tiresome in a brisk Easterly - not necessarily unsafe, just no fun - bouncy, bumpy, lumpy, rolly, no-sleepy, skull joltingly horribleness. Further out in deeper slacker water things quieten down a bit.

 

[oceanfroggie]

Kilmore Quay on SE tip of Ireland is a good staging point. Prevailing winds are westerly so the route up the east coast can be well sheltered from westerlies. Tides are strong but once you pick a parallel route inside or outside the sand banks it's usually a very nice passage with little swell due to the prevailing westerly fetch. In a blow though keep well away from the banks near Wexford coast.

 

[AngusMcDoon]

Kilmore Quay on SE tip of Ireland is a good staging point...

Have you been brave enough to go over, or perhaps should be through, St Patrick's Bridge? I've done it a few times. The first time was scary.

 

[oceanfroggie]

Have you been brave enough to go over, or perhaps should be through, St Patrick's Bridge? I've done it a few times. The first time was scary.

Yes on more than a few occasions. Last time was at night.

 

[cliff]

Straight up the middle is my plan keeping to the right of the traffic lanes off St Davids and to the left of the Smalls, but not having done the trip before any comments are welcome.

Done it on a number of occasions - round lands end, head west until you hit the 6° line and then head North - just keep on the 6° line and you will be fine - avoids all the dragons and other nasties.

One hop from Falmouth to the Clyde - no problem apart form all the friggin' lobsterpots around the lizard / lands end - keep well out to avoid them.

Once you get up to the Copland Islands you can hang a wee left and head into Belfast lough

 

[akyaka]

Howth and Beaumaris are useful if the wind is south, Pwllheli if the wind is north etc

Beaumaris and all of the Straits are subject to getting the timing over Carnaerfon Bar right and Pwllheli entrance has been subject to severe silting so you need to check with the harbour master/marina if considering as a 24 hour access option.

 

[AngusMcDoon]

...Pwllheli entrance has been subject to severe silting so you need to check with the harbour master/marina if considering as a 24 hour access option.

Tiz much improved now, and if you follow Angus' guide for getting into Pwllheli, you get the depth shown on the depth guage by the entrance.

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=315845

 

[Juggler7823]

Kilmore Quay on SE tip of Ireland is a good staging point. Prevailing winds are westerly so the route up the east coast can be well sheltered from westerlies. Tides are strong but once you pick a parallel route inside or outside the sand banks it's usually a very nice passage with little swell due to the prevailing westerly fetch. In a blow though keep well away from the banks near Wexford coast.

The tides are strong going north from KQ and will whizz you along until you are between Arklow and Wicklow then turn strongly against you. Unless you are in a fast mobo your sog will be low untill you get into Dublin bay. Had to do it last year after a family bereavement (not on board!) and was down to 2.5 knts over the ground. Wicklow to Dublin bay took forever. If you have to do it in one go, move well away from coast (at least 5m) after passing Wicklow. Then the journey North is much simpler as there is virtually no tide near Ardglass untill near the Copelands just south of Belfast loch

 

[AngusMcDoon]

...as there is virtually no tide near Ardglass untill near the Copelands just south of Belfast loch

That strange bit on the tide atlas that is forever slack - just goes up and down. I wonder if the same water hangs around for decades never really going anywhere (apart from in and out of Strangford Lough at a shocking rate of woosh).

 

[boatmike]

Kilmore Quay on SE tip of Ireland is a good staging point. Prevailing winds are westerly so the route up the east coast can be well sheltered from westerlies. Tides are strong but once you pick a parallel route inside or outside the sand banks it's usually a very nice passage with little swell due to the prevailing westerly fetch. In a blow though keep well away from the banks near Wexford coast.

I agree, but only in good weather and vis. We set out from Milford Haven for there 2 years ago in a pleasant F4 southerly and nothing in the forecast to worry us. By the time we got off the coast it was at least an 8 and the vis was down to the end of my nose (before you comment Jimi you have seen my nose and I refute any negative comments) We certainly didn't fancy Kilmore (look at the charts) so carried on to Waterford. We were held there by gales for 21 days at the end of which we felt like a couple of extras for Father Ted.....

Eventually made Kilmore Quays and then ran home again in a NE 5-6 aborting what was supposed to be a round Britain trip. The English Channel went down to a F2-3 as soon as we rounded Lands End and with Mounts Bay abeam we were sunbathing while Irish Sea
was still getting NE 6-7 and heavy rain.

Its orrible oop thar Jimi! I have now bought a Mobo and am going down the French Canals instead..... Think again!

 

[AngusMcDoon]

We certainly didn't fancy Kilmore (look at the charts)

Certainly not much room for error at KQ. Lots of rocks and shallows about.

 

[JimC]

The English Channel went down to a F2-3 as soon as we rounded Lands End and with Mounts Bay abeam we were sunbathing while Irish Sea was still getting NE 6-7 and heavy rain.

Its orrible oop thar Jimi!

That's the Irish Sea in a nutshell.

 

[oceanfroggie]

Certainly not much room for error at KQ. Lots of rocks and shallows about.

It's tight alright but has proven a popular transit stop for vessels moving between S and E coast of Ireland, and cruising vessels heading for S coast of Ireland from UK or Europe.