The 'Jesus Christ, don't do that you idiot!' advice thread.

VicS said:
I don't think the Medway tides are particularly ferocious but the weaker they are the better it will be for a novice.
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It really does rip through at Cuxton on the ebb!

Obviously I have very little boating experience but spent a happy couple of Years at Cuxton. Procedure for backing out into that tide run on the ebb was to give a couple of hefty blips on the throttle to pull the stern round into the flow to prevent yourself hurtling off sideways in the current, and that's with a small planning boat and 140 bhp.
I'd imagine that with 4-5 bhp and keels, that procedure could be pretty hairy!
 
Murv said:
It really does rip through at Cuxton on the ebb!

Obviously I have very little boating experience but spent a happy couple of Years at Cuxton. Procedure for backing out into that tide run on the ebb was to give a couple of hefty blips on the throttle to pull the stern round into the flow to prevent yourself hurtling off sideways in the current, and that's with a small planning boat and 140 bhp.
I'd imagine that with 4-5 bhp and keels, that procedure could be pretty hairy!
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Thanks. First thoughts were that there could be some strong tides but I failed to find anything that confirmed it ... not that I tried that hard. Anyway a good argument in favour of avoiding a big spring tide for a first passage and leaving Cuxton before the ebb gets going strongly.

Trouble with a small outboard powered yacht is that to have any steerage you have to first get the boat moving through the water unless you have the outboard linked to the rudder or can. steer using it and the rudder by hand.

With a transom mounted outboard you dont have the benefit of prop wash off the rudder and if it's mounted to one side you have to learn that it will steer one way Ok but takes a very wide circle to turn the other .... My boat has some battle scars to remind me of that!

You have to learn not to do things in a manner that can get out of control.
 
dylanwinter said:
surely not .... a seagull with a mechanical problem.... never in all my born days have I ever heard of such a thing
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I never had a mechanical problem with a Seagull. Electrical is another matter - that plug lead sticking out the back is a bit vulnerable on a pitching sailing yacht, The basic problem with Seagulls, though, is that they are so solidly built that they go on for long enough for problems to appear. Nobody would criticise a 40 year old Yamaha for being hard to start,
 
VicS said:
Thanks. First thoughts were that there could be some strong tides but I failed to find anything that confirmed it ... not that I tried that hard. Anyway a good argument in favour of avoiding a big spring tide for a first passage and leaving Cuxton before the ebb gets going strongly.

Trouble with a small outboard powered yacht is that to have any steerage you have to first get the boat moving through the water unless you have the outboard linked to the rudder or can. steer using it and the rudder by hand.

With a transom mounted outboard you dont have the benefit of prop wash off the rudder and if it's mounted to one side you have to learn that it will steer one way Ok but takes a very wide circle to turn the other .... My boat has some battle scars to remind me of that!

You have to learn not to do things in a manner that can get out of control.
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That does sound tricky, to say the least!
I could, of course, be completely wrong (usually am) but I suspect the OP may be moored a couple of berths up from where I was. If so, there isn't a great deal of room behind you due to the rising mud bank so you have to get out, and straighten up, fairly quickly.
My first experiences were, quite frankly, terrifying and it wasn't until I'd done a couple of days tuition with the onsite trainer that I gained any confidence in berthing and happily haven't had any mishaps since.
Certainly, a spring tide runs through there so quickly that the water boils against the floats on the pontoon. Neaps are obviously quieter, but there's still an impressive turn of speed on that inside edge.

I did wonder on reading the OP how a small yacht would cope with it, I found it immensely intimidating with a flat bottomed boat and a fairly powerful engine coupled to an outdrive, let alone with anything that would "grip" the water.
Happily, following my training sessions, I was taught how to use that tide flow to make berthing easy. However, we've now moved to a different mooring where we're alongside so have to learn it all over again!

Anyway, best of luck to the OP, hope you get down to your new home :)
Personally, as another newbie boater, I'd be looking for some assistance but then I have no idea what I'm talking about and am a bit over cautious!

(Obviously none of this applies if the OP isn't the boat I'm thinking it is)
 
It's certainly a trickier passage than the mileage would indicate, given the equipment available, tidal considerations at the departure, the bridge and the entry into Hoo.

I'd definitely break the trip up. Even moving the boat at slack water to a position it can be motored ahead into the out going tide on departure a couple of hours later would be a good move.

Most boaty people are very helpful and asking for a bit of help to move the boat won't be a problem if you explain you're a novice. This may not apply if your starter boat is 50ft and powerfully rigged!

The weather is ideal over the next few days too. I'd go for it this weekend.
 
I wonder if the Op is vectoring his engine

I was in wisbech for a few months

the technique was to warp the boat to a place where you can leave upstream against the ebb and then turn with the stream

Dylan
 
Cloona said:
in light winds you can sail into a marina without worry - as long as you have the tide with you even tacking up a narrow channel will get you there - gently and calmly
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I have never been to a marina where they would be happy for you to sail in or out

however.... I am sure you are correct

. this bloke does not know much about sailing
 
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dylanwinter said:
I have never been to a marina where they would be hapy for you to sail in or out

however.... I am sure you are correct

. this bloke does not know much about sailing
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Good tip though about gently and calmly tacking up a narrow channel. You could try that in some of your KTL adventures.
 
dylanwinter said:
I will try it once I have accumulated the necessary skills

D
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oh come on Dylan - you are the very epitome of a yachtsman gently sailing up on a rising tide.

Your films on the East Coast rivers - which I knew well many years ago - are very beautiful - enough to get me choked up.
Always appreciated.

anyway in benign light winds ....... blah blah blah
 
DenningLJ said:
Alright, that didn't all go quite to plan, I didn't quite manage to get out of Cuxton Marina... or past the boat next to me. I realised very quickly that the Seagull is just not powerful enough to really direct the boat, even with the tide going in the right direction. It all kind of finished with the boat (I'm thinking of the name Sea Bitch) pointing the wrong direction and the missus shouting at me as she pushed off the boat next to us so we don't smash in to it, all while the Black Sails theme was blasting from my phone ( epic music to set sail to!) . I think I could have got it turned around and made it out of the marina on the tide but I wasn't confident that after that point I could control the boat as much as I'd have liked with the p̶i̶e̶c̶e̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶m̶e̶c̶h̶a̶n̶i̶z̶e̶d̶ ̶c̶r̶a̶p̶ Seagull...so I'm currently on e-bay bidding for something a bit more substantial.

It's not all doom and gloom though! Spending the day on the boat I hooked up the solar panel, did a bit of sanding and varnishing, made a cracking sandwich and drank my weight in coffee while reading my book. Buggering up, I'd highly recommend it for a bit of relaxing.
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