TSS Dover Edging accross

[bendyone]

Over what distance, if at all, is it acceptable to move from the south to the north side of the west going lane while travelling down it.
Passage from Calais to Eastbourne, obviously cross the East going lane at right angles but then turn down the West going lane and slowly edge to the north of the lane before heading to Eastbourne

 

[DJE]

I've done exactly the passage you described a few years ago. We were close hauled on Port tack and heading just North of West IIRC. This took us across the East-going lane at about 90 degrees. I didn't want to cross the West-going at 90 degrees and throw away hard-won distance to windward so I convinced myself that I was joining the lane at a fine angle and leaving it at a fine angle. Remember to keep a good watch behind you as ships will be overtaking you all the way across the lane. Shipping was light at the time and vis was excellent, nobody hailed me on the vhf and as far a I know I didn't impede any vessels in the lane. If there had been a problem I think I might have been on slightly shaky ground; but on re-reading the rules I don't think I did anything that was specifically prohibited.

 

[MoodySabre]

You don't cross at right angles - you cross with a heading at right angles (thereby presenting the widest view to the traffic you are crossing) and the tide will take you up or down according to your timing. So if you have a west going tide as you cross then you will go the way you want to.

 

[Aeolus]

Fairly sure that 'edging across' is the same as crossing the lane diagonally which is definitely prohibited. Not sure it's worth the two major risks: 1) the less likely one: that a ship will be confused and will run you down and 2) the more likely one, that the coast guard will spot what you are doing on their radar, or another ship will complain about you, and you could be hit with a very stiff fine.

 

[Searush]

I must state at the outset that I have no experience of skippering this passage. But that doesn't mean I don't have an opinion!!!

So, here goes nothing! If CG is monitoring a radar blip they will not know its heading, only its track. The general assumption is likely to be that heading=track, but they do have an airborne patrol that can & does check traffic that is considered "suspect". My view is that common sense is likely to be a major player in this, if you are in any way impeding traffic or endangering it or yourself, you will be in trouble. If your track is pretty well right angles your heading will not be that significant, if your track is pretty well parallel, there will be no problem, but if your track is around 45deg, your heading had bloody well better be at right angles!

The point is that they are trying to manage heavy traffic safely, you should not do anything to impede that.

 

[Elessar]

Interesting this. You are obliged to cross "on a heading as nearly as practicable at right angles to the general direction of traffic flow. "

Now if sailing to windward, your track will be quite a way off right angles even when as close to right angles as you can.

I suppose you could argue that it would be practical to motor across, but I've never heard it said there is any obligation to stop sailing to cross a lane.

Apart from not wanting to be run down, there was a recent case of a mobo skipper fine a hefty amount for flouting the rules, but he was a commercial skipper who flouted the lane for miles and should have know better so he almost certainly deserved it.

 

[MoodySabre]

It is the heading that is important i.e. which direction the boat is pointing. Your track is not the issue hence the need to passage plan so that the tides take you in the right direction towards your destination and away from trouble. Heading at 90deg to the TSS will get you across quickest and with the biggest profile.

 

[bendyone]

So what do you do if the wind is at 90 degrees to the TSS lane and you dont want to / cant motor?

 

[MoodySabre]

Don't want to is not an option.

Can't - then either go a different route or edge across! You can only do your best and provided you don't impede then you should be OK. At the end of the day safe navigation has to be top priority.