Wave height

[martinriches]

In Calais checking the weather out for our trip back to Ramsgate. Wednesday looks OK the Windfinder app is saying wave height .4 to .5m . I dont know how reliable a indicator that is of the sea state. My partner is a bit anxious and I am trying to reassure her. We had a very smooth journey accross last month and I don't want to put her off doing it again. We have a 10.5m displacement mobo.

Martin

 

[AngusMcDoon]

I would guess that's the sort of waves you would get in open water when it's blowing a F4. Nothing to worry a 10.5m boat. Just a bit of a chop, certainly not kettle aerobatics stuff.

It will be like this...

Oops! Sorry. Wrong picture . Like this...

Sea state 'slight' starts at 0.5m.

 

[Pye_End]

Wind off the land once you get beyond South Foreland, so probably just a question for the first bit. The more neap the tide the better - Wed is off the worst of the springs, but not that neap either.. Wind looks like from the west, so avoid the worst of wind against tide.

Difficult to give a definitive as the forecast will change, and it is always difficult to judge what people's 'I'm not going out in this' conditions really is! Perhaps stick your nose out on the day and decide? Could always shorten the trip by going to Dover, or making it more comfortable and going for another French port (Gravelines or Dunkerque) and putting the decision off for another day.

 

[pvb]

... or making it more comfortable and going for another French port (Gravelines or Dunkerque) and putting the decision off for another day.

But that's making his cross-channel trip longer.

 

[guernseyman]

If the OP wants to know about the sea state, the swell is as important as wave height. While the latter is .4 to .5m, the swell could be bigger.
Again, if the swell and the waves are travelling in different directions the sea becomes confused, quite different to when they are travelling in the same direction.

 

[Tiller Girl]

In Calais checking the weather out for our trip back to Ramsgate. Wednesday looks OK the Windfinder app is saying wave height .4 to .5m . I dont know how reliable a indicator that is of the sea state. My partner is a bit anxious and I am trying to reassure her. We had a very smooth journey accross last month and I don't want to put her off doing it again. We have a 10.5m displacement mobo.

Martin

Martin

For live data on the day on Wave Heights go to my website www.crossingthe thamesestuary.com and then to the Navigation page and to the live data site (or here: directly http://www.crossingthethamesestuary.com/page31.html). The Cefas link is probably visually the easiest. Have a look at the Sandettie and F3. Of course wind and tide direction can means changes during your passage.

 

[Keith-i]

I would be cautious about Windfinder's wave height predictions. You might be better looking at the shipping forecast for the area. As stated, the wind direction is almost as important as the wave height.

 

[martinriches]

Thanks for all the replys. Very helpful, as suggested I will wait for a up to date forcast.

Martin.

 

[Sandy]

I would guess that's the sort of waves you would get in open water when it's blowing a F4. Nothing to worry a 10.5m boat. Just a bit of a chop, certainly not kettle aerobatics stuff.

It will be like this...

Love it.