Weymouth to west outside race

ithet

ithet

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I have always gone west from Weymouth/Portland via the inshore passage, which has always been fine. However, looking at the timings now I am wondering if going further out will allow me to leave earlier and avoid a late arrival at Dartmouth. While there is loads of info published about timings and routing for the inshore passage, there is nothing I have found about routing to the south (from Weymouth/Portland) apart from advice for going 3-7 miles out. It might be that I cannot gain a time advantage due to being swept east, but I would like to hear the collective wisdom.
 
If you want to go outside the race, there is maybe no point in starting from Weymouth.
If it is not windy, and there's not huge amounts of atlantic coming in, you can just go where you like at slack water or shortly after.
( the subtle point being that 'slack water is not at every place at the same time)

Depending on wind direction in a SW wind, you might set off early head south and the last hours of the Eastgoing tide will take you clear outside everything, then you have the full tide of Westgoing to take you on your way.

If you want to avoid a late arrival at Dartmouth, then stopping off at Brixham is an option, or you can anchor a few places between there and Torquay.

But a late arrival at Dartmouth can be a fine thing.
 
I haven't made the passage often but I do recall taking the S going streams passing the W Shambles once or twice en route to Salcombe.
It was benign weather, I guess I'd have gone round the E Shambles if it hadn't have looked OK, but that's a good bit out of the way.
 
rotrax said:
IIRC - and from experience - the dreaded Race can be a pretty mobile thing.
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It is, but the white water is clearly visible during the day. Also Reeds and other publications document the areas of concern on an hour by hour basis. Well worth a look
 
Does this help?

Portland-Race-LR.png
 
If you are going outside you can get in an awful pickle if you just turn at the E Shambles buoy and head for the W Shambles buoy because that line takes you back into the race which can be horrid. Go 2 or 3 miles South of the Shambles buoys to avoid the race. .....Don't need to ask me how I know. :rolleyes:
 
Thanks all, and LadyInBed especially for the link. I'm ensconced in Portland Marina now, looking like I won't get away untill Friday. To make it worthwhile going south I would need to be able to leave say three hours earlier. I will look at the tide charts. I would be ok arriving at Dartmouth in the dark btw, just wanted to see if it could be avoided.
PS it's not about conditions in the inner passage, just timing going further out, if conditions are not good enough for the inner passage I will not be going.
 
Im following this thread with great interest. Last year I made a hash of going west round the Bill.(2 hours too early) and just got swept out and south. Then on my return from Dartmouth with a strong SW and being an hour late rounding the shambles ended up with wind against tide and being out till gone midnight.
So with my very limited experience and having looked at the charts and weather for Friday, id not be setting off until 9.30 am from Portland aiming to round the Bill on the inner passage at 12.30 or id take a very wide route around East Shambles( Avoiding wind over tide conditions) and Aim for a very late arrival in Dartmouth. (actually id plan not to arrive until the sun rises in the morning.

Please though don't take it as advise, im merely trying to plan a passage on the day you are considering doing so. Personally the following week looks a little better with wind and timings, but that's a long way away.
Steveeasy
 
steveeasy said:
Im following this thread with great interest. Last year I made a hash of going west round the Bill.(2 hours too early) and just got swept out and south. Then on my return from Dartmouth with a strong SW and being an hour late rounding the shambles ended up with wind against tide and being out till gone midnight.
So with my very limited experience and having looked at the charts and weather for Friday, id not be setting off until 9.30 am from Portland aiming to round the Bill on the inner passage at 12.30 or id take a very wide route around East Shambles( Avoiding wind over tide conditions) and Aim for a very late arrival in Dartmouth. (actually id plan not to arrive until the sun rises in the morning.

Please though don't take it as advise, im merely trying to plan a passage on the day you are considering doing so. Personally the following week looks a little better with wind and timings, but that's a long way away.
Steveeasy
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Yes, I think the conclusion is I cannot get to Dartmouth any earlier by not taking the inner passage. Next week would be much better but is not when I'm here!
 
I would always go inside if conditions allow. Last year conditions were bad and we went east of shambles. Added lots of miles and we had to go much further south than expected to avoid white water. Don't think it would to take anything like the 3 hours steveeasy suggests to get from Portland Harbour to the Bill...
You can anchor in Torbay if you don't fancy entering Dartmouth at night. I always seem to end up there rather than Dartmouth due to wind angle.
 
Ningaloo said:
You can anchor in Torbay if you don't fancy entering Dartmouth at night. I always seem to end up there rather than Dartmouth due to wind angle.
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LOL. Just makes me think of the first time I sailed across Lyme Bay to Dartmouth, back in the 70s before even Decca. We made landfall in quite thick fog (just south of Berry head as it happens). There was a chap fishing, who we asked "Which way to Dartmouth"

"Turn left, follow the coast for about 3 mile, see a big rock, turn right".

Spot on.
 
Ningaloo said:
.....Don't think it would to take anything like the 3 hours steveeasy suggests to get from Portland Harbour to the Bill...
....
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Starting from Weymouth, it's a surprisingly long way to the Bill. There can be tide against you and the wind can be all over the place due to the cliffs. The wind is often light and changing early in the day.
If you are intending to sail this part of the trip, don't underestimate it.
I think Mark Fishwick's book is the best for clear tide diagrams and advice on the Bill?
 
Like the Irishman said when he was asked the way to Dublin " Sure, and if I WAS going to Dublin, I would not be leaving from here! "

If I was going West I would find Weymouth/Portland an inconvenient stop.

If I were berthed in Either of those ports the inshore passage, in daylight, would most certainly be my route.

A set of tide charts, careful scrutiny and using that information is, IMHO, essential.
 
Ningaloo said:
I would always go inside if conditions allow. Last year conditions were bad and we went east of shambles. Added lots of miles and we had to go much further south than expected to avoid white water. Don't think it would to take anything like the 3 hours steveeasy suggests to get from Portland Harbour to the Bill...
You can anchor in Torbay if you don't fancy entering Dartmouth at night. I always seem to end up there rather than Dartmouth due to wind angle.
Click to expand...
Of course it's not 3 hours but best to get out and allow plenty of time.
Steveeasy
 
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