What draft for the East Coast?

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Mandarin331

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We're looking at a new boat and whilst we would like shoal draft it really limits the availability of what we're looking at.

We know the Thames Estuary very well, have sailed here for years, but never in anything with more that 4'6" draft (1.4m). We're now looking at 5'5" draft (1.7m) yachts.

How much difference will that foot really make, we're not marina hoppers, and love anchoring in out of the way places / creek crawling / bar crossing (and propping). We know the depths etc, so I am just asking what's the actual experience of others, how much does this draft restrict you (if at all).
 
Lots will tell you they are perfectly happy with deeper draft, but we have a Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 35 with lift keel drawing 1.2m and we can dry out upright. Do not follow us over the Ray Sand!
It's up to you, but I am always happy to push it a bit on falling tide as I can pretty much just sit there for a while. Our choice though, and anyone else's choice will also be valid.

If you were in Tollesbury like us, then you would be very restricted going over the sill, and have probably an hour or more, less access per tide than us.

BTW 1.7m = 5'7" you never know when it will count....:p
 
Seashoreman said:
I would suggest checking out local charts for depths. You would be very restricted getting in and out of Ore and Deben and would be constantly checking time/heights/anchorages.
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Its been a few years since I last visited the Ore but at 1.9m I never felt particularly constrained when entering or leaving the Deben in comparison with other non-lifting/bilge keel boats.
 
We have just sold our 1.4 M draft Beneteau and bought a Jeanneau with a 2 M draft...we are going to be more careful than we were but don't anticipate any major problems...watch this space :encouragement: :encouragement: :encouragement:
 
Of course, it will be difficult to negotiate the stormy seas.....

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It's all a compromise as usual. I've sailed with fin keels from 3'6" to 5'3" and in company with boats with deeper keels, but I have never owned a truly shoal-draft boat myself. My current boat is a 1.5m shallow version of the standard 1.8m 34ft. Most of my sailing is outside the area, but the one foot less gives me wider tidal gates in and out of various places (and is handy in the Baltic) and my performance is closely comparable to the full fin, which I know from racing and sailing in company. If my sailing were entirely local, I would be tempted to go shallow (trimaran?) but since the Wallet and all other waterways are orientated SW/NE much sailing in the estuary will be to windward.

A draft of 1.8m or more will make very little difference to ones sailing, but access to some harbours and rivers will be a little bit less.
 
Mine is a 1.7m fin. No problems on the East coast but obviously I have got good at tidal heights and still hop across the bars and banks without incident (mostly). Restricts access to Bradwell to 3-3.5 hrs either side of HW and Tollesbury to HW +/- not much.
 
Mine is 1.5 and going across the Ray Sand is no problem if you work the tides right. Can't think of many places you'll find inaccessible. Bilge keels can of course dry out and that gives you greater options but we've never regretted haviing a fin keel.
 
We had the same dilemma 3 years ago when commissioning our beneteau 31. We are based on the Alde. and the choice was a 1.9m or 1.45m. We chose the latter as we felt that we were more likely to use the boat for hopping from river to river rather than longer crossings of the N Sea. The result is that we have been very happy with the short keel as it gives us just a little more breathing space coming in and out of the Deben and the Ore and also enables us to get into Southwold +/- 1 hour of LW which can be an advantage if sailing North on the ebb. The downside is definitely on a longer sea voyages where leeway is more noticeable and we end up losing ground compared to those with a deeper keel. I think that it all comes down to the type of sailing you want to do - Longer sea voyages with upwind performance = deep keel, access to E Coast rivers for weekend sailing = shallow keel!!
 
OR4751 said:
+1
In a nutshell.
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In a nutshell+ Gentlemen don't beat to windward. Get a boat with a nice engine, as East Coast is also predominantly upwind/downwind with little happy days of Southerly breezes. Tacking into the Crouch gets tiring quite quickly.
 
FullCircle said:
In a nutshell+ Gentlemen don't beat to windward. Get a boat with a nice engine, as East Coast is also predominantly upwind/downwind with little happy days of Southerly breezes. Tacking into the Crouch gets tiring quite quickly.
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The East Coast is not our final destination, merely a stop on our way to blue water.
We're here because of geography (not more than 1.5-2hrs drive from home) and financial necessity (can not afford to keep our boat on the South Coast).

It's not a secret that I have little affection for this cruising ground of brown water and shallow puddles surrounded by mud.
That being said, one major redeeming feature of the East Coast are some of the people we've met here - you couldn't hope to meet a nicer lot.
When we finally leave these shores it's the memory of these fellow sailors rather than the mememory of the shallow puddles surrounded by mud I will treasure.
 
OR4751 said:
The East Coast is not our final destination, merely a stop on our way to blue water.
We're here because of geography (not more than 1.5-2hrs drive from home) and financial necessity (can not afford to keep our boat on the South Coast).

It's not a secret that I have little affection for this cruising ground of brown water and shallow puddles surrounded by mud.
That being said, one major redeeming feature of the East Coast are some of the people we've met here - you couldn't hope to meet a nicer lot.
When we finally leave these shores it's the memory of these fellow sailors rather than the mememory of the shallow puddles surrounded by mud I will treasure.
Click to expand...
You will miss the extra diligence required to navigate round these waters...... I know I will when we go.
 
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