What now skipper

[Hugo_Andreae]

By popular request we have added a bit more detail to this month's What Now scenario. As ever there is not a right or a wrong answer but we would love to know what you would do in the following situation. Talk us through your decision making process and we will publish the best ones in the Sept edition of MBY.

"You are returning to your regular mooring inside a harbour that has a narrow entrance and a notorious bar. You have planned your return for an hour before sunset at the end of August, which that day is low water plus one hour. In fine weather this gives you a comfortable 1.5m beneath the keel of your 40ft shaftdrive cruiser as you pass over the bar. But as you near the entrance it becomes clear that the wind, which has been gradually picking up strength during your return passage, has also backed more than expected. It is now blowing an offshore Force 4. The wind-against-tide is already producing a nasty sea as you approach the harbour with standing waves that you guess are around a metre or more high. Should you go in now before conditions get worse, divert, or wait for more water? It’s your call, skipper."

Thanks

Hugo

 

[sarabande]

Are we allowed to validate the scenario against the Bretschneider method or the Wilson method of wave computation for wind speed in restricted waters ?

Before someone claims Mornington Crescent, that is.

(I know: geek)

 

[Remmington]

paul_ashton@ipcmedia.com

Does his ghost carry on posting ?

 

[sailbadthesinner]

A nasty sea is quite different from a dangerous one.
rather than risk the estimated wave height being wrong and get dumped on the bar I would wait off, make some calcs if i am still worried then go for it at the time the calc showed sufficient clearance. The wave height is not a worry for the boat its the clearance that would worry me more.
Unless the barometer has dropped severley in past hour I would expect wind to increase slowly or steady off. So Condiditons one the wave front are unlikely to get much worse. The depth is the greatest perceived risk so wait for more water seems most sensible option.
If its regualr morring pilotage in the dark should not present problemsit being dark as you enter.

 

[Major Catastrophe]

I would go online, post the problem here and in the meantime lighten ship by throwing the booze and toaster overboard.

I like these little tests, when they are posed properly, but unless you are actually there and seeing the conditions it is impossible to come up with an answer.

It is not something that is covered by regulations, as in colregs, and will attract every possible solution, with none being as correct as a person observing the conditions.

4/10

 

[Wiggo]

Floor it and go in on the plane. Reduces draught and likelihood of the boat rising and falling in the chop.

 

[Nick_H]

Don't think a 1m standing wave will bother a 40' boat too much, so i'd give it a while to make sure there's enough water under the props, then go and have a drink in the notorious bar.

 

[fireball]

It's changed since it was posted in the MBY News page ..... we now know it's a 40'er and we've got waves standing at a meter ....

still - gives you a min clearance of 1m so I still can't see the problem ....

mind you - if wind against tide 1hr after low water (ie insignificant current) is creating that much disturbance with only a F4 against it then I think I'd be finding another harbour to moor in .....

 

[hlb]

Wheres the next decent harbour, and is there a good pub. This one seems decidedly crap if the seas that bad in an offshore F4.

Depends whether this is the charted tide, or how much water is likely to be there in reality. You would know this if it was your own harbour, so on the grounds that my berth is there, I'd reacon that there is a good metre more than the chart shows. So loads of water.

On the other hand..........Oh, tell me about the pub next door!!

 

[Kawasaki]

mooring inside a harbour that has a narrow entrance and a notorious bar.
Sounds like Portmadoc.
Definately a narrow entrance + the bar bit!
Fastest wine pourers in the West in there!
What spoils the question / conodrum is the Regular mooring bit.
If it is ones home territory one would know what to do. Unless one is relatively new at the game/ mooring.The Major and I have a Bar to negotiate at the Southern end of our spot.
Plus a bit of water than can be a bit lumpy at tother end but no probs with depth.
However We have to time are arrival fairly accurately to get into our berths.
There is no lock to contend with but We have to negotiate a narrowish gap to get into our basin to tie up before we run out of water.
So our descision would be based on "Will we be in time to berth" ie will there be enough water. Our "Bar" is about 20 mins away for a planing hull and about 30/35 for a semi displacement. Inc speed limits.
So the Question is a bit broad and depends on where are You, what is Your experience/ knowledge level etc etc.
Still it is all good thought provoking subject but not "Cut and Dride" for a definitive answer.
Phew! that was a bit serious, I must go and have a quick shower!

 

[Sneds]

Um! 1 meter wave could you clearance of only 0.5M over the bar.
I think I would wait an hour (2 twelves) as long as the conditions outside of the bar are not to uncomfortable, then go for it.
Is there another haven with an easier entrance? Again, depending on the offshore sea state.
What is the pub notourious for?

 

[Major Catastrophe]

[ QUOTE ]
The Major and I have a Bar to negotiate at the Southern end of our spot.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, but it is doddle to navigate as I just follow the furrow you ploughed the last time you went over the bar. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Kawasaki]

Fnarr Fnarr!
Tw&t!

 

[Major Catastrophe]

Tee hee.

 

[LordJohn]

I would stand off about 200 metres and then, with careful timing, make a full speed run at the entrance, coinciding with a wave, and surf into the harbour. I would then circle within the harbour with a cigar blazing and a glass of vintage krug champagne in my hand so that the local ladies could worship me.

 

[LAMBADA]

I,d have a couple of pints at the "notorious bar" whilst waiting for the tide to come in.

 

[fireball]

Your intending to surf the wave - going into the wind ... have you looked at the wave direction relative to the wind recently?

 

[flaming]

[ QUOTE ]
Um! 1 meter wave could you clearance of only 0.5M over the bar.



[/ QUOTE ]

No it wouldn't A 1m standing wave goes up 0.5m and down 0.5m. Giving a minimum clearance of 1m.

So if you're confident in the acuracy of the depth measurements then go for it. 1m is masses of clearance.

 

[volvopaul]

I wonder who will get there post printed in the next mag eh?

I would wait a while, then again there might be another boat coming out over the bar, would wait to see if he goes aground reminds me of my first trip to Chichester, everyone was milling around the entrance, fishing boat passed us all and went in on the east side where to me there was no water so followed him, and guess what so did everone else.

Ran out of water by the time I got around Itchenor though, so took a buoy and had a pint.

OOps cant admit to that after reading this months MBM now can I.

 

[hlb]

Reminds me of tignmouth?? Um Tighnmouth, whatever. Devon. Charts and pilot book said dont go.

Arrived there by accident, waiting for the tide at Exmouth. Chart said, high and dry, Pilot book said, crap place, dont bother. So we watched the boats coming out, then slinked up to a bloke fishing on the bar. Asked him how much water up here, it was supposedly dry. There was 2.8 metres all the way, till 5 metres plus for the rest of the way. Yep you have to read the charts, but theres nothing better than local knowledge. Anyway Tignmouth is a lovely place, umm with a reputed nasty bar, but never nasty whlst I've been there. But looks a bit iffy, never the less.!!