ash12
Well-Known Member
So where is everbody else going? Im going to Poritshead, Bristol, hopefully Cardiff and maybe the holms or barry.
So where is everbody else going? Im going to Poritshead, Bristol, hopefully Cardiff and maybe the holms or barry.
Thanks for reply, We have coastal and harbour experience with trips to S.E Ireland. Boat is ideal for Inland cruising bilge keel and slow speed. Hoping for passage along Welsh coast to Stourport and Upton back to Bristol and through K & A - we have plenty of time on our hands, semi retired.Concerned about depth in K&A we draw 1.2m and raw water intake close to keel would weed etc be major issue in shallow water.
Will you be locking into the canal system via Sharpness docks?
Sounds as if you have some coastal experience so Milford to Avonmouth shouldnt be too taxing in good weather.
To maximise the tidal benefit in a slow boat try to have the ebb against you as you cross Carmarthen Bay where the streams are a bit weaker. Then pick up the new flood off the Gower to carry you up towards Cardiff .Leave Cardiff close to LW to carry flood up to Sharpness, dont pass Avomnouth until about 2 hours before HW .Portishead Marina is a good stop off point close to Avonmouth.
Make sure you prearrange your arrival at sharpness .Commercial Ships use Sharpness Locks most days so be prepared to give them a wide berth as they manouver in the strong tides between Avonmouth and Sharpness.This part of the passage requires carefull planning and pilotage and good weather/ visibility .
Coming back down to Bristol will involve leaving Sharpness at HW then waiting at Portishead for the next tide.You can anchor outside the marina and dry out in the mud but most prefer to Lock in to the marina .You can lock out of Portishead with plenty of time to carry the tide up the river and Lock in to Bristol Harbour .
There are no pontoons in the Bristol locks. The lock gatemen will lower a light line down to you to pull up your mooring lines which they will pass through a chain eye and back down to you. So have 2 long lines ready .
Hope some of this may be usefull.
In 1997 I took my Seamaster 27 from Stourport to Reading via the K&A canal. I remember bumping my way along the bottom a few times as it was shallow in places. You may find some sections of the canal have low water levels.
My main problem was airdraft and I had to remove my windscreen a couple of times. However since then the low bridge at Newbury has been rebuilt so it might not be so bad.
Personally I have my doubts that any bigger boat could have done the journey sucessfully for the reasons of airdraft and depth restrictions. I also would not have contemplated taking my Seamaster 27 to Milford Haven as it was primarily a river cruiser.
I don't know exactly what boat you have but I would certainly check with British Waterways about the depths anf heights available.