Crossing Thames Estuary from Broadstairs to River Crouch
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- Опубликовано: 1 авг 2023
- Started off sailing without issue, got to Fisherman's Channel, decided to bring in head sail and begin motoring across Black Deep. Got my furler stuck. Had to solve it.
Turned the boat many many times to wind the Gib back in on itself. It was a mess, but no longer flapping uncontrollably in the wind.
I planned to anchor at Barrow Deep and wait for the tidal flow to change direction, but was exhausted from trying to solve the jammed furler that I proceeded onto my next waypoints despite now motoring against the current. It would have been much less hassle just to anchor for a few hours and wait for the current direction to become optimal.
Eventually anchored in River Roach.
Next morning, when wind was calm, I tangled my Gib and it rolled back in without any issue. I still don't know what caused the furler to jam. 
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That was brilliant. Realistic, not slick. "I'm never coming here again" !! Enjoyed the bumble bee too.
Hi sbcode. Great stuff - good to watch and learn esp. from mishaps such as headsail not coming down. Turning boat to wind up headsail sounds like turning house to unscrew lightbulb - very creative!
Cool! Thanks for sharing
I have to make the trip the other way down in a couple of months, Burnham to the Solent. when you said, "it was a bit too windy for you", what was the wind then and what was it when you did the trip. What draft does your boat have, mine is only 0/8 shoal draft bilge keel and I haven't sailed her yet only having bought her last year and keeping her on the hard while I do all the necessary repairs. Im bricking it if I honest.
the wind was force 5-6, but against the tidal flow at the time. So very rough since the whole estuary has fast tidal flows. Going south should be easier than going north, since the currents tend to change in a clockwise direction over time. I think you should time to be at inner whitaker about HW, the current will then flow east for a few hours, then south east, then south, then after 6 hours, start turning SW, then W again. I would do a big curve around to fishermans gat and then rest at palm bay, botany bay or broadstairs depending on the wind direction. Hope for a north westerly when you arrive so you don't have to anchor in the swells. The east/west flows are fast at palm and botany bays. I have never gone in the south direction yet, so I don't really know the best way. If I was to go north again, I would start 3 hours before HW, and cross as fast as as I could and head straight for whitaker. Use an app such as savvy navvy, or navionics to get some ideas. It is hard. The problem for me is the distance you need to travel before you can rest. When going north, expect to be against the current at some point in the journey.
Sorry, I missed your reply. Grateful for the feedback. My initial thought was to make a straight (ish) dash across but others are telling me that this may not be the best or fastest route overall. I think my plan now is to depart the Crouch about two hours before HW, follow pretty much the route you suggest while relying quite heavily on Savvy Navvy as Im Sure Mr Savvy and Mrs Navvy now a lot more about this than I do. I know the many bays you highlight but from a shore perspective as I lived for many years in Broadstairs, it would be cool to pause offshore of somewhere I walked my dog back in the day. What was Broadstairs like to overnight as I recall standing on the harbour wall countless times watching many boats get a real lashing when the wind and tide was not being kind. Final question, I'm perfectly familiar with roller furling and how it works although have never used it myself before, I understand that one of its main shortcomings is that it can jam, as happened to you. I have seen others use the method you did to furl your headsail basically motoring round and round in circles. Obvious question but I assume you untied the clew first and just let the sail flog while you circled.
savvy navvy planner is good. I like it better than navionics. but i like the navionics maps better.
My furler jammed because i didnt tighten the halyard enough. so it twisted at the head when i tried to bring it back in.
I think if the tide is high when you cross, you can take a straight line across from inner whitaker. Cross it as fast as you can. Whatever Savvy navvy plans should be good. Just give the big ships priority since they are restricted by draught
How long did the passage take total? And where you said you had wind against you for ten hours, was that ten hours after from fisherman's gat? You were punching against the wind and tide after that at 1.4kts Sog, it must have taken some time. I could see at that point you had throttle engaged so I assume you were motor sailing then? I was there last month. Enjoyed your video.
It took 10 hours. The wind started as NNW, then by end of day was W. So I was heading into the wind the whole time. And because I didn't anchor at barrow deep for a few hours to wait for the current to change direction. I was also against the current.
@@sbcode I took the route through the London array windfarm (Foulger's Gat) at night, crossed the Black Deep channel and on sunrise had a 25-30kt squall which persisted for rest of the morning, I think you made the right call not anchoring on that ridge, I passed North of that and being shallow and rough I had to make sure there was enough sea room to catch the out flowing tide and wind on the nose at the right angle. So I ran a bit North for half hour avoiding the second wind farm to get a more favourable angle to the wind and tide, once I got the right angle I managed 5kts all the way into the Crouch. Whereas closer to that ridge (north side) you intended to anchor on I was only managing similar speed to you. So I don't think you would have enjoyed anchoring there, it would have been lumpy. I avoided middle Sunk channel and fisherman's gat because of the night passage and that marked wreck being so shallow. The route through the London Array was easy, there's 2-3 safe water buoys marking the way through. Still have to watch the depth mind you.
So you went through the wind farm? I imagine I'd get chopped up if my motor stops. And at night? Much braver than me.
@@sbcode there was Radar on the boat, and although night time the visibility was a good 5nm + (further for larger vessels and coastal lights). It was during that freezing spell we had so visibility was pretty good mostly. The route you took and the one I took are both listed in pilot book as routes. You have to keep 50m from each turbine, which is easy in good visibility as they are spaced apart a fair distance around 0.5nm.