Cruise to Bristol 2/3 Oct (formerly Swansea)

[Matt]

** The Swansea trip has been cancelled due to the bad forcast for Sunday, instead we are doing a shorter trip to Bristol *

TIDE TIMES CARDIFF:

Sat 2 Oct

HW LW HW LW
00:10 06:10 12:50 19:16
9.1 m 4.1 m 9.2 m 4.2 m

Remember to add +1 for BST.

Intending to lock out at 7am (yes an early start).

By the way its my birthday on Sunday and I'm 40 so plan to get well oiled Saturday night before I'm officially an old git!

Matt

[cath907]

I'd consider sailing down... if I can find some crew
Catherine

[Xanadu]

Next weekend is the start of the racing season, so won't be able to make this one. Have a great time!

[vikingsmb]

cath, cant make it as in weymouth for my power instructors course with cadets sorry

[Matt]

Cath we may possibly have a spare crew member, will let you know if that's the case later in the week.

Matt

[Deleted]

We, that's Elaine and me. possibly Karen, possibly Julie are considering joining you. Not sure yet. If it's all of us we may be able to help out with a crew for Cath.

I haven't done this trip either. It's best part of 40 miles and I reckon we've got to be lucky to manage it. Having said that, winds at the moment are forecast predominantly southerly which would suit us well. I think we'll need to push the tide with plenty of motor for the first couple of hours, and think of some plan b's if we've not made good progress by half time.

I'll check with possible crews and post again as soon as I can

Cheers
Peter

[Matt]

Cheers Peter. Having spoken to one or two people it seems that a few of the usual suspects are starting the cruiser racing on a Sunday so it would be great for another boat or two to join us. Looks Like it may just be me and Julian on Katy as the rest of the crew have other fish to fry.

Matt

[Deleted]

I don't think we will have any trouble in making it. Although I haven't called in to Swansea before I have passed it on the way to Oxwich on a single tide.

At the moment reasonably brisk winds from the south(ish) are forecast which will help getting down there. We have until 2200hrs to get to Swansea before the locks close and the tide with us most of the way. If the tide does turn before we get there the main current in the channel flows past Swansea Bay in quite a clearly defined line from the Gower, so as long as we are inside this line (in other words inside the bay itself) before the tide turns there shouldn't be too much resistance. With the last 10 miles or so protected from adverse currents in this way I am quite confident that we could do it even without motoring, provided that the winds remain in our favour.

Julian.

[Deleted]

still uncertain - waiting for response from possible crew. What time do you plan on leaving sunday? looks like it will have to be early? don't want to scare away willing crew, but I can see this being a deciding factor

will let you know asap. Hopefully be at the club tommorrow night
Peter

[Deleted]

Peter. The intention is to lock out at 11am on Sat. As for Sunday the ideal leaving time would be 6am as this would give us time to get out of Swansea Bay and into the main channel for the very start of the flood.
In nice sailing conditions I wouldn't mind leaving this until later. Late enough to pursuade your crew to come. It would only mean punching tide at the Cardiff end and as we are not on spring tides and given a decent breeze it would just result in a longer sail. Great on a sunny day! However Saturday is great but the forecast for Sunday is pretty horrible at the moment, so we might not want to prelong the return journey.

The marine forecast doesn't go that far ahead (and even if it did I wouldn't trust it this far in advance) but the domestic forecast for Cardiff from the Met office is saying heavy rain for Sunday, with poor visibility and winds of 28mph gusting 48mph. I'm really waiting to see what the inshore waters forecast for the weekend is going to be like - and in the meantime am keeping an eye on the domestic one!

I'll try to be at the club tonight so hopefully we can discuss it.

Julian.

[Deleted]

Just thought. The Tawe Lock doesn't start operating until 7am, so that would be the earliest we could leave.

[Matt]

Changed plan to Bristol see first post :-))

[vikingsmb]

I saw you guys in the channel this afternoon from the M5 coming home from Weymouth
off portishead I think

btw I failed the course it was an skills assessment anyway so not bothered really
out of 16 candidates only 2 passed, it's a really high standard they need lol

[Matt]

What course was it Rob?

[ishtar]

Portishead from Weymouth? About 350T. Rob must have been on Magnetic if he failed.









;D

[vikingsmb]

I was driving my car mate, loll about magnetic
It was the powerboat instructors skills assessment, (huw will tell you) only 2 passed though, but I'm going to redo it in 2012
btw I have a new job