Model Boat Mayhem
Mess Deck: General Section => Full Scale Ships => Topic started by: swordfish fairey on June 12, 2007, 11:11:16 am
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Hi everyone, can you suggest some good sites for ship watching. Somewhere you can just sit and relax while the nautical world passes by. South Western U.K for preference.
Cheers...........Tony ???
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Well, it's not quite SW UK, but Ryde Pierhead on the Isle of Wight is a good spot. So is the Gunwharf at Portsmouth for ships passing in and out of the harbour.
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I agree with Colin, anywhere on Ryde sea front or on the north coast of the Isle of Wight.
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I'd qualify that by saying Cowes eastwards. Most of the more interesting ships tend to turn left when coming out of Southampton Water these days. Years ago you could see quite big ships heading for the Needles channel but not any more - not sure why.
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Saw the QE2 come in that way late last year Colin, but you are right , most go the other way.
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I'd qualify that by saying Cowes eastwards. Most of the more interesting ships tend to turn left when coming out of Southampton Water these days. Years ago you could see quite big ships heading for the Needles channel but not any more - not sure why.
Because getting in and out via the Needles with a cross tide and in a biggish ship puts the frighteners on the bean counters who "operate" the ships and are scared of insurance costs. Coming inwards can be quite hairy, 15 degrees of helm doing the entrance is not too unusual, and if you have the tide up your chuff you can easily be romping along at up to 30 knots (whilst intending 16k or so)...and then there are all those bloody yotties to contend with! The other "oddball" with the Solent is the use (or the lack of it) of the inshore channel that by-passes the horrible turn around the Bramble. If you don't get the tide depth right you are in deep trouble. As a Nav. I used to take the "short-cut" as often as possible, but it was always pretty nerve wracking. Shaved a couple of hours off the flip over to Antwerp though, and that was valuable given both the weather and the traffic during the winter months. Happy days!!!!
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It can be pretty hairy for us "bloody yotties" too Bryan although I can well appreciate the hazards for a large ship caused by the Western Solent being stuffed with sails heading in all directions. Also I notice that the Southampton Port limits and VTS only extend to the east and round to the Nab. I think ABP wanted to annexe the Western Solent too but weren't allowed to.
We did a daysail over to Bembridge from Chichester yesterday in my 21 footer and there wasn't much heavy traffic in sight for once. Sometimes crossing the main shipping channel can be like dodging across a motorway. Forunately it is well defined so if there is anything in sight you just wait for it to go by and then nip across behind.
We surprised a few people by getting into Bembridge at low tide with only about 3 feet under us on the bar. Going out there was a bit more water but not much!
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What about the round tower on pompey side or if you fancy a few beers you always have spice island. Or head a bit further round the coast to lee on solent that good aswell.
all the best
stu
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Still and West on the point of Spice Island, Old Portsmouth.
Bob
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Or the old lightship in Haslar Marina
Holmsey
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Thanks guys, a few places to try and the beers sound good. I did my wafu basic training at Lee On Solent but never had much time to ship watch.
Cheers............Tony
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Ahh i see to busy with your paraffin pigeons i suspect? A good place in lee would be the penguin cafe fantastic full english breakfast and a great view.
stu
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As a Solent user, could somebody explain why yotties never listen to ch 12 for traffic info from VTS ?. They always seem to be on ch 16.
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Come over to Sydney and stand on the harbour bridge plenty of ships here Dougmaz.
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Been there, done that mate...................truly an experience to remember....Tony
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As a Solent user, could somebody explain why yotties never listen to ch 12 for traffic info from VTS ?. They always seem to be on ch 16.
They may be on dual watch.
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Dual watch is great until you look out of the cockpit and see what you thought was a coaster morphing into a bloody great grey jobby howling down at you at a speed you woud'nt believe.
In all seriousness, I think that coming in via the Nab is a better option. There is more room for evasive action (by the larger ship) and is easier on the nerves.
The only good point is that you don't have to swing around the bloody Bramble!
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This is the point i'm making, weather its a coaster or blood great grey jobby (not that theres many of them left) if yachts listened on channel 12 they would have all the info about shipping movements they need.
If they were on dual watch, they would be on channel 12 anyway. And why is there move room for evasive action by the larger ship around the Nab ?, how could anyone know the draft of a ship unless they had called the ship, or listened on ch 12 to the conversation between the pilot or master of the ship and VTS ?.
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Big grey jobby 3/4 mile to STOP!
Yacht (small or large) 6 meters to alter course
Big grey jobby ?? meter draft
Yacht (large / small) mmmmmm? maybe 3 meter if your lucky
Which would you want out of the deep water channel?
Big grey jobby aground, broken back, channel traffic stopped (inc yachts) ?
Richard, not a navigator but an engineer who has seen main engine/gearbox slammed into astern on more than one occasion.
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And i'm the one slamming it in astern and upsetting you Rich !
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And i'm the one slamming it in astern and upsetting you Rich !
Since when are you permitted to drive such a big ship?
But as you asked,
Shriek is mainly to blame Oh then there was thrush Oh and Mr Magoo and I have known Gwendoline to do it once. so I think it's mainly the mates and 'him' though spear chucker wouldn't in-case I shouted at him.