CHICHESTER MAY 3-5

Venue

Chichester Marina. From Chichester by-pass take the A286 to Witterings and approx 2 miles later the Marina is on your right and is signposted.

The launching ramp and parking space is at the NE corner of the Marina and is accessed via a coded barrier. You will be given the code when you pay your fees at the Marina office. Please pay first before trying to access the launching ramp as we got into trouble last year for not doing that.

Boats can be launched or recovered from the ramp at any state of tide. Access to Chichester Harbour from the Marina is accessed via a lock - Immediately after the lock, however,  is a narrow channel which is not always accessible at low tides, especially springs, which it is this weekend.

Launch/recovery  - £16

Overnight - £1.95 per Mtr.

There is a discount off these figures - 10% if we have between 2-8 boats, 20% 9-20

Premier Marina 01243 512731 and mention Pathfinder.

Preliminary itinerary

On Saturday the plan is a return journey to Brighton with a meal in Chichester Yacht Club if it can be arranged.

On Sunday the plan is a run to the Folly Inn at Cowes for lunch and return.

Monday - nothing planned as numbers may be small and Members can choose what they want to do.

Safety

Club rule - all crew will wear lifejackets at all times whilst afloat.

Club rule - all boats will carry VHF fixed or hand-held radio. A check will be made at the commencement of each journey that they are working.

See also special comments on each passage plan.

Radio

Chichester Marina Ch 80

Brighton Marina    Ch 80

Club communications Ch77 but will move to 72 if 77 gets too busy

Emergency

matters which the Club can handle call Pathfinder Uniform on Ch 77 (72 if used). All boats to stop whilst the situation is resolved.

serious emergencies call the Coastguard on Ch 16

NB for both journeys planned the relevant Coastguard is SOLENT.

Charts

For Saturday

Admiralty  SC 2045 Outer approaches to the Solent

                   SC 1652 Selsey Bill to Beachy Head

                   SC 3418 Langstone and Chichester Harbours

Imray         C9           Covers East Solent to Beachy Head

                   Y33         Similar to SC3418

For Sunday

Admiralty SC 2045 and 3418 and Imray C9. Y33and C15 ( The Solent)

Beachmaster

Hopefully me on both Sat and Sun.

SATURDAY

The aim is to go East to Brighton Marina approx 35 nm from Chichester Harbour entrance. As it is springs and our tidal window is not as wide as it could be we need to leave the Marina prompt at 11 am. Launch between 9.00 and 10.00 with briefing not later than 10.30. Later than 11 and due to the 2-2.5 hours travel (including the slow passage to the harbour entrance) it will not be worth going.

Lunch in Brighton Marina which has a large variety of pubs/restaurants plus shops - people will make their own lunch arrangements after arrival.

Return at 3-3.15 so as to get back before low tide.

High tide Chichester is 13.42 (4.7m)

Low tide Chichester is 18.59 (0.5m)

Brighton is accessible all states of the tide.

Leaving  Chichester Marina we will need to call the office on Ch 80 for a lock out. The Marina will either say go immediately or give a number and you go when your number is called. The Cruise leader will do this. I will try to arrange beforehand a priority when we are ready.

On return you will need to call again for a lock in. There may be a queue and jumping is not only a no no but the Marina will keep a close eye on the order to prevent jumping.

Waypoints

Only 4 key waypoints are needed.

Chichester West Pole (outside the harbour entrance) 50deg 45.65min N  0deg 56.30min W

Looe Channel West                                                     50deg 41.61min N  0deg 49.14min W

1/5nm SE of Mixon Beacon                                        50deg 42.10min N  0deg 46.00min W

Brighton - 100m SE of West Breakwater                   50deg 48.42min N  0deg 06.23min W

Safety points

Beware Chichester bar in SE or S winds especially on low.

Beware large expanses of shallow or drying areas E of Chichester harbour entrance.

Beware of drying areas around Selsey Bill at low tides. Whilst we may not be bothered by depth here they do cause overfalls and large waves hence the route through the Looe Channel

Beware of lobster pot and net markers all along the coast. Some are very small and not easily spotted.

PLEASE - look at the charts to see the drying areas mentionned.

Bolt holes

If it is necessary to abort either individually or as a group there are 2 boltholes available in an emergency.

Littlehampton and Shoreham. As a venue only Littlehampton offers any real alternative to Brighton but both have Marinas for emergencies.

Littlehampton waypoints

1/2nm S of outer green beacon                                 50deg 47.33min N  0deg 32.29min W

50m  E of tide gauge in harbour entrance                 50deg 47.85min N  0deg 32.33min W

Shoreham waypoints

1/2nm S of Breakwater Head                                    50deg 49.00min N  0deg 14.72min W

50m E of Breakwater Head                                       50deg 49.45min N  0deg 14.74min W

Please note that Pagham Harbour is just marsh and not a harbour which can be entered.

SUNDAY

The aim is to go to the Folly Inn for lunch. The Folly is approx 20 mins up the Medina River on the Isle of Wight. It has pontoon berths which require a small fee and directions are usually given to you on arrival by the berthing master in a small launch. On return to Chichester Marina we can either eat in the Yacht Club again (if members want and the CYC agree) or at the Spinnaker - which is more costly.

However members may want to disperse so play it by ear. Conversely, there is a good carvery in Chichester.

High tide Chichester is 14.14 (4.6m)

Low tide Chichester is 19.28 (0.6m).

Same locking out and in procedure, radio channels and safety measures.

I hope to leave around 10.30 with briefing at 10.00

Waypoints

Chichester West Pole as above.

Horse Sand Fort - 4 cables SW                               50deg 44.68min N  1deg 04.71min W

Rye Middle S. Cardinal - 1 cable SE                      50deg 45.82min N  1deg 11.98min W

Prince Consort N. Cardinal - 1/2 nm E                   50deg 46.39min N  1deg 16.69min W

Cowes Approach                                                     50deg 46.31min N  1deg 17.94min W

However, if conditions require we may have to deviate and hug one shoreline or the other.

Safety points

Beware of Chichester Bar in SE or S winds especially at low tides.

Beware of drying areas at low tide - Langstone Harbour entrance and Ryde Sands.

The route provided takes us outside of the submarine barrier connecting Horse Sand Fort to the mainland. If we need to go inside the Fort it is essential to use the inner marked passage approx half way between the Fort and the shore.

See chart for all the above.

The route takes us through the main navigation channel for large boats so vigilance and common sense to apply. There are often large no entry zones in front of (upto 1000 metres) and alongside (upto 100 metres) of the larger vessels.

Boltholes

If it is necessary to abort and seek shelter there are 3 main options if a return to Chichester is not favoured.

Portsmouth Harbour

Southampton Water with access to the Hamble and Mercury Marina where we are well known.

Wootton Creek - entrance 50deg 46.60min N   1deg 12.00min W

CONTACT

Les Crane lotney@pavilion.co.uk