domino Posted November 10, 2004 Report Share Posted November 10, 2004 How low does the water have to be (above chart datum), before the slip becomes unusable? Cheers, Alan PS. I've just re-read this and it's not worded very well... but I'm sure you understand what I mean!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Afishionado Posted November 10, 2004 Report Share Posted November 10, 2004 Poole is (as I guess you know) unique in it's tidal range and period. This is a condensed discription..... Because of the Isle of White causing a huge eddie the incoming (flowing eastward) tide circles back around the Eastern end of the IOW and causes a tidal surge to run up the solent and produce a second flood in Poole bay. So starting from dead low the tide will flood constantly (and Quickly) for 3 hours. Most areas of the harbour will have at the least a foot or so of water after 1 1/2 hrs. The end of this three hour period is called 1st high. One then gets about 3hrs of 'stand' where the flow in or out of the harbour is dependant on neaps or springs and current air pressure. But generaly speaking there is a slight drop that will not affect launch or recovery. Leading to a slight flood to 2nd high. NOW THIS BIT IS IMPORTANT from second high to low water only takes 3 hours. The water goes down like a 100mph drain 'ol . The general rule of thumb is if you are trying to return at full ebb even if you reach the slip, by the time you've got the trailer your boat is high and dry. The other side of the coin of course is that if you do get stuck on a mud bank at low water you only need to wait a couple of hours to float off. Baiter slip is long and shallow in its slope and IMO one of the worst slips around. But it is easy to get to and park. Better by far (but at a cost) is Cobbs Quay slip where you can launch and recover at any tide state on a wide well designed concrete slip. I think the cost for self launch and recover is Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newboy Posted November 10, 2004 Report Share Posted November 10, 2004 Aww..... Cobbs Quay, lovely slip, it wide and gradient is slight so launch and retrieve is easy. Unlike the Davies boat yard next door (which I thought was Cobbs ...... ), couldn't fault it other than the slip's gradient is fairly steep (you'd need a powerful car to get the boat and trailer back up), it costs less than Cobbs and there's even a plontoon for loading unloading. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
domino Posted November 10, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 10, 2004 Mike, Thanks for the info and the offer of a guided tour. I already know the area reasonably well, having been a frequent visitor to Poole and Bournemouth for some years. What I was really after was an appx height (above chart datum) above which the slip is usable, as the LW height varies quite considerably, for example - 05/11 LW 10:17 1.6m 13/11 LW 16:24 0.5m This is a difference of over a metre, my guess is that you could have launched / retrieved at any state of the tide on the 5th, but probably not at LW on the 13th. I accept that atmospheric conditions may affect the actual height of water compared to that predicted, but I was just looking for a guide so I know when to avoid. Thanks again, Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Afishionado Posted November 10, 2004 Report Share Posted November 10, 2004 I would say (working in time value) RECOVER not much over 2hrs before forcast dead low may be a bit longer on a big spring. LAUNCH at least an hour after dead low and you may have to wait a bit. The hight variations are not much use at Baiter because the slope is so shallow even at HW there is not too much water over the top end. And the crux of the matter is the amount of water entering or leaving the harbour in the first 1 1/2 after dead low or second high. Mad Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JIMBOB Posted November 10, 2004 Report Share Posted November 10, 2004 Hi Alan Baiter is a very shallow slip even at high water, as mike says best to aviod 2 hrs either side of low tide .It can even be a pain a high water especially if yove got a large boat. Be prepared to un hitch the trailer and walk it out to the boat and pack some extra rope so you can retreve the boat once its back on the trailer! And watch the step at the end of the slip if your trailer goes over it , it can be a b#'@*$ to retive. Hope this is of help James Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Afishionado Posted November 10, 2004 Report Share Posted November 10, 2004 Seriously mate looking at the picture of your boat I would realy recommend Cobbs or Davis (adjacent to Cobbs) as a launching spot, Baiter is a horror of a slip. One some times has to walk the boat on the trailer out 100yds or so to get enough water to float off. Either of the two I mentioned you don't even have to un-hitch the trailer. There is a futher option of Rockly Point which is right at the top of the harbour and at the speed limit is nearly 45 min frtom the Haven. They are expensive too even more than Cobbs. This summer I crewed for Paul D several times and as he lives that way he uses Wick Ferry at Christchurch which was the first time I had used it.. Even though I live in Bournemouth I think that it is worth the trip towing round. It's a good (compared with Baiter) slip the tidal restrictions are about the same as Baiter and for the fishing on the eastern side of the Bournemouth/Poole conurbation is a much better place to launch. Mad Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverick Martin Posted November 10, 2004 Report Share Posted November 10, 2004 Alan I used to use Baiter slip regularly when I had a Hardy 17. On average we could launch and retrieve an hour either side of low water, perhaps and hour and a half on larger tides. As your boat is a similar weight to the hardy I would say the same rule would apply. If its not correct you will not have to wait long as Mike has stated the wet stuff comes in pretty quickly. I now have a larger boat and although I can launch and retrieve it at baiter I find Cobbs a much easier slip to use. On this slip as Mike has said I don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newboy Posted November 11, 2004 Report Share Posted November 11, 2004 Alan, I think Adam use Baiter a lot, since his boat is the same as yours, there shouldn't be any problems using it, except maybe at very low water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
great white Posted November 11, 2004 Report Share Posted November 11, 2004 For Info ON the 28th for the competitions Its a good size tide to get a bit of movement for the flounders in the Harbour as well as a bit on the banks outside, with Low Water at Poole Quay at aprox 0420 and 1650 the height at LW on the tide graph looks to be about 0.8m so boats should not have to wait long for enough water to get out after weighing fish at baiter. Charlie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam F Posted November 11, 2004 Report Share Posted November 11, 2004 Alan, Baiter is the slip I used when I took you out....no problem for a 150 or a 165, harder to laucnh than retreave with little water - give yourself at least an hour of building tide and youll be fine. Adam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob F Posted November 12, 2004 Report Share Posted November 12, 2004 Poole is (as I guess you know) unique in it's tidal range and period. This is a condensed discription..... Because of the Isle of White causing a huge eddie the incoming (flowing eastward) tide circles back around the Eastern end of the IOW and causes a tidal surge to run up the solent and produce a second flood in Poole bay. So starting from dead low the tide will flood constantly (and Quickly) for 3 hours. Most areas of the harbour will have at the least a foot or so of water after 1 1/2 hrs. The end of this three hour period is called 1st high. One then gets about 3hrs of 'stand' where the flow in or out of the harbour is dependant on neaps or springs and current air pressure. But generaly speaking there is a slight drop that will not affect launch or recovery. Leading to a slight flood to 2nd high. NOW THIS BIT IS IMPORTANT from second high to low water only takes 3 hours. The water goes down like a 100mph drain 'ol . The general rule of thumb is if you are trying to return at full ebb even if you reach the slip, by the time you've got the trailer your boat is high and dry. The other side of the coin of course is that if you do get stuck on a mud bank at low water you only need to wait a couple of hours to float off. Baiter slip is long and shallow in its slope and IMO one of the worst slips around. But it is easy to get to and park. Better by far (but at a cost) is Cobbs Quay slip where you can launch and recover at any tide state on a wide well designed concrete slip. I think the cost for self launch and recover is Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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