Navigator's tips

Race Navigators Tips and Tricks for Cowes Week by Mike Broughton

14. "Broughton on the Brambles" - only once, but once too often! The Bramble Bank has a huge influence on racing in the Solent, so get to grips with where it actually is. These photographs while only a little out of date, have not been previously published and show the Brambles to be a different shape to any charts published before 2000. Made up of stones and shingles, there is a definite arrowhead facing the flood tide. The beacon has a depth of 4.5m at MLWS. There are a number of transits to fix the edges of the bank. The simple one I like is the one that defines the eastern edge (the back of the arrowhead): use the transit of the Brambles beacon in line with the tall chimneys at East Cowes (they appear as one). The transit runs north/south, so if you are to the east of that transit you are clear of the bank. Despite the puddles, the bank is very flat and dries to one metre at Chart Datum. When sailing in this area, beware of Knoll bank, which only has a depth of 0.9 m at Chart Datum.