Navigator's tips

16. Always have an escape route. A good example is when you are beating up a shore against the tide such as around Ryde Sands. Note in the picture (see page 6) the 'horse shoe' bay near SW Mining Ground buoy. Not on the chart, this bay could catch you out as you close the beach on echo sounder and go aground as you tack out. Brief your helm/tactician if the shore you are sailing towards is gently shelving or not. Tacking with 0.5m under the keel is okay on a gentle shelf around Beaulieu, but probably too late tacking up a steep shoreline such as Ryde Sands. Rocks demand even more respect, so beware if the type of shore you approach is not a gentle shelf and the rest of the crew are egging you in closer purely on the basis of soundings.

17. Great gains at Gurnard. Many Cowes Week races involve getting close up the Island as you approach Cowes from the west. There are several important hazards to negotiate that are very well documented in Peter Bruce’s Solent Hazards. Knowing the route inside Gurnard Ledge can be a real winner, though is not for the faint hearted. During the Swan European Championships a few years ago, I took a large Swan through at half tide against the ebb. While the rest of the more conservative/more sensible fleet, struggled in much greater negative tide, we wriggled through and saved two minutes on our closest competitors and made it into the chocolates.



transits and weather on page 5...