Coddy Posted July 4, 2005 Report Share Posted July 4, 2005 Hi all Just thought I would advise anyone who uses Poole harbour that I was pulled over by the Harbour Master boat last Wednesday when I took my son out for a spin. He asked me if I knew the speed limit in the harbour and had I paid my harbour dues. I explained to him that I had just launched from Baiter and that my car park/slip fee included any other fees. He said was I sure that I launched from there and when I told him the car park fee he said ok and left. We had just crossed the main channel to get out of the Baiter channel and had opened the engine to get accross quickly with out causing any obstruction to other users. I suspect it was the increase in white water from the hull that they noticed as they came towards me. It is a shame they do not police the speed limit a bit more thoroughly as I was passed by a number of boats all well inexcess of 10kts. Would love to know how they would tell if someone is speeding. Is it 10kts over the ground or 10kts in the water? With or against the tide? If its the latter then you could well be inexcess of 10kts going with the tide. If its the former then the spray could mislead someone that they are speeding. If you launch from Cobbs or another slip do you have to pay harbour dues? Coddy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueboatdriver Posted July 4, 2005 Report Share Posted July 4, 2005 The speed limit is 10 knts over the ground. You can also be breaking a local bye-law if you are causing excessive wash, even at lower speeds, especially at areas like Brownsea Castle where passengers are being loaded regularly. I agree with you that the HM vessel in question is very inconsistant with whom he decides to chase. Last Friday I saw him coming down South Deep when 3 large ribs full of passengers (something to do with Poole Afoat I think) went through the Haven doing at least 20knts; he just let them carry on. You can also go as quick as you like if you fly a white ensign Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam F Posted July 4, 2005 Report Share Posted July 4, 2005 Why?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plaicemat Posted July 4, 2005 Report Share Posted July 4, 2005 Isn't it because only Naval vessels can fly the white ensign? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueboatdriver Posted July 4, 2005 Report Share Posted July 4, 2005 Why?? You must have seen the Royal Marines flying around. Thier "fast craft" must do over 50knts. As long as they're flying the white ensign there are no restrictions on thier speed. Maybe we should design the club pennant to look like one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overdraft Posted July 5, 2005 Report Share Posted July 5, 2005 BEWARE!!! It will not be long before we have speed camera's!!! O I forgot there is a CAMERA which believe or not covers most of the harbour it used to be attached to the top of one of the cranes on the quay!! Having been pulled up on several occasion in my old boat but it does make you sick when they are so inconsistant, look out for the very fast jet ski they also patrol on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul D Posted July 5, 2005 Report Share Posted July 5, 2005 Maybe the reason they get away with it is not the white ensign. Maybe it is because they are armed with sub machine guns Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueboatdriver Posted July 5, 2005 Report Share Posted July 5, 2005 Kim, Two very fast jet skis. They both sit on their trailors right next to my boat on the BP base. I try to be as nice as possible to them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duncan Posted July 5, 2005 Report Share Posted July 5, 2005 Firstly the Poole Harbour regulations now clearly state that it is a through the water limit - see link PHC notice to mariners 1.6.2005 For most this means that you will have to estimate the figure by adjusting your GPS speed by the tidal flow. This makes accurate prosecutions at speeds close to 10 knots difficult - but in theory should mean spotting a boat making way through the water easier. It doesn't because different hulls and hull lengths will look markedly different between the 9-12 knot range. Technically there will be times on springs when passing through the harbour entrance will be very very slow.....so slow you will probably get hit twice by the chain ferry..... even allowing him time to unload load and get you on the way back! Secondly there are camera's 'around' - certainly PHC has access to live pictures in the entrance, and I believe others. Finally they are currently having a blitz on harbour dues - and have been having it for a month now! No sign of a let up. Be nice to feel confident they are reinvesting the income......... I actually think they do a pretty god job but as said it comes over as as rather patchy and selective coverage. Biggest problem they face is that some limits are only advisory - the 6 knot areas other than in Holes Bay for example. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueboatdriver Posted July 5, 2005 Report Share Posted July 5, 2005 Thanks Duncan. I've never actually read the law on speed. I always assumed it was over the ground. They can also track your speed with radar from the harbour office. I was rushing back from Furzey Island one night when my passengers wanted to get back to watch the world cup. Harbour control called up and advised me to watch my speed ( I was in Brownsea Roads at the time). When I got in I gave him a ring just to see if I had been reported by someone. He said he had tracked me on his radar at 16 knts and rushing back for the football was no excuse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newboy Posted July 5, 2005 Report Share Posted July 5, 2005 So does all slipways' fee include the harbour due or not? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duncan Posted July 5, 2005 Report Share Posted July 5, 2005 hehe so now you can tell him you had 6 knots of helping tide.... personally I think it's wrong way round for safety, but correct for wash. as PHC didn't call you up and say - are you sure you're not making too much wash covering the ground at 16knots we know where they really are on this. anyhow - back to fishing............ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john c Posted July 12, 2005 Report Share Posted July 12, 2005 I was pulled up a couple of years back by a dory type harbour master craft. Once stopped he informed me that I was exceeding the speed limit. I told him that I had been making 10.3knots and 10.4 knots on my respective GPS sets. So technically I was speeding but the wind, the tide all can affect the speed constantly. He refused to believe this and stated that he knew that I was going faster as he had needed to travel at 25knots to catch me. I pointed out that as he started to try and catch me over a quarter of a mile away, he may very well have need to go this fast as at 10 kots we would never have met. He didn't like my tone and I was persistant. As most of you have commented, you wouldn't mind so much if they were consistant and even while talking to him a number of other boats were wizzing about, minus white ensigns at great speed. He then said he could tell I was speeding due to my wash. I said my boat is semi-planing and at 10 knots does put out a large wash, which is true. Bear in mind that issue was my speed and not my wash. In order to remedy the situation I suggested that he come aboard and I would do 10 knots and he could check my instuments. He wouldn't so I asked him to travel at a speed he considered to be 10 knots and I would keep abreast of him to check that something had not gone horribly wrong with the sattellites. He was not going to play. I suggested that his instruments may be incorrect. He replied that they were calibrated at the mile posts along Durlston. So thats accurate then !!!. Some bloke with a stop watch and another with some binoculars having to judge if the mile posts are in line or not when they start and stop the watch. I told him that my instruments were calibrated by the US overnment who beamed the signal to both my GPS units from space and that I would be writing them a very strong letter for getting me in trouble. I also suggested that he might like to get the proper harbour master boat over to us and check both our sets of instruments to settle the argument. He didn't want to do this either. I think he had got fed up by then and went off to harass a boat with less aerials. When all is said and done, you are either exceeding 10 knots or you are not. I wasn't and thats what annoyed me. I think they generally do a good job in the harbour but perhaps he was a summer temp. I 'm normally a bit more mellow. But that and other incidents have prompted me to have for this year only, A Victor Meldrew year. I feel better already. John C Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverick Martin Posted July 12, 2005 Report Share Posted July 12, 2005 John I had a similar experience a few years ago and what really wound me up was the guys attitude, he certainly had plenty of it. I too was not speeding, I am very careful not to do over 10 knots which can sometimes be difficult especially if you get hit up the arse by someone elses wash. Anyway I gave up trying to argue and let him say his piece then ambled on at 10 knots. I am not knocking them (much) but they do need to be careful who they accuse as bad feeling certainly sticks. I wonder if it was the same chap, he could certainly do with a lesson in people skills Martin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newboy Posted July 12, 2005 Report Share Posted July 12, 2005 I wonder if it was the same chap, he could certainly do with a lesson in people skills Martin Employees of the government/people in authority learning peope skills?! You don't ask for much do you...... If there is ever an oxymoron this is one of them. . i.e, I will let you decide whose the moron..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted July 18, 2005 Report Share Posted July 18, 2005 Considering there's no legal requirement to have a means of measuring speed through the water, I wonder how they would make a prosicution stick if you were only just over the limit. Maybe we should call Harbour Control every 15 mins to ask for the speed and direction of the tidal stream so we can allow for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duncan Posted July 18, 2005 Report Share Posted July 18, 2005 there's no legal requirement to have a measure of speed on board at all Brian, however there is to comply with harbour regulations! in practice they aren't going to prosecute anyone near the limit on speed alone, and if measuring speeds tricky imagine the submission for excessive wake!!! the regulations are there to enable PHC to 'police' and maintain safety in the harbour environment - they have plenty of real targets to go at and if you are keeping a sharp lookout you will spt them if tey decide to target you and dropping back to 8 knots or so will usually see them head of somewhere else (from what I have seen recently). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted July 20, 2005 Report Share Posted July 20, 2005 Duncan I realise that, my comments were meant to be a bit "Tongue-in-Cheek" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Afishionado Posted July 20, 2005 Report Share Posted July 20, 2005 Two incidents same day within an hour.......... Harbourmasters Souter coming in through the Haven at about 6 or 7kts was overtaken by two large O/B bright red speedboats (Ring or similar) which were definately full on the plane at about 15/17kts. No apparant action taken. A short while later whilst we were having a chug round South Deep mit der kinder und good frau we were overtaken by a couple of lads in a 15ft speed boat. They were doing about 20kts when they almost collided with another of the Harbourmasters boats (one of the bib RIB's). Resulting in a severe bullolocking and their embarassment. There does appear to be differing standards and I find it most frustrating to be the only one in say middle channel trying to obey the speed limit. I have to admit that for the most part after being left to wallow in the wake of powerboats and gin palaces I open up and use my knowledge of the harbour to cut the corners out side the bouyed channels. Mad Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coddy Posted July 20, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 20, 2005 Ahhh Mike Money and toys talk You obviously dont have enough of both Coddy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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