duncan

the forecast's I am looking at are way better than acceptable...........still a long way off though

you do not need an ICC for coastal waters - only 'beyond the first lock'. as to 'highest', this references that particular 'flagstick' ie you can, and normally do, fly a courtesy flag physically higher (starboard cross tree) and signal flags (Q being the relevant one here) from the port cross tree - I think I have that the right way round!

I've asked Carl (ed) for his comments I recognise the list Gaffa links as the French requirements for French flagged vessels which, while it's a good reference point for anyone going afloat, technically has no relevance to visiting mariners who are subject to their own flag regulations. However, being legal isn't the be all and end all - you only have to look at the current issues with Belgium and Holland re diesel to see that (and well done to the RYA for (finally) taking things to the EU court!) The French have always had both 300m and 6nm reference points that have no equivalent elsewhere (although I believe Poole has the former under 250m guise but no-one seems to know). Such limits have no direct relevance to the RCD, but the French choose to relate them for their own regulations). Will obviously post any response

Tom The French have always had an active approach about craft leaving their ports, and their suitability for passage - this pre-dates RCD! I'll see if I can find out more from the various sources (you know them) but I don't think this is anything new. It's also important to recognise that the RCD references wave height, and that other parties subsequently linked these to particular areas (based on historical data). The question, from day one, has been "is there any relevance to the geographical designation?"; and the answer has always come back that it's the sea conditions at the time, and anticipated, and the captains assessment of the situation ...

I believe Dave and I were the first to fish the 48hr 'over there' (well in the time I've been in the club) but then, as now, it was about the trip and nothing to do with winning. If the conditions suit such a trip then the species options for winning certainly don't - mid-channel wreck congers, spur dogs, tope, bull huss, undulate and spotted rays, most wrasse and bream ....from Poole. Proabably a lucky brill being the best (only) chance over there. I've fished it there 3 times (I think) and the reason has been the same as Charlie - it's a date booked into the diary (at home) in advance, with tide and timing to suit. The only reason I have entered and paid my dosh in the past was to support the prize fund for those fishing 'seriously'. It is, of course, everyone's right to decide what and when they want to do things; what I don't understand is why people seem to think there is anything worthy of making an issue about here. It's a club of generally like minded individuals who enjoy angling from boats and it's based in Poole

as you say Greg, it's about planning - for the normal and also the possible (not probable) problems. It's easy to argue that this planning starts before you put the anchor down! Martin includes a good example. outboards, and to a degree outdrives, can give an illusion regarding the accessibility of the lower drive and propeller. in practice everyone should have a pre-set drill for accessing the lower drive and prop - in this example if the security of the boat is in doubt just cut the rode. In practice the rode could have been cut at the bow very easily and would have worked it's way off the lower unit in a relatively short time. Even better would be a cut where it's under tension just clearing the drive but huge care should be taken when reaching over the side, stern etc and, on balance, the RNLI (or coastguard) won't countenance leaving the cockpit when single handed - so get a sharp knife lashed to a pole and stow it somewhere. The angles are against you for using a boathook here in any tide, and most wind conditions. On Phaeton I have practiced using the ladder such that I can easily reach the lowest point of the drive skeg. This practice started with scrubbing the drive whilst normally anchored in a tide, then trying it anchored by the stern cleat. This all came about after ending up in this situation courtesy of a pot line on the drive off dancing ledge one evening on my own. I called the CG before clearing it, and was only 'cleared' once I was back in the harbour, but decided the process needed practicing. The CG are most adamant that you don't go in the water to clear such things!!!

Sorry about the controller - as to the trip, well I'm booked to Washington (Baltimore) in a few weeks so have a vested interest in your trip being OK!

Kam has summed it up well. All my reels of braid start at 1800m, and I have never loaded 150m on at all (nor 1800!)

at 150m the nylon really ought to be 'just backing', and I have even been known to tape over it before! if you are going to use it then the know will depend to a degree on the strength of the nylon and there are many knots based around the general principle of putting an open loop in the nylon then feed the braid through, round and round the doubled nylon and back out the now closed loop and snug up. As you are only doing it once in a blue moon, in the workshop (or whatever) adding superglue (and even a sheath) isn't too much of a hassle. basically look up 'leader knots' or 'attaching shock leader to braid' to get the full picture example allbright

a few have cleats Mike - we (smaller/lighter craft) don't have the same problems with them overall I wasn't trying to make a definitive list, just annotating Charlie's. For a full list you would have to add ships radio license and operators certificate (radio not ship!) As you say they are generally courteous - flying their courtesy flag also gets things off on the right foot; the real reason for my post. 4 small craft heading into Cherbourg, one CG vessel - which one get's stopped?

That sounds Tres Bon. It just means making sure the preperations are right and the correct paperwork is onboard, no spare drums of red diesel and out of date flares etc. Oh and I must add the SSR No on the cabin sides. and borrow Craig's french translation book Alll nous avons besoin d'une certaine conditions m

Matt If you choose to stick with Alderney rather than head that far East then we are hoping to be there for those dates. moi aussi

4 to a 5 in the same 'range' is a matter of changing the main jet and needle - if you want the remote tank capability the fitting is there to bolt on the fuel line fitting, add a bit of pipe and a y fitting and you're done.

another interesting report with new angles on some aspects. certainly looks like the social side of things went well this trip - should have left the airwaves a little quieter during the afternoons this time....

sounds like the only downside for you guys is that the question will become - shambles or casquettes (and overnight in Braye) when you head out on a Sat morning! always good when you hear that people have learnt about their boat, and built confidence, all in challenging but non-threatening situations. look forward to meeting you guys on the water (somewhere!)

Cherbourg has the advantage of being tied up to 'dry land' and easy access to 24hr fuel etc I'm not a huge fan of trying to fit a lot into a short trip - you end up with a detailed planning that will inevitably fall foul of something! (possible example would be finding yourself the wrong end of the Alderney Race at the wrong time based on your initial outline - Schole to Cherbourg can be 1 hour or it can be 8 - with you wishing you had taken the long way round via Swinge, or Ortac, then headed 8 miles off in a wide arc). btw - how was the water taxi over in Braye? Was it good enough (all round) to leave tenders behind or worth the hassle of taking one?

Sea state Smooth Wave height less than 0.5 m Slight Wave height of 0.5 to 1.25 m Moderate Wave height of 1.25 to 2.5 m Rough Wave height of 2.5 to 4.0 m Very rough Wave height of 4.0 to 6.0 m High Wave height of 6.0 to 9.0 m Very high Wave height of 9.0 to 14.0 m Phenomenal Wave height more than 14.0 m

I would just add that the 'sea state' in the met forecast is a very general indication of the open water conditions in the area as a whole. Whilst the inshore forecast will take more account of the prevailing shelter relative to the winds (ie the inshore sea state for portland - lyme regis might give slight in a F5 N but moderate in a F4 S) they take no account of the sort of localised conditions discussed in other posts.

Thanks for the early flavour Rob. I am sure that the one good day in the middle will be the most remembered, with the rest becoming a blur over time! Shame the tope didn't play - will have to watch out on Mark's catch reports for more info over the next few weeks; no doubt someone asked him if anyone else had seen them this year?

Welcome on-board Martin - look forward to seeing you out on the water sometime.

never seen that before 'rather rough'...... as you know Mike, any wind over a big tide can make it locally 'horribly rough' around the islands NW isn't too bad for fishing the south of the island, as long as you can get round from Braye on a slack or flooding tide, and the forecast for Sun looks much better (than Sat). You can even fish the harbour in that NW!

Alderney is pretty close to Pool Quay in terms of HW v 1st HW........the problem is that Poole doesn't have a normal pattern around that! It's about 1 hour later than Portland. About 4 hours ahead of Dover, but there will be slight variations with tidal height. As discussed a few times, HW and LW in Braye represent pretty much mid tide flow wise in the surrounding waters so slack water on the Schole will be midway between HW and LW Braye ..... 'ish But you should always reference your Almanac and Cruising Guide material for accurate predictions.

strangely I found a few posts in this vein a couple of weeks ago were enough to 'push me away' again. I do try hard to factor in people's circumstances, as well as aims and objectives as anglers - but as your justification increasingly becomes 'necessity' the last thing you should be doing in the current climate is gloat over it. All IMO obviously. however, I recognise that it's equally true that we (others) should be too judgmental either ........ on balance I also suggest we continue to lead by example, and leave it at that.

that's an interesting development; be a good start to see trawling in Poole Harbour cease! wasn't aware of any of these developments, either they aren't so public as the Alderney and Guernsey ones have been or I have simply missed them. my earlier comment re Studland related to other 'efforts' - nuff said. such a trawling ban over even 3 miles would be a huge step here given certain fisheries; but the impact on the wider fisheries should be very positive in time.