Gauging sea state from data and finally putting the thing in salt water

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Croolis

What about current in the Menai?

And fish?

Current depends on where you are & the state of the tide. It can get sporty at either end, Swellies or Caernarfon Bar, but there are safe passages through. You can spend all day pootling about in the strait & the currents are benign. You need to watch for the sand banks at the Caernarfon end when the tide approaches low water, especially on springs.

As for fish, the Caernarfon Bar is good for bass. I’ve had them off there. Come over the bar into the bay & you’ll get bass & mackerel & flatties.

[Peter_C]

Originally Posted by Croolis

I should also add that I bought a 2kg danforth anchor, 40m of rope and 3m of 6mm chain (I'm wondering if I should have bought a bruce).

Type of anchor depends on what kind of bottom you are trying to set in. I watched my Danforth drag in the sand, set just over 3:1, when we returned to the anchor line to ascend. Danforths can get stuck too, but so can Bruces. The Danforth stores flatter and I found a crate that held all my anchor rode, bungeed down for quick removal, and held the anchor cross rod/dowel part in the hand cut outs of the crate.

Originally Posted by Croolis

Am waiting on delivery of a cheap Baofeng marine radio, 9w. I know it's not much but that's all there's going to be for now, cash reasons, and I imagine close to Whitby it would actually be a good option, maybe not so much on Lincolnshire coast, range being a thing.

Any radio is better than no radio For any future purchases of radio's DSC is really good to have as it sends out your GPS coordinates to most surrounding boats.

One thing when beach launching I haven't seen discussed is what if you take a few big waves filling the boat with sea water? I had it happen and it took four strong folks pulling to get it back on shore far enough to drain it. The next time I went out I had a bilge pump set up with a solid state switch under the deck, which drained the boat automatically, but I also installed an elephant trunk to quickly drain over the deck. We have a constantly changing surf lineup with rogue waves just for fun A hand bilge pump works okay, and as always a bailing bucket/scoop does the job eventually. Just kinda sucks when it is all two people can do to hold the boat in position in the surf to begin with.

[Croolis]

Originally Posted by Peter_C

I found a crate that held all my anchor rode, bungeed down for quick removal, and held the anchor cross rod/dowel part in the hand cut outs of the crate.

You know, I was looking for just that kind of crate, but I want to store my transom wheels in it as well as the anchor as I detach them while on the water typically. Standard size of crates seems to be 600x400mm, my wheels when put together end to end nice and compact, 650x400mm.

Nothing's ever easy .

[citygent111]

I would second Daves answer about Menai - launching at Ty Calch is a good experience, and yes there's a bit of flow in the water but nothing that will make life complicated.

One thing I've always done before travelling to a launch site is checking local webcams. If you end up on Anglesey itself, there are good launch sites at Traeth Bychan, Trearddur Bay, and Rhosneigr - all have decent webcams:

https://trearddurbay.org/webcam/

https://www.redwharfbaysc.co.uk/web-cam

https://www.wirralcam.org/wirralcam2016/rhosneigr.shtml

[Croolis]

Originally Posted by citygent111

I would second Daves answer about Menai - launching at Ty Calch is a good experience, and yes there's a bit of flow in the water but nothing that will make life complicated.

One thing I've always done before travelling to a launch site is checking local webcams. If you end up on Anglesey itself, there are good launch sites at Traeth Bychan, Trearddur Bay, and Rhosneigr - all have decent webcams:

https://trearddurbay.org/webcam/

https://www.redwharfbaysc.co.uk/web-cam

https://www.wirralcam.org/wirralcam2016/rhosneigr.shtml

That's awesome Thanks everyone for replies.

This forum doesn't have the "Like" button that Vbulletin forums often have, keep looking for it to click it .

[Croolis]

Mate, that Trearddur Bay looks awesome flat and nice (today, at least). I bet the fishing's good as well .

4 hour drive for me though. Got any B&Bs there anyone recommends?

[Croolis]

Went out on the Medway Estuary yesterday from Queenborough on the west side of Sheppey. Public slipway. We had fun time, all good, cherry popped . Sea state was almost flat. Bit of very small chop further out. Still teeth rattling when sat in the bows on the plane . Didn't go quite up to the Thames Estuary, didn't seem worthwhile TBH. There's still shipping coming in and out from Chatham. Not Felixstowe big, but we saw stuff coming in and going out.

Slipway was kind of interesting coming back in - it's very long and narrow and just one hour after high tide it was very shallow. Had it not been for jetskiers standing on it a good 15 metres out from water line with water lower than their knees, we might not have realised we were near it.

A good experience .

[willk]

Originally Posted by Croolis

Had it not been for jetskiers standing on it a good 15 metres out from water line with water lower than their knees,

It would seem that they actually DO have a positive contribution to the greater good!

[Croolis]

Originally Posted by willk

It would seem that they actually DO have a positive contribution to the greater good!

Still kind of annoying though . There was another lot we saw go by out in deeper water when we were further out, they were flying. Speaking as a motorcyclist who's had my fair share of offs, I would not like to be coming off one of those at those sort of speeds, water would be like concrete.

[willk]

Originally Posted by Croolis

...water would be like concrete.

...every cloud etc

[Croolis]

Just got back from camping (no boat) in North Wales. While I was there we ran down to have a look at Caernarfon (though didn't go to Ty Calch), Pwllheli and Harlech beach.

Pwllheli looks cool. £20 for a launch at siipway on south side of the causeway, which looks like used to be run by harbourmaster but now by a firm called Total Boat, apparently. Need to spend £70 a year on Gwynned council permit if over 10hp ffs but apparently as mine's 9.9hp it'll be a lot cheaper. Need to check all this out. Dunno if can get away with no council permit that at Ty Calch.

Harlech beach was very nice and with a gentle northerly today looked like it would be simple to beach launch. But there's a bit of a long concrete then steep sandy path to get from the car park to the beach, would be a challenge dragging boat up there. But looks great for a bucket and spade anyway .

[Steve509926]

Originally Posted by Croolis

Just got back from camping (no boat) in North Wales.

What!!!!!! Why not?

The permit (£40) also covers Gwynedd, Anglesey, Caernarfon and Conwy for 2024 and under 10hp is free to launch on council slips.

[Croolis]

Originally Posted by Steve509926

What!!!!!! Why not?

The permit (£40) also covers Gwynedd, Anglesey, Caernarfon and Conwy for 2024 and under 10hp is free to launch on council slips.

Pwllheli Harbour apparently has some kind of separate launch fee from the other one that covers everything. Lady I spoke to at Total Boat said to be aware. Mentions it on web site.

Was with my 12 year old. Went Llandudno, just for couple nights. Pretty windy!

[Steve509926]

Never looked at Pwllheli. Anglesey is still my goto place when I've got the time to spare and I get the chance to disappear for a day or two (really like Trearddur), otherwise it's somewhere in the Lakes.