"The Captains Master" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 3 Sep 2003 17:29:26 +0100, "Donal"
wrote:

I sail out of Portsmouth, which should qualify as a "deepwater" port.
The
wind and tide are fairly important. It can get very messy on a spring ebb
if
there is a bit more "south" in the wind than usual. In a F4, you can go
from fairly calm water to very rough in a couple of boatlengths. Good
fun
if you're goose winging!!

Yep, I remember it vaguely, been quite a while, the entrance is fairly
narrow, 150metres or so? and with the strong tides creating a riptide
situation you needed to time your entrance and exit AFA possible.
My comment re wind and tide being of little consequence in deepwater
ports was NOT universal, and to think that would be Mooronic, The
Solent being among the most difficult and changeable places I've
sailed.
My comment does applt to a very large and possibly most harbours in
the world....I'm sure Mooron will now doo a quick web search to offer
the exceptions and claim them as the majority.

Perhaps I should remind you of your own words:-
"When ENTERING DEEPWATER PORTS the prevailing wind and tide is of
little relevance to a yacht."

Mooron does not need to do any web search. Your statement was unequivocal
(sp?).


You were Bul****ting, and your bluff was called.

The importance of the prevailing wind and tide is nothing to do with the
depth of the port. The size of the harbour compared with the width of the
entrance determines the tidal flow.

Fort Jefferson is not a very big harbour, therefore ther is not a very big
flow through the entrance.


And yes, I know that the depth of the channel will influence the strebgth of
the flow!



Regards


Donal
--







It's his nature you know ;-)