Sailing The Rip into Port Philip Victoria

[40 South]

Originally Posted by Rustic Charm

Hi guys, can you help me to understand this. I'm getting stuff ready to go. Got my charts today too.

The following article I just googled at boat point and working it out with what you guys have recommended. I don't quite understand it. As you can see the first part says the best time through the heads is slack water which I think you all have said. But then it says 'slack water flood occurs about three hours after high water at the rip and slack water ebb occurs about three hours after low water'. How can slack water, occur three hours after high or low water at the rip?

The most favourable time to pass through the heads is ‘slack water’ or no tidal movement. Slack-water-flood occurs about three hours after high water at The Rip and slack-water-ebb occurs about three hours after low water. It is important to note that the maximum tidal flow occurs at times of high and low water when the tide can run at up to 8kts.

Slack water at the heads occurs around the time of high and low water at Williamstown (Melbourne). Tidal Streams and times of slack water at The Rip can be also found in the tide book published annually by the Port of Melbourne and available at most chandleries. I highly recommend this publication to anyone contemplating travelling through The Rip, or even if just going to nearby Queenscliff

It takes that long for the tidal stream to stop and turn around!

[Rustic Charm]

This is what the tide times will be when I'm coming through next Wednesday, And this is at the heads. So do I come through between 12:30am and 1:30am, or do I wait another three hours? I don't understand.

Low 12:30 am 0.42 m High 7:43 am 1.35 m Low 12:52 pm 0.79 m High 7:23 pm 1.34 m

[GILow]

Originally Posted by 40 South

I was the guy calling the MAYDAY in. It took 2 calls before anyone answered! I blew up a 450hp MAN diesel going to their aid. The plane was a right-off.

Sorry to hijack the thread...

My compliments to you, for your prompt and selfless action.

The ATB report makes good reading, my son is an aspiring pilot so I gave him the report to read and comment on.

If I took one thing away from the report it was that human nature is the problem, and there but for the grace of God go I. The pilot was in a rush, he didn't follow checklists. So much of what went wrong could affect us on a boat, I am revisiting my checklists as a result.

Matt

[40 South]

Originally Posted by Rustic Charm

This is what the tide times will be when I'm coming through next Wednesday, And this is at the heads. So do I come through between 12:30am and 1:30am, or do I wait another three hours? I don't understand.

Low 12:30 am 0.42 m High 7:43 am 1.35 m Low 12:52 pm 0.79 m High 7:23 pm 1.34 m

Wait 3 hrs after your chosen High or Low for slack water.

[GILow]

Originally Posted by 40 South

I was the guy calling the MAYDAY in. It took 2 calls before anyone answered! I blew up a 450hp MAN diesel going to their aid. The plane was a right-off.

Sorry to hijack the thread...

BTW, I assume the 450HP diesel was not in the Hunter 40, or is that one seriously fast Hunter you sail?

Matt

[40 South]

Originally Posted by GILow

BTW, I assume the 450HP diesel was not in the Hunter 40, or is that one seriously fast Hunter you sail?

Matt

No Matt, it was in a charter boat I owned at the time.

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by Rustic Charm

This is what the tide times will be when I'm coming through next Wednesday, And this is at the heads. So do I come through between 12:30am and 1:30am, or do I wait another three hours? I don't understand.

Low 12:30 am 0.42 m High 7:43 am 1.35 m Low 12:52 pm 0.79 m High 7:23 pm 1.34 m

Bit late for me.... I'll look at that in the morning for you.
Its all down to the very narrow entrance feeding a very large bay...
Tidal range (nominal) is 2 metres outside, 1 metre inside.

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by 40 South

Wait 3 hrs after your chosen High or Low for slack water.

So I could come through on after the high at 7:43am and time it so I'm going through at 10:43am? That would be ok?

[hoppy]

Originally Posted by Rustic Charm

So I could come through on after the high at 7:43am and time it so I'm going through at 10:43am? That would be ok?

Yes, or you wait until 3:52pm

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by hoppy

Yes, or you wait until 3:52pm

Thanks Hoppy, that's what I'll do.

[dirkdig]

Fingers crossed the helicopter goes away next,
Been told the plane had its wheels lowered after refueling.
It was on floats,but it was its last flight that day


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[hoppy]

Originally Posted by Rustic Charm

Thanks Hoppy, that's what I'll do.

Given that you are going into Queenscliff it is perhaps best to go through the rip on the slack after the low then your not fighting against the current coming out of Swan bay. Then again, you might have to be flying up the channel past the marina to maintain steerage. Or perhaps if you arrive at Queenscliff 45 min after the slack at the rip, there might be the slack at Swan bay. Not really sure.

[stillbuilding]

Wife and I on 26' sloop in 1980 did all the calculations, planning and investigations, pulled into Queenscliff for a day. Conversations in the pub inevitably led to all the disaster stories, horrid complications and general confidence shaking social "support".

After a day or so of this we finally plucked up the courage to ask an older fisherman when he would go. Took a sip of his beer, glanced at his watch and drawled "now I reckon".
We buggered off out of there for a dream run to Westernport and then Refuge Cove.

Sometimes we can invest too much emotion in decisions.

Went on to have a good life together sailing for many years.


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[El Pinguino]

Totally amazing... I just can't find anything on line with slack water times for the heads.. I'm sure its out there some where... there used to be a handy little book...

Anyway... lets say nominal range outside 2 metres... inside due to narrow entrance 1 metre.
So...it has been falling outside for the last 6 hours.....water level outside is now -1 (low water) but water inside can't escape fast enough so is still higher inside than outside ( -.5)... water rushing out through gap at max rate.
Water outside now rising, level inside still falling.
3 hours later level outside is -.5...... level inside has fallen to -.5 ... slack water
Water outside keeps rising , water running in through hole, water inside now rising.
High water outside (1.), level starts falling, but as still higher than inside (0) water still going in hole.
3 hours after high water outside level now same as inside , slack water, water starts running out.

Hope that makes sense

Looks like its just gone neaps so not a strong stream.

Call 'Lonsdale' to confirm tide/slack water times.

Hope this helps.

[JPA Cate]

Rustic Charm,

Many places on the Australian Coast have a large amount of impounded water which "wants" to come out through a small opening. For all of them, it is 2 or three hrs. past actual low or high tide that the slack water happens. I don't know if these are correct terms, but we call it "run in" and "run out". Plan on it anywhere there is a substantial bit of water needing to move.

Ann