Small boat in Bristol Channel

[didgeman]

Hi guys,

me and my mate were talking about getting a small boat to fish just off shore in the Bristol Channel Weston S M, Portishead. Now we all know the channel is nothing to mess around on.
Can anyone tell me what kind of motor would be needed for that area. Semms a small boat gets away with 2 HP but not sure that this would be enough.

Any info would be really helpful.

Cheers Guys

[sully2010]

1 that works :) hows the new rod?

[didgeman]

Snapped like a bamboo stick when casting!!

Crap thing and that had Daiwa written on it !!

[sully2010]

nigel sed u broke it again wen i saw him last a few months ago..
waste of money then really

[djfarth]

Im no boat expert but I would recommend something alot more powerfull than 2hp.

My neighbour has a bathtub moored in watchet harbour with a 30hp outboard and a 4hp backup and fishes the bristol channel. They were out a couple of weeks ago and snagged the anchor, the current was so strong that it was flooding the back of the boat as it was pulled down by the anchor. They decided to cut the anchor free but both motors were flooded they managed to get the 4hp motor going in the end but the boat was going backwards as the motor was overpowered by the current.

A mayday was put out to the coastguard who were non too impressed when they arrived, it was not the first time they had been rescued!! Ive only been out with him once but was sick as a dog as it was so choppy and this was on a calm day, think ill do my fishing from solid ground from now on! Might be worth chartering something the size you are thinking of buying before you commit!!

[didgeman]

Was meant to be 25hp. Sounds quite scary -this is why we need to get it right otherwise it can get hairy. Well , think a course somewhere would be handy but cheers for your comments.

[MRG2000]

Originally Posted by didgeman

Was meant to be 25hp. Sounds quite scary -this is why we need to get it right otherwise it can get hairy. Well , think a course somewhere would be handy but cheers for your comments.

A RYA powerboat course and radio course would be advisable as a bare minimum. Level 2 powerboat ,and the day skipper course would be preferable .

Having run a charter boat in the upper reaches of the Bristol Channel,i can say those courses will give you the knowledge that might just save your life. Even very close inshore you get very fast tide runs.

As for engine size , 25 hp min ,but that depends on the boat size, remember you may have to over come a 6 knot tide flow, DJ' s friend was lucky ,2, guys drowned less than 500 yds off Cardiff foreshore ,when the same thing happened to them ,their boat got dragged under by the stern as the tide flooded.

Best bit of advice i can give you ,is take nothing forgranted out there ,or the channel will bite you on the arse, and given half a chance swallow you up.

[didgeman]

Cheers Mike,

was thinking it wasn,t going to be too easy just due to lack of vessels out there. Think the course will have to come first before taking any further action.

Thanks for the info.

Much appreciated.

Terry