Cowes Port Handbook 2014-2015 April 2014 | Page 12
COWES PORT HANDBOOK 2014 - 2015
Small Craft Channel
...........................
The Small Craft Channel connects the eastern approaches to Cowes with
the main fairway opposite Town Quay, enabling small vessels to avoid the
main harbour entrance when approaching/departing Cowes from/to the
north and east. The minimum depth in the Small Craft Channel is charted
as 0.2m below chart datum. As a rule of thumb, if your draught is more
than the current tide height you should avoid using the channel.
The current tide height can be found on the COWES.co.uk homepage or
on the tide boards located at Town Quay and the Shrape Beacon. Vessels
using the channel should stay below 6 knots and pass to seaward of the
Shrape Beacon.
Small
Craft
Moorings
X
09
ires
or W
h
Anc
No.4
(Tide Gauge)
03
X
06
Small
Craft
Moorings
Fl.R.2s.2nm
09
Shrape Beacon
(Tide Gauge)
Fl.G.5s.1nm
02
X
Fl.G.2s.2nm
Fl.G.3s.1nm
Fl.R.5s.1nm
Shrape
Watersports
Area
Fl.R.3s.1nm
08
Small
Craft
Moorings
East
Cowes
Not to be used for navigation
Full details on the 2014 Breakwater Construction Programme are on pages 20-23.
The Small Craft Channel is a minimum of 35m wide and is marked by
three pairs of lit red and green lateral marks at the eastern end and two
pairs of lit yellow lateral special marks at the western end. Vessels in the
Small Craft Channel and main fairway must ensure that Rule 9 of the
Collision Regulations is followed.
Vessels joining or leaving the Small Craft Channel at the western end
should navigate with extreme caution and are advised to give way to
all vessels navigating in the main harbour fairway. Care should be taken
in particular not to impede commercial vessels including passenger
ferries (Red Jets) turning off Cowes Town Quay and large vehicle ferries
approaching and departing from East Cowes Red Funnel terminal.
Cross currents of up to 2 knots may be encountered in the Small Craft
Channel during spring ebb tides. Care should be taken to adhere to the
buoyed channel and not to enter the unlit small craft mooring areas either
side (prohibited areas).
Find out more in Cowes Local Notice to Mariners: Small Craft Channel,
available at www.cowesharbourcommission.co.uk.
12
COWES.co.uk