Hello all
Wondered if anyone was aware of a totally reliable cost effective system for forward scanning the depth a suitable distance ahead of the yacht, and showing it on a reasonably sized screen which could be attached to the outside of the cabin rear bulkhead for all to see - then have it returned back below after the race.
So as to guide the course when sailing at speed in what might have been a previously suitably deep sailing area, but has changed to a marginal depth or plough into and run aground depth - obviously tide dependent.
I did a quick search and found these..... am sure there are many more suitable systems out there...........obviously we have a depth sounder installed and working - it tells us when we are about to bump and run aground, with a few seconds warning..............we need a lot more warning and a plot in front of us to show where to steer to..............
www.yachtingworld.com/gear-reviews/sonar-sounders-new-models-more-than-fishing-125892
www.bandg.com/en-au/bg/type/forwardscan-and-sonar/
mybuzzardsbay.com/2018/02/14/forward-looking-sonar-the-garmin-panoptix/
So when we are sailing back into the Georges River from out in the expanse of Botany Bay with 34kt noreaster behind us with our 9.3m yacht with 2.22m draft, doing 13kts under the storm symmetric kite, we are hoping to not bump a sandbank when sailing in the middle of the channel which is very well marked obviously.
But last Saturday at 12.30pm with low tide and offshore swells coming into the bay we bumped the bottom 3 times when motoring out into the main bay, adjacent to the last channel markers. On the way back we didn't bump due to rising tide and reduced swells. The race was abandoned due to insufficient wind.
Greatly appreciate advice, thanks in advance.
Obviously a solution is to ask RMS to dredge..............please don't answer this it is an obvious given and will be considered................of course if the bay and river continues to silt up and reduce the navigable depth into the future then we will all be sailing lift centreboarders.......and those yachts needing to be of a centreboard case design so as to accept the load case of the centreboard being lifted (say) 1/4 or 1/2 up from the maximum depth and still be sailing upwind and downwind at 30+ kts.
