Southampton water speed limit

Jizm · 06 August 2007, 06:27

I don't mind being restricted to six knots when there is a reason but to be told to slow down by the police boat on the Test (west fork of soton water) until I got to the container terminal (waterski area) is a bit of a joke when the Redjet flies past at 40 knots!!!!!

The 6 knot limit on the Itchen starts at the second buoy from dock head and not the toll bridge anymore but it's been that way for quite a while.

Anyone know what the score is? Or is it one rule for one etc........

RJH · 06 August 2007, 06:40

We had our collar felt by the Police Boat last weekend as we chugged up to the cruise terminal to see some relatives off on a cruise at around 10 kts. Particularly galling when over the other side there were 3 small speed boats batting southwards at about 30kts! However, I suppose overtaking the Police boat didn't help my case!

Anyway they were very polite and explained that security in that area is getting tighter and with Marchwood and the cruiseliners being potential terorist targets its easier to stop and check people out at 6kts than 30kts. Although the officer did say they couldn't catch everything. I always understood it was anything north of Hythe pier that was in the limit and,yes, I guess the Red Jet has dispensation.

The small boat they caught after us was coming towards them at very high speed and that warranted flashing blue lights and the siren. That resulted in the black book being opened up not just a friendly word.

Jizm · 06 August 2007, 06:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by RJH

I always understood it was anything north of Hythe pier that was in the limit and,yes, I guess the Red Jet has dispensation.

oh right, in that case I have done the re-furb all wrong.....

RJH · 06 August 2007, 07:07

I'm sure they'll not notice!

Hightower · 06 August 2007, 10:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jizm

I don't mind being restricted to six knots when there is a reason but to be told to slow down by the police boat on the Test (west fork of soton water) until I got to the container terminal (waterski area) is a bit of a joke when the Redjet flies past at 40 knots!!!!!

The 6 knot limit on the Itchen starts at the second buoy from dock head and not the toll bridge anymore but it's been that way for quite a while.

Anyone know what the score is? Or is it one rule for one etc........

Ha, that was my thoughts last week when I went over to Southampton on the Hyth Ferry. I expected the Redjet to throttle down at the marker, but she cruised as close to her terminal as she could before slowing and cutting across into her berth. The Hyth ferry also must travel at more than 6 Knotts but not any faster than 15 Knotts which is much more acceptable for a commercial boat.

Peter J · 06 August 2007, 12:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by RJH

We had our collar felt by the Police Boat last weekend as we chugged up to the cruise terminal to see some relatives off on a cruise at around 10 kts.

I thought it was 6 knots up the Itchen but 10 knots after hythe peir and up the container port. Is that right?

codprawn · 06 August 2007, 12:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by RJH

Anyway they were very polite and explained that security in that area is getting tighter and with Marchwood and the cruiseliners being potential terorist targets its easier to stop and check people out at 6kts than 30kts. Although the officer did say they couldn't catch everything. I always understood it was anything north of Hythe pier that was in the limit and,yes, I guess the Red Jet has dispensation.

Ahh of course these are the terrorists who are so organised they set themselves on fire and think a bomb is a few gas canisters and some petrol with a mobile phone as the trigger - maybe they chose the wrong ring tone!!!

I thought the whole idea was NOT to let terrorists rule our daily lives - something this government seems to have forgotten.

I suppose of course that the terrorists will also stick rigidly to the speed limit to make it easier for the Police boats to catch up???

RJH · 06 August 2007, 14:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter J

I thought it was 6 knots up the Itchen but 10 knots after hythe peir and up the container port. Is that right?

It may be but I've not seen that written anywhere. Where did you hear that?

AndyB007 · 06 August 2007, 17:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by RJH

It may be but I've not seen that written anywhere. Where did you hear that?

There is a six knot speed limit on both rivers above the line from Hythe Pier to Weston Shelf buoy. There is a notice on the buoy (if you're close enough and going slow enough to read it!); also see page 234 in Reed's 2007 Nautical Almanac and NOTICE TO MARINERS No 24 of 2003

Andy

Peter J · 07 August 2007, 12:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by RJH

It may be but I've not seen that written anywhere. Where did you hear that?

Well I'll go to foot of our stairs! I've been wrong all this time!

I'm not sure where I got the 10 knot limit from but I think it was from my instructor on my Level 2 Powerboat course. I took it at SWAC.

6 knots does seem a bit slow for the Test. On the Itchen it makes sense because it's a proper river with moored up craft etc. Up the Test its all cruise liners and container ships.