THE TRENT CHART SERIES
‘SISSONS CHARTS’
Published by The Boating Association
These charts have been prepared from information and observations acquired by numerous experienced boaters. It is based upon many groundings, personal observations, and on chats with fellow yachtsmen, barge skippers, lock keepers and boaters from boat clubs. The charts are produced on a voluntary basis and are not based on a complete survey of the river. Whilst every endeavour is made to keep the charts up to date, NO RESPONSIBILITY can, therefore, be accepted for any error by The Boating Association or any individual.
The scale is approximately 2.5cm (centimetres) to 1.5km (kilometres), (this varies slightly on some pages). Distance in kilometres from Nottingham as far as Gainsborough are shown in red.
The safe channel is found in the middle of a straight rack (ie straight length), with exceptions clearly shown in these charts.
On bends the water flows substantially faster along the outside of the bend and this swiftly moving current carves out a deeper channel. The opposite tends to happen on the inside bend. Here the water flow is slowed by the bend and silt carried by the river tends to be deposited. Over time these deposits build up a shoal (bank of sand or mud) dangerously close to the surface of the water but concealed from view. On a hairpin bend the shoal may extend halfway across the river. The exceptions to these rules occur when the river’s course meets a layer of very hard bedrock or where rock and rubble and other obstructions have fallen into the river.
The more obvious shoals are not always shown in these charts except, occasionally, as a reminder. Consequently, the rule must be to keep to the centre of straight racks and to the “outside of centre” around bends unless the Trent Chart indicates otherwise.
The safe channel around known obstructions is indicated on the charts as a red line. Because of the scale of the charts, the course of the safe channel is necessarily exaggerated and may occasionally ‘touch’ the bank.
Use common sense and keep at least 4m (metres) or 12ft (feet) from a training wall, further from a stone heap and well away from a gently sloping bank. Remember that the red line indicates the centre of the channel, and in most places, this is around 30ft (feet) wide or more.
NEVER CUT THE CORNER BY TAKING THE INSIDE BEND
When journeying along stretches of the tidal rivers you should always exercise care in using tidal information from the Trent Charts or from any other source.
Tides may be held back/arrive sooner due to weather conditions and they may be higher or lower than predicted. Tide tables for the Humber may be obtained from:
• Associated British Ports, Harbour Master’s Dept, PO Box 1, Port House, Corporation Road, Hull HU9 5PQ www.humber.com/Estuary_Information/Port_Information/Hull
• Kildale Marine, Marina Railway Street, Hull HU1 2DQ www.kildalemarine.co.uk
• Newark Marina, Farndon Road, Newark, Nottinghamshire NG24 4SD www.newark-marina.co.uk
• Farndon Marina, North End, Farndon, Newark, Nottinghamshire NG24 3SX www.farndonmarina.co.uk
• York Marina, Naburn, York YO19 4RW www.yorkmarina.co.uk
• Viking Marine, Albert Street, Goole DN14 5SY tel: 01405 765737
or from Canal & River Trust and some lock keepers may also be able to supply tide tables.
The charts give, for several locations, the number of hours during which the flood tide runs up. Using this information and the predicted time of high water (HW) enables you to calculate the predicted time of low water (LW). The local expression “floods about five” means that low water will be at around 5 o’ clock and that the tide will then start to flow back up the river.
A boat cruising at 6kn (knots) and intending to cruise down the full length of the Trent is advised to leave Cromwell Lock 4.5 hours after high water Hull. When sailing from Trent End (Trent Falls) with the flood tide (ie with the incoming tide) it should be possible to reach Cromwell Lock if you leave Trent End as soon as possible after flood. Remember that the tidal flows (flood and ebb) are powerful and they will throw you off course when manoeuvring diagonally across the river. These flows will affect a narrowboat more than a cruiser.
A tidal bore (known as ‘The Aegir’) may be met between Keadby and Torksey. This is a tidal wave – anything between a few inches and five feet high and breaking along the riverbanks. The Aegir is normally seen only on spring tides exceeding 8 metres (Hull). It is good policy to enquire locally whether an Aegir is expected. If faced by an Aegir, this should be met head on (ie pointing the boat downstream), in the middle of the river. and preferably on a straight rack. If at anchor, you should double the amount of chain. If moored, make fast to a barge or other large craft and use plenty of head rope. Stow loose objects. The Aegir, if one is predicted, will be at the same time as the flood but you should allow a half-hour each way for variations.
The Trent, Ouse and Humber are all very dangerous and you should make adequate preparation before setting off on these tidal waters. Whether or not you are equipped with tide tables, you should take the advice of the lock keepers en-route concerning tide times/heights, journey times and safe moorings.
Before mooring overnight or leaving the vessel unattended, make due allowance for rise and fall. Are the lines long enough? Is the boat likely to snag on projections from the jetty? Will the boat be grounded? Always seek local advice as a second opinion on your own calculations and resolve any differences. If you moor up at Keadby, for example, in the middle of the spring flood tide the craft will rise three feet in half an hour.
Along the Humber and the last few miles of the Ouse and Trent, the channel tends to shift. Charts covering the Trent from Burton Stather to Trent End, the Humber and the foot of the Ouse are updated monthly by and are available from Associated British Ports at Hull. These are also available from B Cooke and Son Hull www.bcookeandson.co.uk
If you ground at low water springs, the water will rise 38 cm (centimetres)/15” (inches) in the first half-hour after flood and 1.22m (1 metre 22 centimetres/4’ (feet) in the first hour.
Spring tides (‘higher’ high tides and ‘lower’ low tides) occur every fortnight, a day or two after full moon. Neap tides occur every fortnight, a day or two after the first quarter and last quarter moon.
Full navigation lights should be lit when underway in poor visibility or during the hours of darkness. A tunnel light is not an acceptable substitute.
You should slow right down when passing moored boats to prevent damage and/or discomfort.
DO NOT ATTEMPT TO NAVIGATE THE TIDAL SECTIONS WITHOUT SAFETY EQUIPMENT (ANCHOR, SUFFICIENT CHAIN/ROPES, LIFE JACKETS FOR ALL CREW). ENSURE THAT YOU OBSERVE THE CANAL & RIVER TRUST AND ABP BYELAWS AND THAT YOU HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF THE INTERNATIONAL COLLISION REGULATIONS.
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