Idiot in the Channel

[Weekend Pundit]

Originally Posted by Dave R

That sounds impossible to me. Boats tied to docks and facing upstream would be on plane. Boats tied any other way would be swamped.

You have to remember that it was the speed of the current through the narrowest part of channel. Once you get past the Channel Cottages the current drops off rapidly as it broadens. You've got to remember the Venturi Effect. The channel acts like the throat of a carburetor, accelerating the current as the throat - in this case the channel - narrows. Once it broadens out the speed of the current drops off.

During my particular trip I couldn't even make it up to Thurston's because the current was easily 10 knots. Once in the channel proper it was 17 knots+.

Of course at that time of year most of the boats were already gone from their slips.