Lough Ree

arseagon

Sorry if this has been asked before but my search threw up nothing. I'm planning on moving my sailboat to Lough Ree this summer and was hoping to be able to visit the likes of Hodson Bay and Portrunny for overnight stays. I draw roughly 1.6m but the boating app shows both these locations as having water 0.5-1m?

I do have a lifting keel but it's a slow awkward process so would prefer if I didn't have to do that. Would anyone with some local knowledge know the actual depths as I suspect 1m to be a bit on the shallow side?

fergal.b

Might be worth asking here https://www.facebook.com/groups/719948718859357 I know two guys on the page that sail these waters Ray Beare and Wojciech Es they should be able to help you out.






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arseagon

Thanks Fergal, will do

wazabru

I just had a look at my IWAI CSIG charts.....which show a lot of detail.
They show mean average low water depths (typically mid summer) with show Hudson Bay approaches at 8ft, and the harbour at between 7 and 10 ft, with the jetty walls at about 7/8 ft. ft.
Portrunny approaches are deeper at 10/11 ft, with. the pontoons showing 8/9 ft.


David

arseagon

wazabru wrote: »

I just had a look at my IWAI CSIG charts.....which show a lot of detail.
They show mean average low water depths (typically mid summer) with show Hudson Bay approaches at 8ft, and the harbour at between 7 and 10 ft, with the jetty walls at about 7/8 ft. ft.
Portrunny approaches are deeper at 10/11 ft, with. the pontoons showing 8/9 ft.


David

Hmmmm that would indicate both would be fine keel down but others replying on Facebook say I wouldn't have a hope of going into Hodson Bay harbour keel down. I suppose only one way to find out for sure....

wazabru

You are certainly approaching the limits in Hudson Bay and a dry summer could see you needing to lift the keel as the mean low water levels have dropped below chart level at times.
If you are a member of the IWAI you can get very detailed electronic charts from the CSIG group. Many more soundings than Navionics. Given you can lift your keel you should be able to get in where you want.....however the charts will mark out possible depth pinch points (on full keel) for you such as exiting Coosan, off Crow Island, Napper rocks off Inchmore.

arseagon

I've requested access to the CSIG charts and am awaiting approval. I probably will need to lift the keel but handy to know if I'd get away with lifting it a few inches or all the way. It's a time consuming exercise which I like to do as little as possible.

wazabru

I just checked the new 2021 set of CSIG charts for Ree.....the datum has been changed. It is now set at 5.5 ft over the cill at Athlone lock.
It used to be 7 over the cill and informed my previous comments. The change follows the lead surveyors advice as to the lower levels he was seeing over the summer. The upshot is that the harbours look a lot shallower on the charts now. The new datum of 5.5ft reflects the rare, but possible, minimal amount of water you would see in a very dry period. A quick phone call to Athlone lock keepers will tell you how much over the cill the levels are on the day. If it is 9 ft, then you add 4.5ft to the chart sounding you see and you have an estimate of the real water level at that time. Hope that helps.