Small craft guide to Portsmouth Harbour

QHM & Harbour Control
The Queen’s Harbour Master (QHM) Portsmouth is the regulatory
authority of the Dockyard Port of Portsmouth, an area of
approximately 50 square miles that encompasses Portsmouth
Harbour and the Eastern and Central Solent.
QHM’s primary purpose is to protect the Port, the Royal Navy, and its vessels and other MOD
vessels and government assets. QHM also supplies a Vessel Traffic Management System
to vessels over 20 metres in length and all commercial traffic North of Outer Spit Buoy.
QHM Volunteer Harbour Patrol
Volunteer Harbour Patrol is a charitable organisation run by a keen group of volunteers who
give their time to assist and educate mariners within the Dockyard Port of Portsmouth during
busy periods and to provide a pool of trained manpower to marshal craft during special events.
The charity relies on donations that can be made directly to the Queen’s Harbour Master.
Harbour Control has an integrated radar system that allows the Dockyard Port of Portsmouth
and ABP Southampton to share radar information giving both ports total radar coverage
throughout the Solent. Harbour Control is manned 24 hrs a day throughout the year by a
Harbour Control Officer and two Port Control Assistants. Harbour Control can be contacted
on Telephone 02392 723694 or VHF call sign QHM on Ch 11 for Navigational Traffic, Ch 13
is used as a secondary VHF channel.
Marine Security
VHF R/T Channels
Ministry of Defence Police Marine Unit
Yachtsmen are reminded that Channel 16 is a DISTRESS, SAFETY and CALLING channel only.
Other than for distress it must only be used to establish contact before going to a recognised
channel. Port operation channels must not be used for ship-ship communication.
The Ministry of Defence Police marine unit are
responsible for the security and policing of the
Dockyard Port of Portsmouth, which embraces
not only the harbour but also much of the
north-eastern Solent. The marine unit consists
of fast motor launches and rigid inflatable boats
(RIB’s) and provide a high profile security and
policing service to protect warships transiting
and berthed within the port area, together with
protecting the waterfront area of the Naval Base.
The recognised ship-to-ship channels are 6, 8, 72, 73, and 77. Port operation channels
are as follows:
The marine unit officers work in close liaison with
their colleagues from the Hampshire Constabulary
Marine Unit, HM Customs and Excise, the Maritime
Coastguard Agency and the Border Agency in order
to contribute towards safety and port security.
11
Queen’s Harbour Master Portsmouth Harbour Control
12 & 14
Vessel Trafic Services (VTS) Southampton Harbour Master
13
Portsmouth Naval tug control channel
20 & 22
Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) working channels
37 (M) & 80
Marina working channels
67
H M Coastguard working channel
71 & 74
Portsmouth Comercial tug and berthing channel
Marine Watch
Marine Watch is the nautical equivalent of Neighbourhood Watch and has the full backing
of the Hampshire Constabulary. The objectives are to encourage a community spirit amongst
boat owners in addition to crime prevention and close liaison with the Police. A boat security
pack is available free of charge, whether from your club co-ordinator or from the Hampshire
Constabulary Marine Unit. Should you require any help regarding boat security, or have any
information relating to marine crime, please contact the Police Marine Unit.
Useful Telephone Numbers
02392 723 694
QHM Harbour Control
and its approaches
01962 841 534Police
Ministry of Defence Police HM Naval
Base Portsmouth Control Room:
02392 722 407
02392 722 421
02392 722 707
Portsmouth Harbour
A Small Craft Guide to
Hants Police Marine Unit:
101
01962 841 534
•RECORD serial numbers
•MARK equipment with postcodes
•LOCK your boat and engine with
the best locks you can afford
•ALARM the boat
• In an EMERGENCY dial 999
MOD Police, also in conjunction with the Hampshire Marine Police enforce the Dockyard Port of
Portsmouth Order 2005 this includes the regulations on PWC within the DPP. All PWC must be
registered with Datatag, insured and licensed to launch within the DPP.
02392 852148Customs
02392 814 811Coastguard
02392 297 391
Portsmouth International Port
02392 826 722
Tourist Information
08713 761 000
Wightlink (for loW)
08434 878 887
Hovertravel (for loW)
Queen's Harbour Master’s Website
Visit the Queen's Harbour Master’s website www.qhm.mod.uk/portsmouth for Navigational
Warnings, General Directions, Local Notice to Mariners, Harbour Movements and Tidal information
Facilities
Established in 1999 to promote good management of the marine estate, The Crown Estate
marine stewardship programme is widely valued throughout the UK for supporting community
initiatives, helping encourage good environmental practice and promoting the long-term
sustainable management of the marine portfolio. Virtually the entire tidal area of Portsmouth
Harbour, much of which is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), forms
part of The Crown Estate.
The Crown Estate manages a diverse property portfolio across the UK, with all of the
surplus revenue (profit) paid to the Treasury for the benefit of the nation.
With around half of the foreshore of the UK and almost the entire seabed out to the 12 nautical
mile territorial limit, The Crown Estate’s role is to manage and enhance the value
of the coastal assets, which includes issuing licences or leases for marinas, moorings, cables,
pipelines and infrastructure associated with many ports and harbours throughout the UK.
For more information about The Crown Estate and the marine stewardship programme
please visit www.thecrownestate.co.uk.
Facts to Keep in Mind
LNTM 06/13 Recreational safety points for the Solent
Fold over this page to see locations on the map overleaf.
Ships with deep draught may have less room
for manoeuvre than is immediately apparent
1Avoid sailing in the main navigational channels
Especially in poor visibility. Obey Rule 9 of the Collision Regulations for conduct in narrow
channels, by keeping in the starboard side of the channel and crossing only when this
does not impede the passage of a large ship (General Direction 07/10 Portsmouth Harbour
Entrance – Approach Channel, Small Boat Channel, Swashway and Inner Swashway).
•On site
¡Near
APortsmouth Marine
Engineering
01329 232 854
2DO NOT underestimate the speed of ships
If your boat is slow, you might not be able to take effective action if find yourself on
collision course with a large ship, take early action to avoid collision if necessary.
3Be visible
At night make sure your navigation lights can be seen. Remember, from the bridge of an
aircraft carrier or large tanker, the captain or pilot will lose sight of you ahead when you
close within approximately a third of a mile, although YOU can see the ship at all times.
4Be alert
Look around every so often, especially astern.
5Keep watch at night
Even on a clear night you will have difficulty seeing a big ship approach. You might see it first
as a black shadow against a background of shore lights, or as a growing shadow at that point
you are not far apart. Remember that your lights will not be easily spotted from the ship.
by
Restricted view from the bridge of a large ship means small
vessels may not be visable when within a third of a mile
Visitors bearths
Chaqndlery
VHF Ch 80
Bar
Brokerage
Provisions
Scrubbing Berth
Boat Hoist
Launching slip
Launderette
Showers
Electricity
Bottled gas
Petrol
Diesel
Repair Facillities
This guide has been produced by the Queen’s Harbour Master with
funding from The Crown Estate’s marine stewardship programme.
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BHardway Marine
02392 580 420
•
CGosport Boat Yard
02392 586 216
02392 526 534
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DPort Solent
02392 210 765
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EGosport Marina
02392 524 811
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FFareham Marina
01329 233 255
01329 283 500
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6Know the visual & sound signals stated in the collision regulations
GRoyal Clarence Marina
02392 523 523
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7You may keep your VHF R/T tuned to channel 11
HWicor Marine
01329 237 112
• •
IHaslar Marina
02392 601 201
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JGunwharf Quays Marina
02392 836 700
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When north of a line from OSB and Gilkicker a listening watch must be maintained on
Ch 11. For traffic information south of a line from OSB to Gilkicker a listening watch must be
maintained on Ch 12 (VTS Southampton). In an emergency, if you believe you have not been
seen or you are unsure of a ship’s intentions, call them on VHF Channels 11 or 16 then shift to
a working frequency for inter ship safety messages. (LNTM 02/13 Dockyard Port of Portsmouth
and the Port of Southampton – traffic control and VHF communications in the Solent).
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Portsmouth Dockyard Port Rules and Regulations
of the Queen’s Harbour Master
2 The maximum speed in the harbour and within 1000 yards of any shore in the Eastern
Solent is 10 Knots. (General Direction 04/13 – Dockyard Port of Portsmouth Speed Limits)
unless the QHM establishes an area where the speed limit can be exceeded. www.qhm.mod.
uk/portsmouth/images/files/wash-and-slow.pdf
3 All vessels are to remain at least 50 m clear of all Ministry of Defence (MOD) vessels,
berths and facilities and 100m clear of submarines. (General Direction 03/11 – Keep
Clear of Warship Berths).
4 Small Boat Channel
The Small Boat Channel is shown on admiralty charts. Vessels under 20 m in length (including
Personal Watercraft) must enter and leave the harbour through the Small Boat Channel. Its northern
and southern extremities are at the Ballast Pile and No4 Bar Buoys respectively. A tide pole is
fitted to Pile BC4 to indicate the height of tide at that pile for the benefit of craft using this channel
GD 07/10 refers.
A
5 Gunwharf Quays/Town Camber – Traffic Management
D
The following traffic management plan for craft under 20 metres in length (bound to/from Town
Camber/Gunwharf Quays) is in force:
H
Paulsgrove
Lake
Portchester
Arrival: In the interest of safety all craft under 20 m in length bound for Gunwharf Quays/Town
Camber are to enter harbour through the Small Boat Channel. Vessels are only to cross the Main
Channel when they are north of the Ballast Pile, and approval has been obtained from QHM on
VHF Channel 11.
Departure: Small craft departing from Gunwharf Quays and Town Camber are to obtain approval
form QHM on VHF Channel 11 before proceeding.
Bedenham Pier
6 Vessels constrained by draught/vessel who can safely navigate only within a narrow
All sailing vessels fitted with engines, when navigating in the Approach Channel to Portsmouth
Harbour, are to proceed under power between No4 Bar Buoy and the Ballast Pile.
The Small Boat Channel may only be entered or left (by vessels approaching from the east) at its
northern or southern extremities. Where possible vessels entering the harbour should generally pass
close to the east of Ballast Buoy and those exiting close to the west. In addition vessels crossing
the harbour entrance may only do so to the north of Ballast Buoy or the south of No4 Bar Buoy.
If the masters or skippers of vessels under 20 m in length, sailing vessels or crossing vessels are
in any doubt as to whether a particular vessel is a vessel which can safely navigate only within a
narrow channel or fairway or one that is constrained by its draught, then they are always to give
it the benefit of the doubt and treat it as such.
Vessels under 20 m in the length (including Personal Watercraft) are not to loiter in the Small
Boat Channel.
The above is a summary of the rules contained in the 2005 Dockyard Port Order and various
General Directions and Local Notices To Mariners issued by QHM. To obtain complete details
of all current Local Notices to Mariners, General Directions and to read the full text of the
2005 Dockyard Port Order visit the QHM web site www.qhm.mod.uk/portsmouth. Failure
to obey the rules laid down in the above documents does constitute a criminal offence.
N
P
W
E
Whale Island
Elson
Fareham
Lake
B
Hardway
Forton Bridge
HMS Warrior
Gosport Ferr
E
The Canal Side
Fort
Blockhouse
Round Tower
oat
all B
HMS Alliance
Cha
The entrance to Porchester Lake is about one mile north of the harbour entrance and is marked
to the west by pile 57 and to the east by pile 95. The channel is well marked by port and starboard
navigation piles, many of which are lit right up to Port Solent. The channel passes through Tipner
Firing Range, which is clearly marked by notice boards, and yachts should pass through the areas
as quickly as possible. At the entrance to Port Solent the lock should only be approached if
3 green lights show.
ac
hc
ha
ER
el
T
OU
AS
SW
AY
HW
nn
Fort
Gilkicker
Passage North through Fareham Lake
Southsea
pro
R
Ap
NE
Y
WA
H
S
l
IN
A
SW
nne
Fareham Lake is a wide, deep water channel as far as Bedenham Pier and is clearly marked
by red and green navigational piles, some of which are lit. The piles should not be approached
too closely as many are on the mud banks which are steep in the most parts but beginning to
edge into the channel in some places. Above Bedenham Pier (which vessels must not approach
within 50 m) the channel continues to be marked by piles but shoals considerably. North of No.37
Piles the channel passes under power cables with a clearance of 12m (MHWS) and dries at low
water springs. A number of subsidiary creeks join Fareham Lake, the most important of which
are Bombketch and spider lakes which lie on the east side of the channel. They both enter
Fareham Lake between piles 53 and 55, about 6.5 cables north of Sultan and contain numerous
yacht moorings.
Portsmouth
J
Passage North Through Portchester Lake
Tides in the harbour entrance run very strongly in the third and fourth hours of the ebb and again
during the flood. There may be standing waves at the entrance and conditions can become confused
in the southerly winds particulary at times of frequent ship movements. Winds eddy round Fort
Blockhouse and frequently turn through 180°. Vessels entering in windy conditions are advised
to drop sails before transiting through the entrance.
Spinaker Tower
Sm
Haslar
Lake
Haslar
Bridge
y
Ballast
Buoy
I
intervals just north of the Ballast Buoy. If underway at night beware of several unlit mooring buoys
and numerous pleasure craft moorings on the west side of the channel just north of Burrow Island.
The harbour north of Burrow Island broadens considerably but most of this area is mud which dries
at low water. The mud is bounded by two channels, the one to the NW, called Fareham Lake, leads
to Fareham, while the other channel to the NE called Portchester Lake leads to Port Solent.
If it is necessary to wait, yachts should moor alongside the “waiting pontoon” clear of the lock
entrance. Port Solent (call sign “Port Solent”) keeps watch on VHF Channel 80.
Once through the entrance the harbour opens out and vessel may safely proceed under sail keeping
to the west thus avoiding the main hazards in the east, which are the Isle of Wight ferry berths, the
Naval Base and the continental Ferry Port. The Gosport ferry crosses the harbour at frequent
HMS Victory
OFJ
C
Vessles under 20 metres in length entering or leaving Portsmouth should use the Small Boat Channel.
This 50 m wide Channel runs from west of Ballast Buoy. There is a flashing leading light on the
south end of Oil Fuel Jetty (OFJ) and the red sector of this light conforms to the boat channel.
Portsmouth Harbour
HMS Naval Base
Burrow
Island
Gosport
Portsmouth Harbour Entrance
Continental
Ferry Port
Shalt
Pier
Approaching Portsmouth Harbour
If approaching from Langstone/Chichester BEWARE OF THE SUBMARINE BARRIER, WHICH IS A
HAZARD TO ALL CRAFT, AND RUNS DUE SOUTH FROM SOUTHSEA SEA FRONT TO HORSE SAND
FORT. There are only two passages through this barrier, the inner passage approximately 1 cable
off the beach, marked by red and green piles, and the outer passage approximately 8 cables off
the beach, marked by a quick flashing red dolphin and a green pile (outer passage minimum depth
1.2 metres).
L
ter
s
he
G
Approaching from the East
Tipner
c
ort
Brockhurst
Small boats entering Portsmouth form the West should approach the harbour through the Inner
Swashway (minimum depth 1.8m). The Outer Swashway (used by numerous ferries) runs 049’T
on the south edge of the block of flats in transit with the War Memorial can also be used.
Hillsea
TIPNER RANGE
DANGER AREA
e
ak
S
Approaching from the West
Port Solent
Portchester
Castle
All vessels are then to cross the Main Channel direct to Ballast Pile and leave harbour through the
Small Boat Channel. If any of these vessels are not fitted with VHF radio, fixed or portable, then
they are to be escorted by a marshalling craft or accompany another vessel so fitted. When on
station a QHM Harbour Patrol Launch or Volunteer Harbour Patrol Launch may undertake this task
channel or fairway
Mariners are advised that many warships and merchant vessels (including ferries) operating
within the Dockyard Port of Portsmouth and the Port of Southampton are at various times “vessels
constrained by their draught” or “vessels who can safely navigate only within a narrow channel
or fairway”
Personal Watercraft of all descriptions without a license from QHM are prohibited from entering
or operating in the town camber.
F
Bo
mb
ke
tch
La
ke
The master of a vessel navigating the Dockyard Port shall navigate the vessel with care and
caution and in such a manner as shall not cause annoyance to the occupants of any other vessel
or cause danger to any other vessel or to any moorings or other property.
10 knots within 1000 yards of shore
Spid
er L
ake
1 Vessels to be navigated with care and caution
Fareham
Southsea
Castle
Spitbank Fort
KEY TO MAP SYMBOLS
Queen’s Harbour Master’s office
Approximate scale
2000ft
Visitor facilities, moorings, marinas
Places of interest
1 km
CAUTION NOTE: Indicative map, not for navigation