WEATHER STATIONS

[jpg76]

Nice one!

[maverick]

A whole new list of cameras

https://www.travelvictoria.com.au/victoria/webcams/

[Stef]

So yesterday I checked all the sources for weather and the stars aligned for a ripper day on the yak. Went out only to get swept 3km N at 2km/hr by a current. I'd say the surface area for the PA14 doesnt help in this situation
Now I'm trying to find a source that shows/predicts the waters current?
Any info or advice would be much appreciated.

[maverick]

So yesterday I checked all the sources for weather and the stars aligned for a ripper day on the yak. Went out only to get swept 3km N at 2km/hr by a current. I'd say the surface area for the PA14 doesnt help in this situation
Now I'm trying to find a source that shows/predicts the waters current?
Any info or advice would be much appreciated.

Where were you?

[Stef]

So yesterday I checked all the sources for weather and the stars aligned for a ripper day on the yak. Went out only to get swept 3km N at 2km/hr by a current. I'd say the surface area for the PA14 doesnt help in this situation
Now I'm trying to find a source that shows/predicts the waters current?
Any info or advice would be much appreciated.

Where were you?

I launched at Tootgarook boat ramp

[spider25160]

So yesterday I checked all the sources for weather and the stars aligned for a ripper day on the yak. Went out only to get swept 3km N at 2km/hr by a current. I'd say the surface area for the PA14 doesnt help in this situation
Now I'm trying to find a source that shows/predicts the waters current?
Any info or advice would be much appreciated.

So now you are getting into the technical side of navigation. Marine charts (maps to the uninitiated) have current indications for the area they cover however these are printed primarily for large ships and often do not include close to shore and local effects. However with an understanding of the currents, the tidal influences and a bit of local knowledge you can work it out.....I don't know of any app or even old school product that can offer what you are looking for.

[maverick]

So yesterday I checked all the sources for weather and the stars aligned for a ripper day on the yak. Went out only to get swept 3km N at 2km/hr by a current. I'd say the surface area for the PA14 doesnt help in this situation
Now I'm trying to find a source that shows/predicts the waters current?
Any info or advice would be much appreciated.

Where were you?

I launched at Tootgarook boat ramp

This link may help explain how tides and current flow work. Even though it is based on westernport, the matsh are the same for any tidal flow. Port Phillip Bay also has a unique effect called slack water. Even flowing at 2 km/h current, the PA will still cruise at 4 -5 km/h, so you should have been able to make headway? Didn't you realise you were drifting?

Slack water occurs when the it is high or low tide at Melbourne. It may be some time after high tide or low tide close to the heads.

[maverick]

About 11 minutes into this video, I talk about PPB tides, may help as well.

[shane]

If you want to know when slack water will be then look at the BOM tidal streams website for The RIP: http://www.bom.gov.au/australia/tides/#!/vic-the-rip. Slack water occurs at the same time across PPB with the RIP slack generally being the more accurate, although that can get affected by wind and swell effects at the heads delaying or adding to the published time for slack water. Think of PPB as a bottle being filled by flow through the neck (the heads). When the bottle fills the flow stops and then starts pouring out again after a brief pause.

For pure current the surface area of a PA would have little to do with it as anything floating along in the current will be swept along at the speed of the current. If there's wind with the current then the wind acting on the surface area of the PA above the waterline will have an added affect that can make progress harder. Added to this is the speed of the kayak being propelled through the water and there the PA will be slower than some other yaks. However I get along at 6-7km/hr in my PA so a 2km/hr current while more difficult, is easy enough to overcome with perseverence.

[Babylon]

https://www.boating.vic.gov.au/ramps/a1 ... Dles6PpI50