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Thread: Tweed river bar crossing

  1. #1

    Tweed river bar crossing

    I know this has probably been discussed in the past, but any tips or advise on crossing the bar at Tweed? I have a 4.35 metre Sea Jay Centre Console Tinnie with a late model injected Tohatsu 40hp. I only intend to go out in calm conditions early morning, but other than not going out or coming in on an outgoing tide, anything else I should know? Picture with my Son in the boat 'tinkering'!IMG_20161121_185248.jpg
    Last edited by Rastas4; 28-11-2016 at 07:37 AM. Reason: Picture Added

  2. #2

    Re: Tweed river bar crossing

    Hi mate, I spent about an hour watching boats going out and coming in yesterday at T weed bar the tide was going out when I was there but it wasn't to bad. I saw quite a few small tinnies in the 4.5 to 4.8 m range coming in. One boat that did impress me by the way it handled the sloppy conditions on the way back in was a Quintrex Renegade 4.6m it seemed to handle the conditions really well. It appears that all of the boats were keeping to the northern side when going out. As they got to the end of the northern wall they would turn north again to avoid the messy water in the middle and the southern side of the bar, they held this course for a few hundred meters until they were clear, they came back in on the same course. You would want a fairly calm day to cross in a 4.35m boat and I would not venture too far out in case the weather changed. As you stated before go in and out on an incoming tide, you must wear lifejackets crossing a bar in NSW , inform coast guard of your crossing, and have all your safety gear. Good luck.

  3. #3

    Re: Tweed river bar crossing

    Cheers for that bugsytwoshoes. I know Tweed Bar can be a bit tricky, but given the right conditions (a swell no more than 1.5 metres) and common sense, I think the boat should be quite capable.

  4. #4

    Re: Tweed river bar crossing

    Don't forget you need a NSW fishing license to fish out of the Tweed
    Garry

    Retired Honda Master Tech

  5. #5

    Re: Tweed river bar crossing

    Yep, I have that as I live in NSW!

  6. #6

    Re: Tweed river bar crossing

    Same as any bar. If you are the least little bit unsure of either you or your vessels capability to cross - just don't. Once you commit to crossing - COMMIT. Changing your mind halfway out and trying to turn around or dilly dallying around between swells is about the best way known to make it into the evening news for all the wrong reasons. Sit and watch for a while before you decide yay or nay. From there it is basic bar crossing boat handling skills - if you aren't familiar with these - read everything you can find from any reputable source you can find or do a course.

    Whilst crossing in both directions on an incoming tide is preferable, it is a lot more critical to going out than coming back provided you have sufficient boat speed to keep up with the swell - which you do. With swell at 1.5 metres, you may find going out marginal. Coming in should not be an issue. Even on an incoming tide, swells will still stand - specially at the start when the water levels are lower.

  7. #7

    Re: Tweed river bar crossing

    Quote Originally Posted by bugsytwoshoes View Post
    As you stated before go in and out on an incoming tide, you must wear lifejackets crossing a bar in NSW , inform coast guard of your crossing, and have all your safety gear. Good luck.
    Actually you are required to wear a life jacket at all times when the boat is underway - not just when crossing a bar

  8. #8

    Re: Tweed river bar crossing

    Quote Originally Posted by Jeremy View Post
    Actually you are required to wear a life jacket at all times when the boat is underway - not just when crossing a bar
    Sorry, but I disagree

    The most common situations when a lifejacket must be worn on a recreational or hire and drive vessel are:

    • on vessels under 4.8m at night, in open or alpine waters, and when boating alone;
    • by children under 12 years of age at all times in a vessel under 4.8m, and in an open area of a vessel 4.8m to 8m while underway;
    • on any vessel crossing a coastal bar;
    • by anyone being towed, such as waterskiing and wake boarding; and
    • on personal watercraft.
    Garry

    Retired Honda Master Tech

  9. #9

    Re: Tweed river bar crossing

    Quote Originally Posted by Spaniard_King View Post
    Sorry, but I disagree

    The most common situations when a lifejacket must be worn on a recreational or hire and drive vessel are:

    • on vessels under 4.8m at night, in open or alpine waters, and when boating alone;
    • by children under 12 years of age at all times in a vessel under 4.8m, and in an open area of a vessel 4.8m to 8m while underway;
    • on any vessel crossing a coastal bar;
    • by anyone being towed, such as waterskiing and wake boarding; and
    • on personal watercraft.
    I have just double checked at http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/maritime/s...fejackets.html
    A 4.35 m boat in open waters does fall into the category of a life jacket being required at all times (not as I originally wrote when underway). What I posted is clearly correct as applied to this situation.

  10. #10

    Re: Tweed river bar crossing

    Quote Originally Posted by Jeremy View Post
    I have just double checked at http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/maritime/s...fejackets.html
    A 4.35 m boat in open waters does fall into the category of a life jacket being required at all times (not as I originally wrote when underway). What I posted is clearly correct as applied to this situation.
    So you clearly corrected your self but you are clearly correct, oh I see
    Garry

    Retired Honda Master Tech

  11. #11

    Re: Tweed river bar crossing

    Quote Originally Posted by Spaniard_King View Post
    So you clearly corrected your self but you are clearly correct, oh I see
    I was replying to an earlier post in which it was stated that "you must wear a lifejacket crossing a bar in NSW". It was not clear in your earlier post exactly what you disagreed with, and yes I picked up the error in my own post.

    Not sure why you are getting your knickers in such a twist over this.

  12. #12

    Re: Tweed river bar crossing

    I don't think its a matter of getting your knickers in a twist, the laws are very clear, plenty of new comers read these forums, and will take what they read as gospel, and to that end, will either get a fine, or worse still, come to grief, far better to nut it out now rather than continue confusion.

  13. #13

    Re: Tweed river bar crossing

    Quote Originally Posted by Jeremy View Post
    I was replying to an earlier post in which it was stated that "you must wear a lifejacket crossing a bar in NSW". It was not clear in your earlier post exactly what you disagreed with, and yes I picked up the error in my own post.

    Not sure why you are getting your knickers in such a twist over this.
    No Knickers in any nots, just don't like it when people are given incorrect information which may lead them astray
    Garry

    Retired Honda Master Tech

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