Timetable
Monday morning to Saturday night, continuous crossings at short intervals.

From West Cowes
Daily 0500 until 0025
Sundays 0635, 0700 until 0025

From East Cowes
Daily 0505 until 0030
Sundays 0640, 0705 until 0030

Service extended during Cowes Week by special arrangement.

All times subject to tides, weather and navigation. For further information contact Ferry Manager, telephone 01983 293041.

Chain Ferry Caution
All Mariners are required to navigate with caution in the area of the Chain Ferry. The depth of navigable water above the chains varies depending on the state of tide height and the position of the Chain Ferry in relation to the riverbanks. The chains connect and therefore span the Fairway between both the east and west sides of the estuary. The chains therefore lie in a catenary across the river. The depth of navigable water is deepest in the middle of the Fairway and decreases towards both riverbanks and the prow at the ferry as the chains rise closer to the surface.

All vessels navigating within the river should therefore keep well clear of the prow or ramp of the Chain Ferry and be aware that if the Chain Ferry is not on either riverbank and is therefore part way across the Fairway, the navigable depth of water over the chains will decrease rapidly. When the Chain Ferry is berthed on either riverbank and therefore not partway across the Fairway, the least depth of navigable water above the chains is approx. 1.7 metres below chart datum in the middle of the Fairway.

Extract from Cowes Harbour Bylaws (1972) as amended
See also Cowes LNTM 07/2008 that supplements this bylaw. 

a. The Chain Ferry shall give way to vessels navigating in the harbour, whether proceeding in a northerly or southerly direction.

b. The Chain Ferry shall, by day and by night, when proceeding from one bank to the other, exhibit at the fore end, a flashing white light, so positioned as to be visible all round. For the purpose of this byelaw, the fore end of the Ferry means the end nearest the side of the River Medina to which the Chain Ferry is proceeding.

c. During fog or any other condition similarly restricting visibility, the Chain Ferry shall sound, when proceeding from one bank to the other, two prolonged blasts on a whistle or a portable fog horn, at intervals of not more than one minute.

NOTE:

i. It is stressed that the exhibition or sounding of signals does not grant or imply a right of way for the Chain Ferry. The signals are instituted for the benefit of vessels in the vicinity.

ii. Masters of vessels are advised to keep a sharp look out for small craft, liable to cross the path of the Chain Ferry when proceeding from one bank to the other, either ahead or astern of its track.

iii. Nothing in this byelaw in any way diminishes the responsibility of the Master of a vessel to take all necessary action in order to avoid a collision.