Dave1258
regular
Reged: 04/10/2003
Posts: 733
Loc: Yorkshire
|
|
Right, here it is cards on the table, Mandy,Kirsty and I would love to cross the channel in our boat, and return in the same day.
I see you guys post and chat about it as if it was a trip to the pub, or a stroll down to the golf course,.... the thought of undertaking a cross channel outing scares the sh*t out of me!!
If such an event were to take place during the summer months, what would the criteria be for someone like ourselves, who have never ventured out of sight of land, I hasten to add! to come along and perhaps join in?
Regards Dave.
Someday my ship will come in, and with my luck I'll be at the airport!!
|
Guapa
regular
Reged: 24/09/2003
Posts: 4773
Loc: UK East Coast
|
|
Dave,
If it's your first time, you're pushing it a bit -> across & back again the same day. What would be the point? You'd just be tired/wet.
Take it easy - look for a good forecast. In your case a steady 3Bft would be ideal - you will want steady wind, it's no fun motoring all the way.
Next - where do you want to cross? If not being able to sight land, go for a Dover/Ramsgate to Calais/Bologne trip.
It's just like crossing the road really - may look daunting, but with plenty of common sense there's nothing to it.
Fair winds.
If not... reef early!
|
cloudnine
regular
Reged: 07/01/2004
Posts: 114
Loc: Jolly Harbour Antigua, running...
|
|
Hi Dave
Try posting this on the main forum I'm sure you will attract some good advice and encouragement.
Assuming you have the knowledge of weather. tides and plotting all you must remember is to maintain a lookout at all times particulatly in the shipping lanes.
Crossing the channel is no big deal - it's Kirsty AND Mandy that worries me?????
Enjoy!
PS which day in the summer????
|
LadyInBed
regular
Reged: 02/09/2001
Posts: 3771
Loc: Zumerzet
|
|
If you want to do the round trip in the same day - take the ferry.
They call it a booze cruise
|
Solitaire
regular
Reged: 25/06/2001
Posts: 4242
Loc: Hamble
|
|
I've just been reading your profile. Given the boat you have - don't! You would need an exceptionally calm period even cruising in company. OK let me qualify that, depends where your going from. If its say from Dover then its less than 30 mile across and it might, I say might be OK!. Anywhere else then you will scare the s***t out of yourself and your crew. I had a Bayliner 2052 and would not dream of taking it across the pond - even now and I'm a lot more experienced than I was then - there not built for it!. Wait untill you get a bigger boat or crew with someone to find out what it's like. All IMHO of course.
Boating is Serious Fun
|
duncan
regular
Reged: 16/05/2001
Posts: 8919
Loc: Home mid Kent - Boat @ Poole
|
|
he has a small motor boat Yanita - suspect he would like a dead clam day really!
running across on a fine day from Dover to Calais in company would be OK adn coming back the same day in the same weather window is sensible however (1) you really will need it flat calm (2) there are far more interesting trips to be made in a boat like yours if you are feeling adventuous!
(1) Launch at Plymouth and run over to Salcombe for lunch then back
(2) Poole to Lulworth for lunch then Weymouth for tea back to Poole
(3) run around based at Milford Haven
If you have done these then there's always the run across to Ireland!
|
tcm
regular
Reged: 11/01/2002
Posts: 20713
|
|
Not sure what your question is - do you want to go across on your 2050? Or on someone elses's boat?
Unlike others, i think the trip is quite feasible on your boat. You need calm seas of course, max forecast F3 and fairly calm for a few days beforehand. Think i wd trailer to ramsgate and go to calais, nice seafront and prebook lunch at the Cote D'or. Liferaft an absolute neccessity of course. God idea to take someone along to calm nerves etc. Who are all these wimmin?
|
Dave1258
regular
Reged: 04/10/2003
Posts: 733
Loc: Yorkshire
|
|
Thanx for the replies
Mandy and Kirsty SWMBO and daughter! sorry for the poor introduction, Sol, any reason in particular why the boat not up to making a crossing,Hull config?..engine power? curious to know??
I would like to do the shortest possible crossing (18 miles is it???)
The reason I want to do it is basically to see if it's something I would continue to enjoy doing, as you say at some time in the future with a larger craft.
Apart from the obvious in distance and tides what makes a trip like this more difficult, when I can comfortably do a crossing in the Gulf of st tropez about 7-8 miles?
Weather window opportunities do present themseleves on the channel, that would be a right time right place situation, ideal flat calm seas.
There is only so many times you can drive up and down Windemere/L.Lomond without getting stalled, so I want to see what else boating has to offer me,
Exams, courses etc.etc. fine, I don't have a problem doing them, but I don't want to enrol Mandy and I on hundreds of £££'s of tuition if we don't enjoy going out to sea. My apologies if that appears selfish!.
Someday my ship will come in, and with my luck I'll be at the airport!!
|
Dave1258
regular
Reged: 04/10/2003
Posts: 733
Loc: Yorkshire
|
|
Yes mate, I would like to use my boat for the trip, if that's an option, liferaft,...hmmmm not got one of those, do you mean the suitcase type of affair, self inflating, throw overboard item? are they available for hire or is a purchase req'd (something else I had not even considered).
Lunch in France taking my own boat over, sounds excellent!! (Have to be careful SWMBO reads these postings, that's why I dropped down here in ad hoc)
My only request is that you be leader, I follow, and lunch is on me!
Someday my ship will come in, and with my luck I'll be at the airport!!
|
duncan
regular
Reged: 16/05/2001
Posts: 8919
Loc: Home mid Kent - Boat @ Poole
|
|
you might like to get involved with http://www.ppc.org.uk who frequestly do the sort of trips you seem to be interested in as a group.
|
Moose
regular
Reged: 01/11/2001
Posts: 2063
Loc: West Sussex, Boat in Chicheste...
|
|
Liferaft Hire is about £10-20 per day.
|
Soong
regular
Reged: 22/02/2004
Posts: 88
Loc: Kent
|
|
I dont know enough about other people's boats to say too much, but I am keen to take my Sea Ray over at some point and would like to go in company. I am based near Ramsgate, so please offer up a date.
|
Dave1258
regular
Reged: 04/10/2003
Posts: 733
Loc: Yorkshire
|
|
I'm not experienced enough to call the shots mate, I will go with the flow on this one, it's something I want to do.
I have absolutely no idea which is the best time, month whatever, it's a question of who is prepared to make the crossing with folks less experienced, take them under thier wing as it were, it's early days yet, as the summer approaches .....who knows.
Someday my ship will come in, and with my luck I'll be at the airport!!
|
BarryH
regular
Reged: 31/10/2001
Posts: 6122
Loc: In my own little world
|
|
Like yourself I hankered after crossing the channel to france. I did it a few years ago now and to be honest, it was boring. I don't like the french/france, but I suspect the feeling is mutual.
Your far better off coast hoping. More to see, stop off's etc. Plodding acroos the channel for a couple of hours is not much fun for thoise that have noting to do apart from keeping a lookout for othe boats/ferries/ships.
It is possible to do it in your boat with plenty of prep and watching for the weather. Sods law dictates that the crossing over will be fine and then coming back will be a bit lumpy. We went across with 60 odd miles of near flat water. Half way back the wind picked up, which wasn't forecast, and things got interesting.
|
tcm
regular
Reged: 11/01/2002
Posts: 20713
|
|
Our boat is in he med at the moment but i am exp. enough to get you across if you want to go.
Mostly, this involves not going if the weather is iffy, and I and my stooges here at work now have vast experience of getting weather forecasts every day for a week or more before going on this sort of trip - this builds up a picture of what the forecast is on a given wekend (if that's when going) and whetyher the forecast weather is improving or worsening. Usually, one should be in a position to give the go ahead or otherwise 24hrs before.
May June July gives long daylight hours.
Anyone going needs to rent a liferaft - the softbag type is best otherwise it's clattering all over the place. Also lifejackets. Also flares. Also VHF. I have charts, almanacs, handheld gps, more charts etc etc.
I don't agree with the esteemed BarryH regarding the French - every country has it's rejects and export models, but in the main the french are very nice. It's also a big confidence booster - many first timers have described themselves as a foot taller when they arrive than before they set off.
|
Soong
regular
Reged: 22/02/2004
Posts: 88
Loc: Kent
|
|
Dave,
I am thinking about a trip from Ramsgate to Felixstowe soon, it has some of the perils of The Channel and some merits as a trial run. You are welcome (as are all) to come along. Not sure about dates yet, but it will not be a Bank Holiday weekend.
Soong
|
tcm
regular
Reged: 11/01/2002
Posts: 20713
|
|
um, ramsgate to felixstowe is a whole heap further than x-channel, non?
|
Soong
regular
Reged: 22/02/2004
Posts: 88
Loc: Kent
|
|
TCM,
It is that, and it takes one further offshore than Dover to Calais would. 35nm, reckon.
Too much for a pre-season shake down, do you think?
Soong
|
tcm
regular
Reged: 11/01/2002
Posts: 20713
|
|
well, if you are happy at the idea to do ramsgate-felixstowe, then x-channel wd be easy!
|
Soong
regular
Reged: 22/02/2004
Posts: 88
Loc: Kent
|
|
Some friends have seen this thread and suggested a paddle in The Channel after Mother's Day - on Saturday the 27th of March.
The plan would be to run down with the tide to St Margarets, just 12nm, lunch there then back with the returning tide to Ramsgate.
Anyone fancy that?
Soong
|
Gunfleet
regular
Reged: 01/01/2002
Posts: 4140
Loc: Hull - to my surprise
|
|
TCM is right.; Choose something simpler. If you can sail a boat from Ramsgate to Felixtowe, everything else will look easy. This is my area, and believe me when I first went into deep water I was amazed how few things there are to bump into. Portsmoth to Cherbourg? A cakewalk once you've avoided the Isle of Wight. Ramsgate to Calais? You can see both sides. Wind over tide force 6 in the Black Deep sorts out the men from the bouys. force 8 and anyone who says he didn't wish he was somewhere else is a liar.
|
Dave99
regular
Reged: 06/12/2002
Posts: 886
Loc: Portsmouth
|
|
You definitely need to make sure you have the right safety gear. Consider having a sea check by the RNLI - its free and they will advise you as necessary.
|
stephenmartin
regular
Reged: 27/11/2003
Posts: 230
Loc: Hampshire
|
|
Hi Dave....
What ford diesels do you have....I have an ex pilot boat that I just crossed the channel on from Shoreham to Fecamp about 75miles....On the way out we lost an engine (Ford D type 4ltr x two) which dropped our speed down to about 4-5 knots depending on the tide and wind....
Its a big leap of faith to leave the land and keep going knowing (hoping) you will eventually reach land and we did....but we ran into a Force 7 (21st and 22nd May).....now that was really scary....so a channel 1st crossing turned into a night 1st with one engine down 14 hours later we came down the lights in Fecamp....like James Bond....shaken but not stirred.....but absolutely petrified.....this is my first boat and I'm trying to get my hours up to do my Yachtmaster practical....
Night time wan't that bad really....you can see many more lights....but I do feel a though I have achieved something..
Steve
|
Previous
Index
Next
Threaded
Edit
Reply
Quote
