North Sea crossing Harwich to Ostend

STOL71

STOL71

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www.shuda-sailing.com
Has someone got a template for a crossing from Harwich to Oostend? My boat (26ft) has a cruising speed of 5 knots. When do I leave in relation to HW Dover? Not being lazy, but all my charts, tidal stream atlas and almanac are on my boat which I can't get to this week. I wish to do some approximate planning to let my crew know possible dates.

Many thanks.
 
The crossing is mostly across the tide so you don't have to time it - just leave when you want. At 5kts Languard Point to Ostend should take 15hrs so an 0500 start (daylight at this time of year) gets you to Ostend with some daylight left.

The tide on a particular day may dictate on the way out whether you go N or S of Cork Sand - then Roughs, Sunk, Long Sand Head and steer roughly 130.

Slack water Ostend is Dover -1h after which the tide runs North until Dover +5h - then it runs south along the coast. Depending on your expected time of arrival, vary your course (ie the 130 heading) to ensure you arrive N or S of Ostend as appropriate and have a fair tide to sweep you in - plugging against it at the end of a long journey is soul destroying.
 
Marmalade is spot on, I always plan on 15hrs with an average SOG of 5kts. The last few times I've done it between 12-13hrs. its a great trip, nothing to technical, remember to cross the TSS as close to straight across as you can, enjoy it.
 
Get to LSH then a compass course for Oostende allowing tidal offset over that leg. Dont use Oostende as a WP as you will sail a greater distance as you will be fighting the tide.
125/130 deg gives you 90 deg across the TSS but not the inner shipping separation to Vlissengen, i keep a sharp look out & alter to 90 deg as needed.
Dont end up down wind & tide in arrival
Ava good one
 
STOL71 said:
Very helpful, many thanks.
Click to expand...

Just keep an eye on the X track (& an Admiralty Tidal Atlas is very useful with HW Dover & tidal flow each hr ) & tweek / adjust course if needed.
The Flemish Banks are no problem with normal wind strengths.
A good landmark is the Tr in Oostende ( it used to be called The Appletize Tr ) in good conditions visible at over 10 mls out.
Look out for the Int Signals on the Eastern Pr landward end
Sail in through Pr Hd & sort sails / fenders when inside


Oostende screen print.png
2018-06-06 (1).png
 
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We came back yesterday having waited in Ostend for a day for the weather to quieten down a bit.
15 and half hours to Bradwell. The tide off Ostend runs up the coast so effectively SE-NW so there can be (and there was!) adverse tide until you get offshore quite a way when it becomes cross tide.

I hope you have a bit less bumpy and rolly than we did. I am blessed with an iron constitution but but my crew was not and the dreaded Stugeron then wiped him out for more than half the trip. He perked up at Long Sand Head as we headed on through to the flatter waters of the Wallet.
 
I get to longsand head at lw then the tide carries one more south of the track ( 127 deg). Then after about 6 hours the stronger tide on the other side carries one east to bring one on track again. The 60 miles from lsh takes me about 10.5 hours average so you mightadjust your heading a bit to run a bit more west before approaching the belgian coast so that the tide helps you rather than having to fight it. Try to arrive up tide of ostend.
My next visit to ostend in august will be my 74th. Pre gps days in my stella that was the typical strategy and anywhere between ostend and nieuport was considered a "hit" for the first half a dozen trips
 
MoodySabre said:
We came back yesterday having waited in Ostend for a day for the weather to quieten down a bit.
15 and half hours to Bradwell. The tide off Ostend runs up the coast so effectively SE-NW so there can be (and there was!) adverse tide until you get offshore quite a way when it becomes cross tide.

I hope you have a bit less bumpy and rolly than we did. I am blessed with an iron constitution but but my crew was not and the dreaded Stugeron then wiped him out for more than half the trip. He perked up at Long Sand Head as we headed on through to the flatter waters of the Wallet.
Click to expand...

I use Kwells, gentler than Stugeron and don’t whack you out.
 
Hi Guys,
Doing the crossing in company, but first time for me & wife.
What is the fuel state at Oostende now?
Do you still have to go to the Petrol Station for diesel?
Is it far?
Will I need to take a trolley for the cans?
I have heard the Dutch (may be going that way after the rally) don't like fuel cans lashed on deck?
Thanks,
Neil
Hunter 356. 110L in diesel tank.
 
No fuel at the quayside in Ostend so a petrol station is the only possible. We routinely carry a shopping trolley that folds down flat. Also we can remove the bag to make it into a very small sack barrow!
How many litres/hr does your engine use? We ship about 70l of fuel and thats ample to reach Ostend and then, say, Breskens where there is fuel so I would imagine that 110l should be fine.
 
Thanks for the reply.
Is the Petrol Station far?
We burn 2-3L/h depending on speed/sea state.......I guess other ports around the area will have a fuel berth?
Neil
 
The petrol station is about a mile away. I used a 20 litre plastic tank on the carrier on the back of a bike, which Simon the H/M lent me. Made for an interesting ride back!
 
sailorman said:
Get to LSH then a compass course for Oostende allowing tidal offset over that leg. Dont use Oostende as a WP as you will sail a greater distance as you will be fighting the tide.
125/130 deg gives you 90 deg across the TSS but not the inner shipping separation to Vlissengen, i keep a sharp look out & alter to 90 deg as needed.
Dont end up down wind & tide in arrival
Ava good one
Click to expand...
An admirty tidal atlass is a great asset to have on a trip kike this. Get out to.on sand hd then check the atla hving msrked hwm dover oneach age.this will give you an ideaof tidasalto get to oostende pr hd.oset needed
 
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