Bon Voyage, everyone

fireball

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You looked at the forecast for lunchtime Friday?
rain-uk-2007092000-36.gif


UGRIB is suggesting 25knots for 1200 Friday ... when my original plan was to be mid channel .... /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif so looking at other options atm /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 

fireball

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Yup - it does doesn't it ... just got to work out how to get there without spilling the beer first ... /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
 

BlueSkyNick

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Ah, just as I thought. Now I could respond by asking if your boat doesnt sail in a F6, but I wouldnt want to provoke you into taking a decision based on valour rather than discretion.

So to be serious, the options seem to be:
- overnight tonight with wind somewhere west of SW but dark and lumpy
- Friday, head for Cherbourg wind somewhere south of SW, a bit blowy at midday but at least the tide will be slack then. Hope we dont end up downwind of Cherbourg, albeit uptide.
- Friday head for Cherbourg as above, but may divert to St Vaast
- Friday evening departure - motor across in residual lumpiness.

Dependant on discussions with crew this afternoon, option 2/3 is looking favourite.

All IMHO of course
 

fireball

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Of course she sails in a F6 .... but I'd rather be a little more upright in less of a sea = quicker trip, rather than a 14hr slog upwind!

Option 2/3 - the amount of blowiness Midday is what I'd like to avoid (I'd planned on an 0400 departure to get into Cherbourg before sunset friday PM so would be midchannel for the worst of the weather) - remembering that we're exiting via the Nab so even worse angle (200T) for CBerg...

I'm consulting the other crew now - and suggested a potential delay start on Friday AM so we're just leaving the confines of the solent when the wind starts to ease... it'll still be lumpy, but shouldn't be so windy and it's forecast to veer ... the downside is that we'll end up in Cherbourg in the dark (my first time in as skipper) which in itself isn't too much of an issue, but we'll miss out on dinner in a french restaurant... /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 

duncan

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well my dash over Friday evening is looking less likely due to both the likely conditions and the fact that my crew has magically managed to loose 3 hrs Friday pm leaving a slower trip and early departure impractical.

Don't you just hate it when the weather won't play ball?

We may well be in the vicinity over the weekend but as to actually making CHerbourg at all - that's now in single digit %'ages........have a great time all! /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
 

Barry777

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I too, had planned to leave Chichester Harbour on Friday morning around 0500, and am looking closely at the forecast. Currently have asked all 3 crew their views and am waiting for replies - all done the crossing many times. It's not so much the F6 but the fact that from Chi we will be heading pretty much straight into it - with the first 5/6 hours with wind over tide, and after a couple of days of a steady blow the sea will be quite lumpy. Doesn't add up to a very pleasant motor sail....Moody's not renowned for close wind sailing. Under normal circumstances with usual crew,i.e. SWMBO we wouldn't go......she also said this morning "rather you than me". However, with 3 crew it's a slightly different call.....still to be decided.

Need to lock out of marina this evening to pick up a buoy in the Harbour so may have to wait till then for final decision
 

BlueSkyNick

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Cherbourg in the dark is not too much of a problem as long as you ensure to leave the red buoys to port - others on here have overlooked this to their cost.

also, golden rule is to keep uptide of the uptide entrance, ie to the east of the east entrance. If you miss it, at least you have a mile of spare room to the other one!

Its very neapy at present, so not such a major issue.

Hope it all works out well for you and will look forward to seeing you there.
 

fireball

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Shortly be off to meet the crew and get out the boat ... most likely we'll be heading out early Fri AM straight past the Nab ... and see where we get too ... (France I hope! /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif)

Happy sailing and look forward to meeting everyone there ...
 

tome

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We're now planning a 5am Friday departure Northney and take the tide up the Solent to the Needles to give us a better slant across. Will aim for Cherbourg rather than St Vaast, hope to make the yacht club in time for a beer Friday evening

Hope to see you all there, bon voyage. Signing off t'internet for now
Tom
 

phanakapan

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Bon voyage to you all from me too..,, I couldn't join you this year, but I am meeting up with the East Coast girls for a womens sail weekend- might end up with some rival stories/pictures!

Avagoodun

Philippa
 
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