Laundryman
Member
As a X Channel virgin, I am trying to plan my passage. I plan to leave Gosport at 3am Saturday and arrive 4pm. I am getting confused with the bst/ utc + & -. Does anyone see a problem with those timings please.
Help with passage plan please
- Thread starter Laundryman
- Start date
Sailfree
Well-known member
Firstly always work in just one time zone. I always work in UT then add 1hr for BST and +1hr for FrST. For France almanac gives tides in UT +1hr = French Standard Time.
You intend to cross in 13hrs - what size boat and what passage speed are you allowing. Friday it should be light to little S winds so I think it will be main up and motoring across (main helps stabilise boat even if little drive!)
We all like to go faster but on my Dufour36 I planned for 5kts but on the 43 I plan for 6kts.
You aim for Cherbourg plus the aggregate tidal offset. eg look at tide effects going W at you estimated hourly position and add them up and compare with tide effects going E for last 6hrs. If say its 14 going West but 18 going East draw a straight line from your departure point at I of W to 4Nm to West of Cherbourg - this is course to steer. You will do roughly a S shaped curve if you plot the position on a chart but beware the effect of tide is much stronger just off Cherbourg. For this reason always aim to end up tide for last bit. Check position at half way against predicted and again at three quarters way and correct if necessary but the side tidal drift is surprising. This also allows you to make corrections if you are going faster or slower than your intended passage speed. (could be a fast reach back on Sunday)
Hopefully someone leaving Gosport on Friday will be along in a minute and explain their plan.
Appologies if my explaination was teaching to suck eggs!!
You intend to cross in 13hrs - what size boat and what passage speed are you allowing. Friday it should be light to little S winds so I think it will be main up and motoring across (main helps stabilise boat even if little drive!)
We all like to go faster but on my Dufour36 I planned for 5kts but on the 43 I plan for 6kts.
You aim for Cherbourg plus the aggregate tidal offset. eg look at tide effects going W at you estimated hourly position and add them up and compare with tide effects going E for last 6hrs. If say its 14 going West but 18 going East draw a straight line from your departure point at I of W to 4Nm to West of Cherbourg - this is course to steer. You will do roughly a S shaped curve if you plot the position on a chart but beware the effect of tide is much stronger just off Cherbourg. For this reason always aim to end up tide for last bit. Check position at half way against predicted and again at three quarters way and correct if necessary but the side tidal drift is surprising. This also allows you to make corrections if you are going faster or slower than your intended passage speed. (could be a fast reach back on Sunday)
Hopefully someone leaving Gosport on Friday will be along in a minute and explain their plan.
Appologies if my explaination was teaching to suck eggs!!
Laundryman
Member
Help with passage plan
Thanks for that. I don't mind sucking eggs. I pretty much know what to do, just looking for a little confidence. My beneteau oceanis 321 might not be everyone's cup of tea but she performs well in light winds. See you in Cherbourg, sooner or later! Thanks. Alan
Thanks for that. I don't mind sucking eggs. I pretty much know what to do, just looking for a little confidence. My beneteau oceanis 321 might not be everyone's cup of tea but she performs well in light winds. See you in Cherbourg, sooner or later! Thanks. Alan
Sailfree
Well-known member
I don't have a private e mail address for you to sent the spreadsheet if you PM me through ybw I will send you latest list. I would have thought that a passage speed of 5kts is reasonable.
Sailfree
Well-known member
Just checked weather.
Most will be leaving on the Friday.
I note you are leaving on the Saturday. It looks like F3 to F4 mainly from the South so I would do a passage plan on 4kts to 4.5kts with a F3/4 on the nose unless you know your Beneteau can do better.
Most will be leaving on the Friday.
I note you are leaving on the Saturday. It looks like F3 to F4 mainly from the South so I would do a passage plan on 4kts to 4.5kts with a F3/4 on the nose unless you know your Beneteau can do better.
mjcp
Active member
You might consider going West on Friday and dep Lymington/Yarmouth rather then direct from the East of the solent, It would give you slightly less wind on the nose...
Weather online - Portland/Wight
Also, with the wind on the nose and the tide running (for the most part) east west, there will be a C. 2 knt lift or head depending on the tack and given tide's direction. (Where as with a westerly breeze, it won't affect which tack you choose as you'll be going south on Stb)
mjcp
Weather online - Portland/Wight
Also, with the wind on the nose and the tide running (for the most part) east west, there will be a C. 2 knt lift or head depending on the tack and given tide's direction. (Where as with a westerly breeze, it won't affect which tack you choose as you'll be going south on Stb)
mjcp
Talulah
Well-known member
As a frequent x-channel sailor may I suggest that everything else being equal you don't leave at 3am.
Best time to leave Gosport is Portsmouth HW minus one hour. This gives a bit of Easting to get to the Bembridge Ledge, on to West Princessa, and then 200 Mag to Cherbourg.
By then the tide will be heading West and you'll get a good push on down the South side of the Isle Of Wight.
Hence leave Friday evening at 8pm.
We will be leaving Gosport as soon as everyone arrives. I expect it will be close to 9.30pm by the time we get away.
Given the forecast and winds just off the nose I'm expecting a long motor sail to get across with an ETA of 11am French time.
Don't forget passports, Euro, courtesy flag.
I should add that mjcp post above is a good alternative.
You could overnight Newtown River FOC and then exit via the Needles Saturday morning.
However, I think you would end up arriving a bit late for some of the pontoon parties.
Last edited:
Sans Bateau
Well-known member
I'll have a virtual 5'er that Laundryman wont get away from work 'till 17.00 ish Friday, then he has to get down from Hemel, Its doing to be difficult for him to plan this one. If he can get down to Gosport to leave at 20.00, he'll be knackered before he starts his overnight crossing. Far from ideal.
Laundryman. Throw a sicky on Friday!
Laundryman. Throw a sicky on Friday!
Talulah
Well-known member
I'll have a virtual 5'er that Laundryman wont get away from work 'till 17.00 ish Friday, then he has to get down from Hemel, Its doing to be difficult for him to plan this one. If he can get down to Gosport to leave at 20.00, he'll be knackered before he starts his overnight crossing. Far from ideal.
Laundryman. Throw a sicky on Friday!
I have the same problem. I work in Hatfield. He's in Hemel. I'll be lucky to get to Gosport by 8pm. I've learnt to take the M4/Reading/Basingstoke route and avoid the M4/M3 M25 standstill.
At least Sainsbury's deliver. That's one less job.
Mudisox
Well-known member
Even better - go on to anchor inside Hurst,always for me, the best jumping off point from the west solent.
Laundryman
Member
Help with passage plan
Thank you to everyone for sharing their wisdom. To make it clear, I have a meeting at 2 pm Friday in Sunbury and plan to travel direct from there to Gosport. I can make an 8pm start but have little experience of night sailing. Is a first time night sail and a first time Channel crossing together, too much? I wonder, it's very tempting! I will keep a close eye on the forecast and make my final decision Friday. Thanks to everyone for the advice. Alan
Thank you to everyone for sharing their wisdom. To make it clear, I have a meeting at 2 pm Friday in Sunbury and plan to travel direct from there to Gosport. I can make an 8pm start but have little experience of night sailing. Is a first time night sail and a first time Channel crossing together, too much? I wonder, it's very tempting! I will keep a close eye on the forecast and make my final decision Friday. Thanks to everyone for the advice. Alan
Sailfree
Well-known member
Do you have radar?
Some believe that night crossings are easier in that you see the ships lights. With radar I would go for night crossing providing your crew is adequate to spell you.
prv
Well-known member
I don't think night sailing per se is any harder than sailing in daylight. Piloting into new places is harder, but you couldn't get much simpler than Cherbourg so no problem there. Only issue is if you've had a long day at work and then expecting to sail all night too - assuming there's someone else who can steer, make the effort to get your head down part of the time.
Pete
Laundryman
Member
Help with passage plan
No radar but I do have Ais. I will go with the advice from Talulah and leave at 8pm. If he overtakes me I will just follow him! Thanks. Alan
No radar but I do have Ais. I will go with the advice from Talulah and leave at 8pm. If he overtakes me I will just follow him! Thanks. Alan
Martin_J
Well-known member
Laundryman.. I see you're still online.. It's late!
As others have said.. get some rest on the crossing... . Start a watch rota as soon as you leave (so that crew all know when they're on watch and when they're off watch).. Keep warm - it's $"*%* cold in the middle of the night... And most importantly get some rest yourself... you don't want to be arriving at a foreign shore after an all night awake. You need to be alert at that point.
Ships.. same as or easier than in the Solent.. At least in the shipping lanes that's all there is to worry about.. and they tend to go in straight lines.. In the solent you'd have crab pots... buoys... other yachts.. land.. other motor boats. . At least mid channel it's just the shipping lanes. One other thing about the ships.. they don't necessarily follow each other.. some pass quicker than others and effectively 'overtake' slower ones.
So.. keep warm.. safe sailing.. and get those watches started... Any questions.. just ask.
As others have said.. get some rest on the crossing... . Start a watch rota as soon as you leave (so that crew all know when they're on watch and when they're off watch).. Keep warm - it's $"*%* cold in the middle of the night... And most importantly get some rest yourself... you don't want to be arriving at a foreign shore after an all night awake. You need to be alert at that point.
Ships.. same as or easier than in the Solent.. At least in the shipping lanes that's all there is to worry about.. and they tend to go in straight lines.. In the solent you'd have crab pots... buoys... other yachts.. land.. other motor boats. . At least mid channel it's just the shipping lanes. One other thing about the ships.. they don't necessarily follow each other.. some pass quicker than others and effectively 'overtake' slower ones.
So.. keep warm.. safe sailing.. and get those watches started... Any questions.. just ask.
Twister_Ken
Well-known member
Re getting head down, there's a handy couple of hours between seeing the last of the west-going shipping, and the first of the east-bound. Good opp for zzzzzzs.
BlueSkyNick
Active member
I think you will find a 'light lunch' is being served around that time.
Mudisox
Well-known member
Getting some rest.
Although probably going across 24hrs earlier, because of the available wind, I also have issues with not making decisions or actions when tired. [I will be crossing on my own].
Use the quiet periods, when no shipping is expected, before and between the shipping lanes to rest, whilst still keeping a lookout, and the final approach to the landfall with its tidal problems, always needs my full attention.
Once inside the breakwaters I don't bother trying to berth in the dark and also often tired, so I normally anchor just short of the inner breakwater. Then get some sleep before breakfast and a more composed search for a berth- You can guarantee that there will be others watching/ maybe judging!
So all of you please pass OPUS, quietly, early Friday!! See you there.
Although probably going across 24hrs earlier, because of the available wind, I also have issues with not making decisions or actions when tired. [I will be crossing on my own].
Use the quiet periods, when no shipping is expected, before and between the shipping lanes to rest, whilst still keeping a lookout, and the final approach to the landfall with its tidal problems, always needs my full attention.
Once inside the breakwaters I don't bother trying to berth in the dark and also often tired, so I normally anchor just short of the inner breakwater. Then get some sleep before breakfast and a more composed search for a berth- You can guarantee that there will be others watching/ maybe judging!
So all of you please pass OPUS, quietly, early Friday!! See you there.
Twister_Ken
Well-known member
Chez nous it'll be fine dining (the butler, Hollamby, is just buffing up the silver) but for Laundryman that hole in the traffic is gonna be in the wee small hours.
robp
Active member
It is worth noting that there are lobster pots down the East side of the island and even out further when you'd hope to be reasonably clear. I've even seen very few out in mid Channel. Worth mentioning to all on board to try and keep a keen eye on things. Some boats coulld still be motoring then.
Otherwise as they say when out in the Channel proper, virtually everything dangerous is lit.
Otherwise as they say when out in the Channel proper, virtually everything dangerous is lit.