Only for Novices

[tome]

Put in a waypoint half way across in the middle of the shipping lanes. It's good for morale, it's good for vectors and it will make a better navigator and skipper of you. Use it to plan your sleep pattern and watches if night sailing, after all you'll have 'time to go' on display and can work backwards to the start of the first shipping lane.

Once you pass your waypoint, switch gps to Cherbourg for the 2nd leg. Know how far to go to be clear of the next shipping lane. When 20M to go to chbg, study the tides and adjust your course to make sure you're up-tide on your approach.

Be sure to study pilotage. Cherbourg is an easy approach in any weather and state of tide, but there are rocks and you need to stay the right side of the entrance buoys. At least one forumite can tell you more.

Cherbourg is very familiar to us, but be aware that it's a huge port and the marina is tucked away in a corner. Have a crew study the pilotage, and enjoy the crossing.

 

[BlueSkyNick]

Great advice Tom , especially the last three words. Sometimes its easy to forget that one of the main reasons for going sailing is the enjoyment !

 

[Sans Bateau]

Tom

Do you mind if I also mention the ferries.

A large number of ferry operators go onto and leave Cherbourg, the Brittany Ferries Fast Cat is, as its name implies FAST, its on a schedule and with considerations to COL Regs wants to get in and back out quickly. Keep a good look out behind you as you approach the eastern entrance.

The other ferry movement hazard will be as you approach the marina, look out for ferries emerging on your port side.

Tom

You should be particularly careful, I understand you will have the ferry magnet on board!

 

[tome]

Good point about the ferries.

P'raps I should keep our magnet below on the approach?