Weather and Planned departures

[fireball]

Well, with Next Weekend now coming up on the longer range forecasts it looks like it may well be North Easterlies to head over ... obviously that can all change, but hey it's a start!

As for planned departure - I'm aiming to exit Chichester Harbour headed to Cherbourg on Friday morning @ around 0500 - 0530

 

[masterofnone]

weather

N/E great to get there,if only we can have s/w for the way back, here's hoping.
Should anybody have a copy of the elusive spreadsheet email please pm me and i'll give you my email address. thanks rich

 

[chubby]

I have the week off next week and am planning to leave Portsmouth on monday and maybe take in Alderney and St Vaast and end up in Cherbourg for the weekend, anyone alse planning an early depature and any ports en route to the meet, obviously weather dependant and not Aldeney if NE winds, Chubby, crew list etc to follow

 

[yelbis]

N/E great to get there,if only we can have s/w for the way back, here's hoping.
Should anybody have a copy of the elusive spreadsheet email please pm me and i'll give you my email address. thanks rich

When are you sailing?? We are out of Brighton. (Dulcima) Fantastic sail over last year, got to the owers with option of crossing but decided on a stop off for two hours at Hayling Island due to a sick crew member. Then NE on the Sunday 17 hours on the motor, picking up a net 7 hours out. Back 05:00 on Monday morning!

Not looking at weather til Tuesday next week!!

 

[Chris_Robb]

Lock times for St Vaast are awkward

We had been considering the same cruise as last year - Gosport Thursday overnight - to St Vaast, then Saturday to Cherbourg, then home early Sunday Morning. HOWEVER.....

The lock gate times (French time) are as follows

Friday Opens 0:03 Close 05:21 then opens again at 12:22 closes 17:41

Saturday Opens 01:03 close 06:02 the opens 13:23 closes 18:31

This makes leaving for Cherbourg a pain on Saturday ie get up 5 am - oh thats actually 4am uk time......

Who else was considering St Vaast for the Friday?

I suspect we will opt for the Fireball approach and leave early Friday Morning for Cherbourg.

 

[Chris_Robb]

N/E great to get there,if only we can have s/w for the way back, here's hoping.
Should anybody have a copy of the elusive spreadsheet email please pm me and i'll give you my email address. thanks rich

What spread sheet?

 

[bedouin]

We had been considering the same cruise as last year - Gosport Thursday overnight - to St Vaast, then Saturday to Cherbourg, then home early Sunday Morning. HOWEVER.....

The lock gate times (French time) are as follows

Friday Opens 0:03 Close 05:21 then opens again at 12:22 closes 17:41

Saturday Opens 01:03 close 06:02 the opens 13:23 closes 18:31

This makes leaving for Cherbourg a pain on Saturday ie get up 5 am - oh thats actually 4am uk time......

Who else was considering St Vaast for the Friday?

I suspect we will opt for the Fireball approach and leave early Friday Morning for Cherbourg.

I do wish they would stop picking Neaps for the trip - it does make St Vaast problematical! Each year I try to work out a passage plan to include St Vaast and it never seems to work (both arrival on the Friday (in time to eat well) and the passage round to Cherbourg for the Sat pm are awkward.

Anyway it seems probably that I am crew rather than skipper this year so it is not my problem

 

[Chris_Robb]

I do wish they would stop picking Neaps for the trip - it does make St Vaast problematical! Each year I try to work out a passage plan to include St Vaast and it never seems to work (both arrival on the Friday (in time to eat well) and the passage round to Cherbourg for the Sat pm are awkward.

Anyway it seems probably that I am crew rather than skipper this year so it is not my problem

Last year the tides were about 2 hours later, and therefore workable - See you there - which boat are you on?

 

[bedouin]

Last year the tides were about 2 hours later, and therefore workable - See you there - which boat are you on?

I must admit that I missed last year. Two hours later would have given more margin for error on the Friday, but would have still meant an early start on Saturday.

Unless the marine engineer works a miracle in the next couple of days I'll be crew on Lady in Red this time

 

[Twister_Ken]

"I do wish they would stop picking Neaps for the trip"

Bedders, we had a springs weekend for the first trip, and there was a high degree of disquiet (not to mention nausea) about the wind-over-tide seas. As I recall, Ian Grant's HR42 bust an engine mounting falling off a wave. Thereafter it was felt that neaps would make for an easier crossing. StV coming in the itinerary was a later development.

 

[Chris_Robb]

Weather for return to Portsmouth

Well, with Next Weekend now coming up on the longer range forecasts it looks like it may well be North Easterlies to head over ... obviously that can all change, but hey it's a start!

As for planned departure - I'm aiming to exit Chichester Harbour headed to Cherbourg on Friday morning @ around 0500 - 0530

Sod it - the forecast is great for the outward trip, but NNE 20kn for the return on Sunday.... oh well - there are a few days for it to change - oy, are you listening up there!

 

[fireball]

Yes ... saw the slight change to the Sunday forecast .... oh well - better have plenty to drink on Saturday, set off Sunday and turn the autopilot on ...
Hopefully we'll wake up just in time to tack off the IoW ....

 

[Sans Bateau]

Not sure where your getting your forcasts from guys (totaly meanlingless this far ahead anyway!) but windguru and a downloaded GRIB file does have NE granted but a lot less wind.

 

[bedouin]

"I do wish they would stop picking Neaps for the trip"

Bedders, we had a springs weekend for the first trip, and there was a high degree of disquiet (not to mention nausea) about the wind-over-tide seas. As I recall, Ian Grant's HR42 bust an engine mounting falling off a wave. Thereafter it was felt that neaps would make for an easier crossing. StV coming in the itinerary was a later development.

I remember it well - I was single-handed that time and had a superb crossing. But IIRC that was a lot later in the season (mid October?)

Of course the pureists will tell you that that was in fact the second trip - the first having been held the previous year in St Vaast (attendees IIRC Lady in Red, Shiraz, Pohutukawa and Bedouin)

 

[Chris_Robb]

Not sure where your getting your forcasts from guys (totaly meanlingless this far ahead anyway!) but windguru and a downloaded GRIB file does have NE granted but a lot less wind.

Yes - I know its still too far ahead but can't help looking at how its changing.

http://www.weatheronline.co.uk/marine/weather?3&LANG=en&WIND=g954&CONT=euro&TIME=2009091309

 

[Sans Bateau]

Its starting to look like a motor back on Sunday now!! All change!

 

[Sailfree]

Its starting to look like a motor back on Sunday now!! All change!

Weatheron line is indicating its all over the place later on Sunday even a reach at one stage but if its all over the place I an sure it should be light.

Mark Strongs charts show it almost slightly N of E (is that E NE?) for sunday with a high firmly over Uk.

Magic Seaweed shows F4 -5 mid channel NE for sunday dropping to F4 NE.

Any better opinions of likely Sunday Weather.

Looks like a good trip over though.

 

[Chris_Robb]

Weatheron line is indicating its all over the place later on Sunday even a reach at one stage but if its all over the place I an sure it should be light.

Mark Strongs charts show it almost slightly N of E (is that E NE?) for sunday with a high firmly over Uk.

Magic Seaweed shows F4 -5 mid channel NE for sunday dropping to F4 NE.

Any better opinions of likely Sunday Weather.

Looks like a good trip over though.

A gentle crossing into the swell left over from 4 days of N Easterly winds!

 

[Sans Bateau]

At least it will get easier (he says hopefully!) the nearer we get to home as I wasnt looking forward to a 20knt NE against the flood around St Cats and Bembridge ledge.

 

[Chris_Robb]

QUOTE Magic Seaweed shows F4 -5 mid channel NE for sunday dropping to F4 NE

Magic Seaweed now in line with other forecasters - Light N going varialble then calm