1st channell crossing do I need a pilot

[Jobs_a_ good_ un]

Planning on a trip to the med in may and we need to cross the channel
probably from nab tower to la harve Ive got simrad colour chart plotter
interfaced with auto pilot and radar on my Broom 345 (year 2000) twin yanmars 250 hp We both have a icc and done about 400 hours of boating mostly inland waterways and say 50-60 hours coastal cruising around the solent etc Do I need a pilot for the trip ?
I think I would be o.k at doing a passage plan
opinions please

 

[hlb]

Hmm. With auto pilot and plotter. its just press and go. But which way are you going to the Med, canal or the long way round?? Subject to sea state of course.

 

[Talbot]

if you have the correct charts, and know how to behave in the zones, then there shouldnt be a problem. If you are not happy, why not see if anyone else is makeing the same trip, and cruise in company.

 

[Jobs_a_ good_ un]

Planning on going through the canals

 

[Freebee]

Thats a tall boat is air draft going to be a problem on the canals?

 

[Jobs_a_ good_ un]

The air draft drops down to 3.25 m the maximum for the canals is 3.5m thats partly why I bought a Broom.
We did the same journey last year great trip very pretty

 

[[2574]]

pick a nice F2/3 settled forecast, check the real weather outside (!) point the bows south and go - you'll be fine.

Have fun.

rob

 

[hlb]

Long as you pick the weather, have the charts, pilot books. There should be no problem. Dont know the area well. But do know about first time crossing and going to strange places!! Thing I did, was use the chart plotter and auto pilot on little trips. If it takes you there, then it will take you far away. But check every hour or so if your going the right way and keep a note of your position say, every half hour. Then if the [censored] hits the fan. At least you know where you are and can carry on off compass.

 

[mobione]

[ QUOTE ]
The air draft drops down to 3.25 m the maximum for the canals is 3.5m thats partly why I bought a Broom.
We did the same journey last year great trip very pretty

[/ QUOTE ]

How did you cross the channel last year?

Out of interest how long did it take to cross france via canal?

 

[hlb]

Another point is. Why is sh*t censored and twat not!! not really worried about it, but just a thort!!

 

[Jobs_a_ good_ un]

last year we put it on a truck and took it on from le harve
It took us 7 weeks last year but we spent a week in paris a few days stopped here and there I reckon you can do it in 3 weeks ish if you leg it
I heard of a guy who did it in 2 weeks cant confirm if its right theres 200 locks from channell to med and you dont have to actually open one if you dont want to they do it all for you although after a while of 25 locks per day you cant wait to see a bit of open water its a very sociable journey mostly retired couples on steel boats not many elec hook ups but stunning scenery

 

[tcm]

um, in the right weather i would have no probs about the x-channel but get much more worried bout the rivers and canals! Praps think of the chnl like a very large wide rivery thing and you're just crossing from one side to the other to make it sound better. You should have an overall chart on paper really, and an almanac is needed so you can change your plans if for some reason you can't make le havre.

You really want any wind to have some south in it so that when you set off - that's as bad as it's gonna be and you can take a realistic decision about continuing. With north, it get worser and worserer at the french side as you get nearer.

The chart plotter is ok for a passage plan, but really if it's nice and calm you should resolve the tidal effects over the whole estimated triop duration and set off in a direction that may seem not right on the plotter but will "pull you in" to le havre gradually. So, frexample if you head direct for le havre on the plotter from an hour out, but there is 2knots of tide eastgoing,, you (or the auto pilot) wil constantly be correcting against the tide to stay on that direct over-the ground route, Whereas, see if you allow for the tide, you actual aim and travel along a shorter side of a triangle, and tide does the rest for free at the same time.

A good plan is you be to trumpet in advance you time of departure and running speed, and everyone on the pontoon (or here) wil probly work it out for you! Then instead of using the "Goto" function which assumes no tide, you set the "auto" button to just hold a heading. Once you have that heading, and set gps on auto (i am guessing that you wd go on a single tide, hence head out a fair bit south of le havre but end up there) you could check and keep checking off the compass so not totally knackered if gps crashes or whatever.

Of course, if the weather is rubbisher, then you don't want hold the steady course cos of conditions: Say frexample it is SW 4-5 ish as you get to the nab then it will be a bit splooshy on a se or southerly heading so stuff that - go up channel more east than south but pinch to the south as waves alow, and (cos the wind has south, remeber) it will get that much calmer as you cross specially when down level with cherbourg which shields that whole bay, so then turn hard south and into le havre. You course will be an arc curving down into le havre at the last bit.

same gioes for stong East or se and in may there can be easterly winds. So, head south or even SW, and pinch as muchh as you fancy to the east: eventually, the big lump of pas-de-calais wil shield the seastate much better so as the sea gets flatter heyho turn east once nearer the bay of erm the seine.

Don't muck about with the shipping lanes. The ships do 20 knots so aim to the stern of one but if it seems to be nipping past a bit quick and there's another coming, change determinedly and aim to the back of that next one.

I am going to the med, but twill be quicker hopefully the long way around. Mainly of course, i can't stand the idea of other forum types making nasty comments about riverish types being ditchcrawlers and eating shortbread biscuits on plates with doilies. Do you get this? I mean er apart from me just saying it...

have fun

 

[Oldhand]

Can you navigate if your Simrad plotter fails? If not, you should acquaint yourself with manual chart work techniques first. Are you sufficiently aware of Colregs to cross 2 lanes of shipping taking the correct aviodance actions? If not you have further homework to do. Are you able to either use ARPA on your radar or do manual radar target plotting? If not, you should only cross the channel when visibility dictates use of radar unnecssasry.

You don't state enough about your own seamanship capabilities for a definitive answer so I have just pointed out 3 skills you will need above.

 

[tcm]

um bit harsh but fairly fair.

As for shipping lanes he is inlandyy so i bet he is hot shi er twat about missing boats/ships by four inches and often a lot more...

 

[ashanta]

That's what I was thinking?

Are you looking for something else? You could be passing on yor experience to less experienced people!

 

[mjf]

Big ships - steer clear

I would agree with tcm, with the added comment that when dealing with any large commercial vessels some will be well in excess of 20knts (btw) I always make large alterations of course and or speed so as to leave no doubt at all, as to my intentions.

The guy on the bridge will appreciate that and know what you are doing.

Good Luck and enjoy it!

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Nah, you dont need a pilot but if you are a bit nervous about it, you might find a forumite or two who would be up for a channel crossing. Agree with the others though. Do not simply rely on the plotter. Take large scale charts especially for your landfall area and learn how to use them properly. Le Havre is quite an easy entrance but there are a few sticky-up bits in the Seine estuary which you'll need to avoid
The other alternative is for you to join one of MBM's cross channel cruises in company, even their Paris cruise and then there's always somebody on hand if things go wrong

 

[KevB]

Oh dear,

It seems that everyone else makes a lot more effort in crossing the channel than I do /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif. If you can find your way to the NAB tower then you can cross the channel.

My simple rules are....

1) Check weather.
2) stick half a dozen weypoints in your plotter and tick them off as you pass them, if your GPS goes wrong you'll know roughly where you are on a paper chart.
3) If youare going on your own let the coast guard know where you are going and your eta
4) Give way to anything bigger than you.
5) don't go the wrong way down the shipping lanes.
6) Go with another boat if possible
7) Look out for pirates!! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

To be fair, after you've done it a few times, its just a milk run but if you're a Channel virgin, the first time is a bit nerve wracking especially when, like my first time, you run into fog in the shipping lanes without a functioning radar
Its always better to be over anxious than over confident

 

[hlb]

In truth, I dont make any effort at all these days. All that working tides out sujested by TCM is more than I can be arses with. I just bung a way point in the harbour entrance. Less theres corners to go round of course. Then I promise to take notes of position and heading every hour, but cant be bothered to go down stairs for the info. So, if I honest, I supose I aint got a clue where I am, till I get there. Hmm, not quite true, but anyway. Pitty, I used to check everything!!