1st Single Handed Channel Crossing - wish me luck.

[Koeketiene]

Hi gang,

Just had to share my sense of impending doom with someone. This place seemed to be as good as any. So here goes:

Yanita's currently in Ostend - undergoing some repairs to her sails and a long overdue electronics upgrade. It's no fun sailing with just an echosounder - some might argue that this is all you need, but still it's the 21st century. So I splashed out a bit: full set wind/depth/log, Simrad Wheel Pilot 30, Furuno 32 GPS and NASA GPS repeater at the wheel. Should all add to the comfort factor.

She's been in Ostend for a month now, and I miss her a lot. Weekends seem very empty now (don't belive in a sailing season - as far as I am concerned sailing's always in season). But can't deny the fact that the weather has been a bit "off" lately. There seems to be a weather "window" this Friday (28/11), so I'm going for it. Alas without a crew - SWMBO is working abroad at the moment (not back till Monday), daughter's got flu (badly) and don't feel like taking 7-yr old son with me, I'll be busy enough as it is and I haven't got eyes at the back of my head.

So here's the plan: Friday 28 Nov cross over from Ostend to Ramsgate - done it several times (just not singlehanded) without GPS, so navigation should not be a problem with GPS. Wind not exactly perfect, but there won't be a lot of it and I'm prepared to motor - the main thing is getting across, if I can sail some time, that's an added bonus. Hope to make Ramsgate around sunset.
On Saturday nip around North Forland just in time to catch the tide all the way to the Medway. Again, hope to arrive in Gillingham just before sunset.

So... wish me luck. Also, any last minute advice from people who've done this kind of thing at this time of year would be most appreciated.

<hr width=100% size=1>Fair winds.
If not... reef early!

 

[ParaHandy]

Re: glutton for punishment .. ?

.. some weather window ... F7-8?

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[vyv_cox]

Synoptic charts show lightish westerly at 0000 Friday, backing and increasing to something like F5 by Saturday 0000. The Dutch KNMI site, usually fairly reliable, gives W3 Friday, S4 Saturday. So it should be a reasonable day to make the crossing. Your choice is whether to head out of Oostende and straight across, or down the coast to make a shorter crossing from, say, Dunkerque. The chart indicates that there could be some leftover slop coming down the North Sea, so my choice, assuming tide is OK, would be to take the route inside the banks as far as possible, heading north once past Dunkerque Oest Port.

Good luck, hope it goes well.

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[qsiv]

Re: glutton for punishment .. ?

Wheredyou see that!

I cant see more than 10 to 15 knots, backing from NNW to SSW as the day passes. By noon, it should be a nice reach, as the afternoon wears on the apparent wind will fall off as the wind comes aft.

Doesnt look too grim.

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[qsiv]

I'd go for that - always sail towards the wind shift, so down the coast till you can lay your course on port (or until you cant clear the land). The port tack will free steadily after about 10 ish.

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[ParaHandy]

Re: glutton for punishment .. ?

met 00z Sat & 1200z Sat synoptic charts. Friday, sure is fine but saturday is not (when he expects to be around n foreland) and without measuring exactly would think 40kn is quite possible on sat. Weather-on-line don't show anything like that but it's possible that the 00 & 12z charts are more recent (48 & 72hr which arrived unusually promptly this am)

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[AndrewB]

Done this one a few times. Solo, I prefer the coast route through the Passe de Zuidcoote, so that Dunkerque is an option if necessary. It's more sheltered with less sea in behind the sandbanks, even if a bit longer. The tide works fairly well though, flood along the coast aiming to be at SW Ruytingen buoy about 1 hour before HW Dover, then take the ebb up to Ramsgate either inside or outside the Goodwins. Inside is more sheltered but I'd use the Gull Stream rather than Ramsgate Channel as it can be tricky finding the B2 buoy at night, it's unlit and almost invisible.

You don't want to spend much time at the helm at this time of year. That new autopilot will be crucial - if it's at all doubtful, take time out to test it and get it sorted. You need to be able to make a hot drink. Keeping warm and dry is VERY important, specially after dusk.

A Brit yachtsman was heavily fined recently for going against the lights in Ostend -- may be best to call for clearance.

How are you going to get there? It used to be a very convenient place to leave a yacht, but with no ferry service now it isn't at all easy to reach by train. (Any suggestions appreciated).

Oh, and good luck! Wish I could offer to help.

 

[Koeketiene]

Re: glutton for punishment .. ?

F 7-8???

Where did you see that???

Most sites (UK, BE & NL) give me a NW becoming SW 3-4

<hr width=100% size=1>Fair winds.
If not... reef early!

 

[kilkerr1]

Good luck, hope the crossing doesn't become too 'interesting'...

Was in Gillingham only last week, v helpful peeps - though you might want to ask them nicely to turn the hot water back on...

Fair winds!

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://kilkerr.members.easyspace.com/santateresa_pics.htm>Santa Teresa and other t'ings</A>

 

[zefender]

Re: Belt n braces

Given that its new kit, just fitted, I think if sailing alone, I'd be inclined to take a handheld GPS as back up in case the new kit decides to fail!

Best of luck for the trip.

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[AndrewB]

Re: Belt n braces

A GPS isn't really crucial for this one unless the visibility is poor (in which case crossing the TSS is inadvisable). There will always be buoyage within sight, and land most of the time - all the time if the coast route is followed.

If doubling up kit for a belt-and-braces approach to this passage, I'd rate a depth sounder much higher!

 

[Koeketiene]

Thanks, most helpfull reply.

I've been thinking about staying inside the banks as well. Couple of things still bugging me:

1. Time - left my Almanac & Tidal Atlas on board, so will have to wait till I get on board (Thursday PM) to work out a good time to leave on Friday.
2. Autopilot has just been fitted - don't know yet how well it will cope in real life with the seas. Navigation of Nieuwpoort/Dunkerque has to be spot on. Singlehanded this worries me... helming, plotting, trimming...

Am fairly familiar with Ostend, make a run ashore there 3/4 times a year. Know about the lights.

Ostend's still a good place to leave a yacht. Ryan Air fly from Stansted to Ostend for £1 + tax. So that's not too bad. There's also a free shuttle from the airport to the railway station. From there it's only a 10 min stroll to the marina.

<hr width=100% size=1>Fair winds.
If not... reef early!

 

[AndrewB]

HW Dover is about 2pm on Friday. Springs. The current is not strong along the Belgian coast but beyond Dunkerque you don't want to buck it.

Argues for leaving Ostend at around 6am (GMT). You should be down to SW Ruytingen by 1pm assuming you can keep up 5 knots. With luck you would be in Ramsgate by 6pm, most of the way in the light.

(P.S. Should you go into Dunkerque, the pontoons at the YC Mer du Nord are being refurbished at present, you have to use the first marina on the left hand side. I'm told it's crowded).

 

[andy_wilson]

Good luck! nm

nm

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[Gunfleet]

You don't need luck, you seem to have it sorted. This is the best way to organise yourself! I've done it a couple of times single handed. Frankly, crossing the estuary single handed is a bit more of a problem... but it can still be done, even by duffers like me.

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[AuntyRinum]

Done this many times but still remember how scary the first time was. When you've done it you'll wonder why you were concerned, it's no different to doing it with a crew, just more work. Have you ever taken people sailing who know absolutely nothing, were completely clueless, and you had to do everything yourself? Well it's exactly like that but without the inconvenience of people getting in your way all the time. You ask for any last minute advice. Think ahead and reef when you first think of it.

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[AuntyRinum]

"Singlehanded this worries me... helming, plotting, trimming..."

Be prepared to heave to if you want to. People seem to forget that's an option. Plenty of time to do whatever you have to then.

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[robp]

Probably not the kind of advice you're looking for. So sorry if it's granny and eggs! Offshore singlehanded I'm pedantic about clipping on. Waterproof VHF clipped to LJ. Pre-prepared food, like those chunky fresh soups in flasks. Reefed really early. Something to pee in. (Not over the side). Sometimes this time of year one might not want to leave the helm for quite a while. Check how boat heaves to before you need to. Sea sick tablets early, even if you're never sick. Big problems if you're struck down with that. (Unlikely in the cockpit though).

Have a great trip!

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[Twister_Ken]

Miniscule piece of advice

Don't be worried about asking the marina to have someone ready to take your lines when you arrive.

Nothing messes up the warm glow of a succesful singlehanded passage quite like screwing up the parking when you arrive!

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.writeforweb.com/twister1>Let's Twist Again</A>

 

[TheBoatman]

Re: Miniscule piece of advice

You'll be fine, best of luck.
If it's HW Dover at 2 pm and your arriving R'gate at 6 ish the tide will be southbound so if the winds SW 3-4 be prepared for a slightly bumpy ride into R'gate for the last couple of miles.
BTW does the autohelm talk to the GPS?

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