Salty
Well-Known Member
Sitting here in the dry and warm of my study and watching dogs being blown off chains outside - hope you made it back okay... or decided against it.
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1st Single Handed Channel Crossing - wish me luck.
- Thread starter Koeketiene
- Start date
Koeketiene
Well-Known Member
Re: 1st Single Handed Channel Crossing - didn\'t!!!
Hi gang,
Reporting back - no real horror stories. Yanita's still in Ostend.
Here's the story.
Yanita was in Ostend for some sail repairs and the fitting of new lazyjack and sprayhood. The sail loft is very good, I've used them before and would recommend them to anyone. Work carried out as I like it: On time, on budget & on spec!
The electronics also needed updating (I only had a working echosounder - no log or wind). So splashed out on new kit/toys. All was fitted, but not as I had asked/instructed. The GPS fitted in the wrong place; GPS and windindicator not hooked up to the Autopilot, you get the picture... . Was slightly "miffed" - especially since I had been assured on the phone on Wednesday that everything would be readys as requested on Friday A.M.
Meanwhile the WX wasn't exactly as predicted (slightly worse) and the outlook for Saturday was OTT. Contacted a friend at the Fleet Weather Forecast Office - next WE looks fine - as far as they can tell - E 3/4. Nice! So decided to give them another week to put things right.
Booked a flight back on Saturday (Ryanair Ostend - Stansted £1 + tax). Whilst I was there made the best of it. As is my wont, stopped by the RNSYC - great meal, beer to die for (I nearly did ;-D) and some great people. Before I got comatose started talking about berthing charges/marinas. As some of you may know, there a 3 marinas in Ostend and for my 38 footer they would all charge (roughly) £1,000 for a year! This includes all government tax and all charges. With the cheap Ryanair flights I am very, very tempted to move Yanita down there from Gillingham next year.
So, it was not a completely wasted WE. Dammaged my liver somewhat, but learned a lot. Will be making the X-ing next week with my 12-yr old daughter in a more relaxed fashion.
<hr width=100% size=1>Fair winds.
If not... reef early!
Hi gang,
Reporting back - no real horror stories. Yanita's still in Ostend.
Here's the story.
Yanita was in Ostend for some sail repairs and the fitting of new lazyjack and sprayhood. The sail loft is very good, I've used them before and would recommend them to anyone. Work carried out as I like it: On time, on budget & on spec!
The electronics also needed updating (I only had a working echosounder - no log or wind). So splashed out on new kit/toys. All was fitted, but not as I had asked/instructed. The GPS fitted in the wrong place; GPS and windindicator not hooked up to the Autopilot, you get the picture... . Was slightly "miffed" - especially since I had been assured on the phone on Wednesday that everything would be readys as requested on Friday A.M.
Meanwhile the WX wasn't exactly as predicted (slightly worse) and the outlook for Saturday was OTT. Contacted a friend at the Fleet Weather Forecast Office - next WE looks fine - as far as they can tell - E 3/4. Nice! So decided to give them another week to put things right.
Booked a flight back on Saturday (Ryanair Ostend - Stansted £1 + tax). Whilst I was there made the best of it. As is my wont, stopped by the RNSYC - great meal, beer to die for (I nearly did ;-D) and some great people. Before I got comatose started talking about berthing charges/marinas. As some of you may know, there a 3 marinas in Ostend and for my 38 footer they would all charge (roughly) £1,000 for a year! This includes all government tax and all charges. With the cheap Ryanair flights I am very, very tempted to move Yanita down there from Gillingham next year.
So, it was not a completely wasted WE. Dammaged my liver somewhat, but learned a lot. Will be making the X-ing next week with my 12-yr old daughter in a more relaxed fashion.
<hr width=100% size=1>Fair winds.
If not... reef early!
DeeGee
Well-Known Member
Re: 1st Single Handed Channel Crossing - didn\'t!!!
Well, I don't see what your daughter has to be relaxed about! Single-handing back and doing all the nav, at 12, with dad sleeping it off down below! ;-)
Serious question... I am a bit of a naive bloke where this new-fangled flying stuff is concerned. How do you get these economically non-viable flights? Can you reliably book ahead at these sort of prices, or were you luckily mopping up some last minute bargain?
<hr width=100% size=1>Black Sugar - the sweetest of all
Well, I don't see what your daughter has to be relaxed about! Single-handing back and doing all the nav, at 12, with dad sleeping it off down below! ;-)
Serious question... I am a bit of a naive bloke where this new-fangled flying stuff is concerned. How do you get these economically non-viable flights? Can you reliably book ahead at these sort of prices, or were you luckily mopping up some last minute bargain?
<hr width=100% size=1>Black Sugar - the sweetest of all
Koeketiene
Well-Known Member
Re: 1st Single Handed Channel Crossing - didn\'t!!!
Well... she's got to learn sometime. Seems as good a time as any ;oD
Re: cheap flights. Ryanair has been about for some time, so here's hoping to stay around. You can book ahead, in fact the further ahead you book, the cheaper the flight. At the moment they're even offering FREE flights at the moment. God knows how they do it, and I won't try to understand it. It just seems stupid not to take advantage of it.
There seems to be only one "expensive" day in the week for flights to Ostend -> Friday at £19.99 one way. But that's still a good deal. There's a free shuttle bus to the station; and from there it's only a 5/10 mins stroll to the marina.
The more I think about it, the more I'm tempted to move Yanita there. I would save £1,450 in marina charges - that's a lot of flights!
<hr width=100% size=1>Fair winds.
If not... reef early!
Well... she's got to learn sometime. Seems as good a time as any ;oD
Re: cheap flights. Ryanair has been about for some time, so here's hoping to stay around. You can book ahead, in fact the further ahead you book, the cheaper the flight. At the moment they're even offering FREE flights at the moment. God knows how they do it, and I won't try to understand it. It just seems stupid not to take advantage of it.
There seems to be only one "expensive" day in the week for flights to Ostend -> Friday at £19.99 one way. But that's still a good deal. There's a free shuttle bus to the station; and from there it's only a 5/10 mins stroll to the marina.
The more I think about it, the more I'm tempted to move Yanita there. I would save £1,450 in marina charges - that's a lot of flights!
<hr width=100% size=1>Fair winds.
If not... reef early!
milltech
Well-Known Member
Re: 1st Single Handed Channel Crossing - didn\'t!!!
Food will be better too, but the Euro will hurt.
<hr width=100% size=1>John
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.allgadgets.co.uk>http://www.allgadgets.co.uk</A>
Food will be better too, but the Euro will hurt.
<hr width=100% size=1>John
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.allgadgets.co.uk>http://www.allgadgets.co.uk</A>
Koeketiene
Well-Known Member
Re: 1st Single Handed Channel Crossing - didn\'t!!!
Don't care about the € - am on secondment to a NATO HQ. For some reaon or other when you get posted to a European HQ "they" pay in €.
When you get posted across the pond, "they" pay in $.
<hr width=100% size=1>Fair winds.
If not... reef early!
Don't care about the € - am on secondment to a NATO HQ. For some reaon or other when you get posted to a European HQ "they" pay in €.
When you get posted across the pond, "they" pay in $.
<hr width=100% size=1>Fair winds.
If not... reef early!
pandroid
Well-Known Member
Oops...
I see Ryanair have just canned the Stanstead to Ostend route.
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I see Ryanair have just canned the Stanstead to Ostend route.
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Koeketiene
Well-Known Member
Re: Oops...
Saw it as well.
One word: bugger!
Proves the old military axiom: no battle plan survives first contact with the enemy.
It would appear that there's still a ferry service being operated between Ramsgate & Ostend. Is it freight only, or do they take "ordinary" passengers as well?
Anybody know?
<hr width=100% size=1>Fair winds.
If not... reef early!
Saw it as well.
One word: bugger!
Proves the old military axiom: no battle plan survives first contact with the enemy.
It would appear that there's still a ferry service being operated between Ramsgate & Ostend. Is it freight only, or do they take "ordinary" passengers as well?
Anybody know?
<hr width=100% size=1>Fair winds.
If not... reef early!
pandroid
Well-Known Member
Re: Oops...
Actually we found the best solution to be the Hoverspeed Dover to Ostend Fast ferry service. There is a good Friday night out/Sunday night back service, it only takes a couple of hours and if you do more than 6 trips you get a 'frequent flyer' discount. Its (almost) as cheap as Ryanair
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Actually we found the best solution to be the Hoverspeed Dover to Ostend Fast ferry service. There is a good Friday night out/Sunday night back service, it only takes a couple of hours and if you do more than 6 trips you get a 'frequent flyer' discount. Its (almost) as cheap as Ryanair
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Koeketiene
Well-Known Member
Re: Oops...
Hoverspeed don't sail to Ostend anymore - service halted March 2003. Only Hoverspeed routes left are Dover-Calais & Newhaven-Dieppe.
There's still a ferry service out of Ostend (Trans European something...) I assume they sail the Ostend-Ramsgate route, because that's the only 2 ports I've seen them.
<hr width=100% size=1>Fair winds.
If not... reef early!
Hoverspeed don't sail to Ostend anymore - service halted March 2003. Only Hoverspeed routes left are Dover-Calais & Newhaven-Dieppe.
There's still a ferry service out of Ostend (Trans European something...) I assume they sail the Ostend-Ramsgate route, because that's the only 2 ports I've seen them.
<hr width=100% size=1>Fair winds.
If not... reef early!
vyv_cox
Well-Known Member
Re: Oops...
There seems to be no passenger ferry operating out of Ramsgate. The council is making some effort to attract a company and I have heard rumours that something may happen before long, although I don't think Oostende was the port in question. The Dover - Oostende Seacat only operates during summer months.
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There seems to be no passenger ferry operating out of Ramsgate. The council is making some effort to attract a company and I have heard rumours that something may happen before long, although I don't think Oostende was the port in question. The Dover - Oostende Seacat only operates during summer months.
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squidge
Well-Known Member
What about all those lorrys that trundle on and off the Ramsgate ferry?If no foot passengers then maybe as a "drivers mate" for the trip out ? Any how shouldnt be a problem as thousands of illegals do it every day dont they?/forums/images/icons/smile.gif
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