A dead run down Alderney Race?

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BlueSkyNick

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My longstanding passage plan to go Lym to StPP in one has me going down the Alderney race in about 7knots of tide and now the forecast is suggesting 20+ knots of wind right up our chuff.

I am not keen on a being on a dead run at the best of times, and am concerned about the likely sea conditions. Gybe preventer will be rigged, or maybe genoa only.

Should I divert to Cherbourg first? Braye is clearly out of the question.

Any thoughts?
 
Well I dont know.. maybe there is something I am missing... but I would have thought the sea state would have been damn near flat... and you would only have 12 knots apparent wind.... so its a Spinakker job!

Sounds like a blast.... record SOG potential!
 
is that tide against, or with you ? It will make a big difference to the apparent WS and your sail tactics. Wind against tidal stream will be a bit lumpy; wind with, should be easy enough.

Perhaps a chance to rig another intermediate foresail, and sail with twins, with the main not in the equation ?
 
I think the apparent wind point is well made. However, things can go wrong quickly with powerful wind and tidal forces at work. Personally, I'd forget the main (and spinny) for that reason and go genoa only. Should be a safe fast ride with the abilty to go west a bit and get in the lee of Alderney if necessary.
 
Why the race,

Why not the Swinge if going to St PP

Be prepared to divert to Cherbourg if conditions don't seem right for a passage down the Race

If you go to Cherbourg and then the wind drops right off there is an interesting passage inshore of the light house at Cap de la Hague to explore. Its marked but only locals and fishing boats boats seem to use it.
 
Nick the seastate in Alderney Race will not be any more of a problem than that in the Channel with that wind IMO and in any event you can time it to arrive around slack (30mins before HW Dover I think). The fast south going tides will tend to set you down so your probable heading to keep on course for the Little Russel will have more west in it too maybe bringing the boom across...and back again..

I like the genoa only option but recognise in a Moody you might need every bit of canvas up you have.:) If you have in-mast you could maybe lose the main later if needs be.
 
Robin said:
I like the genoa only option but recognise in a Moody you might need every bit of canvas up you have.:).
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:p

The genoa is 630 sq.ft (double the size of the main) so pushes her along quite nicely, thank you. However, apart from the gybe risk, we go a good knot or two faster on a broad reach than a dead run, and its a lot more comfortable.

Thanks for all other comments - they have put my mind at rest and made it easier to explain to SWMBO that all will be fine !
 
sarabande said:
is that tide against, or with you ? It will make a big difference to the apparent WS and your sail tactics. Wind against tidal stream will be a bit lumpy; wind with, should be easy enough.

Perhaps a chance to rig another intermediate foresail, and sail with twins, with the main not in the equation ?
Click to expand...

Hardly likely to try sailing into 7kts of tide! Like the idea of twin headsails - anybody got a space genoa lying around?
 
VicS said:
Why the race,

Why not the Swinge if going to St PP

Be prepared to divert to Cherbourg if conditions don't seem right for a passage down the Race

If you go to Cherbourg and then the wind drops right off there is an interesting passage inshore of the light house at Cap de la Hague to explore. Its marked but only locals and fishing boats boats seem to use it.
Click to expand...


Ehhhh!!!

Am I missing sumfink or are these about the stupidest suggestions for a passage plan I've seen for a long time!!!
 
MoodyNick said:
Hardly likely to try sailing into 7kts of tide!
Click to expand...

Fun if you get it right....

speed.jpg


This was off C de la Hague as we were about to enter the race.
 
After reading the Almanacs and hearing a few tales I was always concerned about the Aldernay Race. I would still treat it with respect in strong winds or wind over tide but otherwise I always go through at just before mid tide going South and often mid tiode going N and wizz through.

I use Swing (sorry edit due to mistake)only if going to Aldernay but otherwise avoid it as it is narrower and why take the risk! I would use Genoa only and enter the Aldernay side as I generally find it rougher of the Cap.

Happy Sailing.
 
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Going north from St Peter Port and taking the tide means you will almost certainly go through the Race with a lot of tide, our record was 18kts SOG when doing 8kts boatspeed! Going south we tended to target the Race at HW slack a) because we often went direct to Jersey and that allows time to do so with the tide all the way b) it still allowed time to reach St Peter Port even making only a knot or two boatspeed on a light day. The Little Russel is easy enough, it's like a big funnel and the ferries use it. One thing which if remembered makes all seem much less stressful too is that the charts show the nasties at seen at LAT whereas at half tide & up there is plenty of depth pretty well everywhere. The fast ferries even cut inside east of some of the Little Russel marks sometimes.

The Swinge is really only of use going to & from Alderney or from Poole southbound if you ended up that side after a Channel crossing and the Ortac Channel can help too in that case. From the Solent the Race is the obvious route and from Weymouth west then go west of Casquets anyway.

For those new to the area, the best route from Cherbourg is to use the inshore back eddy, starts at Cherbourg HW, to get up to NW of Cap De La Hague and cross well over to the Alderney side of the race before turning for St Peter Port. It is better (and faster) than turning straight after Cap De La Hague when you get set south of the track and end up pointing higher and higher (or not in some boats...) just to stay on the track to the Little Russel if the wind is SW. Because of this back eddy inshore, on the return northbound to Cherbourg stay well offshore after Cap De La Hague until past Bass Brefort buoy or you could end up going nowhere fast, like we did once with 8kts boatspeed and standing still.. The roughest water in the Race is on the Cap De La Hague side and even there still after passing through north of Cap De La Hague. The NE set of the tide extends well out into the Channel too. like 7-8mls.
 
Harrumph thats nuffink, I've had 19knots SOG with 5 knots of boats speed (cut the corner close to Cap de la Hague in a F2 and almost had to put the washboards in!
 
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