Aug - Sailing to guernsey

[Robin]

Woody

You probably know this but just in case:

Going from Cherbourg you can leave there at HW Cherbourg and use the back eddy tide inshore to take you to Cap De La Hague, arriving at the Race at slack water. Don't turn down the plughole too soon or you will get set south off Herm and end up turning more and more to starboard and into a westerly wind if it is, just to stay on track. Best (and quickest IMO in a SW or W wind is to turn down from a wpt 2/3rds of the way across to Alderney, that way all the tide push is on the tail.

Otherwise the tide goes south in the race about 40 mins before HW Dover.

Be aware that the spring tides around 20th -23rd August are pretty big with Dover heights of 7.0m, about as good as it gets! SOG figures in the Race could be very interesting and not a time to be there with wind against tide.

Robin

 

[StellaGirl]

I went through the Alderney race once on a delivery in a 40 footer with 45kts wind true against tide. Lumpy is an understatement!

 

[A_7]

Yes, Beaucette is great.

 

[powerskipper]

Beaucette Marina entrance is where the arrow is,

 

[Robin]

That is the stuff of nightmares. Our 'record' is a F7 (gave us 35-40kts apparent) NE on the biggest tides of the year going back up in a Westerly 33. A fishing boat was lost with all on board in the Race which had to be seen to be believed, the forecast (after days of gales) was NE F3/F4. I have no wish at all to try and beat that personal best!

Robin

 

[dralex]

Also make sure you input a load of ultra safe waypoints in your GPS for the Little Russel- if the visibility drops, it can be entertaining to say the least, especially with up to 10knots over the ground- that's very fast to be playing slalom with the rocks, but you have to go that fast with the tide to maintain steerage. SUcking eggs and all that stuff, but if you do have to steer by the GPS, navigate on the cross track error and stay in the middle of your intended course.

Enjoy it

 

[woody001]

10 knots, OMG - its starting to scare me.

 

[Sailfree]

I have seen 14.7kts on the GPS with a boat speed of 3.5kts- little breeze but spring tides going through the Alderney race. I have also gone backwards for about 5hours near Cap le Hague when I left Guernsey too late (wind on nose & later F7/8). I strongly recommend you get the timing right, going with the tide is fine if NO wind over tide otherwise hit it at slack water.

Whatever the forecast allow for wind to be one force higher at the top of the race.

I always have a hand held backup GPS with waypoints entered to take me through the channels like the little russel. Just in case of Fog and failure of the boat electrics.

Like you I just had a go at things at first but soon learnt to value the advise on this forum - it does speed up the learning curve.

Out of curiosity I assume you have done at least RYA Day Skipper? Have you done or are you doing Yachtmaster theory?

Just logged on to your website the Swede 38 looks great you must be proud and you obviously look after it well.

 

[StellaGirl]

if you get it wrong as we once did and miss the tide then going round the outside of Alderney is always an option!

 

[Robin]

Erm the 10kts is in the Little Russell and assumes maybe 6kts boatspeed. In parts of Alderney Race SOG could be 18kts (we have seen that and we only were doing 6kts), makes the time to go to next waypoint look good though, cross Channel in 3 hours, who needs a Mobo!

 

[supra30]

[ QUOTE ]
if you get it wrong as we once did and miss the tide then going round the outside of Alderney is always an option!

[/ QUOTE ]

Or inside the lighthouse at the Cap! Probably a good idea to have a copy of Robson if you fancy trying that though...

 

[DepSol]

send me a pm with your number and I will answer any wquestions and dispell any myths at the same time.

Dom

 

[pjobson]

Visit Alderney and Sark if u like the quiet life. The Indian Restaurant in Alderney is a MUST (plus the locals in the Yacht Club are a scream)

 

[BlueChip]

IMHO you will find Guernsey expensive and the food not a patch on France, but its an interesting place to visit for a day or so. The best way to see the island is to hire a car or get a one day bus pass, there is a circular bus route that goes all the way round

On August bank holiday in St Peter Port there is a hill climb up the hill nearby the marina, unlike most mainland events those in the channel islands take place on closed public roads and its a great sight to watch (and hear) as you get all sorts of extreme vehicles hurtling up the steep bendy hill at breackneck speeds, often crashing or spinning off the road. There is a footpath that runs up the side of the hill where you can get some great views