Back from Belgium or Bust!

2

[2068]

...
Joined
19 Sep 2002
Messages
18,113
Visit site
If anyone has been following the MBM Cruising Club blog, you might already know that Flower Power went to Belgium, then Holland, and almost made it back again. An unofficial write-up of the actual cruise with some piccies will follow when I get a spare hour or so.

http://www.motorboatsmonthly.co.uk/cruisingclub/1/blog

Unfortunately, S28's don't go well with only three propellors, so we had to hitch a ride on "Blue Fin" to get back.

Last weekend, was Recovery Mission 1:
- Left work at 15:30
- Tube across London to Kings Cross
- 10 mins running across Kings Cross - it's huge!
- High speed train to Dover
- Dover to Calais Ferry
- A very nice man relieves me of many Euros to taxi me to Nieuwport, Belgium.
- Crash out in the boat
- Wake up to find that the wind is Northerly F5.
- Replace No4 propellor from the spare that SWMBO had in her handbag.
- Cast off and have a look out of the harbour.
- It's 2m waves, confused seas, and getting thrown all over the place at 10kts. Not an option for the next 5 hours, so turn around and go back into port.
- Look at the weather for the rest of the weekend.
- Call back the very nice man who relieves me of many more Euros to taxi me back to Calais.
- Calais to Dover ferry.
- Train back to Hayling.

This Thursday, Recovery mission 2 starts.
Except, I've got one day to get it back (Friday).
165 miles in one day :eek:
A bit mad in an S28, surely?

Neale B did it in Blue Fin, but then again I did see a blue and red cape emblazoned with an "S" that he was wearing underneath the Henry Lloyd.

Hoping not to turn back again,
dv.
 
Last edited:
FlowerPower said:
If anyone has been following the MBM Cruising Club blog, you might already know that Flower Power went to Belgium, then Holland, and almost made it back again. An unofficial write-up of the actual cruise with some piccies will follow when I get a spare hour or so.

http://www.motorboatsmonthly.co.uk/cruisingclub/1/blog

Unfortunately, S28's don't go well with only three propellors, so we had to hitch a ride on "Blue Fin" to get back.

Last weekend, was recovery mission 1:
- Left work at 15:30
- Tube across London to Kings Cross
- 10 mins running across Kings Cross - it's huge!
- High speed train to Dover
- Dover to Calais Ferry
- A very nice man relieves me of many Euros to taxi me to Nieuwport, Belgium.
- Crash out in the boat
- Wake up to find that the wind is Northerly F5.
- Replace No4 propellor from the spare that SWMBO had in her handbag.
- Cast off and have a look out of the harbour.
- It's 2m waves, confused seas, and getting thrown all over the place at 10kts. Not an option for the next 5 hours, so turn around and go back into port.
- Look at the weather for the rest of the weekend.
- Call back the very nice man who relieves me of many more Euros to taxi me back to Calais.
- Calais to Dover ferry.
- Train back to Hayling.

This Thursday, Recovery mission 2 starts.
Except, I've got one day to get it back (Friday).
165 miles in one day :eek:
A bit mad in an S28, surely?

Neale B did it in Blue Fin, but then again I did see a blue and red cape emblazoned with an "S" that he was wearing underneath the Henry Lloyd.

Hoping not to turn back again,
dv.
Click to expand...

Make sure yer fuel filler caps are tight ;)
 
165 NM in one day isn't beyond the bounds, but it will be taxing if you are solo as you'll need someone to share the driving with over that distance. I've done 215 NM in a day with reasonable weather when two-handed before.

I think though that you will need a contingency plan - like ducking into Ramsgate or Dover if it gets too much - so that if there has to be a recovery mission 3 it won't be such an expensive exercise.

Hope that you get her back OK.
 
Last edited:
Every port I pass will be part of the contingency plan :)

I would be happy with making it to Dover, and Eastbourne would count as "mission mostly accomplished".
 
FlowerPower said:
This Thursday, Recovery mission 2 starts.
Except, I've got one day to get it back (Friday).
165 miles in one day :eek:
A bit mad in an S28, surely?
Click to expand...


That sounds a lot to me. No stops? I did 130nm in one hit yesterday on my T40 and I was knackered at the end of it (although that may have been because we did get knocked about a bit in the Alderney race, which was rather wearing). Have a safe passage; hope the sea is like it was today (flat as..).

Cheers
Jimmy
 
I used to do 120 odd in a 21' solo regularly, so though a bit slower, a 28' should be doable for the distance.

Thought about taking some crew along to help out, some forumites would probably jump at the chance? I'd love to, but haven't got the time for next few weeks and weekends.
 
Without wanting to discourage you.... i'd say ' stand back a bit and consider your decision to leave'.. exactly as you did last time.
It's a recipe for disaster to say... 'i have to go now!'
 
Friday has been chosen as the best intersection of weather and availability of me. There are only three other weekends in Sept before I am out-of-country for a while, and the medium term forecast doesn't look promising, so if it doesn't happen this weekend, then FP could be stuck in Belgium for ages.

Having said that, I'm not up for trying to negotiate the banks off the Belgian coast in anything other than benign conditions. A "bit bouncey" and having to slow down for a bit is okay. 2m confused waves, beam-on, near shallow banks for several hours is not, and if it does turn out to be rubbish on Friday, I'm fully prepared to turn back and become a very grumpy foot passenger on the Dover to Calais ferry (again).

Checked the weather again. Forecast for the Belgian West Coast is showing F2, wave height 30-40cm :)
 
Last edited:
What's the passage plan - track along the Belgian and then French coasts until Cap Griz Nez, then up across the tss and turn left for Dungeness, Beachy Head, Selsey Bill and home?

Cheers
Jimmy
 
jimmy_the_builder said:
What's the passage plan - track along the Belgian and then French coasts until Cap Griz Nez, then up across the tss and turn left for Dungeness, Beachy Head, Selsey Bill and home?

Cheers
Jimmy
Click to expand...

Pretty much. The channels through the banks are well marked, then there's a buoy NE of Cap Griz Nez called "Abbeville" which lines up nicely with Dover across the TSS.
 
Dover makes good sense.
Its great for all states access and it is very easy to get in, just what you want single handed.
Cheap 60/40 red too :)

I used to stop single handed regularly there on my way round to/from the south coast.

I used to manage 185-200 in a day no problem (outdrive corniche, similar ride to your s28)

I suggest a thorough route pre laid in
paper charts on standby
sun tan cream
easy 'stuff in' snack food and drink by your side.
wet weather gear, extra clothing as you will starve through after 4 hours .

quick engine check as you refuel.

in many respects single handed is more relaxing in that you dont have to nurture crew when its not perfect cruising conditions.

You can get around the lonely bit by having lots of shore contacts, phone your mates at work and tell them how sunny it is off Calais etc :)

Edit

Forgot to mention small plastic bags in your pocket, you will work out what they are for after 3 hours and several cokes ;)
dont try to pee over the side @ 25knots :D
 
Last edited:
Good luck.
We've just moved to the dark side and once a few jobs are done, will need to sail a 'preloved' Super van Craft back from Holland to the Solent, so I can empathise with your dilemma.
I'm sure you'll get the weather you want but if you find it unsafe, why not slide down the coast to Calais and re-appraise crossing or stopping put from there?
At least if weather prevents you crossing safely this weekend you'll not be paying the expensive taxi driver component when you go back to get it a third time............
JOHN
 
Swagman said:
Good luck.
We've just moved to the dark side and once a few jobs are done, will need to sail a 'preloved' Super van Craft back from Holland to the Solent, so I can empathise with your dilemma.
I'm sure you'll get the weather you want but if you find it unsafe, why not slide down the coast to Calais and re-appraise crossing or stopping put from there?
At least if weather prevents you crossing safely this weekend you'll not be paying the expensive taxi driver component when you go back to get it a third time............
JOHN
Click to expand...

Could go inland to Calais.
 
It's a bit strange sitting here on the boat in Nieuwport.

The rest of the fleet went home weeks ago.

Crew have mutinied.

The car park is empty.

The yacht club is closed.

The pontoons are deserted ...

...

... apart from the ghost of a local fisherman that sometimes appears :eek::eek::eek:
 
Hope he doesn't mind me updating you on his behalf but, FP made it from Nieuwpoort to Hayling Island today and is now safely tied up on its home berth. Quite a trip for a 28 footer, some 160nm, well done.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top