Baltic - S Coast/UK

chrisedwards

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Just returned from Denmark having found my dream boat. She has an excellent survey report. Problem is I've spent nearly everything and have to bring her back to S.coast shortly.

Spent 30 years sailing S Coast and N. France and have Yachtmaster. trouble is I can't help feeling I'm going to Mars.

Could I please submit the following questions:

Do I need an ICC for the Kiel Canal?

Do Germans inspect/impound yachts for lack of equipment/correct documentation. I will have SSR, Insurance passports VHF operators cert, but no ships radio licence does this matter?

Boat was made in UK 1995 and sold to Dane in 2001. Do I need VAT docs?

Are handheld VHFs allowed? do I need cert?

Imray C Charts seem recommended. I have CA Handbook but seem to be lacking overall N Sea Pilot to help passage plan. Any recommendations please?

I have yet to peruse charts but would like to go direct from Kiel canal to UK (Harwich looks good?)weather permitting. Aware of shipping lanes and oil rigs. Any recommended routes?

Many thanks
 

AliM

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I'd be careful with having the right documents in Germany. I'm not sure about ICC (CEVNI would be the relevant bit), but you should definitely get the radio licence, and include the VHF on it.

We managed the whole route (including a few Fresian island stops) on 2 Imray charts - Harwich to Terschelling and the one to the Elbe (though I don't think we'd be so cavalier again). They should be fine for the non-stop route - you just follow the inshore coastal route, and make sure you don't stray into the shipping route. You are in sight of the Fresian islands all along the north coast. The pilot books by Brian Navin (pub. Imray) are good, but possibly not necessary if you aren't stopping. Reeds covers the main features pretty well.

Route: Harwich towards Den Helder, close to Texel to avoid the TSS's round there, or inside Texel (here you do need a proper chart, but it's quite fun). Plug along the north of the islands a few miles off shore. Make sure you catch the tide and avoid any strong winds into the Elbe. Helgoland is a good place to wait if the weather's bad. Cuxhaven is a decent stop-over. Kiel canal is easy, but you can't move overnight and there's a limited number of places to stop. The regulations say you need a chart of the Kiel canal.

While you have the boat in the Denmark Baltic, do a bit of sailing round there - super people, lovely islands and loads of places to explore.
 

michael_w

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When I came through the Kiel Canal last year, the water police questioned us closely. What caught there eye was the RORC ensign on a boat still with Schleswig on the stern. They where very polite, and understood that eventhough we didn't have a UK registration the sales contract would cover us. They where very surprised that Brits didn't need any qualifications. I guess an ICC could prove useful.

Do stop at the British Kiel Yacht Club. It is a good place to gather one's wits for the canal. Cheap beer, hearty breakfast in the canteen. Berthing charges are very reasonable too. A bit different from a normal yacht club as it is primarily an adventurous training establishment for the Army.

We spent the night on the canal tied up at the junction with the Eider canal, sorry I can't remember the name of the place! Take bug repellant, the mossies have a serious attitude. We ended up battening down all the hatches, sealing all the ventilators etc. Better to be suffocated than eaten alive.

Be aware that there is no dockside diesel at Cuxhaven. You have to muck about with jerry cans and a taxi. The shore power is hopeless, about 5ah is the maximum without tripping the breakers.

Be prepared for a wait here as it is very important to get the weather right in the Elbe eastury. After waiting several days, slightly frustrated by the lack of outlook from the local met office. I got a forecast from Commander's Weather. who predicted a perfect window for us to get to Ijmuden. My only complaint is the wind went light about two hours earlier than they predicted!

From Ijmuden, we sailed down the Dutch coast as far as the Maas, then straight across to Dover and thence to The Solent.

I used the Imray charts for the North Sea, and the previous owner's ones for the Baltic.
 

billywhizzzuk

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[ QUOTE ]
I'd be careful with having the right documents in Germany. I'm not sure about ICC (CEVNI would be the relevant bit), but you should definitely get the radio licence, and include the VHF on it.

[/ QUOTE ]

ICC is a definite - I raced a Beneteau 25 at Kiel a few years ago, and position of an ICC was a condition of entry - so i got one for the event, and have maintained it ever since to be on the safe side. I think the RYA will give you one as a direct eq to Day Skipper (so as YM, that should also be okay), but its worth doing the CEVNI paper (doddle) to cover you for inland water ways.


I also endorse Michaels comments about BKYC, a superb breakfast & pint (I stayed for the week).

Depending on your final UK destination and time permitting, I'd also recommend the Dutch waterways, having navigated from Den Helder, accross the Ijsselmeer all the way down to Vlissingen amd back to Harwich. Great Food/drink/people/scenary/facilites. Moorings/berthing at fraction of UK prices.

Also happy to crew at any point if you need a spare pair of hands. Good Luck on your voyage
 
G

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"Route: Harwich towards Den Helder, close to Texel to avoid the TSS's round there, or inside Texel (here you do need a proper chart, but it's quite fun). Plug along the north of the islands a few miles off shore. Make sure you catch the tide and avoid any strong winds into the Elbe. Helgoland is a good place to wait if the weather's bad. Cuxhaven is a decent stop-over. Kiel canal is easy, but you can't move overnight and there's a limited number of places to stop. The regulations say you need a chart of the Kiel canal."

Small point I know ... but I get impression your text indicates west to east .... he's going east to west ??

/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 

Dalliance

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No ICC needed for the Keil Canal if flying red ensign when I went through two years ago. We were inspected by German Customs when we got to Cuxhaven and they wanted to see our ship's doc plus crew list and passports but didn't inspect VHF licence of skipper.
 

ctelfer38

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To add to the many words of advice you have already had.
1. ICC is a legal requirement - the fact that some did not need to show it is irrelevant.
2. Certainly stopover at the the BKYC before entering the Kiel canal. No night motoring allowed, so either start very early and go all the way to Brunsbuttel at the Elbe end, or stop overnight at Rensburg. then transit the rest of the canal to Brunsbuttel and stopover inside the canal to time your exit with the ebb in the Elbe.No stopping on the canal; itself allowed. Watch the starboard edges of the canal mearer the Elbe end - some parts shallow out a little.
3. Take a short Elbe passage to Cuxhaven and stopover so you can time your longer exit from the Elbe to take maximum tidal push to seaward. Watch the current/stream at Cuxhaven it is very strong. If the weather is strong onshore - wait for that to abate. The Elbe is not pleasant in bad weather; but then whereis?
4. Recommend a longer passahe to Den Helder an easy ride down the inner coastal route which is well bouyed - good moorings at the Royal Dutch marina there.
5. Consider standing straight out to sea from there to cross the Shipping lanes to North Hinder LANBY and then follow the outer (northern) edge of the lanes to the South West. That way you avoid the very busy intersections of the TSS off Rotterdam. You will drop down easily towards the Thames estuary with only the occasional sighting of ships to your south that way.
6. An absolute must is the full Admiralty charts for the North Sea Southern Part for the crossing.
7. Good luck
 
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