Blackwater to Oostende

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MystereFlyer

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I'm looking at making my first crossing in my 26' sailing boat to Belgium this year (hopefully in May) from Tollesbury. My best route (it seems) is to make a pass through Swin spitway then use an early morning ebb tide to take me up the kings channel then bearing to oostende from Long Sand Head Cardinal. The other was via the Fisherman channel gap but theres that many obstructions and sandbanks in the way making that route in the dark is not really preferred personally. Does my first route make sense? I think it does but then this is the first time having done this so I just wondered if anyone has made this crossing before what route did you go for. Looking at the total distance is approx 90 Km so roughly 18 hours.

If it wasnt for the night hour requirement for an Offshore Yachtmaster I would not make any part of the crossing at night. Instead heading to shotley marina first to quaff mass volumes of lager and then make the crossing the next day.

Cheers
Sam

IMAG0718.jpg
 
Yours would be the normal way. In some conditions it may be more comfortable to go down the Wallet before turning right, but there are no rules about it. I remember doing my first crossing in our Mystere in '80, mooring at 4 1/2kn for goodness knows how long.
 
Yep. Long sand head and steer for Oostende is a common course (which conveniently crosses the TSS at right angles)
 
Just work out how long you'll be... Shotley to Ostend is around 80 miles, you're adding 23 ish miles onto that, and at 4 knots is >24 hrs. That's a full crew with watches really, whereas 20 hrs (in reality less) is a "day" sail. The YM qual is a 60mile night passage, so you could still go from the Orwell, and arrive at Ostend in the morning... Just an alternative view
 
Gladys said:
Just work out how long you'll be... Shotley to Ostend is around 80 miles, you're adding 23 ish miles onto that, and at 4 knots is >24 hrs. That's a full crew with watches really, whereas 20 hrs (in reality less) is a "day" sail. The YM qual is a 60mile night passage, so you could still go from the Orwell, and arrive at Ostend in the morning... Just an alternative view
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Languard By > Oostende 73 mls
 
Not sure it's a good idea to specifically try to get night hours for a
Yacht-master mileage on your first trip. I would have thought it better to plan the route appropriately according to wind direction and tidal considerations and if you get night hours it's a bonus.
MystereFlyer said:
I'm looking at making my first crossing in my 26' sailing boat to Belgium this year (hopefully in May) from Tollesbury. My best route (it seems) is to make a pass through Swin spitway then use an early morning ebb tide to take me up the kings channel then bearing to oostende from Long Sand Head Cardinal. The other was via the Fisherman channel gap but theres that many obstructions and sandbanks in the way making that route in the dark is not really preferred personally. Does my first route make sense? I think it does but then this is the first time having done this so I just wondered if anyone has made this crossing before what route did you go for. Looking at the total distance is approx 90 Km so roughly 18 hours.

If it wasnt for the night hour requirement for an Offshore Yachtmaster I would not make any part of the crossing at night. Instead heading to shotley marina first to quaff mass volumes of lager and then make the crossing the next day.

Cheers
Sam

View attachment 48635
Click to expand...
 
Although the OP wants night hours, he may already have some experience of night sailing. If not, he should do a couple of short night sails, just to get the routine right, proper clothing, where to put torches, display the correct lights and so on. If he is going to set off with at least one more or less capable crew, the night bit won't add much difficulty to the crossing and is probably unavoidable in a small boat. It should be a memorable and enjoyable trip.
 
Thanks for the replies

Weather and tides will always dictate a passage plan in a small sailing boat im aware of that. Exiting tollesbury in the dark isnt the best idea so I would prefer to sail the night hours after LSH making the belgium coast the following day. This would mean crossing the TSS and shipping lanes in the dark but to be honest you can see the lights on a ship better in the dark at distance than you can see a ship in the distance during the day. This is obviously dependant on weather and visibility but I see crossing the lanes at night an advantage.
 
I hate to question the wiser and much more experienced skippers hereabouts but is it really as easy as "Long Sand Head and steer 130 for Ostend"?

Doesn't look right, looking at the chart. What about the several TSS's that would be crossed at well off 90 degrees? Not to mention missing Ostend by about 5 miles?

It's certainly a lot more complicated according to Navin

I am puzzled!
 
Erbas said:
I hate to question the wiser and much more experienced skippers hereabouts but is it really as easy as "Long Sand Head and steer 130 for Ostend"?

Doesn't look right, looking at the chart. What about the several TSS's that would be crossed at well off 90 degrees? Not to mention missing Ostend by about 5 miles?

It's certainly a lot more complicated according to Navin

I am puzzled!
Click to expand...

From LSH, check the off-set of tides to Oostende (60 ish mls away) + or - the off-set 1 deg for every mile of off-set & adjust the compass course accordingly. DO NOT steer to a WP as you will add hrs & miles to the trip.
you will X the main TSS @ near enough right angles but not the inshore lanes, just keep a sharp look-out here.
 
The Sunk TSS is taken at an angle (the ferry route). Not much traffic South of the Sunk roundabout when I have crossed 5 or 6 times. 130 takes you fairly right angles to the big Noord Hinder TSS. A dogleg across the small TSS East of Westhinder. Tides will take you up and down and a bit of correction may be needed depending on you speed and where the tide has taken you. 130 from LSH is a good start heading.
 
sailorman said:
From LSH, check the off-set of tides to Oostende (60 ish mls away) + or - the off-set 1 deg for every mile of off-set & adjust the compass course accordingly. DO NOT steer to a WP as you will add hrs & miles to the trip.
you will X the main TSS @ near enough right angles but not the inshore lanes, just keep a sharp look-out here.
Click to expand...

Hmm, yes I get the tides (and Navin does cover that although I didn't go into the details) but I'm still not convinced on the TSS issue. There's three TSS schemes to be crossed and on that scenario only one of them is crossed legally. Given the growing tendency for yacht skippers to be prosecuted for not obeying the rules that worries me!
 
Erbas said:
Hmm, yes I get the tides (and Navin does cover that although I didn't go into the details) but I'm still not convinced on the TSS issue. There's three TSS schemes to be crossed and on that scenario only one of them is crossed legally. Given the growing tendency for yacht skippers to be prosecuted for not obeying the rules that worries me!
Click to expand...
I have managed to get there & back once or twice ;)
 
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