Boulogne - Eastbourne Passage Plan

markleuty

markleuty

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I'm stumped.

I've studied the tide tables and am aware the Dungeness is the "break even" point between the Channel and the North Sea tides.

I can work out how to get from Dieppe to Boulogne and from Eastbourne to Dover.

But once again I find myself in Boulogne wanting to go to Eastbourne (mainly for the showers, definitely not the bread).

So, we're thinking of leaving Boulogne at 08:30BST on Saturday as I think then we'll get a fair tide on last few hours of the journey (30ft boat do sort of 4-5Knots).

Has anyone got any hints?

Thanks

Mark
 
Why not directly from Boulonge to Dover? Seems more logical. Showers in Dover are not so bad. Actually the showers in Boulonge are quite good as well since they refurbished the lot a few years back.
 
markleuty said:
I'm stumped.

I've studied the tide tables and am aware the Dungeness is the "break even" point between the Channel and the North Sea tides.

I can work out how to get from Dieppe to Boulogne and from Eastbourne to Dover.

But once again I find myself in Boulogne wanting to go to Eastbourne (mainly for the showers, definitely not the bread).

So, we're thinking of leaving Boulogne at 08:30BST on Saturday as I think then we'll get a fair tide on last few hours of the journey (30ft boat do sort of 4-5Knots).

Has anyone got any hints?

Thanks

Mark
Click to expand...

I seem to remember that when I did the reverse trip Eastbourne-Boulogne, it made sense to keep as close as possible to a straight line between The Royal Sovereign and Boulogne, by making use of the wide separation zone in the TSS. So you cross the NE-bound shipping lane at right angles and work across the separation zone in the direction of Eastbourne. When you get to ths SW-bound lane, you cross again at right angles.
Without being able to consult a tidal atlas, I believe the tides are strongest off Boulogne, so time your departure to take full benefit of the SW-going tide.
 
When I did Brighton - Boulogne, I followed the English coast East to Dungeness and then crossed the N shipping lane at right angles to Bullock Bank buoy, where I turned pretty much East to head to Boulogne, thus crossing the S shipping lane at right angles too (as it lurches Northwards at that point).

So you've got three rough elements: along the coast, across the first half of the channel and across the second half. Work out a tidal plan starting from a sensible point in the tidal cycle for the coastal passage (where the main foul/fair effect will be) and then repeat +/- a period to work out an optimal time for the passage, and calculate your heading to offset the tidal flow and roughly hit your mid-channel point (because there's a big bank to the NE of it!) Or use passage-planning software such as Neptune to take the repetition out of your calculations.
 
markleuty said:
I'll have a look at Neptune, it looks useful..

thanks

Mark
Click to expand...

My trusty old Neptune planner gives an optimum route time leaving between 7 to 8 am CEST for next Saturday. Route time Boulogne-Eastbourne would be 9hrs20min @5 knots, 46.6 nm.

Have a nice trip! Done this myself three times, but got into trouble twice in the form of thick fog.

Beste wishes
 
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