Channel Crossing (Advice for a New Owner needed)

[kevinbrown2021]

I've just purchased a Johnson 28' and was wondering if it was suitable to cross the English Channel.

Any help would be appreciated!!!

 

[LadyInBed]

Yes, get a boat to put the Johnson 28 on and head South
/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
But more seariously, Welcome, I used to do Weymouth - Cherbourg or CI's in a 22 footer regularly, just pick your weather.

 

[Bajansailor]

Have never heard of a Johnson 28, what is she?

 

[Sixpence]

Welcome , I'm told that my 21 ft'er is perfectly capable of doing it , but I'm not /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif so I'll be getting shed loads of experience in less busy waters before I try anything adventurous , like getting to Grimsby /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif so it aint really the boat it's the driver a lot of the time

 

[Twister_Ken]

One of these?

 

[TheBoatman]

It is but you need to pick your day weather wise or at least wind wise. That's a river/lake boat so wouldn't be a great place to be in a channel blow.

In the past I've seen canal boats mid channel between Ramsgate and Oostende but we were both on engine because there wasn't enough wide to blow a match out.

Just be careful and carry the right safety equipment for the trip.

Peter.

 

[Talbot]

somebody has crossed the channel in a canal boat, so no problem, provided you do what they did - pay very careful attention to the weather, and prepare properly. (and they had an escort boat as well)

 

[kevinbrown2021]

Yes it is the sister ship to the boat posted, (i will try to post a picture)

When I bought it i was told that it had been converted to sea use, as the previous owner had added a keel and some keel fins, not sure if he is talking rubbish or not, but i have checked and they are there

 

[kevinbrown2021]

What sort of weather conditions am i looking for?? i was out in some pretty rough weather during the Earthquake last week, the waves must of been 3 - 4 ft. and it handled it fine, it just didnt like it when you stopped

 

[kevinbrown2021]

Here She Is

Carefree

 

[Twister_Ken]

I'd go with the advice to pick your weather very carefully. If it's a single-engined boat, it might also be worth thinking about fitting an outboard bracket and carrying a moderate outboard, so you have a secondary means of propulsion if the main engine goes pop.

 

[Slow_boat]

I second (or third) advice on weather. I good weather you could paddle across in a tin bath.

BTW, when I was working for JSSC we were always being approached ashore by people who had just bought their new Moody or Westerly or whatever and would ask 'Can you give us a course to France?' We got fed up with saying 'Yes, south' so started to advise people to go to the needles channel and wait for a big orange ship to go out then follow it. We hesitated to mention the the Townsend Thoresson ferry would be doing 20 knots.

We had to stop telling them that when we started passing nice new yachts nonchalantly milling around the channel in the mornings........

 

[kevinbrown2021]

hey guys thanks for all your help and advice, but i'm still confussed!!!

I know i have to get alot more experience, and i know i have to pick the weather.

But what in particular am i looking for in the weather eg, direction of wind, and wind speed. anything else i need to know please!

 

[jb2006]

You should get yourself a dayskipper theory at least ( if you don't have one - see your local night school). That will help you to understand the interaction of winds and tides and basic navigation. There are some good books out there about weather at sea.

It would also be good to get a VHF certificate if you don't have one as you should ideally carry a VHF radio to venture offshore.

In the meantime enjoy your boat and get to know how she handles in different conditions

 

[hlb]

Umm, think you should really be on the motorboat site. But anyway.

Which bit of the chanel are you thinking of crossing, it's 20 miles at one end and a 100 miles from the other.

People do swim it, so quite possible in any boat.

It's not so much about the boat as the person doing it.

Sorry if the answer is not clear. The sea is a strange place. Ask your question in detail, and maybe get some sort of sencible answers.

Are there overfalls on your route, Which way is the tide going on your departure, how much power have you got, will you actually be going forwards or backwards at this time.

I'm sure that there are times when your boat can cross the channel safely. When is a totally different subject.


Best is to use navigational aids, like radar and GPS in known waters. Try them out. Your home port will look different on radar than by eye. Never the less, it is correct on what it see's. Go a few miles out, then navigate blindly, back into home port. Try this a few times.

Hopefully it wil be clear when you arrive across the channel and dependent on your navigational skills or gps/ chart plotter/radar, understanding, will have arrived at a marker bouy channel, from which you have to wend your way into , even though many marker bouys make no sence.

Sleepy time now, ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

 

[KREW2]

[ QUOTE ]
But what in particular am i looking for in the weather

[/ QUOTE ]
Not too much of it.

 

[traff111]

May I enquire as to how much you paid for the Johnson 28 ? I am looking at one at the moment on the jpcdirect.com website.