Channel Crossing

[kcrane]

Lots of good advice already given, especially the mention that, if you choose OK weather, once you are over the trepidation & excitement of setting off the actual crossing is a bit dull. On my first crossing I stopped at Cherbourg and the advice to do that is sound. However if the weather is good and you are making comfortable progress don't rule out going straight to StPP.

Things not mentioned by others that I would add:
Crossing the shipping lanes can be mildly fraught, radar is useful and AIS is a godsend if yours works out CPA etc for you.
Once in the CIs, if you are used to Solent conditions, add one to the wind forecasts. So if it says F4 for Jersey, think of that as being a Solent F5 and you won't go far wrong.
Don't be intimidated by the rock strewn charts, navigation is actually OK.
Except... the CIs get fog more often than the south coast and it can be very thick.

 

[gjgm]

Lots of good advice already given, especially the mention that, if you choose OK weather, once you are over the trepidation & excitement of setting off the actual crossing is a bit dull. On my first crossing I stopped at Cherbourg and the advice to do that is sound. However if the weather is good and you are making comfortable progress don't rule out going straight to StPP.

Things not mentioned by others that I would add:
Crossing the shipping lanes can be mildly fraught, radar is useful and AIS is a godsend if yours works out CPA etc for you.
Once in the CIs, if you are used to Solent conditions, add one to the wind forecasts. So if it says F4 for Jersey, think of that as being a Solent F5 and you won't go far wrong.
Don't be intimidated by the rock strewn charts, navigation is actually OK.
Except... the CIs get fog more often than the south coast and it can be very thick.

Yes, good points. Also, this is a quick trip- you only need a few hours weather window,allowing for seas. You can always decide the final destination part way across, and it is worth noting that Braye HM can usually tell you within a few minutes that day when the Race will calm down. With those tides in CIs, the water is moving around alot more. Dead calm seems to mean an easy metre of waves !
Also, to note that while the big ships go up and down more or less on opposite sides of the channel in mid channel, the ships do not follow behind each other, meaning the next ship behind might also be a mile further towards the coast. On that, if you go west enough, there is a TSS to be aware of.
As you say, with AIS, it really is pretty simple in a mobo.

 

[burgundyben]

From Chichester perhaps consider heading to Yarmouth the night before? Its an excellent departure point for Alderney etc and perhaps more interesting than your home berth if waiting for a weather window.

 

[Kittycarter]

Thank you for all your comments and advice. A lot of very useful info. I shall contiue getting the boat prepped and in tip top shape. Only got the boat in October, so will do a trip to Poole in Spring to give the boat a good run to double check everything out.

I did notice the two week cruise, but it doesn't fit in with when I can get the time off work. The boss is sailing for June and July so with other staff hols, the 21st of July is the start date. If anyone is heading over that direction around them, let me know. Should be inbetween Cherbourg and Roscoff.

 

[Bandit]

There is some great cruising between Cherbourg and Roscoff, I know all. But be sensible you probably don't want to do a port every day . I like a few days or more in good ports to relax.

Distance Guernsey Roscoff direct 73 nm and Needles Guernsey 90 nm so not a lot of difference.

Reality, first trip to CI ?, say three weeks away, Uk to Alderney, one or two nights depending on weather, Guernsey and juice up a day or two , Carteret say two nights, Jersey a day or two, Granville two nights, St malo two nights, St Cast two nights. That 14 nights then dahouet, Binic, St Quay Portrieux, Paimpol then back to Guernsey for Juice and back to UK?