Channel hop

bobtooke

bobtooke

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Having never done it before, I may plan a run across the channel next summer if I can make sure all is poperly prepared beforehand and heard that either Gravelines or Dunkirk are better ports to head for than Calais. Assume this is correct and I am vaguely familiar with Dunkirk so thats a bonus.
Before everyone screams "too dangerous!" its worth mentioning that I intend to find someone to accompany me first run out...

Anyway, whilst I'm well aware I've got much more research to do, just to cure my initial curiosity can anyone confirm how to approach either Gl or Dq? What paperwork I will definitely need (aside from passport)? and do port control frown on English over VHF?
 
Having traversed La Manche for the first time en route to Dunkerque this year,can appreciate your trepidation regards this adventure.Although we sailed in convoy with a dozen other boats,it does not lessen the concerns one iota.
Everyone else always appears better equipt for the task,bigger faster boats,more experience etc.
It was not until half way across that we noticed a very small cabin cruiser,totally on his own,perhaps not much more than 20ft long,slowly bobbing up and down and heading in the same direction at 5 knots or so.
We overtook and he dropped behind into the distance. Respect.

You really can bouy hop the entire journey if you so desire,but having three totally independant nav systems did help to reassure us a bit,esp. when the bouys were not where they were supposed to be. :)
Just pick your weather.
The latest channel chart has very helpfully got an insert with all the waypoints to put directly into your nav system.
 
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Thanks both. Yes, I can apreciate the weather aspect. Both ways - making sure the forecast is clear enough for long enough to get back safely too!

Can anyone lend comment on the questions over paperwork and radio use?
 
Dunkerque speaks excellent "port control" in all languages....well most anyway.
Shove every bit of boaty paperwork in a folder including your last fuel receipts.
The chances that anybody will ask to look at any of it is remote if you behave yourself nobody will be the least bit interested :)
 
Excellent news!
The fact that no-one bothers you is good for us too I guess.
I'll be sure to get as much together as possible though, knowing my luck I'll be the numpty that les douanes nab on arrival. :D

Thanks for the help gents.
 
Always a sense of achievement after the first crossing,goes without saying about keeping an eye out for commercial stuff doing 25 knots :)
 
Gravelines pretty much dries out. It is soft mud, so not really a problem to any kind of motorboat drive system, but some are put off by it so it is something to be aware of. Not sure where you are starting from but Boulogne would be a good choice too.
 
Well we're based at Newhaven but I was planning on running east down the coast and then crossing from either Folkestone or Dover.

I guess we could go Newhaven Boulogne but its a much longer cross channel journey.
 
LadyInBed said:
Paperwork - Your boat will need registering on the SSR (Small Ships Register) if not on already.
If you have just UK coastal insurance, you will need to up it to include France, Belgium etc.
Click to expand...

Already registered but good point about insurance.
 
I'm in the same boat .... Well not literally .... but I am facing the prospect of making my first channel crossing next year so I'm very interested in this thread. My intention is to cross in about May and then enter the river and canal system of France to reach the Med. My latest bombshell was that I'm not qualified. I had assumed my Powerboat 2 course would qualify me for the required ICC obtained via the RYA ... however it does so only up to 10m LOA so I'm going to have to do some further training to get my ICC for a boat 37'. The point here being what boat are you taking over? You will need ICC and powerboat 2 only suffices for up to 10m.
Whilst no quaification is needed to wander up, hire a Le Boat and cruise through France, to do so in your own boat requires you to hold the ICC CEVNI validated inland category which I understand is a multi choice test. If your not using the inland waterways I don't expect you'll need it. I'm looking forward to hearing from experienced channel hoppers.
 
I found that doing the RYA Inland Waterways Helmsman's Course on a (long) narrowboat on a canal was a good way of obtaining the >10m ICC, and probably cheaper than doing it on a large motor cruiser, unless you can do it on your own boat. I did mine years ago; check if this is still the case. If you are going onto the French canals, doing the course on a UK canal with locks would be good preparation too. CEVNI was pretty easy by studying the RYA book. It is a CEVNI requirement to carry a copy of the regulations on the boat; I think the RYA book suffices.

There are several good websites about Dunkirk:
http://www.yachtpilot.net/dunkerque.html
http://sailingalmanac.com/Marinas/France/dunkerque.html
http://www.dunkerque-port.fr/en/harbour-master-office/pleasure-boating-dunkirk.html

• Follow exactly the procedures for crossing the Channel shipping lanes.
• There are two Dunkirk ports but Dunkirk West is strictly off limits to leisure craft, although a popular inbound route is to head for Dunkirk West but outside that port turn into the buoyed channel for Dunkirk East.
• Talk to Dunkirk VTS.
• Dunkirk East is still a working big ships port and naval base.
• There are four visitors’ marinas at Dunkirk East. Two are fairly straightforward with direct unlocked access, with full facilities, but are a little out of town, although still within easy walking distance. The other two are accessed by a lock (Trystram) and a timed sequence of up to three lifting bridges. The lock only operates four or five times a day and the bridge lifts are co-ordinated with the lock for inbound and outbound traffic. It is almost essential to know the lock and bridge times in advance.
• Allow extra time/fuel to negotiate the route to/from the two inner marinas, especially when having to give way to ships.
• The two inner marinas are in the centre of town but have no fuel, although they do have water, electricity, loos and showers. Call the Harbour Master as soon as possible after (or even before) leaving the lock. Both he and VTS speak good English, although care has to be taken with the HM’s allocation of a berth number, as his pronunciation of letters and the phonetic alphabet is not too hot. To be fair, how many HMs in the UK could give berthing instructions in good French?
• Opportunities for eating, drinking and shopping are almost endless. Take a heavy duty wheeled shopping bag for the inevitable restocking of the boat’s bar; in comparison with UK prices, supermarkets such as E Leclerc almost give the stuff away!
• There is an excellent Operation Dynamo museum within a short walking distance of the town centre.
 
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