Co26 passage planning speed?

[weustace]

Hi all

I have tentatively agreed to help a friend get his Co26 back from Dartmouth to the Solent in the next few weeks--we are both very flexible in terms of timing, so should be able to select and exploit a weather window. He has only brought her round from Plymouth so hasn't a great deal of experience of the boat and is not sufficiently confident yet to make night passages solo.

A few questions for the collective wisdom of YBW:

1. The boat is currently on a buoy at Dittisham; any experience of navigating the river from Dittisham down to Dartmouth at night? It looks fine with a decent torch but only been up there once.
2. Any estimates for Co26 passage planning speed? I plan on between 4 and 5kn in my Achilles 24 with a decent breeze; I will be seeking >10kn wind ideally between close reach and broad reach in a forecast, and I assume that a heavy long keeler will require 10kn to get moving? The boat is fitted with round-boom roller furling, which I fear delivers a fairly abysmal sail shape from what I've seen of it, so I'm not very optimistic we'll see more than 4kn...
3. Thoughts on 1GM10 fuel consumption? I assume it's about 1.5l/hr at cruising revs; he thinks the tank is about 30l and carries a further 10l in cans.

Thanks in advance!

Regards
William

 

[Sandy]

From Dittisham to the mouth of the Dart, No problem, depending on your confidence but put the torch away it will kill your night vision. Time your departure to pass Portland in a favourable tide, but you knew that.

Can't comment on the boat or the work of the devil that is a round-boom reefing system (no offence intended).

Bring another 40 lts of WHITE diesel in jerry cans that will give another 24 hours motoring if needed and you can use the unused stuff in the car if not needed.

I rather enjoy the ride out from Dittisham in the dark, spent many a pleasant night in the Ferryman.

 

[TernVI]

Plan your tides carefully.
I would consider going to Brixham on the first afternoon, then being flexible about stopping at Weymouth or carrying on for Swanage, Poole, Studland or Yarmouth,
I wouldn't worry about taking vast quantities of diesel. 40 litres is much more 1GM noise than I want to listen to in one sitting.

From Brixham, with good timing, you can head NE a bit and avoid the last of the W-going tide, then have plenty of Eastgoing tide to take you to Weymouth or beyond. Brixham is not too technical to depart in the dark.

Alternatively, I would leave Dartmouth ASAP and do the whole lot in a nice little breeze in the dark if that's what the forecast and tides encouraged.

I would not see only getting to Weymouth as any kind of failure.

Treat Hurst with respect, don't mess with wind against tide on the ebb there. (anything over ~F5 can be fruity).

 

[Buck Turgidson]

Plan on 3.5 kt average and you won't be disappointed. ;-)

 

[[178529]]

I would go for 4.5

 

[Concerto]

For the roller main, if you reef roll a sail bag in the middle and it should set better.

I would estimate passage planning on 4 knots.

 

[Wansworth]

Stock up with easy to eat goodies,when your ready,preferably after a good nights sleep set off,unless your have bad weather forecast in which cases stay in harbour,set off and take it as it comes,better Swanage to get your head down than the detour to Weymouth,imvho

 

[steve yates]

4 knots

 

[TernVI]

Passage planning for a trip like that, it's all about the tide.
I would look at a range of VMG through the water. You could be beating at 4 knots or reaching at 6.5.
Hence it pays IMHO, to have a flexible passage plan and make decisions on the day when you know what the weather is really doing.

Can we assume the boat is not horribly weedy?

 

[Praxinoscope]

In the days when I sailed my old Invicta 26 which is very similar to the Co26 I used to use 4.5kn as a theoretical average for planning, this seemed to work reasonably well, but a long spell of light winds (below about 8-10kn) would drop the average considerably, likewise a good 18-20kn wind would raise it.

 

[weustace]

Thanks all. I've done the passage a number of times both solo and with crew and have always found the planning aspects re tides straightforward; I intend to go straight to Poole as don't really like going through the inshore passage at Portland from so far West. (echo sounder is also reported unreliable or broken so don't really want to close the coast that much). I think we'll stick with 4kn for now then, and examine what might happen at 3kn... Thanks Concerto for reefing tip.

May end up leaving on Saturday night if we can get out to the yacht then: my general strategy with this leg is usually to try and plug a foul tide at Portland for at least 2hrs to allow a margin of error. With a decent breeze it is then usually doable to make Lymington or Yarmouth... if not, one can always spend a few hours admiring the back of the Isle of Wight/Swanage/Studland!

Thanks again.

 

[doug748]

I would pick up a mooring off Warfleet Creek the previous evening to make it easier. Also check the plotter or/and other instruments have usable night illumination.
With one gang member focusing on steering and the river, and one keeping an eye on the plot there should be no bother.

To a certain extent average speeds depend on how ready you are to run the engine. Someone once said a wise thing to me - "If it's a delivery trip don't mess about, as soon as speed drops, on with the engine." (except he didn't say mess : -) )
That way you can bank on 5 kts.

.

 

[RupertW]

I would aim for 4 knots and take anything else as a bonus, but agree with others that it’s all about tidal gates.

Personally if there is the usual SW wind I would do it in one go - leaving and arriving in daylight and if you are early for the tidal gates just push through except at Portland where I would suggest you take a decision hours before if you are wizzing along and head further outside, particularly if you are there before dawn. Sounds like great fun if the wind is behind you. I have too many memories of doing the journey in both directions and beating my way up to each tidal gate.

 

[johnalison]

All boats go at the same speed, so it will be the same as you are used to. It is not hard to do the 60 miles from Brighton to Dover in the ten hours of favourable tide in a small boat, but other sections of the trip won't be quite so good, but with half decent winds and the right tides should be a knot or so over your cruising speed.

 

[Porthandbuoy]

As a crew member said to me after a 3 week cruise round the western isles “It doesn’t seem to matter how fast we go, we always average 4 knots”.

 

[capnsensible]

All boats go at the same speed, so it will be the same as you are used to. It is not hard to do the 60 miles from Brighton to Dover in the ten hours of favourable tide in a small boat, but other sections of the trip won't be quite so good, but with half decent winds and the right tides should be a knot or so over your cruising speed.

I thought they were going from Dartmouth to the Solent? ?

 

[andsarkit]

Singlehanded with the same boat the best I have done is 18hrs from Lymington to Dartmouth entrance. That was getting lots of tidal help and motorsailing to keep speed up. If you can pick favourable winds and tides then 5 knots is easy but I would plan on 4 knots. My 1GM uses about 0.5L/hr motorsailing gently or 1L/hr motoring so fuel will not be a problem.
Definitely go down to Dartmouth and anchor or get on a pontoon so that leaving is relaxed. Harbour staff will be helpful.
The key is using the tides around the headlands and keep well clear of Portland if you are not confident for the inner passage.
I hope you have a good tiller pilot and get plenty of rest when off watch. The boat will be fine and look after you well.
The Contessa 26 Association are having a 55year anniversary get together in the Solent next July so perhaps I will see you there.

 

[Jonny A]

Assume 4 to 4.5 knots through the water under sail, unless it's really favourable when you could make 5 knots consistently. If you drop below 4 knots I suggest you motor instead, you'll burn closer to 1 litre per hour than 1.5, at 4.5 knots.

 

[johnalison]

I thought they were going from Dartmouth to the Solent? ?

My geography is a bit rusty.

 

[DJE]

Left Dartmouth in the Dark a few weeks ago. Two leading lines - both crystal clear, the a couple of cardinal buoys outside and you're away.