Crossing Irish Sea without GPS

[AngusMcDoon]

Not done that for probably 15 years now, so I thought I'd have a go. Left GPS running to plot my route to see how I'd done, but didn't look at it.

Left Wicklow at 10am. Visibility only about 2 miles so couldn't use bearings off landmarks, had to reply on EP only. Lots of tide calcs as it fairly wooshes up and down, especially on the Irish side. Destination Port Dinllean. Fairly safe coast to arrive on not knowing exactly where you are.

At 2.30pm the coast appeared out of the gloom - 1.4 miles south of P.D. and close enough to see the old coastguard lookout on the hill. So can still do it, but out of practice.

 

[BrendanS]

It's nice to do isn't it! Got left at the helm once from Cherbourg back to Portsmouth. When the rest eventually came back up, skipper went for a look at the track down below, and said 'whatever you're doing, keep on doing it" Felt quite chuffed, as didn't even have a chart up top with me.

Years of navigating by compass in hills, mountains, and flying, does give a certain advantage, but I'd need to really swat up again to do it now

 

[BruceDanforth]

Not done that for probably 15 years now, so I thought I'd have a go. Left GPS running to plot my route to see how I'd done, but didn't look at it.

Left Wicklow at 10am. Visibility only about 2 miles so couldn't use bearings off landmarks, had to reply on EP only. Lots of tide calcs as it fairly wooshes up and down, especially on the Irish side. Destination Port Dinllean. Fairly safe coast to arrive on not knowing exactly where you are.

At 2.30pm the coast appeared out of the gloom - 1.4 miles south of P.D. and close enough to see the old coastguard lookout on the hill. So can still do it, but out of practice.

How far is that then? Did you fly a spinnaker to get back in 4.5 hours?

 

[AngusMcDoon]

Did you fly a spinnaker to get back in 4.5 hours?

65 Nm.

Didn't use the asym on this trip. It was blowing F5 and I was on my own. Wind was from the SW, and the apparent wind was coming well forward of the beam, so too close anyway. Touched 19 knts a couple of times on the white sails anyway.

 

[Kawasaki]

65 Nm.
Didn't use the asym on this trip. It was blowing F5 and I was on my own.

You Saily boys
What's an asym?

 

[BruceDanforth]

Assymetric spinnaker

 

[Kawasaki]

Assymetric spinnaker

Cheers Ed
I think I get it now
Casually, just casually .
I am trying to learn about saily boats
Cheers
K

 

[[2068]]

Nice job.

The other way round, you could end up in NewFoundLand if you got it wrong.

 

[AngusMcDoon]

Nice job.

The other way round, you could end up in NewFoundLand if you got it wrong.

Think I might have run out of muffins somewhere off Greenland, which would have been a good indication that something was amiss.

 

[AngusMcDoon]

Cheers Ed
I think I get it now
Casually, just casually .
I am trying to learn about saily boats
Cheers
K

Leg still seems to be holding up, which is reassuring. Bit difficult to get down there and have a close look though as it's a long one. I'll paddle round for a close look in the flubber.

This post will confuse everyone, except you and me

 

[vyv_cox]

Nice job.

The other way round, you could end up in NewFoundLand if you got it wrong.

Not easily. Tides around Carnsore Point in the south and through the North Channel in the north are about 6 knots close to the Irish coast, so you would go backwards whern you arrived there. It's an inbuilt Irish Sea safety factor.

 

[AngusMcDoon]

Not easily. Tides around Carnsore Point in the south and through the North Channel in the north are about 6 knots close to the Irish coast, so you would go backwards whern you arrived there. It's an inbuilt Irish Sea safety factor.

You might. I wouldn't

 

[Tom Price]

Please Miss

[QUOTE Assymetric spinnaker QUOTE]

Isn't 'asymmetric' an antonym of 'symmetric'?
But 'ass' is . . . . .

 

[Tidewaiter2]

Leg still seems to be holding up, which is reassuring. Bit difficult to get down there and have a close look though as it's a long one. I'll paddle round for a close look in the flubber.

This post will confuse everyone, except you and me

Not ze Norman FR ench and those who beach there- Keep the string fore and aft nice and taut. Nice try:>)

 

[Bobobolinsky]

Before I ever managed to get on the North Sea, I asked an old hand about crossing to Northern Holland. He laughed when I asked about tides. He said, once past the banks, just aim where you want to go. It slooshes one way, slooshes the other way and the net effect is zero

 

[AngusMcDoon]

Before I ever managed to get on the North Sea, I asked an old hand about crossing to Northern Holland. He laughed when I asked about tides. He said, once past the banks, just aim where you want to go. It slooshes one way, slooshes the other way and the net effect is zero

If I motor across at a stately 5.5 knots, it takes all day, and that theory works out well. I get whoosed one way, wooshed back, and just try to avoid ending up at the wrong end of the Arklow Bank, as fighting the tide there is tricky.

But if whizzing across under sail in 4-5 hours, then tides have an effect, because I may only get one direction of them.

 

[Durara]

without GPS? it is amazing. how did you do that?

 

[AngusMcDoon]

without GPS? it is amazing. how did you do that?

I'm not sure of the tone of this post. Perhaps you would like to explain more.

 

[Heckler]

Leg still seems to be holding up, which is reassuring. Bit difficult to get down there and have a close look though as it's a long one. I'll paddle round for a close look in the flubber.

This post will confuse everyone, except you and me

10mm?
Stu

 

[AngusMcDoon]

10mm?
Stu

Precisely.