Dover to Boulogne - Cross channel trip

[Nigelhargreaves]

I am planning to move my Beneteau Antares 10.80 motor cruiser from Medway to Dover Marina for the 2015 spring/summer season and am considering a crossing to Boulogne, overnight stay, then return next day. I'm studying passage planning, Colregs and similar relevant marine books and have the charts I need to back up the GPS systems on the boat.

I have 3 years experience of motor boating having started with the Powerboat 2 qualification and the boat is suitably equipped with GPS, radar, safety equipment and VHS radio (with handheld backup). I am retired now so have used the boat a lot with approx. 300/350 hours in that 3 year period but I appreciate this means I am still a relative novice and am happy to take advice from all directions.

Numerous fishing trips in the sea off north Kent coast, Medway and Thames estuaries, up Thames to St Katharine's Docks and overnighter to Burnham on Crouch have given me some experience of different sea conditions although I keep a close eye on the weather and avoid anything over Force 4 to date.

Theory is always good but practical tips from those who have been there before are invaluable. Does anybody have any specific suggestions and are there any publications you might have seen that would be useful.

I think a Day Skipper course before I cross the channel would be sensible? Having completed the Powerboat, is the online course enough?

Any thoughts most welcome.

 

[johnalison]

You are creating a mountain out of an ant-heap. All that is required is
a, get there
b, don't hit anything on the way

It's not rocket science, and assuming you do 15-20knots, it'll only take an hour and a half, with your destination in sight all the way. France is a big place and hard to miss.

 

[Jabs]

Go for it and have fun. The satisfaction of completing your first cross channel will be immense.

Plan, plan, plan. Don't go if you have any suspicions about the weather. Take someone who knows the boat and can help, should the need arise.

Consider the Powerboat Advanced course which gives valuable navigation and night experience.

Any extra theory is a bonus.

The first time I saw Alderney appear in front of me was so rewarding!

Good luck.

Tony

 

[Nigelhargreaves]

Thanks for that - you're right in that I need a reality check to get the trip into proportion.

 

[[70521]]

a, get there
b, don't hit anything on the way

and importantly

c, turn round and return.

 

[Vara]

Dover to Boulogne is very straight forward, for a sailing boat tides are a bit critical, less so I guess for a mobo.
If you do get down to Dover drop me a PM, always nice to meet other forumites.

 

[awol]

For a day trip the ferry would probably cost a lot less than the fuel you would use :ambivalence:

 

[LadyInBed]

If you have not yet registered your boat you will have to put it on the Small Ships Register to make it 'legal' to use outside UK waters.
Also check that your insurance covers you for X channel.
Otherwise, pick your weather and have a good trip.

 

[elioti]

You are creating a mountain out of an ant-heap. All that is required is
a, get there
b, don't hit anything on the way

It's not rocket science, and assuming you do 15-20knots, it'll only take an hour and a half, with your destination in sight all the way. France is a big place and hard to miss.

I took my motorboat boat across from Plymouth to Roscoff ( approx 100 miles) with hardly any boating experience, just headed south and hoped for the best! Took 19 hours. Was a bit hairy with only one engine that i installed and rebuilt myself. Always wondered what would happen if i broke down! Done it 3 times now no problems and with almost no planning apart from making sure weather was half decent. Good luck

 

[Iliade]

Don't forget to top up the wine tanks before your return to Blighty...

 

[Spuddy]

Mistakenly got into sail-powered thinking and was abt to make suggestions in which tides critical. But 15 to 20 knots eh.
What is critical is to cross the two shipping lanes at a 90 degree heading. After that bear right for Boulogne entrance. Its a sort of dogleg from entrance to the pontoons - the almanacs show it.
Back in Blighty the marina might put you in the Granville dock which gates you in for a few hours on every tide. Try the Royal Cinque Ports club. Their ex commodore switched to power and used his to pop over to France for lunch.

 

[Daydream believer]

I think that the biggest danger you face is getting a net round the prop. I have had that off Gap Griz Nez one night & when i returned to Dover by sail to get towed in I was told that it is a very regular occurrence partly because of the narrowing of the Channel & lots of shipping to cut nets up into bits which then float about in lumps
Has not stopped me going though

 

[Spuddy]

Oh yes - other local info. You'll probably leave by the Western entrance. In some tide conditions it can be like a washing machine but the bouncing tones down after a few hudred yards.

 

[Spirit of Glenans]

I took my motorboat boat across from Plymouth to Roscoff ( approx 100 miles) with hardly any boating experience, just headed south and hoped for the best! Took 19 hours. Was a bit hairy with only one engine that i installed and rebuilt myself. Always wondered what would happen if i broke down! Done it 3 times now no problems and with almost no planning apart from making sure weather was half decent. Good luck

I don't mean to be personally critical, but on face value, that sounds a little irresponsible to me. I can only assume there are details you have omitted

 

[[70521]]

I don't mean to be personally critical, but on face value, that sounds a little irresponsible to me. I can only assume there are details you have omitted

Gosh, back in the olden days people sailed from Plymouth/Cornwall in open boats and came back with "stuff"...

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

A trip i've done on many an occasion... generally pretty straightforward... pay attention to tidal flow around Gris Nez and your timing around there... not a huge issue for a mobo, but can flow at quite a decent rate, so has fuel consumption implications as well as sea state!

 

[Nigelhargreaves]

Now that's a really good idea.........

 

[ricky_s]

For a day trip the ferry would probably cost a lot less than the fuel you would use :ambivalence:

None of us would have boats if that was a consideration.

 

[Daydream believer]

. I can only assume there are details you have omitted

Probably the bit about the great feeling first time & the fun the next 2 times plus of course the enjoyment sitting in the armchair at home just thinking about it & looking forward to the next time

 

[AndrewB]

Oh yes - other local info. You'll probably leave by the Western entrance. In some tide conditions it can be like a washing machine but the bouncing tones down after a few hudred yards.

Yes, that's the one piece of advice not to ignore. Otherwise an easy trip, zigzag round the container vessels paying lip-service to the TSS 'cross at right-angles' rule. Yacht Club Boulonnais are a good bunch, we had a great time in November eating barbied herrings and quaffing Beaujolais Nouveau on the quayside with them.