Dumb first time channel crossing questions...

[Iain C]

...OK, not first time across, but first time in my own boat as skipper. (Last time was an Open 60. I reckon this may take a little longer...). Many thousands of miles exploring the S. Coast, but the wine cellar is running a little low now and needs a re-stock...that's my excuse...

First, CG etiquette...do they like to know you're going over, or is it in a similar bracket as a Solent "radio check please"? If so, what's the best method? VHF call, or a phone call? Or is it a bit pointless as if I am 2 minutes late checking in they'll launch the navy. I'm fully MMSI'd up, CG66 registered etc, but no AIS transponder.

Secondly...power. I don't have shore power as such, just an extension. Are the French on the same round pin exterior plug system, and do I need anything else? Obviously if it was a hotel, I plug my adaptor in and away we go...but I'm trying to work out in a marina if I will end up looking at a UK plug but at the wrong voltage...

Thanks!

 

[Pye_End]

You could let CG know if you wish - 16 - CG CG this is.....I have safety traffic for you over - and they will move you to working channel. Otherwise, don't worry about it - they don't look for you to clock yourself back in anywhere.

Power - yes, usually - should be ok.

 

[Tintin]

1. Do the CG thing.They will ask if you have registered on the CG66 scheme probably. Phone them when you get across.

2. No problem with voltage. Most use the 16 amp c-form connector as we do - some have another type of weird plug - you won;t know 'til you get there but will be able to buy the weird one and re-wire..

 

[prv]

Talking to Coastguard unnecessary in my opinion, though it's not quite as egregious as a Solent radio check. All they do is file the information in case anyone asks about you later. They are on record as saying they do not expect to be informed of small vessel movements as a matter of routine, even for international voyages, but they are willing to accept information if provided.

If you want to do it, call Solent on 67, or others on 16 and expect to go to a working channel. I guess you could phone them on their non-emergency number if you like. They don't expect a call to say you've arrived, though again I'm sure they'll reply politely as always if you do so anyway.

Most European marinas are cee-form (the familiar blue plug), and the voltage is close enough to ours not to worry.

Pete

 

[Iain C]

Cheers guys...probably won't bother with a call in that case.

 

[Kukri]

I never have. The real risk is that you forget to phone on arrival and the poor old CG have to start a search.

I carry round a short bit of flex with a blue socket on one end to go on the blue plug and a UK plug on the other, together with a travel plug adaptor. Covers all possibilities.

 

[prv]

The real risk is that you forget to phone on arrival and the poor old CG have to start a search.

You can put your mind at rest on that front, as they don't start searches purely on the basis of a passage plan followed by no report of arrival. They'd be launching wild goose chases several times a week if they did that, I reckon!

It needs a worried wife or other person ashore to phone up asking about you before they take any action, and even then I don't know if that would be sufficient to actually trigger a physical search. Generally they put out radio calls asking for the missing vessel to contact them and others to report any sightings. Anecdotally, this quite often turns up a sheepish skipper who was enjoying a nice meal in a pub somewhere with a flat mobile phone battery

Pete

 

[laika]

I believe the preferred way to contact the coastguard is via dsc. IIRC IainC is in the Solent, so solent coastguard (mmsi 002320011 which you should have put in your radio's directory). Send the DSC, wait for them to change the working channel (to 67 for solent) then voice call them, ensuring your identification includes your mmsi. No problem with logging the traffic (I do it for cross channel: keeps the crew happy if nothing else), but as Pete says, no need to inform them when you get to the other side as nothing will be done unless a shore contact raises the alarm. I did actually email them a couple of years ago to confirm this, I'm not just taking a guess.

It obviously goes without saying that if you're bothering to log your passage with the coastguard you should inform a shore contact of your plans, give them all your details including callsign/mmsi and tell them to contact the coastguard if they don't hear from you by a certain time. And of course, don't forget to tell *them* you've arrived safely.

What comrade red said re: power.

 

[lustyd]

It's worth a mention that there is a lonely MCA person at the boat show every year who will be more than happy to answer all the questions you have about the CG. They will also hand you mayday stickers for the boat which you can fill in with your own details, a coastguard map with all MMSI numbers on, and various other useful goodies. Naturally most are too busy looking at the big sunseeker with the spa on deck and so never meet this poor person. Normally found at the back of the furthest shed (where it's cheapest presumably...)

 

[Talulah]

It's worth a mention that there is a lonely MCA person at the boat show every year ... Normally found at the back of the furthest shed (where it's cheapest presumably...)

SBS Stand J019

 

[Malabar]

Just a reminder that the Channel Islands are not EU. If there is any chance of calling in at e.g. Alderney you have to notify UKBA in advance and clear in on return.

 

[Talulah]

Just a reminder that the Channel Islands are not EU. If there is any chance of calling in at e.g. Alderney you have to notify UKBA in advance and clear in on return.

This page may be useful.
http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channels...ntent&id=HMCE_CL_000289&propertyType=document

and a link to the approriate form

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/forms/c1331.pdf

 

[Champagne Murphy]

This page may be useful.
http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channels...ntent&id=HMCE_CL_000289&propertyType=document

and a link to the approriate form

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/forms/c1331.pdf

Section 6.1

6.0 Leaving the United Kingdom

top ^

6.1 Do I need to notify the customs authorities before I sail my vessel outside the United Kingdom?

It is an offence not to notify the customs authorities when you intend to take your vessel directly to a country outside the EU.

If you are going directly to another Member State, you will not need to make a report unless specifically asked to do so by an officer. There is no need to make a report if you intend to ultimately leave the EU but will be calling first at another port in the EU on passage.


ie no need to report if going to Cherbourg first. Am I right to understand it like that?

 

[Talulah]

ie no need to report if going to Cherbourg first. Am I right to understand it like that?

Yes. If going to Cherbourg first no need to report out.
If returning via Cherbourg no need to report in.

 

[prv]

ie no need to report if going to Cherbourg first. Am I right to understand it like that?

Yep, and lots of people do it that way for that very reason (and to stock up on booze).

Pete

 

[Ru88ell]

I believe the preferred way to contact the coastguard is via dsc. IIRC IainC is in the Solent, so solent coastguard (mmsi 002320011 which you should have put in your radio's directory). Send the DSC, wait for them to change the working channel (to 67 for solent) then voice call them, ensuring your identification includes your mmsi.

I've tried many times to work out how to do this, but failed. If only they'd made DSC sets as easy to use as a mobile phone.

 

[oldvarnish]

so solent coastguard (mmsi 002320011 which you should have put in your radio's directory). Send the DSC, wait for them to change the working channel (to 67 for solent) then voice call them, ensuring your identification includes your mmsi.

Just wondering if it is possible to come up with a more cumbersome system of communicating than this.

 

[laika]

I've tried many times to work out how to do this, but failed. If only they'd made DSC sets as easy to use as a mobile phone.

I think the problems are:
- It's not always well taught. I know a guy who teaches SRC and doesn't, in practice, know how to work DSC on his own set (even though his voice protocol is impeccable)
- People rarely use it, and what isn't practised gets forgotten
- It's a PiTA to manually enter MMSIs with the rotary controls that all but the more expensive VHF sets have.

Logging a traffic report to the coastguard is actually a pretty good exercise. Reminds you to put their MMSI into your radio's directory so it can be easily and quickly selected in future. As it's something you know in advance you're going to do you can read the manual the night before (the section on entering MMSIs into the directory and the section on making an individual call) and remind yourself of what you need to do before you set off. Things to remember when calling the coastguard by DSC:
- It doesn't actually matter what working channel you select: Their equipment will change the working channel to their own (this differs from standard ship to ship individual calls)
- When they acknowledge, the working channel will change and *you* need to call *them* by voice, including your MMSI in your identification (ie "this is yacht Wibble, MMSI 235099999")

The astute will ask "so why not just call them up on the working channel and save yourself the hassle?". Which is a fair point. I suspect from their point of view it enables them to deal with requests by acknowledging them when they are ready to. From your point of view it gives you practice using DSC.

 

[Tomahawk]

Watch out for white ships... usually small
They are much faster than they appear!!.. they will be fruit reefers carrying perishable foods ... Because their cargo is time limited they go like the calppers....

 

[laika]

Just wondering if it is possible to come up with a more cumbersome system of communicating than this.

Anything is possible when it's invented by people who didn't do the sums when they thought that 9 digits including a fixed format for the marine identification digits etc. was enough.