Dutch Courage

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Have been invited to bring a 40ft, 80hp motor sailer back from Ijmuiden near Amsterdam to Brighton next Monday. The new owner of the vessel has never sailed before or made a channel xing .
The vessels history details are limited anyway, have been invited to go along for the adventure. Boat does not have GPS, radar etc. Has anyone got any experiences of this passage or advice re : Ijmuiden port locks etc. And best route to Brighton . We must go Monday first light have 6 days .
 
Ijmuiden locks are no problem, you will probably be sent to the south lock. With an unknown boat such as this, I wouold come down the coast past Rotterdam (careful lots of ships and you have to report) and down to either vlisingen or Breskens, on the wester schelde. From there, straight across to ramsgate, careful at the TSS and then on to Brighton. If you trust the boat, you could go straight across from Ijmuiden to Lowestoft or Southwold, I would go to Lowestoft, easy acess 24 hours, southwold is difficult. Hope this helps with your planning. i've done the trip many times, both ways.
 
Why dont you take an inland waterway route and pop out at somewhere like Vlissingen which would reduce the offshore bit?. I would hug the Dutch/Belgian/French coast and cross the Channel from near Dunkerque to, say, Ramsgate again so that you're never more than 20-30 miles from a port of refuge
Take a handheld GPS and a load of industrial strength seasickness tablets
 
I agree, with an unknown boat you get to know if the engine is reliable on the inland bit, Vlissengen or Breskens to Dunkerque and then a short hop to Ramsgate. Take a HH VHF and GPS, H/bearing compass etc and you should be OK.

dickh
I'd rather be sailing...
 
Re: Dutch Reply, no courage needed

Seaport Marina (IJmuiden) is actually outside the locks. Has fuel berth and (some) shops. locks work 24/24hrs anyway, do call them on VHF 22. Ijmuiden Harbour control VHF 61. Seaport Marina VHF 74. Do remember this week is Amsterdam Seaport Boat show, held there so visitor's moorings very limited, fuel berth accessible, but busy.
I would indeed hug the coast and cross from Zeebrugge to Ramsgate. mind Goodwin sands but rest is straightforward.
Never understand why yotties recommend hugging the Belgian coast till Dunkerque: The crossing from there is the busiest and the part from Zeebrugge to CAlais is treacherous with the Flemish Banks you have to negotiate and can be very, very uncomfy in anything that has W in it and over Bf4. You want to be miles of the coast then.
If you need more info on Ijmuiden or how to get there drop me a line
 
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