England's West Coast to Isle of Man in 5m Boat?

[reyes]

Hi all

I'm thinking that I'd really like to do a trip to the Isle of Man (like in the screenshot), but my boat is not very big though (4.95m), which is this.

I appreciate people have circumnavigated the globe in smaller vessels but I'm curious what people think from an in general, this is/isn't suited because...

My current thinking is:

- Like any trip, it's weather dependent. If it's bad, don't go. If the forecast is calm (how calm?) then go for it.
- Obviously be prepared: VHF, PLB, know how to use them.

Would you do it? Have you done it? What's the minimum you'd do the trip in?

 

[The Q]

Someone did it on a jet ski during COVID ( from Scotland that is) you could do it on a paddleboard on the right day.
Unless you are really attached to that starting point, I'd be tempted to find the closest suitable point in cumbria. It's likely to be a long boring trip as it is.. also be prepared to be stuck on I o M if the weather is too bad to return.

 

[jon and michie]

Someone did it on a jet ski during COVID ( from Scotland that is) you could do it on a paddleboard on the right day.
Unless you are really attached to that starting point, I'd be tempted to find the closest suitable point in cumbria. It's likely to be a long boring trip as it is.. also be prepared to be stuck on I o M if the weather is too bad to return.

Could always have someone take a car and trailer across to meet them incase of bad weather on the return leg - ie try it one way first

 

[reyes]

I am absolutely not attached to that starting point... I typed a location into Google so I could get an image for my post and it added all sorts of routing so I just cut out the waypoints. I definitely agree with shortening it where possible.

Okay, so it sounds like what I've heard before then (on the right day, all is fine).

Sort of related: are there any groups you guys know of who do crossings like this, so there's an extra safety element with more than one doing the crossing?

 

[jon and michie]

look up harry dwyer on youtube doing round the uk in a speedboat

 

[ridgy]

In the kind of weather you'd do it in, you'd be doing 20 knots so hardly any point in starting from somewhere else just to save 45 minutes or less on a 3 hour journey.

Ideally flat calm and windless but force 3 or less. Blue on windy.com

 

[reyes]

Already seen it!

And @ridgy, is force 3 the max you'd do it in? I was thinking I'd have to be fairly open-minded to 4...

 

[Davy_S]

I have done it twice, once in a CJR 14 with a 40hp yam, once in a 15ft sea hog with 50hp evinrude, set off from Cleveleys beach, direct to Douglas, both times were in flat calm conditions, It was a long time ago, you need to pick your weather very carefully and carry plenty of fuel, i would not attempt it in anything other than flat calm, we used around 50 litres each way.

 

[ridgy]

3 would be top for me and from a good direction. I don't have huge experience in motor boats that size apart from safety boat duties though I did once hire a 6m rib in the solent for a few days and I was certain at the end that speed boating is definitely a light wind activity.

Take your boat out on shorter trips in varying wind conditions and decide for yourself.

 

[[2574]]

I’d want a “F3 or less” inshore waters forecast before I’d consider that crossing in your boat. You’d feel (and be) very exposed if any kind of sea built up whilst you were passsgemaking. Flat calm would be my choice.

 

[Mr Googler]

Drop in at Whithorn then it’s only 16 miles of “open” water and you won’t lose sight of land

Head for Ramsey then follow the coast “if you’re heading for Douglas”

Tides can get a bit rapid round there but time it right before high tide and they ease off.


Slipway at Whithorn

 

[dunedin]

Already seen it!

And @ridgy, is force 3 the max you'd do it in? I was thinking I'd have to be fairly open-minded to 4...

It’s not wind that would be your problem but waves - you ideally want what the Inshore waters calls Smooth, possibly Smooth to Slight. Slight can soon become Moderate, and “Moderate” means moderate for a ship, extremely bumpy for a tiny boat.

 

[onesea]

It’s not wind that would be your problem but waves - you ideally want what the Inshore waters calls Smooth, possibly Smooth to Slight. Slight can soon become Moderate, and “Moderate” means moderate for a ship, extremely bumpy for a tiny boat.

Depends on your confidence and experience, the Irish Sea is relatively shallow and with little fetch creates some interesting short seas steep seas in a bit of wind.