First coastal cruise

[Livingthedream]

Hi all
Having only had experience boating on rivers, we have just bought our first sea going boat and have decided to sail her back from Ipswich (where we are picking her up from), around the north Norfolk coast and back down the Ouse to our inland mooring.
just wanted some advice really as we haven’t done this before.
Any help or advice would be most appreciated!
Thanks

 

[masterofnone]

Try posting this on the East coast section of this forum

 

[Sticky Fingers]

Hi all
Having only had experience boating on rivers, we have just bought our first sea going boat and have decided to sail her back from Ipswich (where we are picking her up from), around the north Norfolk coast and back down the Ouse to our inland mooring.
just wanted some advice really as we haven’t done this before.
Any help or advice would be most appreciated!
Thanks

Welcome along. What boat did you buy?

Not clear whether you mean the River Ouse (York etc) accessed via Humber estuary, or Great Ouse (access via the Wash and Denver Sluice etc) .. ?

 

[Livingthedream]

Hi Scala
Thanks for the reply
We bought a sealine S24 with the KAD32 and we are returning to the Great Ouse

 

[Seastoke]

You will need help if not done any sea passages make sure your insurance covers sea work . And enjoy new boat .

 

[Sticky Fingers]

Agree with Seastoke. This is not a trivial undertaking.

Don't know how good your passage planning / navigation / pilotage skills are, or anything about the boat. The Wash is complex.

That route is around 140NM to Kings Lynn, a few safe havens on the way (eg Levington/Shotley, Southwold, Lowestoft, Yarmouth, Wells). Doable in a day if you pick a good one and have ample fuel, but it's a small boat.

In your shoes I'd also want to be 100% comfortable that the boat was reliable before I attempted it.

You need a pilotage plan Ipswich to N Sea (relatively easy to be fair) and another for the Wash, probably starting at Woolpack; a passage plan that works with the tides and weather to your advantage; exit / safe haven plans if it all goes pear shaped; and equip the boat for coastal passages (liferaft, dump bag, VHF, LJs, and maybe spare fuel and a means of pumping it, spare impeller / belts plus a toolkit). You need to know where you are at all times and be able to know where to go next, with a backup (I use Navionics and VMH charts on a 10" tablet as a backup to plotter, and I also have paper charts and know how to use them). Etc.

 

[Greg2]

I am familiar with these waters and can confirm much of what has already been said. Access to Kings Lynn is tidally restricted so careful planning to arrive when you can get in is important. Personally, I wouldn’t do it in one go - a trip from Ipswich to Lowestoft is a good first passage to get to know the boat. An overnight at the Royal Norfolk & Suffolk Yacht a Club in Lowestoft will allow a re-fuel and a check of the engine bay etc and then you can plan a departure that meets tide times at Lynn.

The second leg, after Gt Yarmouth, has no safe havens that aren’t also tidally restricted and even then they are tricky. Crab and lobster pots are a major issue off N. Norfolk.

Not a trip for the inexperienced would be my counsel.

 

[Sticky Fingers]

I've been thinkng about this. Given that a. the boat's in Ipswich; b. it's of unknown reliability; c. it's only 24' long or theerabouts; and d. you want to be on the Great Ouse - I'd suggest far safer and more enjoyable (and certainly less risky) would be a 60 mile trip on a truck down the A14 to (eg) Jones at St Ives, or Hartford Marina, or Ely, or maybe the Cam at Cambridge. Then do the rest of your delivery on the river.

 

[Easticks28]

I've been thinkng about this. Given that a. the boat's in Ipswich; b. it's of unknown reliability; c. it's only 24' long or theerabouts; and d. you want to be on the Great Ouse - I'd suggest that a 60 mile trip on a truck down the A14 to (eg) Jones at St Ives, or Hartford Marina. Then do the rest of your delivery on the river.

By far the most sensible post ! Advice well worth taking.

 

[Scubadoo]

I can't help with the planned trip.

As an owner of an S24 for many years, I can say it is a very capable boat and copes well in challenging conditions. No room to carry a liferaft and would be too heavy, but the next best thing is a tender on davits, so consider that before making a trip of your undertaking. I think the two concerns for you is that you have never done coastal trips and the boat is new to you, so you will not be familiar with the boat set-up and characteristics at sea. I would do a few local sea trips to get experience and get to know the boat.

 

[Livingthedream]

Thanks for all your advice- it’s appreciated.
My thoughts were to maybe spend a day or two at the Ipswich marina doing local trips to get familiar with the boat and then split the journey into a few legs: maybe Ipswich to Yarmouth staying overnight, then Yarmouth to Hunstanton with another overnight stay, and then into the wash and Ouse.
Out of interest how did all of you start off doing sea trips?
Cheers guys

 

[Sticky Fingers]

...
Out of interest how did all of you start off doing sea trips?...

Sailing in my case, with experienced friends then instructors. I wouldn't consider this trip as an unaccompanied newbie let alone if you plan to bring your family along.

 

[ANDY_W]

Your idea of stopping overnight at Hunstanton would require an approach over drying sands to a place which doesn't have a harbour and is open to any wind with west in it.
Unless you have local knowledge which overcomes all that, that idea alone suggests that you do not have the knowledge or experience to undertake the journey you propose.
It is , of course entirely your affair, but I would strongly suggest that you reconsider your plan.

 

[stelican]

Thanks for all your advice- it’s appreciated.
My thoughts were to maybe spend a day or two at the Ipswich marina doing local trips to get familiar with the boat and then split the journey into a few legs: maybe Ipswich to Yarmouth staying overnight, then Yarmouth to Hunstanton with another overnight stay, and then into the wash and Ouse.
Out of interest how did all of you start off doing sea trips?
Cheers guys

P and O

 

[Leighb]

Thanks for all your advice- it’s appreciated.
My thoughts were to maybe spend a day or two at the Ipswich marina doing local trips to get familiar with the boat and then split the journey into a few legs: maybe Ipswich to Yarmouth staying overnight, then Yarmouth to Hunstanton with another overnight stay, and then into the wash and Ouse.
Out of interest how did all of you start off doing sea trips?
Cheers guys

I have only been up the coast as far as Yarmouth, so cannot offer advice on the Northern bit, but there is nowhere to stop in Yarmouth except against the quay, the tides run hard, plus hearsay says the townsfolk can be unfriendly to yachties, much better stop in Lowestoft, comfortable and hospitable, if a little pricey. It is not far South of Yarmouth. We were strongly advised “Don’t stop in Yarmouth, plan to go straight through“, we were heading into the Broads.

 

[PaulRainbow]

Thanks for all your advice- it’s appreciated.
My thoughts were to maybe spend a day or two at the Ipswich marina doing local trips to get familiar with the boat and then split the journey into a few legs: maybe Ipswich to Yarmouth staying overnight, then Yarmouth to Hunstanton with another overnight stay, and then into the wash and Ouse.
Out of interest how did all of you start off doing sea trips?
Cheers guys

Sorry to be blunt, but you're plan above highlights how inexperienced you are, so you should either get the boat moved by road, or get someone with experience to go with you. Yarmouth would be a poor choice to overnight and Hunstanton is not possible.

Ipswich to Lowestoft would be a good first leg. Lowestoft to Wells could be a second leg, but working with the tide and getting into Wells would be difficult to plan for. I wouldn't stop after Lowestoft. Leave Lowestoft to arrive at the mouth of the Wash for low water, or thereabouts, then take the flood tide through the Wash and up the Ouse, taking care not to overtake the tide as you won't get through the channel.

Ipswich to the sea is about 1.5 hours, then 40nm to Lowestoft, say another 3 hours.
Lowestoft to the Ouse is about 75nm, then about 10nm of Ouse to Kings Lynn.

You need to be sure the boat is equipped for such a sea passage and is in good order. For instance, a sea trip in a boat that normally potter up and down the river could stir dirt up in the fuel tank and stop the engine, then, not having an anchor and enough rope/chain will really leave you in trouble.

Pot buoys along that stretch of coast are prolific, especially close to shore and even worse around Orford and Cromer.

It's a straightforward trip for someone with the right experience, but not one that should be undertaken lightly be the inexperienced.

 

[Greg2]

Thanks for all your advice- it’s appreciated.
My thoughts were to maybe spend a day or two at the Ipswich marina doing local trips to get familiar with the boat and then split the journey into a few legs: maybe Ipswich to Yarmouth staying overnight, then Yarmouth to Hunstanton with another overnight stay, and then into the wash and Ouse.
Out of interest how did all of you start off doing sea trips?
Cheers guys

Would an option be to spend some time on the Orwell getting to know your boat and enjoying exploring some estuary / coastal cruising for a few weeks? Perhaps getting an RYA instructor aboard to teach some of the basics and maybe do Powerboat Level 2? Then you can decide whether to go by sea or get it trucked to somewhere on the Gt Ouse (probably Earith to get a lift in - our first boat came from LH Jones at St Ives and we had to take it there for a lift onto road transport).

If you really do want to do the trip by sea then as already advised, there needs to be someone experienced aboard, do it in two hops (Lowestoft not Gt Y) and maybe plan to stay overnight in Lynn when you get there (there is a visitors pontoon).

In answer to your question it is a lifetime thing for me - started sailing as a kid, joined Sea Cadets, did time in the RN and got our own boat around 20 years ago. First sea trips with friends and built up experience. Since done qualifications up to Yachtmaster (Offshore) with work ?

 

[oldgit]

Bring it back by road.

 

[bowler]

Congrats on the new boat!

I am not as experienced as many here as far as sea passages are concerned, but I have done a few on my motor boat (31 foot with twin engines) and a good few previously on sail boats as crew. All along the north coast of Ireland.

I distinctly remember the stress of the first sea voyage on the motor boat when the weather turned. While the weather was nothing extreme it was certainly uncomfortable.

Prior to the trip I had spent over a year getting to know the boat, going through all systems, full servicing, lots of parts replaced, plenty of day trips on the river and longer trips on Lough Neagh so I was happy that the boat was up to the job but it was still pretty stressful and a long three hours. We also had someone on board who know the route intimately which certainly helped.

Being at sea is a totally different animal to river cruising, adding to that an unknown boat with a single engine, awkward tides and stretches with no safe havens close by I would certainly think twice. Why run the risk of putting your family off boating for life, or worse? Not worth it in my opinion. You feel pretty small out there and all normal 'boating stresses' are amplified by that. That was my experience anyway, and I knew the boat well.

I don't mean to be a party pooper but I just wouldn't consider it in your circumstances. Our first ever trip was up the river after delivery, and even that was pretty stressful as the boat was unknown.

Throw it on a trailer and let the first few trips be as stress free as possible.

Best of luck either way.

D.

 

[Sticky Fingers]

Hear hear. Completely agree.