First cross channel trip

The most favourable tides are those where you are in mid channel when it is strongest going west on your way there and East on the way back. This is because there is an element of S in the W going tides and vice versa.

Arriving at Cherbourg and expecting to pick out the lights you want can be problematic as there is one hell of a lot of background light from just about anything.

The French seem remarkably laid back about arrivals (I think they know of major drug smuggling and people carrying and just target those craft).
I have been asked for passport but that was in the supermarche where they wanted to see it before they would accept a credit card.

Check your insurance for single handing, some policies refuse to cover if the voyage is over 18 hours (or whatever) so be warned.

If planning for a long weekend do remember if you depart on Friday night after a week at work you'll be very tired on arrival and a quick turn-round to get back for Monday can take the pleasure out of it especially if the weather deteriorates - not just wind but fog. This seems to occur (for me) as soon as you get to the major shipping zones and even 2 miles visibility doesn't seem much when some whacking great tanker appears out of the murk doing 20+ knots. If you have some flexibility you'll enjoy it more.

That's the key thing Enjoy it. There's only ever one first channel cross.
 
About the leading lights, as someone mentioned above, I too (twice) have had difficulty with the Cherbourg eastern entrance approach navigation lights. This was when approaching on a southerly bearing and the tide is sweeping you west. I was glad to have my GPS/plotter handy. Bino‘s essential too. In previous years I have come in via the western entrance and don’t recall having any difficulty with lights.

In your yacht I would suggest the weather forecast and importantly the sea state forecast is going to be within a quite narrow range to be acceptable (comfortable, even safe) for you to depart. So it would be important to have considerable flexibility as to when you go and when you return.
 
Channel Sailor said:
In your yacht I would suggest the weather forecast and importantly the sea state forecast is going to be within a quite narrow range to be acceptable (comfortable, even safe) for you to depart. So it would be important to have considerable flexibility as to when you go and when you return.
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To add to the above it's worth keeping your options open for the departure point for the crossing to get a good angle on the wind. If near neaps and a reasonable wind is say somewhere between westerly and south-easterly then you can sail (or motorsail) straight out of Chichester Harbour. If the wind is more a prevailing south westerly then a departure from Yarmouth might be good if the tides are OK. For an even better angle on a south westerly wind and to avoid the tidal gate in the Western Solent then anchoring overnight at Studland is good. (But may not be so good for a long weekend.) It's good practice to work out potential passage plans for all these and make a final decision on the basis of wind, tides, daylight etc once within a day or two of departure.

I like to redo my course to steer half-way across and adjust if necessary, then at 3/4 of the way making any final change of course to be uptide of the entrance as others have said.
 
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Poey50 said:
To add to the above it's worth keeping your options open for the departure point for the crossing to get a good angle on the wind. If near neaps and a reasonable wind is say somewhere between westerly and south-easterly then you can sail (or motorsail) straight out of Chichester Harbour. If the wind is more a prevailing south westerly then a departure from Yarmouth might be good if the tides are OK. For an even better angle on a south westerly wind and to avoid the tidal gate in the Western Solent then anchoring overnight at Studland is good. (But may not be so good for a long weekend.) It's good practice to work out potential passage plans for all these and make a final decision on the basis of wind, tides, daylight etc once within a day or two of departure.

I like to redo my course to steer half-way across and adjust if necessary, then at 3/4 of the way making any final change of course to be uptide of the entrance as others have said.
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If you've only got a long weekend to play with, spending the first day beating at 90 degrees to where you want to go seems a bit daft.
It doesn't need to be that complex. It's over there. Check there's no F7 or fog in the the forecast and Just Do It.

The problem is, when you get to Cherbourg, you'll be surrounded by boats from Chichester and Gosport...
 
lw395 said:
If you've only got a long weekend to play with, spending the first day beating at 90 degrees to where you want to go seems a bit daft.
It doesn't need to be that complex. It's over there. Check there's no F7 or fog in the the forecast and Just Do It.
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That seems about right to me as Yarmouth is a good 40% of the distance from Chichester to Cherbourg ! I sail this about 3 times a year, a short offshore trip even in a small boat which can't beat like a witch. As noted, the trick is to pick a fogless day (hopefully with a bit of sun) and a moderate F3-4+ at least 40 degrees off the nose. Obsessing over micro details just means pointless delay.

Just be SURE NOT to venture into the military port (right of marina) as you arrive, or into the restricted waters around it - French Navy justifiably twitchy these days.

Other than that, it's plain sailing. It's true that Cherbourg can be disorientating at night, but Chentereyne Marina is easy to find, marked with unmissable Iso (unless recently changed) port and stbd lights:
https://www.portchantereyne.fr/file...Chantereyne/24025_-_Map-colour-options_v5.pdf
 
Unless the wind is unusually helpful I'd work up to Lymington the day before.

I agee arriving at dawn is ideal.

I also agree a weekend is too short a time - asking to put yourself under pressure to get back.

And if the weather goes duff, take an extra day or two off or go back by ferry; more people get in bother with ' have to be back at the office on Monday ' than anything else.

It's actually very enjoyable, are you singlehanded or first time as skipper as I understood ? If alone or short handed watch out for fatigue, have snacks and things like cup-a soups handy.

Enjoy !
 
Thank you all for some really sound advice. If I can't make a success of it with all this information then it really is time to take up a new hobby! I'm not going singlehanded - plan to have at least two, preferably three other crew. I do have AIS - I wanted to do the trip last year but didn't want to do it without an AIS transponder.

Any more info gratefully received
 
Benny257 said:
.......

Any more info gratefully received
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Just as well lob in my 2p.

I have never done the trip but if I did I would try to get down to Yarmouth on the Friday night and set off early doors Sat with the ebb. If those moorings are settled you can have a good sleep and be away with the main hoisted, no lines or fenders to fuss with, straight off the buoy. Tea in one hand bacon bap in the other.
With a good breeze you might be there for cocktails.
 
doug748 said:
Just as well lob in my 2p.

I have never done the trip but if I did I would try to get down to Yarmouth on the Friday night and set off early doors Sat with the ebb. If those moorings are settled you can have a good sleep and be away with the main hoisted, no lines or fenders to fuss with, straight off the buoy. Tea in one hand bacon bap in the other.
With a good breeze you might be there for cocktails.
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Unless you have a very long weekend, getting there at cocktail time on a saturday, just about allows time for a dash to the baker's for some pain chocolat, before departing back at 0500hrs on sunday. Best arrive saturday am, then a whole day ashore.
 
scotty123 said:
Unless you have a very long weekend, getting there at cocktail time on a saturday, just about allows time for a dash to the baker's for some pain chocolat, before departing back at 0500hrs on sunday. Best arrive saturday am, then a whole day ashore.
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When I werra a lad a long weekend were three days:

LONG WEEKEND | meaning in the Cambridge English Dictionary

Setting off Friday night after a day at work is one of those things that PBO used to warn you about in the olden days
 
doug748 said:
I have never done the trip but if I did I would try to get down to Yarmouth on the Friday night and set off early doors Sat with the ebb. If those moorings are settled you can have a good sleep and be away with the main hoisted, no lines or fenders to fuss with, straight off the buoy. Tea in one hand bacon bap in the other.
With a good breeze you might be there for cocktails.
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So, there you are in Yarmouth, Friday 7:00pm. Say the ebb that night runs from 11:00pm to 4:30am. First light 5:30am.

What is to be done? :unsure:
 
dom said:
So, there you are in Yarmouth, Friday 7:00pm. Say the ebb that night runs from 11:00pm to 4:30am. First light 5:30am.

What is to be done? :unsure:
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If you arrive in Yarmouth at 7pm on Friday, after months of planning and uncover this difficulty you should really take up golf. :)

.
 
I singlehanded from Lymington last summer. Left 5am arrived 4pm. Good long sleep then the whole next day in Cherbourg. GF came for a day trip on fast cat
.
Sailed back overnight that night. Very memorable trip as dolphins and meteor shower to keep me company ;)
 
doug748 said:
If you arrive in Yarmouth at 7pm on Friday, after months of planning and uncover this difficulty you should really take up golf. :)
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Good point, and the Needles Golf Course is not bad I’m told :)

Trouble is, a peep waiting for the right wind, the right tide, and the right day of the week might end up Waiting for Godot :whistle:
 
capnsensible said:
I suppose its all about your threshold of discomfort. Takes all sorts.
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Not sure what you mean by that?
Brings back memories of some of my first Channel crossings, sat on the rail of a Sigma for most of a JOG race.
When you've done a few of those, just getting there and not worrying about being too far down the fleet is a breeze.
I've always enjoyed sailing at night, in any reasonable watch system.
 
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