jezjez
Active member
Dear East coast Forum,
Managed to find our way to ostende in our own boat by our own hand with your helpful advice - thank you.
Robert is cetainly a character. I now have a number of his opinions on a number of things.
We motorsailed the first 7 hours to literally half way when we had a rip to the headsail and an injector problem within 10 mins - so that we lost power. We put up a small headsail and amazingly luckliy the wind filled in behind us within minutes - so that we went from 4 knots to 7 knots plus meaning we crossed in 13.5 hours motor sailing half the way and braod reach sailing the rest with the odd surf at the end. Wind SW 4 became SW 5 and finished on a 6 - this was saturday.
When we lost engine power and the big headsail I did start to think we'd be arriving in the dark but as it was we arrived at 5.30pm.
Monday's return forecast WSW 6-7 gusting 9 (downgraded to 5-7 gusting 8) and tuesday NW 7-8 gusting 11 (!!) downgraded to 6-7 gusting 10 meant we came back on the ferry and have to go back for the boat.
No diesel in Ostende seemed harsh.
Ostende has more places to eat than I imagined.
Shame the ferry Ostende to Ramsgate wouldn't take foot passengers - we had to go to Calais to cross.
Back in a fortnight to come home.
Many thanks all.
Ps. The navigation was pretty straight forward.
IS coming back more of an 'uphill' slog?
Managed to find our way to ostende in our own boat by our own hand with your helpful advice - thank you.
Robert is cetainly a character. I now have a number of his opinions on a number of things.
We motorsailed the first 7 hours to literally half way when we had a rip to the headsail and an injector problem within 10 mins - so that we lost power. We put up a small headsail and amazingly luckliy the wind filled in behind us within minutes - so that we went from 4 knots to 7 knots plus meaning we crossed in 13.5 hours motor sailing half the way and braod reach sailing the rest with the odd surf at the end. Wind SW 4 became SW 5 and finished on a 6 - this was saturday.
When we lost engine power and the big headsail I did start to think we'd be arriving in the dark but as it was we arrived at 5.30pm.
Monday's return forecast WSW 6-7 gusting 9 (downgraded to 5-7 gusting 8) and tuesday NW 7-8 gusting 11 (!!) downgraded to 6-7 gusting 10 meant we came back on the ferry and have to go back for the boat.
No diesel in Ostende seemed harsh.
Ostende has more places to eat than I imagined.
Shame the ferry Ostende to Ramsgate wouldn't take foot passengers - we had to go to Calais to cross.
Back in a fortnight to come home.
Many thanks all.
Ps. The navigation was pretty straight forward.
IS coming back more of an 'uphill' slog?
