Harwich to IJmuiden. Any tips for the trip?

[MrCramp]

If weather conditions permit sailing to IJmuiden around Tuesday 28th August, and then on to Amsterdam where the boat will remain. Westerly Discus, 33 ft. Guess have to work on 5 knott for passage planning. Any tips for the timing of the trip re tides?

Would go into the marina at IJmuiden on arrival and lock into the canal next day. Whats it like sharing the canal with the big boats?

I've never been keen on hours of night sailing so perhaps one option would be to go to Ostend (never been) and then sail up the coast next day.

 

[SoSageofLorn]

As I recall, the south West going stream can be unexpectedly strong, the distance to Ostend is about 90nm, you will be crossing the stream covering three tides so need to take this into account.
Its an 18hr passage so avoiding night hours at this time of year is unlikely. I personally would make for Breskens, Nuwpoort or Ostend and then hop up the coast. There is considerable shipping on the Dutch/Belgian coast.

I would recommend The North Sea Passage Pilot by Brian Navin.

 

[AliM]

We've done it a few times. No great problem - much easier than the two channel crossings I've done becuese there's far fewer ships. We've just gone reasonably direct - cross the Harwich approach and head NE past all those nasty Black Deep etc hard bits, all on a favourable tide (because it feels good to make good time to start with). Otherwise the tides cancel out, more or less. Then turn directly towards IJmuiden and go for it, overnight. The traffic density is reasonable, especially at night in good visibility - you'll probably only be seeing 2 or 3 ships at a time, often zero. That's why we do it that way rather than going across to Ostend (the Rotterdam traffic looks as if it's much worse).

IJmuiden is an easy entrance, though it gets a bit bumpy in a strong wind. The locks are easy and the canal is very relaxed and quite fun - it's wide enough that the large ships/barges are not too much of a threat.

Hope it goes well!

 

[Koeketiene]

Sound advice from Alim.

Would go directly - north of Rotterdam far less traffic.
A detour via Ostend would add about 50NM to your trip, AND you'd have to negotiate the Scheldt entrance ( http://www.vts-scheldt.net ) and Roterdam's approaches.
Dover Straits are a walk in the park compared to the Scheldt entrance.
Also, very strong tide off the Scheldt - even at neaps it would be pretty slow going against the tide.

 

[Guest]

[ QUOTE ]
the canal is very relaxed and quite fun - it's wide enough that the large ships/barges are not too much of a threat.

[/ QUOTE ]
By coincidence I just flew over the IJmuiden - Amsterdam canal this morning and looked carefully at it with that in mind as I'll be heading down it in 3 or 4 days. It's really wide and absolutely tons of space between the ships going up the middle and smaller boats towards the side, so shouldn't be at all worrying. If anything it looked even wider than the Kiel Canal (though maybe that's just the impression from an aerial view).

 

[AliM]

Yes, it's a lot wider than the Kiel canal, in most places anyway, but the locks for small boats are smaller.

 

[johnalison]

Agree the canal is no problem, but if you're not used to it, the barges can pop out of odd corners and come at you with remarkable speed, so keep a good lookout in all directions. I understand the Sixhaven is still a building-site, though still serviceable. We usually time our arrival there at mid-morning to make it easier to find a berth.
They'll give you Schengen papers at the harbour office in Ijmuiden.

 

[sailorman]

if leaving from Harwich depart @ H.W. Harwich you then get 2 fair tides & one foul assuming the trip is around 18 hrs. if you expect a 24 hr trip the tide is irrelevant really as they cancel out.
no point going to Oostende for a trip to Ijmuiden

 

[beneteau_305_553]

Ostend marina is great. easy to get into and right in the centre of town. Easily done from the orwell in daylight.

The trip up to Imuiden is also usualy OK for a day trip providing weather is kind.

There is a pay and display machine in Imuiden for the marina fees which are a bit steep but not too bad.

The lock into the canal for yachts is the south lock and few comercial boats use this lock. they normally use one of the larger locks. (there are 4 ). The height change is usually small and almost no flow noticeable within the lock.

The canal trip to Amsterdam is interesting and as said, just be carefull of boats aproaching from behind and from the side.

Sixhaven is just tiny but fine. Not expensive IMHO. They always seem to fit everyone in. The ferry goes across to central station every few minutes. Carry on up into the Markesmere and visit Volendam if you have time.

Have a good trip

 

[sailorman]

Volendam /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[aldeburgh]

we have just had 2 weeks in holland left west mersea at 2200 making it easy to stay awake till sunrise straight to ijmuinden 145 miles arrived at 2300 .Dont have to wory about the tide just shipping lanes but sailed straight through the gas fields.
100 miles to ostend and 110 miles from ostend to ijmuinden.

 

[PeterGibbs]

Here you go:

1. Depart HW Harwich minus one and head off with the NE going tide straight towards Ijmuiden. At end of the third tide, ie NE going, you will just make the entrance to Ijmuiden. Easy to see from 4-5 hours out. Pass gas fields as you go. Mid N Sea traffic light so overnight in settled weather (?this year?) very nice experience.

2. Do not stop in Ijmuiden marina - expensive and not easy
to approach. Go straight into yacht lock - operates 24/7 on RH of lock array before you.

3. Tie up immediately after the lock and get some kip/have breakfast etc. Free staging

4. Make for Amsterdam - 21 km - easy ride, might even get a sail up, but stay out of the way of the heavies. No problems, they move slowly and predictably. Watch out for heavies emerging from ports on RH bank as you progress.

5. Make landfall in Six Haven on LH (north) side of canal - very tight entrance but great position. If you get there about noon you'll have no real problems maneuvering in the marina. Arrive 6pm and you might not get in at all. Another marina, just 1 km further along on LH (north bank) before the Oranjesluizen. Six Haven's great for visiting Amsterdam - just walk over N Holland Canal locks (200m away) and left along the bank to the free ferry to Amsterdam Central Station, Walk under station into town.

Great trip. Done it numerous times. No probs.

If you go via Belgium, you can do this trip in daylight ok. Depart Harwich LW minus two hours to carry you south of Cork and keep you off the Long Head Sand where you’ll arrive at LW. Proceed direct to Ostend, and stay in noisy town harbour on your RHS or go 1km in and stay in quiet Royal Club marina. Great eating in Ostend – you could stay there for days.

But it’s a longish trip up the coast to Ijmuiden, past very busy Westerschelde and Hoek van Holland entrance (!) to Rotterdam – and low lee shore if SW blowing. So direct to Ijmuiden is preferred.

PWG

 

[heerenleed]

Totally agree with Peter Gibbs. Just one more tip about the crossing and one more about marinas.
Crossing: if the wind is strongish from SW to NW, try and approach IJmuiden on the flood. On the ebb there may be a heavy sea running just N of the entrance (the entrance faces NW) and in anything over F5 it can get quite nasty.

Marinas: If Sixhaven is not to your liking (and it may well be, because it has lost a lot of its charm over the last two years) consider Durgerdam, outside the Oranjesluizen (locks). An absolute gem, with good bus connections to Amsterdam (15-20 mins).
Quiet, rural, and still very close to Amsterdam, though no 24/7 connection like Sixhaven.

Enjoy your trip. Oh and don't worry about the canal. The big ships are rare and far between, barges fly all over the placce but as long as you stay close to the stbd shore you will be fine. Tacking is forbidden, but if the wind is favourable, and it may well be, you may be able to sail all the way to Amsterdam.

fair winds

 

[Sea Devil]

I have done it several times and no big deal - except in fog crossing the shipping lanes. In one boat without radar I got within a few metres of being wiped out by a merchant ship that was going fast and had not picked me up on his radar.. I think the fog was quite low on the water... I had no radar so the first thing I saw was a dirty great black hull speeding past just ahead.........
Monicadam in the Islemere is a good place to leave a boat for a while -
Michael

 

[PeterGibbs]

Agree with your comments:

1. Ijmuiden approach can be bit naughty in adverse wind/tide; but ok when in the arms of the harbour.

2. Yes, sad about Six Haven, the local canal/road works have rather stripped away its green cloak. Perhaps it will grow back. I'll really despair if the herons have taken flight - they were always there, day and night, watching for a catch!

3. You might also agree that the Oranjesluisen can be one of the more challenging locks. My first time there, years ago, I saw green lights and moved in only to look back and see a large barge progress in behind me, with someone shouting loudly in Dutch on the tannoy! The barge stopped just short of my transom, with my anchor almost grazing the lock door ahead, trying to get out of the way. I went up to the barge master and thanked him for not snuffing me out to which he said "no problem - I like your little boat" ! That's why Holland is such a great place to enjoy the waterways!

PWG

 

[heerenleed]

@PWG: I don't know how it was then, but now, the most N lock is used for yachts exclusively. I have not been there this nor last year, but I think there are signs "Sport" which point to the lock chamber dedicated to yachts. Apart from that, we Dutch are quite used to locks so they don't seem so challenging to us. Eventually, you will get used to them (though we never get used to the mayhem when people are in a hurry and the locks are too small for the crowd).....

 

[MrCramp]

Many thanks for all the replies. Just sitting down to look at outline passage planning but I really do intensly dislike night sailing so I think the boat (no it isn't mine) will be doing the trip without me. The boat owner has read all this info and has found it very usefull.