Help for a virgin

[martinwoolwich]

Well at least you're looking!!

I've posted here before and saga continues. I have a new Broom 38. I have recently passed all my courses and am the proud owner of ICC Costal and Inland. I've also done diesel course and VHF DSC

'cause of the vast experience that is clearly on this forum I want to ask some advice.

Say I have 2 weeks holiday based from Ramsgate. (I've actually got three weeks but allowed myself time to get to and from my base on the Thames) Assume weather is great so I can cruise every day. (ha, ha). Obviously don't need to sail each day (cause it is a holiday after all)

Where would I go if I wanted

- A South Coast Itinerary

- A North Coast of France Itinerary (I have got Insuarance cover - although they've increased my excess for the period !!)

- a combination of both?

Assuming;

I am sensible and happy with my navigation skills, am fairly happy about seamanship (although if it turns even slightly I'll head for the nearest safe sanctuary). I have all the right safety equipment (liferaft, lifejackets offshore flare packs etc)..

I can't take a drying mooring. I have no experience at all of swinging moorings, nor pile moorings, nor box moorings. We do have dingy and outboard.

Happy to stay at marinas only although would like to have some anchorages - again no experience except what I learnt on the Dayskipper Practical.

Simple approaches prefered

Have all necessary Paper Charts as well as Chartplotter/radar/echo sounder

Have to keep wife (who's really excited about the whole thing)_
and three kids 10,10,12 happy

Wife speaks fluent Qubeqois (Canadian French)

I know this is really cheeky and more than a little presumptuous but I've been buried in the Shell Channel Pilot for three days now (which is excellent) but I know you lot have the experience to distill and advise if so inclined and could do in minutes. That would give me a chance to really study up on the charts and pilot on an actual route.

And with your help or without it I depart Harleyford, on the Thames July 8th! - Tally ho!

 

[Guest]

Re: Losing it

well this sounds jolly fun indeed.

My humble recommendations are

1. Do not worry at all about anywhere. In other words, do not announce that "we're going to xyz " because then there is pressure to go.
2. Your proposed cruising area is tidal, which means nice flat beaches and (for me and any 10-12 year-old) that means jolly fun. Buy some hockey sticks like they use for rollerblade hockey (the black ones) with orange ball, saw em down and you have the very bestest beach game when tide is out for a) lazy people in goal b) youngsters belting around c) anyone in between. Much better than crikit or footie.
3. Deauville is my favourite channel place for families. Nearly empty, smart, easy approach, lock in, hop over harbour wall for miles of flat beach and Ciro's ace restuarant on the beach. Also smart shops and nice fr town.
4. In the channel, you have to grab time to go WEST: most of the time it blows "up" the channel so as soon as it's ok to go west, go. Getting back is "with" the normally prevailing wind, so less delay likely.
5. Deauville, St Vaast, Alderney, Guernsey, Yarmouth IOW, Weymouth would be on my A-list with kids. Also west country but mebbe a bit far.
6. Missables (except for fuel) include wiffy Grandcamp-Maisy, Jersey, Cherbourg, Brighton, Eastbourne and most of solent (best for easy flat-water sailing really)

have a fab trip.

 

[byron]

Being Ramsgate based you must visit:-
Calais, Bolougne, Dunkirk Nueiport, Ostend. That should be enough for a two week holiday.
Don't forget your cheapo fags in Belgium and booze in Calais.

©2001

 

[hlb]

Cant help alot cos I'm a bit West of you to know the area well
But. You do seem to be makeing a bit of a drama out of a mole hill. Just set off down or up the coast sdomewhere close'ish and as you get there say oh [censored] that was bad enough and stay there a bit or Ho Ho that was fun lets carry on a bit. That way you go miles and miles without realising it.
Got to get to ABC by Tuesday or else dont work.
Keep it all little bits. Then you've actualy done a big bit.

Haydn

 

[martin]

Reply from another virgin

Hi,

I am moored just across the river at you at Temple. (Elle)

I have done the slog down the Thames a couple of times and IMHO it aint worth it.. even trying really hard I always end up counting the locks and pushing to get through the next one cause I just want to get to the sea (not relaxin and no fun for everyone else).

Then when you finally get to the tidal bit you still have a day of industrial bits until to get to Ramsgate.

Why not bung it on a lorry and come with me down to sunny devon..(torquay will be base) 2 kids boy 6 and girl 3... being winched out at Harleyford on the 9th. Have yatchmaster chappy booked for 11th to show me across channel. Tag along if you like.

 

[Guest]

Well I for one don't understand a word of it - but it does all sound great fun! I'm far more virginal than you (?) but ultimately I'd like to attempt a journey like the one your planning (when I get a bigger boat too!).

Anyway - given all the advice, whats your plan? Devon sounds nice to me.

Your turn to help me - where did you get all your training? Was it any good? When I finally get my little tub here (in a few weeks i hope) I'll be down the road at Walton if they let me in. Say hello!

 

[miket]

I hesitate to disagree with such a distinguished contributor as Byron, but I will anyway!

Calais isn't bad, but restricted entry.
Boulogne was dirty, and the town was dying last time I went there (ferries had just pulled out).
Dunkirk is OK, but if the wind is from West you get covered in smutz from the industrial area across the road.
Nieupoort and Ostend are good. Use Mercator Yacht Harbour in Ostend.

Better still, go to southern Holland.
Ramsgate to Ostend
Ostend to Vlissingen (Flushing) and into Walcheren Canal to Middleberg. You then have the Veeresmeer, Ousterschelte, Grevelingmeer, Haringvliet etc, all of which are inland seas/ large lakes. You can choose town moorings, marinas or island/ beach. Whole country is geared towards boating.

Been 3 times and still not bored.

Otherwise, try St Valery sur Somme, Dieppe, St Valery en Caux and Fecamp.

Whatever you choose spend some time in the various places, don't just race from one to the other. Better to enjoy 3 or 4 places in your 2 weeks than be able to brag that you went to 20 (but didn't really see any).

Have a super trip. Log your passages with the coastguard but remember to call when you have arrived. File a CG66 is better still. Coastguard will explain.

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

My God, there are some big girls blouses on this forum. Truck the boat to the coast? Dont venture off the non tidal Thames 'coz it might hurt?
The tidal Thames is fab through London to the Thames Barrier - spend a night or two at St Katherines and do the sights. OK its boring from there to Ramsgate buts its only 4 hours in a planing boat and there are the sticky-up bits in the Estuary to keep the navigator interested.
2 weeks from Ramsgate? Matt's right, get as far west as you can as quickly as you can 'coz the weather usually comes from the west but probably you dont want to go further than the Solent with maybe a foray to France in the 2nd week if the weather looks settled. If you go to French coast its advisable to do it west to east so you can get to your next port on the same tide.
Places to visit?
Beaches for the kids - Bembridge(walk to the Baywatch caf), Yarmouth (BBQ area near beach), Chichester harbour(anchor off East Head),St Vaast,Deauville/Trouville
Entertainment for the kids - Port Solent, Portsmouth, Brighton,Ocean Village
Scenic harbours- Yarmouth, Newtown,Beaulieu,Honfleur
Shopping - Lymington,Deauville, Honfleur
Eating out - anywhere in France, nowhere in England
Only if you have to - Eastbourne,Cowes,Cherbourg,Fecamp,Grandcamp
Complete dumps- Medway,Dover,Shoreham,Littlehampton,Newhaven,Le Havre,Calais,Boulogne + anywhere in Belgium

If the long term weather looks dodgy stay on the English side 'coz its much easier to leave the boat somewhere and return later. Its a balance between having a sense of adventure and not scaring yourself and more importantly, your crew, witless.
Good luck!

 

[Guest]

Re: Litter porters reqd NFrance !

First you trucked it to Torquay, and now hired a driver for the worrisome sea! Very laid back holiday, and erm thinking about it sounds probly fine. You must let us know how you get on.

 

[martin]

Re: Litter porters reqd NFrance !

Is there no end to my laziness

Seriously though, and following on from one of the earlier points, I have made the mistake of HAVING to be some where at a certain time on a boat before. If its at the end of a long journey...its always far to stressful and it takes the fun out of just ambling along. I also know my own comfort zone..I am happy to dither about on coastal waters by myself, I have my sailing dayskiper theory and practical tickets + DSC Radio so although it may not sound like it, I do know what I am doing, but I have never been across the channel so I figure why not make it easier and take someone who has?

After all, if I wanted my hols to be hard work I would have bought a sail boat, set off with the wife and children on board and anchored in small quite rivers where the kids could drive me and everyone else around us completely mad cos they were bored.

 

[martin]

Surely some one who doesn't wear blouses would never leave there boat somehwere just cos a bit of bad weather!

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

What I wear in the privacy of my own home is between myself, my wife, my analyst and my divorce lawyer and, actually, a little silk chiffon number suits me quite well even though I say it myself
Ref. leaving the boat somewhere, its an option you have to consider. You may have iron balls and scoff at a Force 8 on the nose but your crew might not and, much more importantly, your boat might not whatever the salesman says.
In any case, leaving the boat somewhere gets over that end-of-holiday blues feeling because you've got the perfect excuse to go and play again the following weekend which is why its a good idea to leave her on the English side

 

[martin]

Quite agree ..but you can't hav it both ways in this forum it seems your eyver a ruffty tuffty sea can't herrt me bloke or your a big gurls blouse truck it scairdy cat.

 

[duncan]

I am becoming increasingly impressed with all these 'large boats' being trailed around the place.

Now that is have your cake and eat it - good on you !

Even more sadly it may even be cheaper than owning a trailer!!!!!!!!