Laundryman
Member
As a X Channel virgin, I am trying to plan my passage. I plan to leave Gosport at 3am Saturday and arrive 4pm. I am getting confused with the bst/ utc + & -. Does anyone see a problem with those timings please.
Thanks for that. I don't mind sucking eggs. I pretty much know what to do, just looking for a little confidence. My beneteau oceanis 321 might not be everyone's cup of tea but she performs well in light winds. See you in Cherbourg, sooner or later! Thanks. Alan
As a X Channel virgin, I am trying to plan my passage. I plan to leave Gosport at 3am Saturday and arrive 4pm. I am getting confused with the bst/ utc + & -. Does anyone see a problem with those timings please.
I'll have a virtual 5'er that Laundryman wont get away from work 'till 17.00 ish Friday, then he has to get down from Hemel, Its doing to be difficult for him to plan this one. If he can get down to Gosport to leave at 20.00, he'll be knackered before he starts his overnight crossing. Far from ideal.
Laundryman. Throw a sicky on Friday!
As a frequent x-channel sailor may I suggest that everything else being equal you don't leave at 3am.
Best time to leave Gosport is Portsmouth HW minus one hour. This gives a bit of Easting to get to the Bembridge Ledge, on to West Princessa, and then 200 Mag to Cherbourg.
By then the tide will be heading West and you'll get a good push on down the South side of the Isle Of Wight.
Hence leave Friday evening at 8pm.
We will be leaving Gosport as soon as everyone arrives. I expect it will be close to 9.30pm by the time we get away.
Given the forecast and winds just off the nose I'm expecting a long motor sail to get across with an ETA of 11am French time.
Don't forget passports, Euro, courtesy flag.
I should add that mjcp post above is a good alternative.
You could overnight Newtown River FOC and then exit via the Needles Saturday morning.
However, I think you would end up arriving a bit late for some of the pontoon parties.
Thank you to everyone for sharing their wisdom. To make it clear, I have a meeting at 2 pm Friday in Sunbury and plan to travel direct from there to Gosport. I can make an 8pm start but have little experience of night sailing. Is a first time night sail and a first time Channel crossing together, too much? I wonder, it's very tempting! I will keep a close eye on the forecast and make my final decision Friday. Thanks to everyone for the advice. Alan
Is a first time night sail and a first time Channel crossing together, too much?
Laundryman.. I see you're still online.. It's late!
As others have said.. get some rest on the crossing... . Start a watch rota as soon as you leave (so that crew all know when they're on watch and when they're off watch).. Keep warm - it's $"*%* cold in the middle of the night... And most importantly get some rest yourself... you don't want to be arriving at a foreign shore after an all night awake. You need to be alert at that point.
Ships.. same as or easier than in the Solent.. At least in the shipping lanes that's all there is to worry about.. and they tend to go in straight lines.. In the solent you'd have crab pots... buoys... other yachts.. land.. other motor boats. . At least mid channel it's just the shipping lanes. One other thing about the ships.. they don't necessarily follow each other.. some pass quicker than others and effectively 'overtake' slower ones.
So.. keep warm.. safe sailing.. and get those watches started... Any questions.. just ask.
Re getting head down, there's a handy couple of hours between seeing the last of the west-going shipping, and the first of the east-bound. Good opp for zzzzzzs.
Re getting head down, there's a handy couple of hours between seeing the last of the west-going shipping, and the first of the east-bound. Good opp for zzzzzzs.
I think you will find a 'light lunch' is being served around that time.