Athene V30
Well-Known Member
The Dutch use Maestro widely, everything is "dip", 'chip and pin' to us! Shame that UK banks dumped Maestro some years ago so if you can find one it is worth getting!
Holland next summer?
- Thread starter jezjez
- Start date
The Dutch use Maestro widely, everything is "dip", 'chip and pin' to us! Shame that UK banks dumped Maestro some years ago so if you can find one it is worth getting!
TLouth7
Well-Known Member
Have a look at this previous thread:
http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthrea...r-sailing-trip-to-dunkerque-Ostend-and-beyond
I would suggest Harwich direct to Vlissingen, as you can get straight into the canals there. Zeeland is great (we went 3 years in a row when I was a small child, 2 adults with 4 children all onboard for the crossings).
http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthrea...r-sailing-trip-to-dunkerque-Ostend-and-beyond
I would suggest Harwich direct to Vlissingen, as you can get straight into the canals there. Zeeland is great (we went 3 years in a row when I was a small child, 2 adults with 4 children all onboard for the crossings).
sailorman
Well-Known Member
Harwich > Roompot would be more straight forward & no tidal gate to worry entering the Shelde & certainly less shipping
johnalison
Well-Known Member
I often go via Roompot but air draft can be a problem for larger boats for whom waiting for LW can mean the streams are wrong. The marina there is nothing special, so Colinsplaat 5m inland is nicer (or Zeirikzee).
Athene V30
Well-Known Member
Need to watch the sluicing at Roompot. When I went in May there was a lot of current from it.
Nice marina with if I recall correctly........ finger pontoons rather than box & posts! Didn't use it but there is a swimming complex there too, I understand it is a sort of Centerparc resort.
johnalison
Well-Known Member
To my mind it is perfectly OK but a bit featureless. Finger pontoons are pretty widespread in Holland for those of a nervous disposition but box moorings have many advantages once you have mastered the fairly simple technique of entering. The Roompot fuel pontoon is not accessable to my 1.5m at low tide. I would only use the marina if I wanted to save the hour from Colijnsplaat.
Athene V30
Well-Known Member
Singlehanded? Simple? At least with a finger pontoon I can secure the midships line and the boat won't go anywhere. Agree with a crew they are not as daunting as first appear but I have yet to master the art of being in three places at once! ;-)
westhinder
Well-Known Member
What you are looking for is the Stroomatlas HP33, it contains al the tidal current info for the Netherlands.
http://www.vaarwinkel.nl/shop/prodd...IKXqI8svn-UU8hL3l7-9LaGGhK8Cv7LRoC5FsQAvD_BwE
MoodySabre
Well-Known Member
Even I enjoyed the water slide! And the good supermarket takes credit cards. There is also a swimming complex next to Delta Marina at Kortgene on the Veersemeer . Free bike hire, great facilities and an expensive restaurant (cycle into the village).
Athene V30
Well-Known Member
Danke ye
johnalison
Well-Known Member
I have not done a box on my own, yet, but I have seen it done many times. There doesn't seem to be a single best way but none of those I saw had any difficulty. For a resident, having stern lines of a preset length helps of course, and for visitors help is often at hand on the shore. Do you fly the single-handed pennant? I gather it is very effective in Holland.
Pye_End
Well-Known Member
Have done it many many times, very few times end up in a pickle.
Most boxes have fore and aft lines. Many have boats either side - plenty of fenders and you won't go very far or damage anything.
If there are fore and aft lines, and a cross wind, then get some of your boat in the box (to pivot point if really blowing); drop a stern line over a post (preferably windward) or two if you are able, and pick up the windward fore and aft line and drop a bow line over it and secure. Now you are in control and just need to get the other lines rigged.
Useful tip - if you get both stern lines on, put the engine gently ahead and ease the stern lines until your bows are near the pontoon. The engine will then keep you reasonably straight and reduce the risk of you ending up side on.
If there are no fore and aft lines and no boats next to year it is harder, though at least there is then nothing to damage if it goes wrong!
It is really just practice and confidence, and thinking different situations through.
Tradewinds
Well-Known Member
I was watching a sailing school in Muiderzand teaching this method the other day - it seemed to work extremely well (despite the posts leaning!).
Good tip about the fore and aft lines too. Thanks.
PS. The Dutch are really good at lassoing cleats too. It’s something we’ll have to practice more.
Athene V30
Well-Known Member
Thanks, pretty much what I have discovered although I need to try the two stern lines and engine technique. Should be easier next season when I take a permanent berth rather than roam from place to place.
Interestingly most Dutch people I speak with say to tie on but not deploy the fenders until inside the box as they can catch on the piles. Something else to do whilst lassoing a post, catching the side rope, steering etc!
Pye_End
Well-Known Member
I can well believe that. Don't really find it a problem going in with my beam, and yours may not be an issue too often (you have about 1.5ft more beam than me) - you could always leave the one up at maximum beam I suppose. The area of the boat initially at risk is further forward - so long as you don't need to rush there is usually more time than you think. At least you have a boat that tends to stay where it is and not get taken by the wind so much as modern designs, so tend to have a bit more time. Coming out the fenders catch more often, but usually got more time to push off or move fender for some reason.
sailorman
Well-Known Member
run large dia lines from forrard to aft with adjustable light lines to drape along the hull at max beam, these act as temp rubbing strips.
westhinder
Well-Known Member
You will notice that many Dutch yachts have a wooden rubbing strake for this purpose. That allows them to slide along the piles without damaging the hull. Many scandinavian boats such as Hallberg Rassy or Malö have a similar strake with a stainless strip for protection.
ditchcrawler
Well-Known Member
I have two lengths of 50mm hemp that I string along each side of the boat , hung from the toerail as the previous
poster says using light lines. It works well. When being asked about my beam for boxes in Holland I always add a
bit otherwise you can find yourself pushing the posts apart to get into your box.
poster says using light lines. It works well. When being asked about my beam for boxes in Holland I always add a
bit otherwise you can find yourself pushing the posts apart to get into your box.
johnalison
Well-Known Member
The business about fenders is a matter of judgement. Many boxes, such as those at Makkum marina are quite large enough for average boats to enter with fenders but if there is any doubt it is better to keep them on deck ready to kick into position. For any problematic box, especially those which are very wide, my solution is to come to a stop halfway in, sort out lines and fenders if necessary, and then proceed. Often, people on shore will think that you must a complete ninny and come to help/defend their own boats.
Athene V30
Well-Known Member
Ah, you have seen my attempts then!
Seriously, thanks all for sharing the knowledge! Sorry to the OP for hijacking the thread. The Netherlands is a great place to visit, I liked it so much I am staying this winter and next season for certain! But then again that has a little bit to do with meeting someone too!