How far can a westerly centaur go? Spain

[Pickles]

Can a westerly centaur make it to Spain?


<hr width=100% size=1><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by Pickles on 19/03/2004 21:55 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[LadyInBed]

Depends who’s driving.
Day sailing around the coast the boat could go practically anywhere.


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[Anonymous]

I regularly sail my Centaur from Falmouth to the Channel Islands or Brittany, non-stop. I wouldn't hesitate to cross Biscay at the right time of year given a good forecast although be prepared for a slow and long passage if the relative wind is much in front of the beam, and/or there is much chop. You might want to carry some extra fuel and motor-sail if the conditions dictate. I use the engine to ensure a passage speed of around 4.5 to 5.0kt average. I wouldn't want to work my way round the inside of the bay - but each to his own- I am always a bit on edge when we have rocky coasts to leeward. From Corunna to Gib should be easy in the summer, but very tough going to get back again.

I have known two liveaboard Centaur owners (365/365) and they seemed perfectly happy, though it would be too small for me for longer than a month or so.

There is an excellent Westerly Owners list on Yahoo Groups which is open to everyone, not just WOA members.

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[applepip]

Please can you tell me your reasons for not wanting to go round the inside of the bay.
Thanks
Terry

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[dk]

Of course! The Centaur is a very seaworthy, if a tad slow, craft. Where she can go will be down to the skills of the skipper & crew. If you want to get to the Med but are nervous of the Bay, why not go through the canal system? It's a great way of seeing France and a lot less stressful than negotiating the Atlantic. If you want to see some of S Brittany then go round the corner and enter the Canal du Midi at Royan once you've cruised S Brittany.

I've done it in a 24ft leaky wooden boat with an old side-valve Ford Popular petrol engine, so i'm sure you'll make it ok.

Good luck.
DK

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[Anonymous]

There are not many good refuges around the inside of the bay if the weather turns sour. The prevailing winds are westerly, driving you into the bay, onto the rocky shoreline. If I particularly wanted to visit an area inside the bay, or wanted to admire the reputedly stunning coastline then I would do so without any great concerns but if I want to get from the UK to NW Spain then I prefer to go straight across to Corunna which is just inside the shipping lanes and is quicker, less demanding and almost certainly safer. On the whole, it's safer to be well clear of land and underwater obstructions.

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[stretch33]

Friends who own a Centaur called 'Takapuna' have all the logs from the previous owner, makes a great read, the boat went just about everywhere, Canada, US, Med. Its an early bilge keel boat and still going out of Maylandsea.

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[Johnboy2004]

hi folks add this to the mix...... how would a beneteau first 211 fare out doing the same? its an RCD rated as B4.

its the seamanship of the skipper that counts to a point, then the weather takes charge..... so i guess if it was planned properly then the 211 would fare out ok?
what do u think?

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[charles_reed]

Inside or outside Biscay

Having done both I far prefer, if one has time, to take the inside route.
To correct your observation, Lemain, there are virtually no rocks in S Biscay, it's one vast sandy shore.

The real offputting factor is les Landes firing range, in use from Mon-Fri, you've either got to be inside the 3 mile limit or more than 30M out, and it extends from just S of Pointe de la Negade to N of Capbreton. Exact details of use are on Navtex.

Bassin D'Arcachon is fascinating, Capbreton, Anglet worth missing. There's lots of shelter in the St Jean-de-Luz, Socoa and Ciboure conurbation and Hendaye has a couple of marinas so coast-hopping is quite feasible and interesting.
The alternative is a 30 hour window of wind in the N sector to make the hop from la Rochelle to Donostia.
It is true that the prevailing W to SW makes Biscay a lee-shore, but Metéo-France tends to be more accurate than the UK Met Office and you should be able to get a reliable forecast from April thro' to September for that period of time.

The alternative is the thoroughly boring haul across the Bay - which isn't too bad providing you keep outside the 250m mark and want to twiddle your thumbs for 5 days. Just make sure you carry enough fuel to motor for that period of time.

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[chrisb]

the centaur is well designed for coastal cruising. it is ideal for the french canals which are delightful. why struggle across the bay ?.scilly to corunna is 400miles even in ideal conditions it is likely to take 5-6 days-well at the limit of the met forcast you will get on departure.therefore you cannot predict the weather for the entire crossing and ned to be prepared for a possible gale.motoring into a strong headwind is not pleasant-see article ym dec/jan re crossing gib/canaries and you would need to carry considerable extra fuel.the brittany coast and onwards to bordeau is well supplied with good safe marinas and seems a much beter bet.i thinks its horses for courses and take the canal.

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[jerryat]

I don't think you'd have any problems providing the boat (and crew) is properly prepared. Why not move southwards in easy stages down the coast/islands of France to, say, La Rochelle? From there to Santander is only around 280 N miles so it's easy to fit in with a sensible weather window as long as you don't leave the UK too early, a common mistake. I've done it twice (from La Rochelle to Santander and Pasejes) on the way to the Med and Caribbean, and it's a simple trip.
With regards to the firing range, I noticed on both occasions that there were many FRENCH fishing boats well inside the area, so thought, to hell with it, and made a course roughly halfway 'inside'. There were no problems at all.

A friend of mine of mine who has lived in La Rochelle for many years, refuses to go outside the range and has (over many passages) had no problems at all. At the risk of inciting an international incident, he (and I) reckon it's a sneaky way for the French to maintain a 'closed' fishing area for their trawlers etc!

Anyway, do try it. Northern Spain is the best cruising part of the country, and you'll have a wonderful time exploring the many ports along the coast on your way to La Corunna.

Good luck

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[jerryat]

Oops!! Correction!! La Rochelle to Santander is about 180 miles not 280!! Sorry.

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[applepip]

Anyone out there doing the trip August September time??????

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[chrisb]

we depart milford haven for coruna may 1st returning late june .probly too soon for you-but if you want upto date information on this area do contact me on my return

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[charles_reed]

The dangers of anecdotal observations

I'd not place too much reliance on this post re les landes firing range.

As I've already mentioned the days of usage are clearly available on Navtex - generally no more than 8 days a month are actual firing and, of course, if there is no practice the boats will be in there like a flash.

I got caught there one Monday morning and, after the herc had done 5 circuits, at 500 ft, round me, to my mounting apprehension and despite several attempts at vhf contact, I finally raised him on SSB - only to be told that I needn't bother, he was duty dog for a mid-air refuelling exercise, and the worst I need fear was some splashes of J70. On that occasion the range was officially closed according to NAVTEX.

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[jerryat]

Re: The dangers of anecdotal observations

Hi! Like all sailors (Thank God!) we can all make our own decisions. Out of interest, on both my passages through the firing range, Navtex had advised that firing would be taking place. My point is that we saw 20 - 30 trawlers (all French) WELL inside the range and assumed that the authorities wouldn't fire on their own countrymen!! They didn't! In fact they didn't fire at all!

My French living friend, has sailed through this area 15-20 times over the years and has NEVER seen/heard or been approached during that time, despite Navtex assertions to the contrary.

Still, like I say above, everyone must take their view and act on it. That's the great thing about sailing isn't it?!!

Cheers to all

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