Info on channel crossing

[WayneS]

I am hoping to do my first channel crossing (From Portsmouth) this season (Now that I have a capable boat), but I have a ton of questions.

Can anyone recommend a good publication that will help. The sort of things I am concerned about are:

What if I speak no French...
Best time of day to do it
Weather patterns to be worried about
Best sort of tide to do it on
Should I be worried
What charts will I need.

I could go on.

I'm sure that it is not as bigger deal as I am making it to be but I would rather be safe than sorry.

Regards

Wayne

 

[rogerroger]

Just head south and you'll hit France sooner or later...


Seriously though - there's actually a handy video from the Sailing Today guys (sorry Kim!) - by John Goode which goes through all the things you need to know. It's REALLY cheesy but quite useful.

I did my first crossing in March - left about 5 AM from Portsmouth and got to Cherbourg just in the light at about 6 PM.

Get a chart of the channel as a whole (Admiralty Channel Central section for example) and detailed charts of your destination and nearby bolt-holes. Get an almanac for the tides.

I'd also recommend you head for somewhere fairly easy to get into for your first time - Cherbourg is easy to find and is accessible at all states. If you head for St Vaas for example you'll have to time your entry right as access is tidal.

You don't want Southerly winds - the prevailing W or SW winds are ideal but the Channel can get extremely lumpy if it's been blowing for a few days.

Go in daylight for your first time and brush up on the regs re the shipping lanes.

Worried - nah - there are far more dangers in the Solent.

Fog can be a problem early season - an account on my web site if you're interested.


Roger Holden
www.first-magnitude.co.uk

 

[ParaHandy]

As for tide, if my boat speed is approx 5kn average, then I would leave Portsmouth at the beginning of the ebb (1 hr before high water) which will give you 2 west going tides against one east going tide. Course to Cherbourg (not v. pleasant place) approx 205T otherwise Channel Islands 216T (both from Bembridge Ledge & both about 70nm). Always *easier* on a neap tide.

Easier to see shipping movement at night but that's my preference. Radar is almost essential. The fog over there is like nothing I've ever seen before and you can meet it well out to sea and even in the East going (advisory) TSS. It does wonders for the confidence when GPS agrees with picture on radar screen - you could be travelling 20-30nm without seeing anything further than 100mtrs.

On the way back, I would leave on flood tide which should have me going round IoW with the tide - nothing worse than flogging against the tide round the eastern end. Assuming again average 5kn. You will meet east going TSS with both of you at an acute angle which makes judgement difficult - motor out their way if in doubt. They're like buses - none for hours then 6 one after the other.

Cook one meal eg stew before departure which can be easily and quickly heated up.

Usual weather stuff...I get long range forecasts from http://www.greatweather.co.uk/

It is good to get there having worked the tides and hope you enjoy it.

V. interested in others views.

 

[rogerroger]

blimey that weather site is an eyefull!!



Roger Holden
www.first-magnitude.co.uk

 

[Skyva_2]

Agree with para and roger. Dont be worried, but be careful.
If you have sailed a 22 footer to Cornwall, cross channel is no harder, arguably easier.

If you don't have radar take more care, but I would not let it stop you. BUT if its foggy before the shipping lanes I would turn back. Really scary.
Dont get down tide of the destination, neaps is easier. Tidal atlas is useful, tides pretty much average out over the crossing, but keep checking when approaching French coast.
Have good charts of alternative harbours.
You may have to motor a long way.
Cherbourg is an excellent first choice, but Alderney is possible - beware big tides. You won't care about the quality of the harbour with the glow of satisfaction!

Good luck,
Keith

 

[billmacfarlane]

So many questions. I'll answer them in turn but you'll get different views from mine.
1. It matters not one bit if you can't speak French. The French thought somewhat reluctantly can mostly speak a bit of English.
2. Have you sailed at night before ? If not I'd do at day passage starting at first light. Try and get the tide right at the start to flood you round the island passed Bembridge Ledge. I'm not sure of the exact times as I sail from Chichester. I prefer a day passage as I find it easier to judge the distance ships are off than trying it at night though I've done both.
3. Get a forecast and use your common sense. If the wind is a S6 , do you really want to beat for 20 hours. I don't. I've found a lot of the time when the forecast is SW , the wind in the Channel is W and gives you a great sail. With a boat your size reckon on an average speed of 5 knots , and calculate tides accordingly.
4. Neaps is best but it's no big deal in springs. You'll have a bigger S shape on your chart as you cross. The cardinal sin on reaching the French coast is to finish down tide of your destination. The tides are stronger on the French coast round Cherbourg and you'll need to take that into account.
5. No. There's nothing to worry about. Simply do your homework and plan the passage thoroughly.
6. I start the passage using an Admiralty coastal chart to clear the Nab then switch to a Stanford mid Channel chart for the crossing. Nearing the French coast , I switch back to a coastal Admiralty chart.
Fog has been mentioned already. It's more prevalent on the French side , and can be very dense for 30 miles into the Channel. Shipping forecasts don't help sometimes as it can arrive totally unforecasted. I've only ever had it once all the way from France to England. Cherbourg is a deep water port approachable at any state of the tide but the tide can run very strongly across the entrance. If you arrive at night be sure to have a large scale chart of the harbour to find the inner harbour. The lights can be confusing. If you do it over a Bank holiday weekend the marina can be very busy , with no room. You can anchor just outside the entrance , in what I think is called the Petit Rade. I've seen boats anchored there but I haven't tried it myself. Cherbourg itself is not a town I'm overly fond of but it has a great hypermarket full of essentials for a holiday - good , cheap wine. The marina usually has a good atmosphere with yachts from all over Europe passing through. It's also a good starting point for going east or west for a holiday , though west is more interesting. Hope you have a good trip , and it's the first of many.

 

[jonic]

You shouldn't be too worried as it sounds like you are going to be well prepared.
First crossings are daunting. We recently did a few across the straits of Gibraltar and copped with up to 20ft of threatening to break swell, un-forecast lightning storm at night, submarine dodging, broaching after rounding Europa point, tankers that seem to appear from nowhere, crew who fell asleep whilst watching the radar and sea-sickness.
But the point I'm making is we copped and none of these things at the time were as bad as they sound here. We have since done several easy crossings but the knowledge we gained from the tough ones was invaluable.

Good luck

http://web.ukonline.co.uk/yacht/serafina/

 

[Guest]

Can I suggest that the easiest way to approach this problem is to ask someone who has skippered this trip on a number of occasions to come with you just this one time?It will give you piece of mind.If you choose the right person you can skipper the trip as if you were on your own but safe in the knowledge that if you commit a faux pas he / she will pick you up on it.Alternatively why not try to arrange a crossing in company with another owner or 2 or 3?.Or ring John Goode's Southern Sailing School and see if they have an instructor who would do an own boat tuition arrangement to take you across and show you the ropes?

 

[tony_brighton]

There's often a group of boats going over on a weekend - suggest you chat when you are thinking of going over; i'm sure people would happily sail in company which might offer some reassurance.

First crossing is always a fun challenge - but the only real danger is fog which has been mentioned. Have you a radar? (We haven't - next purchase after the last fog in Channel experience).