IOW to Alderney crossing - tips?

[Ancient_Mariner]

My son and I are planning our first channel crossing for Sunday 20th July and would be grateful for any tips. In broad terms our plan as follows:
Leave either from Yarmouth or Poole on Sunday morning for a daytime crossing to Braye. Tides are mid Neaps/Springs and plan to arrive in Braye about 9pm, HW (Dover)+4. We have a 40ft Bavaria and are planning on 4.5 to 5Kn average. We're based in Hamble.
I'd be keen to hear any thoughts/tips eg. leaving from Yarmouth vs Poole, shipping, others' passage plans used before, ...

Larry

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[jimi]

If I were you and doing a first Channel crossing I'd aim for Cherbourg rather than Alderney. Reason being that if you aim off ie up tide then there is a possibility of gettiting into the Alderney race but there's a much bigger margin of error with Cherbourg. You can then go along from Cherbourg to Alderney using an inshore eddy and cross the top of the race at slack water. I'd have thought your passage planning speed on the conservative side, I've got a smaller boat but I usually plan at 6 knots but expect 6.5. However I do bung on the donk if speed drops below 5 knots.

Hope that helps

Jim

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[tome]

Larry

9pm arrival isn't great - if you get delayed it could turn into a night sail. Have you considered going to Cherbourg instead? No tidal gates to worry about and it's an easy hop round to Alderney the following day. Cherbourg is quite easy - just make sure you don't cut the wrong side of the port-hand buoy in the Petite Rade.

Poole is a good choice as you'll make Cherbourg ok in a SWly. Leave early to enjoy a pleasant crossing, try to get some rest before you get to the first W-bound shipping lane.

Best wishes
Tom

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[bedouin]

As I'm sure you are aware, there are some fierce tides round Alderney. It's best to time your arrival in Braye to coincide with slack water.

That tends to mean you have to make sure you don't drop below your target speed - so you may end up having to motor if the wind drops or turns foul. Departure point depends a bit on the wind - it can be difficult to sail from Yarmouth to Braye without tacking in the prevailing SW winds, Poole being that further west means you are freer in a SW.

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[Ancient_Mariner]

You think IRAQ was a hassle?

Tom

Had thought about Cherbourg and only reason have not done so is that my son and I are on South African passports. Normal travel would require us to get French visa's. And if you thought it a hassle trying to get the French to behave sensibly on Iraq you have'nt tried applying for a visa to France! Not sure if we could get visa's in Cherbourg or whether the Frenchies would tow us into the channel and have target practice for a laugh a la Rainbow Warrior! Any non-EU types out there with some suggestions/experiences to share?

Larry

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[tome]

Re: You think IRAQ was a hassle?

Ok, understand the problem.

For what it's worth I've never had to show a passport in Cherbourg in many visits over the past 30 years (even before the EC), but you could just be unlucky!

Agree with Jimi about your passage speed BTW, I'd follow his advice on this

Regards
Tom

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[sailbadthesinner]

Re: You think IRAQ was a hassle?

i did once bump into a skipper in a bar who was a columbian and he had all manner of probs cos he often came in single handed on a 65 ft boat on a columbian passport travelling around the carribean

he had been turned away at the uk twice at the airport

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=red>if guinness is good for you. i must be very very good</font color=red>

 

[DeeGee]

I concur with Bedouin et al. I would calculate on 5kts and hoist the iron topsail if average dropped below this. You are talking about approx 70m, so 14hrs. Nicer to arrive top of tide, HW Braye about 12:30 midday on 20th July, so leave about 10:30pm evening of 19th, from Yarmouth, weather forecast permitting. Nicer to leave port at night, heading for nicely lit open water, than coming in to strange harbour at night, loads of shoreside stuff to confuse you. Good up-to-date charts, spare GPS, Braye should give you no problems, approached as an Ancient Mariner, with forethought and commonsense.

<hr width=100% size=1>Black Sugar - the sweetest of all

 

[brianhumber]

For peace of mind, plan for slackish water off Braye even if you have start out very early in the morning. Keep to your passage speed, if you are delayed then make sure you head well up tide. Safe ports are Cherbourg, very easy if the tides easterly or St Peter Port via big Russell if you get swept down the Race, Swinge or Ortac. Take a full set of large scale charts with you.
Finally think very very carefully about going if there is any hint of mist/fog. I have sailed in these waters before GPS and without Decca and can assure you it clears the head when you cannot see further than the bow with a spring tide.

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[billmacfarlane]

3 things.

1.As it's your first crossing why Alderney? It's a lovely place but for a first Channel crossing, while not a difficult one to enter, the approach can be tricky due to the tides.
2. You're not leaving much margin for error by arriving at 2100 hrs. If you're late for some unforseen reason, you'd need to enter in the dark.
3. I notice you're estimating 4.5-5 knots boat speed. Are you sure about that? For a 40' boat I'd reckon that to a bit low. More like 5.5-6 knots. You can always start at the lower estimate and adjust if your actual speed is higher.
Tom has suggested Cherbourg as an alternative destination. I'd give this some thought as the entrance is easy day or night and the approach a doddle. It'll do your confidence a lot of good when you arrive and it's only 16 miles or so to Alderney if you want to go on. Good luck whatever you decide.

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[Sybarite]

If, as you say, you don't want to go Cherburg then I would seriously consider an overnight passage so that you arrive in the morning.

John

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[jimi]

Also .. avoid Alderney if wind Northerly, or NEasterly. You'll roll like a pig in the swell. Can recall one evening I slept in the cockpit it was so bad and I've never been seasick in my life!

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[DepSol]

Northern approach to Alderney much easier than southern approach, best to aim slightly west. If you do arrive and its a NE then tie up to the Douglas Quay by ythe fishing boats. It will mean an early awakening but that is better than a rough night after a long passage. you might get moved by customs but if its a late arrival you may get away with it. If not get a bouy as far down the breakwater as possible.

Alernatively you could see if blue blazes (Bill) has any room in his guest house for your first night to ensure a good nights kip.

<hr width=100% size=1>Dom

Now where is that Brendan hiding?

 

[billmacfarlane]

I was in once there in a NE6 and my other half spent a very uncomfortable night being ill. Another thing to watch out for is if you are tied up alongside another boat make sure your masts aren't level with the next boat. I've seen a boat lose a spreader as their masts locked together in a heavy swell.

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[StephenSails]

Dont let the back packing bar staff at the moorings make you cocktails, they are deadly!!

<hr width=100% size=1>http://www.yachtinguniverse.com

 

[Ancient_Mariner]

Great input from everyone. Many thanks! I plan to go over the suggestions and come up with a revised plan. Sounds like it will be an early departure for Alderney so that we arrive at slack water with plenty of daylight to spare. Unfortunately Cherbourg will have to remain a port of refuge in the case of bad weather given our visa situation.

Thanks again.

Larry

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[ashanta]

My first crossing was to Alderney and I would not be put off by the comments about the tide. The effort is well worth it. The problem of fog is a frequent feature of the channel Isles but maybe you have Radar anyway?
You will experience at least two tidal movements E to W and W to E. You can do most of your planning at home and as previously mentioned if you plan to be in Braye at a specific time you need to stick to your passage speed and if necessary use the engine.
Enjoy the unspoilt Alderney.

Regards.

Peter.

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[LadyInBed]

At HW Dover+4 the current will still be pulling you down the race like a train. Try and arrive at Alderny about 30 mins before HW Dover or HW Dover +5 (that is slack water).

For Info:
Slack water is Alderney HW+ 2½ hr & LW+2½ hr.
The tides run to the NE between LW+2½ hr and HW+2½ hr, and to the SW between HW+ 2½ hr and LW+ 2½ hr

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[Rob_Webb]

Stay fresh. Lots of other good advice about tide windows and possible alternatives to your plan but I would add: stay fresh for the approach/arrival by taking suitable breaks during the crossing, conditions permitting.

I don't know how old/competent your son is and whether he is capable of keeping watch whilst you get your head down for an hour or two here and there during the quiet parts of the crossing, but I'd advise it if poss. Temptation for a day crossing is to keep going and do the whole thing without a break but if the final stage of the approach/arrival goes slightly off-script then you will be grateful for not feeling too fatigued at this stage.

Enjoy - should be a breeze in your boat with the right weather!

R

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[tony_brighton]

With a 40' Bav you should have a good trip - as below your passage speed seems a little low for a boat of this size - dont ber afraid to wang the engine on if there is no wind. Personally I'd go straight from the Hamble as it doesn't really add to much extra and certainly leaving at night to make sure you get there during daylight is sound advice. Make sure you are aware of the tides as you approach Alderney but it really isn't too difficult to get into if you position yourself correctly tide-wise. There is a bit of a tendancy for fog to spring up around Alderney.

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