Memorable channel crossings

[Twister_Ken]

A thought occurred on the Scuttlebutt trip; I've done well over 30 channel crossings (I think) but I can only actual remember detail of about four of them - three good ones and one motoring across in freezing rain.

What percentage of 'good' (rather than tedious) crossings are other people getting?

 

[flaming]

A thought occurred on the Scuttlebutt trip; I've done well over 30 channel crossings (I think) but I can only actual remember detail of about four of them - three good ones and one motoring across in freezing rain.

What percentage of 'good' (rather than tedious) crossings are other people getting?

I've probably done a similar number. Only 2 really spring to mind - one "perfect" one where I spent much of the night staring in awe at the stars, and one horriffic one, where I spent most of the night staring at a bucket.

 

[fireball]

I've not done that many yet - so I can remember them all ... just ...

1st two were quite strong winds going over (one NE the other SW) and larger seas, quiet coming back ... They are memorable as my first crossing in a sail boat and my first crossing as skipper of a sail boat ...

I'm not sure that "good" or "bad" come into it (yet) - I only measure it in time, fuel and the amount of fishfood I produce!

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

Yep, similar number.... three stand out...

One about 4 or 5 years ago with Stugeron Steve, where we had a perfect beam reach in about 20kts of wind the whole way back... a second, the outbound leg of that same trip where it rained so hard that we were emptying our wellies every 15 mins, and one where we had a single leg beat the whole way across in 15kts and hot hot sunshine...

The rest have faded into obscurity!

 

[DJE]

The first as skipper with the family was a bit special. Daughter was 10 years old and spent the latter stages of the trip learning to say in French how many times she had been sick. And rowing away from the mooring when we got home she said "That little boat has been all the way to France!"

SWMBO and I did a memorable run in a perfect WNW F5 a couple of years ago and covered the 64 miles from Bembridge to St. Vaast in 10 hours in our bilge keeled Sadler 29. Otherwise it's moments that stick in the memory like when the moon came out on a particularly rough night and suddenly you could see the big swells marching off into the distance. Or returning with the kids when a sonic boom from a French Concorde scared the **** out of all of us.

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

oh, and fourth just sprung to mind...

about 1988, crossing from Plymouth to SPP, on DR, pre GPS days, no radar, in really thick fog.... yep... that one stands out too!

 

[DJE]

Or leaving Calais bound for Benfleet on the In-Laws' Contessa on a filthy night some time in the early 80s. As we motored down the harbour the old man said "For what we are about to receive may the Lord make us truly thankfull"

 

[KREW2]

Doing Day skipper in 1990, a night crossing from Sark to Weymouth in a Sadler 34. Perfect conditions a good showing of phosphorescence, and picking up the loom of Portland light from 25 miles out made for a memorable trip.

 

[Sans Bateau]

In my books crossing in poor conditions doesnt happen, theres never a reason why the boat cant be left where it is 'till weather etc improves.

'Orrible crossings though are the ones where there is not enough wind for anything like a reasonable crossing, but enough to blow the exhaust back into the cockpit.

One of the best crossings, in fact probably THE best was our passage from Northney to St Vaast last week. A steady F5 dead on the beam gave us a crossing time, warps to warps, 80 miles of 12 hours.

 

[sighmoon]

The first time I skippered a boat over was this summer. The journey there was a nice gentle sail, made easy by the plotter, and I expect would be quickly forgotten if it wasn't the first time. The way back was sunny, windy and generally perfect though - 104 miles through the water in 11.5 hours - i.e. an average speed of 9 knots. Distance over the ground though was only about 84 miles - we left Dieppe on the tide to take us to Boulogne, but the wind was W rather than the NW forecast, so we decided we could just lay the shipping lanes heading NW while the tide took us East. Once we'd crossed and bore away, the tide was turning and with the wind against tide, made some nice big waves to surf down all the way to Dover.

 

[jimi]

Good ones

First , overnight in December in F4 fine reach under starry skies
Cherbourg all the way to Soton Water under cruising Chute
Overnight on early SB do when charged from St Kats to Cherbourg on F6/7 broad reach wild surfing in the dark!
Couple of exciting F8ish crossings

BUT also quite a few tedious motor acrosses!

 

[Vara]

Done 40 plus, not counting Dover-Calais/Boulogne and would agree with the 10% figure of memorable crossings.

In one week I did three return trips, Gosport/Cherbourg with a different crew each time, had lost the will to live by about day 6.

Most X channel stuff is pretty tedious, but that's no bad thing in my book.

 

[NDG]

I was counting the other day and I think I've done 28.

I can probably remember most of them, although most of them are forgettable. The most memorable is the most recent, in August this year from Cherb to Portsmouth, the first 5 hours motoring tediously, and the last 5 hrs on a beam reach steady F7 gusting 8. The bit in between was good....

 

[robp]

Had some wild ones but not noted for being bad or good.

But - motoring my 27 footer to Chbg 1993 cost me 3.60 in diesel. Friday cost me about 60 quid!

Shame it's not about sailing.

 

[Sailfree]

Channel Xings are like golf - you only remember the equivalent of the 1 good Tee drive

 

[fireball]

Friday cost me about 60 quid!

Yes - but it would've been less if you'd burnt the diesel rather than just washing your bilges with it!
Didn't catch you in Cherbourg - but I assume you fixed the problem in the end...

 

[BlueSkyNick]

A thought occurred on the Scuttlebutt trip; I've done well over 30 channel crossings (I think) but I can only actual remember detail of about four of them - three good ones and one motoring across in freezing rain.

What percentage of 'good' (rather than tedious) crossings are other people getting?

Not sure if you mean a single one way as a crossing or a round trip.

Most memorable good one was coming back from a sh!thole to the east of StVaast called GrandcampMaisy. Timed it from abeam Barfleur to abeam Bembridge Ledge in 8 hours 12 minutes, only SWMBO with me and she slept in the saloon most of the way.

Also memorable was the first one with you, ParaHandy, jimi and TescoTrev who has never been on the forum since !!

 

[Paul_G]

You guys put me to shame but...................

100% memorable, this year my first in a small boat and my first as skipper, incident free and hopefully never to be forgotten

 

[robp]

Yes - but it would've been less if you'd burnt the diesel rather than just washing your bilges with it!
Didn't catch you in Cherbourg - but I assume you fixed the problem in the end...

Back in Chi Marina an engineer declared that it was of some vintage and no "illegal leak" from anywhere! He found about a pint left, located in a void nowhere near any diesel feed etc. Complete mystery!

Sorry, I did see you but didn't get to speak. Maybe the Duke somewhen.

 

[Koeketiene]

Four stand out:

1. No wind - sun & blue sky - 25C - large pod of dolphins stayed with us for over 30 mins.
2. F8 - beam reach - boat mimicked a submarine at times - fastest X-ing so far - Ostend -> Landguard 8h35m
3. Peasouper - couldn't see the bow - crossing the TSS was interesting. Didn't sight a single ship, but smelled and heard plenty.
4. The one with the kite up all the way - kite recovery in total darkness (without snuffer) was comedy capers stuff.