Moving to the East Coast

[pvb]

Being aground is fairly normal in these parts, too!

It doesn't have to be - just depends on your level of risk aversion.

 

[Tammany]

How big and what type of keel. My 25ft bilge keeler costs just £190/annum on a half tide mooring at Brightlingsea. Good sheletered mooring with good access to some nice estuaries to explore.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

How big and what type of keel. My 25ft bilge keeler costs just £190/annum on a half tide mooring at Brightlingsea. Good sheletered mooring with good access to some nice estuaries to explore.

31' and Fin keel, so a half-tide mooring is not suitable. I'd have to be on the pontoons at Brightlingsea.

 

[Tomahawk]

Sadly, I'd be seriously aground in 1 metre of water - Capricious draws about 1.6 m (1.5 metres officially; 1.6 to be safe!), and has a fin keel, so taking the ground isn't an option.

Sorry, should have explained better… 1 M under the keel is deep… indeed anything above that is pure luxury.

 

[Crowblack]

The expanded metal is no worse than the recycled GRP at our present marina for kneeling on. At least it isn't as slippery as wood!

Annnnd - - - you'll find - with the expanded metal surface on the pontoons the muck on folks deckies tends to clean off as you scuff along - plus any rain washes dirt through the holes - - it all keeps the boat just a bit cleaner.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

Annnnd - - - you'll find - with the expanded metal surface on the pontoons the muck on folks deckies tends to clean off as you scuff along - plus any rain washes dirt through the holes - - it all keeps the boat just a bit cleaner.

Much the same with the recycled GRP ones - they are a mesh construction, too.

 

[fredrussell]

As you have no doubt already been told by the locals, you have to keep a keen eye on the channel coming out of Walton backwaters. Its narrow and steep sided. I ran aground there a month or two back, principally because I'm new to this game. We got off ok as we have a lifting keel, but on our way out we saw another yacht aground that was definitely going to have to wait for the tide for a few hours. Lovely spot though, and a great choice if I may say so.

I'm on a swinging mooring at Pin Mill on the Orwell. I can never make my mind up which I would prefer, swinging mooring or a marina. Its a faff rowing out to mooring, but if I'm just going out to boat for a relaxing evening afloat, I'd much rather be afloat in one of Suffolk's most beautiful spots that sitting in a marina looking at other AWBs.

 

[jimi]

I've got a 6'6" fin, so aground is not an option. We're in SYH on the Orwell. When I brought the boat down from Falmouth I came via Inverness ;-) I did it in a oner from Inverness to Ipswich .. 72hours in October.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

OK, I'm beginning to plan the move. I've pretty much decided to sail her down, via the Caledonian Canal. I did consider the Forth and Clyde, but a) Capricious' fresh-water draft is pretty much on the limit and b) it means taking the mast up and down, and creating some kind of mast support.

I'll contact people directly about crewing; some places are already filled. I don't think I'll need crew from the Clyde to Inverness; from there on there will be one or two spaces.

Time will be from the end of March, and I hope to complete the trip in 3 weeks, or not too much more. That's not sailing every day; at present I reckon 16 days sailing, allowing a few days rest or shelter from weather.

I'm not familiar with the East Coast south of Eyemouth, so suggestions about suitable ports for overnight stays and crew changes would be appreciated. I'm reckoning on about 60 nm a day, and reckon that Whitby, Grimsby and Lowestoft (or Yarmouth) are the only possible choices for the last stops before Titchmarsh; basically there isn't anywhere else suitable for Capricious! Of course, Grimsby-Lowestoft is a long haul, but I think that planning on getting Capricious into Wells is a bit iffy!

I have a chart-plotter with UK charts, but I'd appreciate people's advice on which charts and/or pilots would be most useful for the passage. I don't want to over-buy, as most of them will only be used once! At present I'm inclined to get the 1:750,000 North Sea charts and use them for planning and so on. I prefer Admiralty charts, on the whole, but I'm not that fussy.

 

[Habebty]

OK, I'm beginning to plan the move. I've pretty much decided to sail her down, via the Caledonian Canal. I did consider the Forth and Clyde, but a) Capricious' fresh-water draft is pretty much on the limit and b) it means taking the mast up and down, and creating some kind of mast support.

I'll contact people directly about crewing; some places are already filled. I don't think I'll need crew from the Clyde to Inverness; from there on there will be one or two spaces.

Time will be from the end of March, and I hope to complete the trip in 3 weeks, or not too much more. That's not sailing every day; at present I reckon 16 days sailing, allowing a few days rest or shelter from weather.

I'm not familiar with the East Coast south of Eyemouth, so suggestions about suitable ports for overnight stays and crew changes would be appreciated. I'm reckoning on about 60 nm a day, and reckon that Whitby, Grimsby and Lowestoft (or Yarmouth) are the only possible choices for the last stops before Titchmarsh; basically there isn't anywhere else suitable for Capricious! Of course, Grimsby-Lowestoft is a long haul, but I think that planning on getting Capricious into Wells is a bit iffy!

I have a chart-plotter with UK charts, but I'd appreciate people's advice on which charts and/or pilots would be most useful for the passage. I don't want to over-buy, as most of them will only be used once! At present I'm inclined to get the 1:750,000 North Sea charts and use them for planning and so on. I prefer Admiralty charts, on the whole, but I'm not that fussy.

Avoid Great Yarmouth like the plague, Lowestoft is fine for a stopover. Wells is lovely but too fine a tidal gate possibly.
I'll be happy to join you from Lowestoft to Titchmarsh
Pete

 

[PeterWright]

In terms of Pilots, from Gert Yarmouth to Ramsgit there's only one good choice - East Coast Pilot, of which the 4th edition was published this year so the book is fairly up to date. However, it cleverly manages to stay completely up to date through the website of the same name managed by one of it co-authors, Dick Holness, otherwise known as Cantata of this parish.

In your place, I'd make do with Reeds for other parts of your delivery trip. You will find ECP most valuable in getting to know your new home cruising waters, most of which will be accessible with your draft through the miracle of tide. 4m on top of the charted depths gets us to most places with our 6 foot draft.

For charts, it really depends if you're planning long legs or plan to explore all the places you pass. In either case, like you, I'm a fan of the Admiralty ones. For long hops, I'd go for 2 or 3 small scale ones to get you from Inverness to Orfordness, using the Reeds chartlets for any stopover ports, then the Leisure folio SC5607 to help you find your way to your new berth - this will also be helpful subsequently. If you plan to enter the Humber, or seek out any of the Wash ports, you will need some smaller scale charts of those benighted waters (I suspect that last adjective means I now need to take cover).

Your stopover ports sound sensible, but I support Habebty's view of Gert Yarmouth. I also found Grimsby fairly grim last time I was there (nearly 30 years ago). I understand Newcastle is now an attractive stopover, but I've never done it. I would tend to go for a couple of legs much longer than 60 miles including night sailing, but that's a matter of personal choice. We bought our current yacht on Gareloch and delivered her to Suffolk Yacht Harbour with one stop in Ulster, one in Ireland then Falmouth, Lymington and home.

Peter

 

[Crowblack]

In addition to what's been mentioned - south of Eyemouth believe Blyth and Sunderland are pretty much "all states" and easy to get into.

Don't dismiss Wells out of hand because of it's reputation - they dredge the channel now because of the wind farm boats - also the HM will come out and guide you in - understand also they've dredged at the pontoons so have more depth - - it's worth a phone call to the HM to ask his advice.

 

[LittleSister]

Avoid Great Yarmouth like the plague,

+1 (and more besides)

 

[AntarcticPilot]

In addition to what's been mentioned - south of Eyemouth believe Blyth and Sunderland are pretty much "all states" and easy to get into.

Don't dismiss Wells out of hand because of it's reputation - they dredge the channel now because of the wind farm boats - also the HM will come out and guide you in - understand also they've dredged at the pontoons so have more depth - - it's worth a phone call to the HM to ask his advice.

I'm not dismissing Wells because it is difficult, but because it may be untenable in some conditions, and heading there and finding entry impossible would mean plugging on to Lowestoft anyway. There's certainly a tidal window for Capricious. I've been trying to choose destinations that are all-weather and all-tide as far as possible, and for this trip I'm being conservative. In fact, Wells would be on my list of potential cruising destinations once based down there - but as a destination at the end of a long haul from (probably) Grimsby, it has too much chance of not working out.

 

[Koeketiene]

I've been trying to choose destinations that are all-weather and all-tide as far as possible, and for this trip I'm being conservative. In fact, Wells would be on my list of potential cruising destinations once based down there - but as a destination at the end of a long haul from (probably) Grimsby, it has too much chance of not working out.

Good man - very sensible. :encouragement:

 

[CliveG]

For a veiw of some of the North East coast ports have a look at Dylan Winter's videos - www.keepturningleft.co.uk.