No experience sail from Weymouth to Hull

[DignityDan]

thanks again for all the responses. The sail has been postponed. We have found an experienced captain to sail up with us in a few weeks. We are splitting the sail into 2 legs maybe stopping somewhere near Norfolk and coming back after a couple of weeks.

I knew it would be a big risk and a huge challenge to sail her back alone but may have slightly underestimated the task ahead. Hence the reason I made the post to get some advice before we committed.

thanks again

 

[Sticky Fingers]

Right decision.

 

[ex-Gladys]

Absolutely the right decision

 

[Caraway]

Good job you asked. Live to sail another day .........

Post your progress.

 

[WoodyP]

Trying to do that journey in two legs is a big ask. Break it down a bit more as you will need more than one skipper to manage the boat, as you should not be left on your own for watches if you have zero experience. South Ferriby isn't a destination that l would choose as very restricted for entry through the lock. 9hp engine could be working very hard.

 

[Lee Shaw]

Trying to do that journey in two legs is a big ask. Break it down a bit more as you will need more than one skipper to manage the boat, as you should not be left on your own for watches if you have zero experience. South Ferriby isn't a destination that l would choose as very restricted for entry through the lock. 9hp engine could be working very hard.

Daytime hours only for South Ferriby Lock and 48 hours notice !

Lock keeper hours of duty at South Ferriby Lock
Staff from the Environment Agency are available at the South Ferriby Lock during the following hours:
Normal working hours:

• Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday: 7:30am to 4pm
• Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: 7:30am to 3pm

Lock keepers lunch break varies according to tide.
Due to the Coronavirus, South Ferriby lock keepers are only available for pre-arranged bookings - please contact the lock keepers and give 48 hours notice to use South Ferriby lock.
Check notices displayed at the lock to see if the lock is unavailable for any other reason.
South Ferriby lock keeper telephone number: 01652 635219.

 

[Scotsailor]

thanks again for all the responses. The sail has been postponed. We have found an experienced captain to sail up with us in a few weeks. We are splitting the sail into 2 legs maybe stopping somewhere near Norfolk and coming back after a couple of weeks.

I knew it would be a big risk and a huge challenge to sail her back alone but may have slightly underestimated the task ahead. Hence the reason I made the post to get some advice before we committed.

thanks again

That sounds very encouraging if you have found an experienced skipper. You don’t just need extra crew. You require an experienced sailor able to navigate and take responsibility. I advise you to check their credentials. How many similar trips have they undertaken as skipper?

 

[BabySharkDooDooDooDooDoo]

That sounds very encouraging if you have found an experienced skipper. You don’t just need extra crew. You require an experienced sailor able to navigate and take responsibility. I advise you to check their credentials. How many similar trips have they undertaken as skipper?

Hopefully unrelated to this post earlier this morning on the crewing opportunities forum

Day Skipper looking for mileage opportunities

 

[AntarcticPilot]

That sounds very encouraging if you have found an experienced skipper. You don’t just need extra crew. You require an experienced sailor able to navigate and take responsibility. I advise you to check their credentials. How many similar trips have they undertaken as skipper?

Just one suggestion - a skipper with experience of the upper reaches of the Humber might be a good idea. My father kept a boat at South Ferriby for several years, and my earliest "big boat" sailing was out of South Ferriby. As others have explained, the entrance is only possible around high water, and the channel above Hull changes rapidly, with strong tidal currents.

The other thing about small boat sailing on the Humber is that it is pretty well impossible to make progress against the tide; if you try you'll end up standing still for several hours until the tide changes. Tidal planning is vital for sailing on the Humber.

 

[Caraway]

Covianna could shout instructions from the shore.

 

[DignityDan]

The Skipper is the uncle of the guy that I have gone halves with on the boat. He is 74 and has sailed from the Humber to Portsmouth several times. Both he and his wife sailed the world for 10 years. His wife made him stop sailing at 72 so he absolutely jumped at the chance. Both myself and my friend are both scaffolders and regularly do 20 hour shifts so we will both be happy to do all the labour work and just use his brain and expertise.

 

[Scotsailor]

That sounds ideal. Hope you have a good trip.

 

[Simi]

Utter madness I am not a sailing man but the forecast is not to good most people in mobo’s would be thinking twice get it put on a truck if you value your lives
Saturdays forecast you will be in a strong head wind up the east coast

 

[Megs20Burt!]

Thanks for the responses! We have paid for an independent to check the engine, systems and also get her out of the water to check and give a clean.

So if I do a lot of planning and research for Dover to Lowestoft and Norfolk and get charts for those areas. With regards to wind we will happily run the engines to get her home ASAP, I know that that doesn't help with storms etc. I know it depends completely on the boat but what kind of distance are you getting with a 41L tank.

Any thoughts on what you will do if the engine fails?

 

[Alfie168]

A following wind! Piece of cake. Should be there in no time.

I was just thinking it would shorten the trip quite a bit if he breezed up Southampton water and straight onto the M271, M27 and M3. Everybody knows the M3 navigation system after all.

Just in case anybody needs reminding. I am led to believe they were advised not to set out. Only three dead.

Heroism and tragedy on day of Whitby sea deaths

 

[chrishscorp]

Even with your skipper and an independant having a look at it, I would never consider taking a new to me boat anywhere unless she has a shakedown cruise first. If it was me a couple of hours sailing around Portland harbour, through the entrance into the bay and upto Weymouth, alongside for fish and chips after checking everything over, water ingress, diesel/oil in the bilge, check the rig did anything fall off come loose whilst out, do the sails go up and down easily, do they furl and reef ok, only then would i entertain starting your trip, providing the weather is ok. Do the Nav lights work

If you have only one experienced sailor on board you will struggle as any long passage will include night hours and for that you will need your sailor on deck or you will hit something, pick up a pot/line, runaground or get runover.
If you help bring her back by sea you will both learn a huge amount, in the meantime get your selves dayskipper theory books and gen up as much as you can

 

[hinch]

make sure you take plenty of engine spares especially fuel filters you don't know what mank is lurking in the bottom of the tank that'll get stirred up in some chop also spare belts always a bonus. still a risky ass journey

 

[Concerto]

I would fit new belts and waterpump impellor, plus change the oil and check the cooling water system before considering leaving.

 

[penfold]

There's a bit of pearl-clutching going on here; the wisdom of a tyro doing this has been covered and the OP has had an attack of common sense, but the boat he's bought is perfectly capable of making the voyage subject to system checks and a shake-down. He's proposing a coastal voyage around the UK in summer, not the North West Passage, the most objectively hazardous bit aside from the dover strait is going to be the entry to South Ferriby as the Humber takes no prisoners.

 

[Cantata]

He's signed up someone with vastly more experience than most of us on here. So I think they'll be fine, and the skipper will do all the right things.