North Sea crossing

[Chris Allen 649]

Hi guys I'm new to the forum. I'm thinking of trying a mini North Sea crossing in my boat. 18ft with a merc 150 on back of it with a backup 10hp. Boat speed in excess of 55 knots. But will proberly be nearer 30-40 on a cruise. Been looking at setting off from the east coast to rotterdam area to join on to canal systems in holland. I have read about maybe an ICC or another form which could be needed. I gauge it at 150 ish miles. Obvious things I'm thinking of are fuel problems ie using a lot. Second is shipping lanes and what's needed in the way of insurance? I have my public liability but it's only good for 18 miles off shore so won't be valid. I'm willing to not worry about that but I don't want to break and foreign laws or their requirements. How easy is it to get through onto the canals?
I'm not to worryd about big ships as the boat is fairly quick and nimble so it should be easy to avoid them. I was thinking of trying the channel but I keep reading that it is busy and more stressful than enjoyable. Obviously I'll check tides and if it was attempted it would be on a super calm 2 + days forecast.
Any advice or thoughts are welcomed and thanked for in advance.
I wondered also about doing it to raise funds for a charity or something most people call me silly or crazy but if 2 people can cross the Atlantic in a small powerboat the North Sea has to be simpler?? I hope lol cheers guys

 

[Greg2]

It would help to know a bit more about the boat but seaworthiness and ability to cope with whatever the North Sea throws up are essential, particularly as forecasts and predicted sea states can be wrong. If it isn't a capable RIB then at that size it would be a non-starter for me.

Assuming that the boat is capable of such sea crossings then as you have identified fuel and range are key. You haven't mentioned a departure point but as an indicator Lowestoft to Ijmuiden is around 120 miles and Lowestoft to Rotterdam is less than 100 miles IIRC. If you need additional fuel it needs to be carried safely and securely with a safe means of transferring it to the main tank (pouring may not be a good idea in the middle of the North Sea).

Safety equipment would be essential, including such items as life jackets, flares/smoke signals, liferaft, immersion suits, VHF etc. Safe navigation is also important so having a compass, charts, plotter/GPS etc is also essential. Not sure what sort of offshore experience you have but the tide flows north and south (broadly speaking) in the North Sea so even in a fast boat passage planning is important.

In terms of paperwork the ICC (International Certificate of a Competence) with CEVNI endorsement is required for Dutch inland waterways as is a copy of the Dutch waterway regulations and guide (not sure what it is called but have seen it referred to as ANWB Wateralmanak). Insurance is a must in my view, assuming that an insurance company will cover your boat for offshore use. Worth giving someone like Navigators and General a call in the first instance. The CE rating of your boat (assuming it has one) will tell you whether or not the insurance companies will entertain you.

Getting into the inland waterways is straightforward but you will need to work it out in advance i.e. where do you want to go.

To conclude all of this is academic if your boat isn't up to the job. Seaworthiness is the single most important factor in my book so if it isn't intended for such a trip you might want to put it on a trailer and catch a ferry

 

[lanerboy]

put it on a trailer and catch a ferry

Much safer option for an 18ft boat imo

 

[Chris Allen 649]

Ok so the boat is a fletcher arrowbeau. I've been off Coast a few miles it all seemed fine the boat performed outstandingly. I'm not to sure about the CE rating but I'm sure it's not a ocean boat lol prob offshore at best. I was thinking Yarmouth to Rotterdam but maybe this port would be to busy any possible reccomdations? Epirp and lifeboat a possibility?

 

[kennyh]

Anything is possible...... if you have the right equipment, training, weather conditions and backup!

IMO, you'd need - immersion suits, PLB's, EPIRBS, VHF (and licence) fuel boat, support boat(s) (large RIBs) to shadow you in case of mechanical failure / hitting a submerged object / being swamped by poor conditions or large wake from passing commercial vessels etc, along with perfect weather and approval from insurance companies and foreign customs.

An 18ft ski boat is not designed for offshore crossings; I would expect a quick call to Fletcher would confirm that.

 

[Greg2]

Ok so the boat is a fletcher arrowbeau. I've been off Coast a few miles it all seemed fine the boat performed outstandingly. I'm not to sure about the CE rating but I'm sure it's not a ocean boat lol prob offshore at best. I was thinking Yarmouth to Rotterdam but maybe this port would be to busy any possible reccomdations? Epirp and lifeboat a possibility?

I am almost certain that this is not an offshore boat. I am guessing that when you went a few miles off the coast it was virtually flat calm? It only takes a very small chop to make life very different in that sort of boat.

To give an idea we we messing about off Lowestoft in company with several boats, one of which was a small speed/ski boat. We went up to Scroby Sands in flat calm conditions and the speed boat was having a whale of a time. Having anchored for a while we headed back to find that the tide had changed and a slight breeze had developed resulting in a very small chop in the sea. We hardly noticed it in our then 35' sports cruiser but the speed boat took an absolute battering. Having that happen for a shortish trip close to the coast is one thing but if it happens in the middle of the North Sea it is a wholly different ball game.

If you are local to Gt Yarmouth you will no doubt recall the relatively recent tragedy when lives were lost when a small boat put to sea in the wrong conditions. I don't mean to be overly pessimistic but it is easy to forget that putting to sea in any boat is a serious business and the environment should never be underestimated.

If you do put together the right safety package then Rotterdam is an option but if you look at a chart you will see that there are several ways in just south of there. Knowing how to navigate safely will be key to ensuring that you don't run into trouble with shipping but that is not insurmountable.

Still not some thingthat I would do

 

[gjgm]

Ok so the boat is a fletcher arrowbeau. I've been off Coast a few miles it all seemed fine the boat performed outstandingly. I'm not to sure about the CE rating but I'm sure it's not a ocean boat lol prob offshore at best. I was thinking Yarmouth to Rotterdam but maybe this port would be to busy any possible reccomdations? Epirp and lifeboat a possibility?

I suggest you try some more mixed sea conditions locally and see if you really want to be 50 miles offshore in that. I think you would be lucky to keep up more than 15-20 knots in dead calm conditions and would probably be slower, so you are looking at about 7-10 hours. I wouldn't do it, and I certainly wouldn't do it without a capable support boat. Not sure your insurance would cover you either.
Still, in theory it could be done, but it sounds like madness, I'm afraid, to me.