Passage Planning Local Knowledge

[Tugw]

As a few forumites already know i am planning to bring the boat to the UK from Emden,The route has been planned all the normal considerations have been alowed for and i think a fairly good plan has been laid down (tempting fate maybe?) but i am missing a vital ingriedient -that of local knowledge of the east and south coasts,I have the books,plans and almanacs but i still think the best people to ask are those who use these areas fairly regularly,So,I would like to request from the forum any particular points you think i should know before i set off.The route i have chosen will take me from LEER across the chanel at ijmuiden through the TSS and down towards Orford Ness to Dover and then round the South Coast up into Colwyn bay,morecambe bay and finally to Barrow.I plan to do the trip from LEER to the UK side in one shot,After this ill be looking to do the rest in in say 10 hr trips stopping along the south coast so SWMBO can do her shopping bit and have a break(she is a foreign national so ill have to get her checked out at Dover before we can go anywhere).As i said before, im looking for any advise you guys feel i should know that isnt in the books.I know there must be heap of things worth knowing.At the risk of being accused of grovelling.I think this forum is the best place to ask.By the way--im planning the trip in mid August.

Thanks Guys

 

[hlb]

I'm a bit rusty on the Irish sea leg. But heres my thoughts.

The trip down the south coast, should be a doddle, just get the Portland Bill right, if any weather at all.

Get yourself preferably down to Newlyn. Cheap fuel and all tides. This will put you in a good position for rounding Lands End. Opptions, Padstow or Milford Haven. The next little bit till Pwhelli?? I have not done, but I dont think it presents any problems. So after taking others advice on this and stopping off in suitable places. I'd finally head for Holly Head, then IOM maybe, to avoid the sand banks and very tidal, Morcombe bay then a straight run into Barrow, where I've never been. But have tramped up the South Coast, Bristol Chanel and Irish sea, many times.

Course much depends on the sea conditions, range and feelings at the time. But Newlyn, Milford Haven and Holly Head, put you in a good position for the next leg.

 

[bigwow]

For the Irish sea, I'd be inclined to go up the irish coast then IOM and Barrow

 

[Tugw]

HLB.as normal,good info thanks

Bigwow-would that be because of the Morecambe Bay sandbanks and the like? or is there another reason?

 

[Hurricane]

Dont forget the cheap fuel at Lymington as well.
Means that you will have use the Solent but thats not a bad thing.

 

[hlb]

Well the Irish coast is very nice, but it's taking you along way out the way.

We did Pwetheli to IOM a good few years ago, in one hit, in a P33 at 16 knots. It cant be far. I think Holly Head to IOM is about 35 miles. Even though I live in Lancashire, I've never bothered with this coast. It's ugly and much easier just to bypass it.

I'm thinking of all tide harbours, with fuel. So no messing about.

 

[Tugw]

No messing about is what i was looking for,I know Morecambe Bay can be a bit iffy and a few people have suggested in the past to use the Irish coast but i think ill stick with it.If i keep a good way offshore i cant see there being any problems. I was thinking of a trip to IOM later,After ive had a few days R&R.

 

[hlb]

Yep. Theres no problem going H Head direct to Barrow. I was just giving you options.

 

[Kawasaki]

When are You planning to do the trip Tuggie?

 

[Tugw]

I was thinking around the middle of August,If not then ill have to postpone till next year but i hope not.

 

[Kawasaki]

Just measured Holyhead to Douglas.
Got brand new paper charts in the house.
No use on the boat right now cos it,s bust!
50 miles in a straight line, near enough.
K

 

[Kawasaki]

Milford to Pwllheli is ok.
Pwllheli to Holyhead ok.
Pwllheli through the Straits is ok too.
Sometimes It can save time.
North end of the Straits to IOM is 54 miles.
North end of the Menai Straits to Barrow Fairway is 52 miles.
Holyhead to same spot close to 70.
Would like to help You through the Area but commited at the moment to another trip.
However the Pwllheli and through the Menai Straits bit I might be able to manage.
Tiss the Straits that puts a lot of Folk off.
Anyway any questions around My bit please feel free to ask or enlarge on.
K

 

[hlb]

Oh well, it was a long time ago, but it did not seem far.

I was thinking about routs, and harbours, that could all be done any tide, so day passages, fuel available easy and enterable in any weather. Without the need for local knowlege. Theres loads of different ways of course. But it's hard to plan for tides and locks over the sort of distance here.

 

[SteveA]

Only bit I can say about is from Holyhead to Barrow. It's a very straight forward run taking about 12 hours with no hazards to speak of. Remember to just stay clear of the rigs - the safety boat starts getting twitchy when you are a good mile away. You could beak this leg, slightly, by calling in at Fleetwood otherwise take a course for HalfWay shoal and then follow the channel. There's anchorages/moorings at Piel and Roa Island or continue up Walney Channel where you could borrow a mooring for a while.

 

[Tugw]

Yes your right HLB,I was looking for the same thing but i suspect some local knowledge will be a great help and could cut the time down a bit,My next trip will be a little different but ill leave those details until later,the first thing is to bring her to Barrow as quick and as easy as possible and of course as safe as possible.My intention was to stay around 5 or 7 Miles off shore and only come closer for the stop-overs and fuel,All weather harbours would be a blessing.

 

[Kawasaki]

Tug have I missed summat?
What Boat, what speed ,what range?
K

 

[hlb]

In reality, you will probably have to change rout and destinations, en rout. As there will be all sorts of factors come into play. For instance. With wind from the west, you might easily reach Falmouth. But not round the Lizard. Thats going to maybe, cock up your next leg, and so on.

Ten hours a day, sounds like about 200 miles?? So you could eat it in no time. Subject to the weather. Course harbours dont come in nice easy 200 mile hops. So in practice it might be much less. Then dont forget refueling time. Generally it's sort of 9 till 5, though some marinas will do 24 hrs. So this might have to come into the plan. So will fuel costs, which can be anywhere between 40p and about 65p dependant where you fill.

Get some sort of plan together and I or others can advise. But it's hard to give chapter and verse on every eventuality.

But think. Solent or Weymouth, Plymouth Yacht Haven, cos it's 24 hours fuel and easy. Then Newlyn. Cos it's all tides and cheap. Not Penzance, cos you will be stuck behind a lock gate. If it goes pear shaped, Falmouth, dead easy. Fuel barge and town marina.

I've no charts here, so can only guess at distances. But you want to try to arrive at harbours, just before the nasty bits. So you can time them better and have the latest forcast.

Newlyn to Milford haven, should easy fit in your plan, and will have you safely round lands end and onto the next leg.

If you could do Milford to Holly head in one hit. That would save loads of shunting about off course and leave a straight run in to Barrow.