Planning next summer's cruise

[JeremyF]

Planning next summer\'s cruise

Yeah, I know. A bit early, but hey, I need something to look forward to so as to provide some motivation for the winter work.

The wife and kids get bored after 6 hrs sailing (max). So, my thoughts were to do the longer haul from the Solent with friends, and cruise locally with the family. What would you choose - Northern France or West Country? Ive done neither.

If the West Country, is there a sensible 1/2 way stop between Yarmouth and Dartmouth, or is it better to do it as a single passage?

<font color=red>Jeremy Flynn/forums/images/icons/crazy.gif
Dawn Chorus</font color=red>

 

[rogerroger]

Re: PLanning next summer\'s cruise

Do it in one hit with a good mate and get the wife and kids to meet you down / over there.

I dragged the Mrs round Portland Bill and across Lyme Bay last year and she didn't thank me for it!

/forums/images/icons/cool.gif Roger Holden /forums/images/icons/cool.gif
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[jimi]

Re: PLanning next summer\'s cruise

Could do Yarmouth, Studland(or Poole), Weymouth, Dartmouth

If France goto Cherbourg first & take it from there.

Jim

 

[Peter_H]

Re: PLanning next summer\'s cruise

If I remember correctly, when we cruised down channel from Dover to the West country a few years back we broke it down into these passages: Hamble-Studland, Studland-Torbay, Torbay-Dartmouth (a very short trip), Dartmouth-Plymouth and Plymouth-Falmouth. Yarmouth to Dartmouth sounds quite hardcore to me - it must be 150 miles musn't it? Have you considered exploring the channel islands or have you already been there? We went there this summer, albeit from the East Coast so it was a bit more of a trek than from the Solent - obviously the duty free from the Channel Islands is a bonus!

 

[rogerroger]

Re: PLanning next summer\'s cruise

Yarmouth to Dartmouth is less than 90 miles if you go direct - if you stop in Poole, Weymouth you add on a great deal and it does become about 150.

We did it last month - Southampton to Dartmouth - 23 hours and a fantastic over nighter...

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[Guest]

Re: Planning next summer\'s cruise

Find a good experienced friend and move the boat first, you'll enjoy the sail and get the SWMBO + kids to meet you there (where ever there is)

 

[jimi]

Re: Planning next summer\'s cruise

Thats what I did this summer. Previous weekend went via Weymouth to Torquay, and following weekend went via Studland. Going via Weymouth only adds about 5 miles on as long as you go inshore of the Portland Race .. now there's scope for a lot of advice.. get your rope cutter fitted first!

Jim

 

[Iota]

Re: Planning next summer\'s cruise

Get yer crew to take the boat to St Malo and get family to join you there. Cruise west to Treguir back east one notch to Isle de Brehat then to St Peter Port. Family go home from there and you pick up crew and bring back.

or

Yarmouth -Lulworth- Weymouth-Lyme Regis- Dartmouth - Salcombe- Yealm- Dittisham-Torquay family take a hire car to Weymouth and meet you then onwards

It depends what time of year you are going.



Courtesy is an iota but makes the world go round

 

[Spacewaist]

Get it over with

Take a strong crew and do it in one go - 15-24 hours.

If you are going to do that, then go to Britanny as Iota has already suggested.

The passages between Treguier, Lezardrieux, Paimpol, St Quay Portreux St Malo and ST Peter Port are all less than 6 hours - and should be down the prevailing winds (although not if the last 2 months are anything to go by...NEVER SEEN so many NE/E/SE winds in the channel)

 

[rogerroger]

Re: Planning next summer\'s cruise

I met a guy from Lymington last year while in Salcombe. Not only did his wife and daughter get the train down there while he sailed down with mates, when they made a small hop (say Salcombe to Dartmouth) - he sailed round single handed and they got the bus ! How sweet...

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[Iota]

PS

Crew to Plymouth
Family Plymouth - Fowey- Falmouth-Helford-St Mawes-Up Fal-Charlestown-Salcombe-Dartmouth-Torquay
Crew Torquay - Solent

Courtesy is an iota but makes the world go round

 

[JeremyF]

Got my West Country cruising book

I think its West Country next year. Given the shortage of holiday days, and the rare opportunity to do a long passage minus family, I think its best to do Yarmouth - Torbay in a single passage, with at least 2 experienced crew. If tyhings get nasty, I can always divert to plenty of safe harbours en route.

Cheers

<font color=red>Jeremy Flynn/forums/images/icons/crazy.gif
Dawn Chorus</font color=red>

 

[Iota]

Re: Got my West Country cruising book

With crew of 4 running 2 on watch on a 4x4 watch bill simply head as far west as you can. Plymouth is good because of road rail links. If you leave the solent 1 hour before HW Portsmouth you will carry the tide to the Portland Bill, tide is not so bad in Lyme Bay. or you could easily do St Malo with good ferry connection back to the Solent. A night run down the Alderney race is electrifying but with good lights for running fixes.

Brittany would be more challenging but more fun , especially on Bastille night plus a lot cheaper.


Courtesy is an iota but makes the world go round

 

[SimonD]

Re: Got my West Country cruising book

The drawback with stopping off at Weymouth en route for Brixham et al, is arriving there and then realising that it's about the same distance to Alderney. Doh!!

Next year, I intend to go there and turn left.

 

[jimi]

Re: Got my West Country cruising book

When I took the boat to Torquay, my initial plan was to go via Alderney, but unfortunately the wind was in the wrong direction ie SW!

Jim

 

[Johnjo]

Re: Planning next summer\'s cruise

Jeremy
If you get as far down as the Falmouth area,
Which if I may say so,
Is one of the finer places to visit,
And if you should see a Sabre 27 do not be to proud wave
your hand in greeting, The natives are quite friendly really!
Gave up the wrecking a few years back!
These days people seem to manage it all on there own.
Best of luck
Mike

 

[Skyva_2]

Re: Planning next summer\'s cruise

All good recommendations.

If West Country I would not miss out Brixham and Yealm, Fowey.
France and Channel Islands more demanding but superb.

What about getting home - same arrangement for crew? Its quicker across the Channel but still likely to be 12 - 15 hours. You could send SWMBO home on the Condor.

Tip - If you need crew to/from Cherbourg a day return is cheaper than the normal single fare.

Keith

 

[JeremyF]

Re: Planning next summer\'s cruise

Thanks for the ideas.

Yes, I'm lucky in that I can get sailing friends to do both long-haul sectors. I think that the West Country is probably best to do first because:

1. Easier harbour access
2. Less tides
3. No ferries to pay for!

<font color=red>Jeremy Flynn/forums/images/icons/crazy.gif
Dawn Chorus</font color=red>

 

[tcm]

Re: Planning next summer\'s crises

The received wisdom is to go as far west as you can, whenever you can, cos soon enough the prevailies (?) will return soon enuf. So, out the Needles you go, and have a load of books and charts to chose any old destination. Of course, swmbo will go mental when you announce that the summer destination will be "wherever the winds take us".

 

[rogerroger]

Re: Got my West Country cruising book

we did a week's charter in North Brittany a few years back and it was great but...

At the end of the week I was absolutely knackered! Being skipper was a really hard job and mentally exhausting with those tides and rocks everywhere! There are also so many harbours that don't have 24 hr access which also makes life quite tricky.

this was before SA was turned off and the GPS (or the chart) usually put us about 300 yds on the shore! Got very good at 3 point fixes that week as there was normally rock pretty close!

Fantastic part of the world, but not the most relaxing place to sail.

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