Plymouth to Brest

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Paddydog`1

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I'm a fairly experienced skipper, well found 35 footer with autohelm, but crew liable to seasickness. What is best route from Plymouth to Brest bearing in mind I might end up solo sailing like I did last year on our trip to Channel Islands.? Plymouth to Falmouth then L'Aberwrach?. Or Plymouth to Roscoff? Or straight there? What would you do?
 
Any of them depending on circumstances, wind etc when you leave. I am leaving Plymouth at the end of May, heading in the same direction, Plan A is to sail to L'Aberwrach, then day sail South (my first crew change is Benodet), Roscoff is certainly an option. Leaving from L'Aberwrach makes getting the tide right through the Chenal du Four easier.

Two years ago did Plymouth to Port Haliguen on the Quiberon peninsula, left 4am on the Saturday arrived Port Haliguen midnight Sunday, me + 1 crew. Came through the Chenal in pitch dark, but it is very well lit, I see Brittany Ferries use it sometimes to/from Spain. Getting through the Raz against a foul tide was 'interesting', it was flat calm-I know you are not asking about that. This was in a Sigma 362.

As already said I think it depends at the time.
 
I would aim for L'Aberwrach and divert to Roscoff if the wind did not serve. Roscoff is not much shorter but anything is better than motoring or luffing hard to the wind.

Roscoff would cost you an extra day. Roscoff to L'Aberwrach is an easy day sail on the tide. Plan the passage inside ile de batz in advance if you have not done it before. It always seems a stragely long way around the outside.
 
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Paddydog`1 said:
"....I'm a fairly experienced skipper, well found 35 footer with autohelm, but crew liable to seasickness...."
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Not long ago had the same circumstances. We decided on putting in some easy Westing and a short, easy start for sensitive tums by routing Plymouth-Fowey on the first day. We'd considered heading even further west to Falmouth, under the lee of Cornwall, but the forecast and actual wind direction gave us a helpful slant towards Libenter off L'Abervrac'h. It backed and picked up halfway across, so one of us was sent below to keep his sleeping bag and a bucket warm and we ( I ) altered for the easy-to-enter anchorage at the SE corner of Ile de Batz. After a few hours restorative kip and a meal, the remainder down to Brest was straightforward and enjoyable. For both....

Plan B's a good'un.
 
Just choose according to the wind and weather? We have made that passage many times and latterly we aimed for the corner and either went straight down the Chenal du Four or diverted I to L'Aberwrach if wind and tide didn't suit. It's really better to carry the tide round the corner and down Chenal du Four...

Don't worry about it, it's a nice sail in and but the very worst conditions.
 
haven't done it for about a decade but with girlfriend (then wife) we would aim for Morgat as we preferred it to any of the other harbours, very similar trip. We would set out whatever time, night or day, that would get us to top of Chenal du Four a couple of hours before the tide turned in our favour South durng daylight. At 4 knots planning speed in our 24 footer this worked out fine, but easier when we eventually moved to a bigger boat and could plan for 5 knots.

Once or twice we'd be early and if there was enough wind to sail we would plug into the tide. If motoring we would hold back to avoid wasting fuel.

Later on we would go straight thrift Chenal du Four and Raz in one go as we much preferred minimising stops on the way to the "real" holiday starting from Benodet onwards. I guess it all depends on whether you are eating up the miles on the way South, or want to explore the North and West Brittany coastline.
 
I have similar crew constraints, so have decided to get the boat there ahead of the family who will use Brittany Ferries. The plan is to get the boat to Camaret (a little closer and more picturesque) in a single hop with pals for a crew, night out and back on the Sunday overnight ferry. The aim being to have the whole 2 week family holiday cruising S. Brittany without the crossings eating into our time and me being able to enjoy the 24ish hour passage without being watch on stop on and enduring the endless "how long til we get there".
 
makingplansfor said:
I have similar crew constraints, so have decided to get the boat there ahead of the family who will use Brittany Ferries. The plan is to get the boat to Camaret (a little closer and more picturesque) in a single hop with pals for a crew, night out and back on the Sunday overnight ferry. The aim being to have the whole 2 week family holiday cruising S. Brittany without the crossings eating into our time and me being able to enjoy the 24ish hour passage without being watch on stop on and enduring the endless "how long til we get there".
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Not a bad plan. We used to do the same when the children were younger. They were nearly teenagers before they did their first channel crossing... Their holidays were day sailing between the 'nice bits of N and S Brittany and the CI's'
 
Paddydog`1 said:
I'm a fairly experienced skipper, well found 35 footer with autohelm, but crew liable to seasickness. What is best route from Plymouth to Brest bearing in mind I might end up solo sailing like I did last year on our trip to Channel Islands.? Plymouth to Falmouth then L'Aberwrach?. Or Plymouth to Roscoff? Or straight there? What would you do?
Click to expand...

If the conditions were right and you are able to catch the tide through the four then I would favour doing it in one go. I certainly wouldn't go via Falmouth, but I would keep Roscoff or L'Aberwrach as options if either the weather or tiredness prevent you from going all the way to Brest.

Roscoff is actually a very good option as you can then accurately plan the passage to Brest to pass through the four by daylight and with favourable tides. Excellent Mackerel fishing through the channel du four, so make sure you have planned the route accurately and are able to get one of the crew to control the feathers!

Pete
 
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