Poole to Amsterdam and back

[baart]

Hi,

a friend suggested doing this trip a while ago, I even got the CA book about the Standing Mast Route. Now it seems we might be in a position to do it either this year at the end of August or next season (more likely) in May/June. I am trying to work out how much time it would take us without rushing it too much with some time left for visiting places. Day sailing preferred but can aim for 50-60nm a day. So initial plan would be to give it maximum of 17 days - start on Friday and finish on Sunday two weeks later. If it is not enough then maybe I could get the boat to somewhere like Dover a weekend earlier and then start from there and if necessary do the same thing on the way back. Weather permitting we would like to go along the coast one way and take the standing mast route coming back or go through the cannals both ways if it is too rough.

So before I start more detailed planning do you think it is doable or a bit too ambitious? Boat is a 30ft Hunter, 1.7m draft, fin keel. managed Lymington to Brighton in 9.5 hrs so fast enough for the size. Any suggestions/criticism welcomed.

 

[Boathook]

When I had my 2 weeks holiday from work, I allowed for around 3 or 4 days 'bad weather' when you wouldn't really want to sail. Sometimes you could plan ports and bad weather but overall it worked. Check up on Dover as the marina is shut for works. There was something about it on one of the forums here.
Can't comment about your route though as never sailed to the Netherlands.

 

[andsarkit]

Last week a Dutch friend recently attended a Co26 rally in Cowes and got home north of Amsterdam in 7 days. Very light winds, so quite a slow trip. So yes it is quite realistic.
I have done the Ijmuiden/ Amsterdam canal journey in a bulk carrier many years ago and it was amazing being in a huge ship travelling through the fields.

 

[johnalison]

The standing mast route from the Haringvliet to Amsterdam or vice versa usually takes us three days, stopping at Haarlem and Gouda on the way but I know someone who did it in one, starting with the red-eye passage from Amsterdam. Obviously, the outside route via Ijmuiden is generally much quicker. Given the likelihood of westerly winds, especially later in the year, it could make sense to do the outward trip outside and the return inside, which can be done in all weathers. There are fewer bridge openings on Sundays and this may need to be taken into account.

 

[bluerm166]

Agree,with limited time go up the outside via Ijmuiden and return on the outside to enter the Haring Vliet at Stellendam or better the
East Scheldt at the Roompot where a slower pace can prevail until you exit again at Vlissingen .If you can ,avoid the schengen shenanigans of France by checking in and out in Belgium.

 

[johnalison]

Agree,with limited time go up the outside via Ijmuiden and return on the outside to enter the Haring Vliet at Stellendam or better the
East Scheldt at the Roompot where a slower pace can prevail until you exit again at Vlissingen .If you can ,avoid the schengen shenanigans of France by checking in and out in Belgium.

Although quicker, you will miss some of the more interesting towns and countryside by going outside. The Delta area is pleasant, but more of a holiday area in comparison. In later years, we usually came south in the mast-up route as part of the holiday, coming out from the Roompot, dining at the excellent restaurant at Colijnsplaat on the way. Alternatively, if the weather was bad, which it often was, going down to the west Scheldt via Hansweert - Breskens etc. The point is that there is a large range of options, which will be dictated by time, weather and inclination.

 

[baart]

Thank you for the suggestions so far. I am thinking of crossing from Dover to Nieuwpoort. If necessary how early can I enter the cannals? Is Vlissingen the most southerly entry point ?

 

[johnalison]

Thank you for the suggestions so far. I am thinking of crossing from Dover to Nieuwpoort. If necessary how early can I enter the cannals? Is Vlissingen the most southerly entry point ?

Vlissingen is the usual entry point, but, bureaucracy aside, you can also enter at Hansweert, a couple of hours up the Scheldt and rejoin the route at Wemeldinge. This is quicker but misses out Middelberg and Veere as well as the Versemeer and Goes. These are worth seeing, but Gouda, Haarlem and Amsterdam are more interesting from my point of view. Terneuzen is an acceptable stop too in the Scheldt.

 

[sailaboutvic]

Thus may or maynot be some help .
We left Plymouth with our new to us boat ,
The first day was just a check on stuff day and we sailed to Dartmouth,
Next day swanage
The third day we stopped at gosport to get some parts .
Fourth day we was heading for Dover then we heard the it was close so we headed for Calais.
Day five was a long Sail to Vlissingen where we stopped a couple of days in the marina .
We entered the locks there .
It took us 8 moving days doing short days , I heard if your lucky you can do it in 24 hours but then what's the fun in that .
We stopped Veere,Folkerak,Gouda,Brassemermeer, Oudewetering,leiden,Haarlemand Amsterdam.
Most people seen to use the six haven marina but a little pass it there a little club marina, they only have a few berth but it's friendly,cheaper and if there a bbq on the go they insist you join them , smoke eels was on the go when we was there, very tasty.
Couple of things that's came to light, times of bridges are not always as posted in the book or the net although there was only one bridge we was kept waiting .
On the main rivers and canals traffic move fast and some time you don't see them till their up your bum .
Went we first got here most of the locks where very relaxed but it's holiday time now and the last weeknits been mad.
Enjoy we are .

 

[mattonthesea]

We used a Dutch app, easy to translate, which kept the bridges up to date with our progress.

Look on their websites for bridge times!

 

[baart]

So the consensus seems to be it is doable. I am getting excited! Will look into the details now and come back with more questions. Thank you.

 

[baart]

Fourth day we was heading for Dover then we heard the it was close so we headed for Calais

I see there are indeed some works in Dover Marina that may limit my options. If I were to go from Eastbourne would it make sense to avoid Dover and head straight to Calais?

 

[sailaboutvic]

We used a Dutch app, easy to translate, which kept the bridges up to date with our progress.

Look on their websites for bridge times!

We been using water map live app but even that some of the bridges where wrong ,
We found best to just call them on the phone the once that don't have a VHF channel listed .
As I said most have been fine just had to wait at times 15 min mostly for the bus to pass , one we had to wait 1 and 30 mins the times said every 30 mins , but actually it open ever two hours

 

[sailaboutvic]

I see there are indeed some works in Dover Marina that may limit my options. If I were to go from Eastbourne would it make sense to avoid Dover and head straight to Calais?

If your happy doing long sails I would ,
as I said we left Gosport and sailed straight to Calais ,
Picked up a buoy in the outer harbour then left the next morning for the Netherlands.

 

[sailaboutvic]

Baart if you have time don't rush the trip ,
This is my first time doing the Standing mast route .

We been crossing the country ever since we arrived . Been to Amsterdam twice we found many places to anchor which is really our thing,
Marinas are very good priced at 1.25 to 1.75 mts althought we did once pay 1.90 mts
Fuel is expensive @ 2.20 lt at road side but I guess it expensive every where now .
We also managed to do a lot of sailing on route .

 

[baart]

What is the availability of toilets on the way through the cannals? Our holding tank is not big enough to last a few days and I wouldn't expect the Dutch to appreciate yachts dumping black water there, neither would I want to. Is it something to worry about?

 

[baart]

We also managed to do a lot of sailing on route

Do you mean sailing in the cannals instead of motoring?

 

[westhinder]

A lot of good suggestions already. Going North go outside, unless the weather s unkind, in which case the Staande Mastroute from Vlissingen, Hansweert or Roompotsluis. Coming back, go outside if the weather is favourabl, if not take the Staande Mastroute.
Just a word of caution: the return leg is likely to take a lot longer than the outbound. Coming back from Amsterdam you will not only have the wind on the nose, but going west you also move against the tide times, which means more adverse currents. If leaving the boat at Dover (if available) or Eastbourne and collecting it later is an option, that might well be the best approach. Unless of course you are blessed with northerlies or easterlies on your return, in which case the best advice is: grab the opportunity to make a long, overnight passage and get some miles behind you

 

[sailaboutvic]

Do you mean sailing in the cannals instead of motoring?

Yes there been many day when the wind as been just right that we manage to sail ,
you have to be perpair to drop everything and start up at times ,
Yesterday out 16 mile trip we manage 8 under sails.

 

[sailaboutvic]

What is the availability of toilets on the way through the cannals? Our holding tank is not big enough to last a few days and I wouldn't expect the Dutch to appreciate yachts dumping black water there, neither would I want to. Is it something to worry about?

every harbour/ town wall/ marinas even the odd mooring out of the ways , has toilets and many have pump out facilities,
you not allowed to pump out but the fact is most people pump out liquid,
My partner Dutch so she a stickler for not letting me pump our any soiled,
we don't have a black water tank ( plainning to fit one over winter ) so it plastic poo bag .