Round Britain in a Merry Fisher 625

Padstow to Milford is 70 miles unless someone's moved Cornwall. And would you really expect to average 20 knots in a small mobo over open sea?

I'm a yottie and I know very little about the practicalities of doing this trip in a mobo let alone a small single engined one. It strikes me as fairly risky but I'd be interested in knowing whether thats correct. How would such a boat cope with rough seas? How reliable would be the engine - I certainly wouldnt rely on my yacht engine over that distance. Would Arny have to wait in port for calm seas? What range would the boat have?

I'm not wishing to be negative - its an admirable project. I'm just curious about the practicalities in a mobo. I know it can be done in a small sailing boat because a pal has done it a couple of times in a 24ft Achilles.
 
Replying to myself again... aaagh! First sign of madness perhaps? Anyway,

hlb, I hear what you say... every word of it and I thank you for being so up front with me and my plan. Kawasaki is right... these are 1st-cut plans and will change as a result of input like all of this and from RNLI input.

The problem with reducing the leg length to say 50, 60, 70NM is that for a lot of the legs there just isn't much choice, especially up north. The other aspect is where ever I stop I need to be able to get fuel reasonably easily. Most stops I will need to get it by cans and to fill the boat and then refill the cans it will take at least 2, possibly 3 trips to the garage. If the nearest garage is miles away it will make that difficult.

I have done Poole/Plymouth in one hop now several times in that boat or similar and not had any problems with fuel.

Something else that peeps should remember is that time is not a factor in anyway here. I will be quite choosey regarding weather and if I feel it is not suitable I will not leave port, especially on the a couple of the scottish legs where tide timing is even more important than normal. Current plans show the trip taking 45 days. If I have to stay in a port 1 week, 2 weeks, whatever, then I will rather that make a run for it. I have no job pressures and it will take as long as it takes to do it safely.

I agree with the fuel disappearing fast when throttle jiggling in rough seas and that is something I will need consider but if I am not planing I expect to be going quite slowly consistent with safety so by accepting say, 5kts with a fairly steady throttle instead of a possible 8-10kts jiggling the throttle to maintain safe progress I should be able to reduce fuel use to below planing use and extend my range rather than reducing it. I will be doing some proper, measured, sea trials in March/April to properly ascertain the actual usage figures in a quantitive way so that will tell me if my feelings from using the boat are actually born out by the figures.

BrendanS, I plan and expect to get lots of help and whilst I can not guarantee that I won't need rescueing, if I do then I will make damned sure that it is not because of some stupid plan, deficient equipment or lack of preparation. Every time we go out in a boat there is a risk. The trick is to anticipate the potential problems and to have a plan to handle them. Let's face it... if I hit a submerged object at speed, hole my hull and sink, no amount of planning will prevent me needing resue. OK, that would cost the RNLI lots of money instead of raising it but I will do absolutely everything in my power to try to prevent that eventuality. Anyway, if I do then it looks like I will be doing a couple more big events (probably non-boating based!) in coming years to raise even more money to pay back what I cost them!!! With good planing and good advice/help I don't think that will happen any more than when I do my normal boating... in fact, probably less risky as I will be much better prepared than when I do my normal boating!

I will look at doing shorter legs where sensible... Plymouth Newlyn, Newlyn Padstow is a good example. I suspect there will be many I can not sensible split up tho' but I will assess every leg.

Solo... yes, good question... the main reason I suppose if because it IS a greater challenge. I am an experience pilot and flying alone is always more challenging that with a friend or crew. Basically, I want that challenge. I once hired an aeroplane and flew from Miami, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Miami. SOLO. It took me 4 weeks and what a trip, all in a single engined Piper Cherokee! People said that was foolhardy but I planned it properly, I was prepared for what to expect weather and terrain wise and I had all the right charts and plates etc. In fact, it wasn't any more risky than doing just one of those legs on its own. If I were to say I was doing just one leg people wouldn't think it quite so bad but because there were lots of them back-to-back it somehow seemed more risky. In fact, because I approached each leg in isolation, it wasn't.

There is also the fact that 2 people living for weeks on a little boat like this is IMPOSSIBLE! I did a week away with SWMBO last summer to the Solent area and at the end of the week I was glad it was over... not from the boating point of view just the limited space with 2 lots of effects, bedding etc. There was simply nowhere to put anything. Nope, if I ever do anything more than a few days in a 20ft boat it will be alone or else we are staying in hotels!!!

RNLI is my charity. I boat and I know that one day, anyone who boats might need them and I want to help. I understand what you are saying 1971Lou though but the public know the RNLI and are normally happy to donate. I am also likely to get more publicity from the media if I do it for a national charity. There are lots of reasons why I want to do it for the RNLI.

Keep the comments coming. I hope you can all see from my responses that I value your comments and just because I choose not to implement an idea you had it doesn't make it a bad idea. I have a lot of priorities to juggle and need to make the best choices based of the plan as a whole. All ideas are valueable as they can often spark off others into coming up with even better ones!
 
Dont forget folks that Arni needs your money to do this.

Its is very easy to contribute - all you need is your credit card............

May
xx
 
70 miles direct yes, but I think if you go to www.roundbritain.org.uk and have a look at my plans many of your questions would be answered.

I am not going direct for the very reasons you raise. I am going east to about Ilfracombe where I can cross the Bristol Channel without being more than 12 miles from land at any time on the leg.

I wouldn't trust my engine to hold out ever! That is why I will have a spare... OK, not as big and if I need it I may not even be able to make my originally intended destination but it will be big enough to get me to a port. Chances of 2 engines breaking especially as they will both be a year old or less are very slim. I am happy doing this trip with a sensible 2nd engine.

I would encourage anyone reading this thread to take a look at www.roundbritain.org.uk because I suspect that many of your good ideas have already been considered one way or another. This will be more and more true as time goes on and the plan gets fine tuned.
 
I have reworked leg 1 and now I have 3 plans... Plymouth to Falmouth, Plymouth to Penzance (via Falmouth) and Penzance to Padstow.

This is how I will rework the other legs... looking at splitting the legs with options enroute. I may also change some of the stopover ports (e.g. Lowestoft instead of Gt Yarmouth).

I will rework the rest of the trip and see how that pans out. Legs will be 50-70 miles where possible instead of the 100 or so except where there is no intermediate ports or very limited refueling possibilities.

www.roundbritain.org.uk will be updated as I complete each leg rework.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Most stops I will need to get it by cans and to fill the boat and then refill the cans it will take at least 2, possibly 3 trips to the garage. If the nearest garage is miles away it will make that difficult.

[/ QUOTE ]

I am sure there are enough formites spaced around Britain to make sure either you and your cans were driven to and from a garage, or that cans were waiting for you already filled. Although, that could be a problem as you need to be sure you have fuel uncontaminated by particles/water.
 
That sounds better. My usual method, is to make hardly any plans at all. Just headind in the direction of.... You can always just carry on to the next place, once passing the first.

Must have forgot that Padstow Milford, was 70 miles, not 40. I once did it after tea time. Then finished up in Swansea. Dont ask!!
 
LOL!

When I am doing my normal boating I tend to do the same hlb... have a general plan that I modify as things develop and like you I often never end up where I originally set out for.

However, with this effort it will be a little different in that to get various sponsors and the RNLI totally on board I am having to prove I have a solid plan up front. OK, when I actually set out I will still have the same flexibility and I don't have to stick to the published plan if there are good reasons not to at the time... but at least I have one and can say to people before I set out "I have thought about this"... that is the main reason for all this detailed planning.

I don't think we operate that differently once at sea /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Safety is ALL about having a plan and being flexible enough and willing to change it when conditions dictate.
 
OK, just give them some daft plan then.

Then carry on as said before. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

You do realise, your boat will be knackered, if you ever achieve your objective. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
I don't see why it should be knackered any more than had I done the same amount use going to Salcombe or Fowey... 100hrs is 100hrs... 20 stops is 20 stops. The only difference itis a short period of time.

I have done about 85 hrs in the past 8 months so I expect it will add a year's worth of wear and tear to it in the space of a couple of months and I wouldn't expect it to be knackered as a 2 year old boat now would I?

I expect it will add a year or two of wear and tear on me too!!! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Noticed your stopping at Hartlepool where theres no petrol, consider calling into Royal Quays marina on the Tyne where there is petrol, would save you carrying cans at Hartlepool.
Best of luck.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I am going east to about Ilfracombe where I can cross the Bristol Channel without being more than 12 miles from land at any time on the leg.

.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is my home territory - I must have done the Padstow to Ilfracombe trip 30 times.. Will your boat take to the ground - Ilfracombe dries in the harbour and the afloat options anchored off arent great. And in a way you're kidding yourself in thinking that you are no more than 12 miles away from land on that leg. You wont be geographically, but you will be in terms of anywhere you can put into.

My advice would be to wait in Padstow for a decent weather spell and then do Milford direct. It will be a long day but in practical terms you will be no further away from help that way than going to Combe.

Best of luck with the trip
 
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I expect it will add a year or two of wear and tear on me too!!! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Now Paul, on an extremly serious note /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif the boat can handle the extra wear and tear but are you really sure that you can /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
Thanks neilmw... I won't be put off because I find that even the negative comments (and there will always be a few) actually have some benefit... they do raise valid questions quite often or get me thinking about things differently. I don't mind them... if someone feels they have something to contribute then I will listen... they might have a point!!!

Regards
 
A thought.
Leg 5.
Conwy to Kirkudbright.
That's a long way with the prevailing winds on Your Port side.
Conwy to IOM, then off to Scotty land?
Think I would go that route.

Correction!
I mentioned in an earlier post that leg 5 was My patch, sorry I meant leg 4!
Anyway Me or MajorCatastrophe can help usher You through the Straits.
Once inside the Straits with a boat like Yours there are no problems.
The tricky bits are Caernarfon bar and getting into Conwy but that's were local knowledge comes in usefull.
So it will be in other parts of the Journey and that's were the Forum peeps can help.
 
My thoughts exactly. Not much point in being close, to a pile of rocks, with a great big moor behind them. Straight across, will only be about four hours, so unless terribly unlucky, will be close'ish, to one end or tuther.
 
Not got a chart here so cant work out distances. But Fishguard, to Hollyhead, IOM, then Portpatric, misses out alot of crap.

I've done Pwethelli to IOM in one hit at 16 knots, was going to stop at Hollyhead, but just carried on passed. hort trip the next day and we were in scotland. Leasurely cruise up to Ardishag?? canal to Crinan, then Oban maybe. Once in Scotland, your protected from almost any weather, as protected by all the islands.
 
Yep, Conwy to IOM 56 miles (Douglas) then 65 to Portpatrick, well more like 70 dodging overfalls but still preferable to hauling up Morecambe bay to Kirky bright imho.
 
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