Daydream believer
Well-known member
May I ask, What engine, what boat?
Round Britain Trip – What More Do I Need?
- Thread starter Baddox
- Start date
Refueler
Well-known member
Suggest you watch :
Keep Turning Left
Sailing Brothers
Both youtube series of videos. KTL is the one thatn is exactly what you are considering - only difference is that DW did with small boats ....
Brilliant camera work ... well he is a professional TV cameraman ... and a very good sailor.
Refueler
Well-known member
You'll also be surprised how little modern gear Dylan (KTL) uses .... but he gets into all the creeks / rivers / harbours ... a real feast of videos ....
Gsailor
...
What do you have already?
Epirb, plb, flares, liferaft, 3 anchors and spare rode? Charts, digital nav system? more than one radio? Emergency antenna? Emergency small battery (e.g a gell battery for radio mounted above waterline - I am a pessimist or a prepared person- up for debate...
Inflatable dinghy? Outboard engine and oars?
Books or other leisure activities if storm bound?
Access to money easily.
Big first aid kit. Seasickness tablets. Bucket or two. Spare lines. Knives, whipping twine or splicing fids.
Dame Ellen did it in an 18 footer bilge keel.
You will be alright - you have already started properly by doing research before embarking -
Good luck to you. I never did the whole of the UK. Oh, take a camera !
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dunedin
Well-known member
To be fair Dylan attempted with Keep Turning Left to do something very different from 99% of those who set off to sail round “Britain”. He sensibly was not rushing it, but was also going into fairly extreme places inland that few if any others would ever attempt - for example heading right up the River Tay was not enough of a detour, so I think he attempted to head up the R Earn as well, something few locals have ever attempted.
He also ran out of steam because it was taking so much time heading back home from various remote places.
A great adventure but perhaps not what most people on slightly bigger boats might wish for, and not the approach taken by most who have completed their chosen circuit.
Daydream believer
Well-known member
The OP would get bored to tears. By the time he had watched all the padding out he could have sailed round twice
Personally I would not bother with videos. Mostly, you just spend hours watching waves & b..dy dolphins. Just go & do it. As I suggested earlier, any boat set up for cruising should be well equipped, with the addition of the charts and pilot books.
It is important to have a good appreciation of tides & navigation. That being said, if just going via the Cally canal then navigation round the rest of the country is a doddle. Make a list of where one wants to go. Think about how best to achieve each leg. Consider what to do when the weather plays up. Then just get on with it. It is easy enough to adapt as one proceeds.
It is easy to over think these things.
Lots of info can be gleaned from HMs on the way. Most know all about the next harbour. Some work more than one port
It helps to talk to people one meets on the way. I found lots of info by doing that. Finding a couple of fishermen in a dodgy pub in Newlyn helped me do the inshore passage at lands end. Only cost me a pint & I gained a wealth of info. Had a good time as well.
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dunedin
Well-known member
Concerto of this parish made some excellent videos from his much more recent and successful round Britain which might be an alternative if watching videos is your thing to gain insight ………
Charlie Boy
Well-known member
Small, foldable sack barrow or granny shopping trolley. Great for carting shopping or full jerry can
Bristolfashion
Well-known member
It's a VP D1-20 on a Sadler 29 twin keel. Fixed 3 blade prop. Relatively newish - previous owners installed it.
Bristolfashion
Well-known member
We don't carry an outboard - but have a nice little hard tender that rows well.
Our 3 thermos flasks get very well used - hot water / coffee on passage & saves some gas by filling 'em on shore power. I'd quite like a wide mouthed thermos for chunky soups / stews and, possibly, one of those thermal cooker things.
Despite doing Scotland extensively, we never have used the insect screens. The clear replacement for the washboards gets used every day.
The hatch curtain of the type that attaches with a suction cup is used every day.
We don't use the cockpit tent that much
I wouldn't be without a multimeter. I also carry one of those lithium battery packs for emergency starting / charging.
Loads of home made soft shackles
Wind plus solar has provided more than enough power.
We joke that the most cost effective & regularly used piece of equipment is the bit of corrugated cardboard that props the hatch open.
Our 3 thermos flasks get very well used - hot water / coffee on passage & saves some gas by filling 'em on shore power. I'd quite like a wide mouthed thermos for chunky soups / stews and, possibly, one of those thermal cooker things.
Despite doing Scotland extensively, we never have used the insect screens. The clear replacement for the washboards gets used every day.
The hatch curtain of the type that attaches with a suction cup is used every day.
We don't use the cockpit tent that much
I wouldn't be without a multimeter. I also carry one of those lithium battery packs for emergency starting / charging.
Loads of home made soft shackles
Wind plus solar has provided more than enough power.
We joke that the most cost effective & regularly used piece of equipment is the bit of corrugated cardboard that props the hatch open.
afterpegassus
Active member
Was it not a Corribee?
She also went through the Caley which doesn't really count as a circumnavigation.
Baddox
Well-known member
Thanks for all the ideas and suggestions so far.
It was a trip to Whitby that sparked the thought when I needed a fuel container as there was no dockside supply. I already have a 10L container and an electronic transfer pump – but they had been left at home in the garage. I’ve bought a funnel with a small gauze filter inside which came in handy.
I’m happy that we are already well set up with tools, spares, EPIRB, PLBs, AIS, tender, motor, cockpit canopy, etc. We’ll will build the bookshelf to include more pilots, tidal atlases and general stuff to read when the weather is bad and we’re not out with the walking gear.
I hadn’t thought of going to St Kilda but will now and will definitely bring a camera along.
It was a trip to Whitby that sparked the thought when I needed a fuel container as there was no dockside supply. I already have a 10L container and an electronic transfer pump – but they had been left at home in the garage. I’ve bought a funnel with a small gauze filter inside which came in handy.
I’m happy that we are already well set up with tools, spares, EPIRB, PLBs, AIS, tender, motor, cockpit canopy, etc. We’ll will build the bookshelf to include more pilots, tidal atlases and general stuff to read when the weather is bad and we’re not out with the walking gear.
I hadn’t thought of going to St Kilda but will now and will definitely bring a camera along.
Daydream believer
Well-known member
I had to work on 2 L / hour with my VP MD2020 if I kept the revs down. 2.3 L /Hour if I ran at 2300RPM That was pretty much overall use. I am surprised you use so little.
I only have a 45 L tank. 31 ft boat. 80 L is large for a 29Ft boat
Bristolfashion
Well-known member
Yes, I was quite surprised - we have kept an accurate log of both fuel and hours this year - 1800 miles in total so far, but I hadn't done the calculation until now. Previous years were on paper, so less easy to analyse - I must dig them out.
Interestingly, our previous boat had a VP MD2020 - which was a bit on the large size for a 28' long keel built in 1966 (again, motor courtesy of previous owner). We sailed around 5000nm in her and had a consumption of 1 l/hour @ 1800 revs.
It may be that there is a sweet spot for any boat / engine / prop combo - the stated jump for the D1-20 of 1l/hr @ 1800 revs to 1.6 l/hr @ 2200 seems quite steep.
We rarely just motor for any distance and do a bit to try & motor sail efficiently - maybe that helps.
The 80 tank is, again, courtesy of the previous owner. It is quite large, but is well secreted away. Quite reassuring on long legs, remote trips or where there's no fuel.
oldmanofthehills
Well-known member
A folding trolley to carry fuel or water cans from some filling sation or otherwise remote facility. Few true marinas north of Hadrians Wall and not always where you want to be
A long shore lead so it actually reaches if the marina has electric (many pontoons dont).
An inflatable dinghy because the best spot dont have marinas, and a decent anchor modern style to hold you in a blow.
Fenders, fenders and fenders, but except in Bristol channel I have never used my fender board.
A list of marinas that sell things rather than can order them in within the month - yes I know such list dont exist but arranging to get to A...fern the same time as my backup bilge pump and cooling, was a nightmare.
A nav app on phone in case main one on chartplotter fails - happened about 10 times in 40 years but always at the most inconvenient moment in terms of visibility or winds etc. Also good for planning voyages in pub or restaurant.
Patience - we plan to make our 3rd such trip to explore the hebrides in 1 or 2 years, and we had to miss out revisiting some wonderful islands because time was against us (Canna and Rum), but you may have such time
A sound knowledge of tide. The Pentland Firth is a big ship killer in wind over tide and we kept well clear of it on voyage to Orkney & Shetland
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Gsailor
...
I think you are correct.
I did not know she went through the Caley, thanks. I think she wrote a book, I can’t imagine why I would know about her journey otherwise - unless I read about it in a magazine?
Memory fade.
oldmanofthehills
Well-known member
My newish Beta 25 in a tubby 27ft semi-motor sailer does about 1 litre an hour at moderate cruising speed. Bit of an improvement on my antique Volvo Penta 2030 in a 32ft which used well over 2L
Concerto
Well-known member
These are my videos. The 13th and final part I have not finished editting yet.
Round Britain part 1 Chatham to the Humber
Round Britain part 2 The Humber to Eyemouth
Round Britain part 3 Eyemouth to Wick
Round Britain part 4 Kirkwall, Fair Isle and Lerwick
Round Britain part 5 Lerwick to Scalloway via Out Stack
The forum will not allow more than 5 media links, but you can link via my YouTube channel or use these links.
Round Britain part 6 Westray to Scapa Flow Fulmar Concerto Sail Round Britain part 6 - Westray to Scapa Flow, Orkneys
Round Britain part 7 Orkneys to Lochboisdale Fulmar Concerto Sail Round Britain part 7 Orkneys to the southern end of the Outer Hebrides
Round Britain part 8 Lochboisdale to Gigha Fulmar Concerto Sail Round Britain part 8 Lochboisdale to Gigha, Scottish western isles
Round Britain part 9 Gigha to Carrickfurgus Fulmar Concerto Sail Round Britain part 9 Gigha to Carrickfergus, N.I.
Round Britain part 10 Carrickfergus to Douglas, IoM. Fulmar Concerto Sail Round Britain part 10 Carrickfergus to Douglas
Round Britain part 11 Douglas, IoM to Dale, Milford Haven. - YouTube
Round Britain part 12 Dale, Milford Haven to The Hamble. https://youtu.be/IX-KFSMWnq0
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srm
Well-known member
You can bye pass the Pentland Firth by going through Scapa Flow, though the east entrance/exit needs careful planning with the tidal stream atlas. It can be a nice smooth passage if you get it right, and violently uncomfortable otherwise. I always aimed for the former being a devout coward when it comes to those tidal passages.
Many years ago a tanker leaving the Flow called a steering emergency when it spun through 180 degrees in the east end of the Pentland Firth. Harbour tugs took her back in, but no fault was found. It was thought that she straddled an eddy with opposing streams at bow and stern.
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oldmanofthehills
Well-known member
It was the eastern entrance that bothered us, but as we were heading to Kirkwall we just stood well clear as the tide started to run Westwards. Then had a nice run to Fair Isle the Shetland. Due to schedule and crew availability we had to return to Wick so sadly the next stage crew of the Barnabas had to go via Pentland to get round Cape Wrath. Not sue how they did that.
Always wanted to visit Scapa by sea as ex lived on shore there many years ago -- perhaps next few years but its a long way from S Cornwall and I might never again be able to take time needed