Route plan Pwllheli to Shoreham-by-Sea, comments ?

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Boo2

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Hi,

It's far later in the year than I'd planned but here's my outline passage plan for getting Sunrunner from Pwllheli to Shoreham in the last week of this month :

Pwllheli
Fishguard
Milford haven
Lundy
Padstow
Newlyn
Falmouth
Plymouth
Brixham
Poole
(Chichester)
Shoreham

Instead of putting in at Chichester I may just go S. of the IoW ang go direct from Poole to Shoreham.

I'm interested to hear peoples' opinions about this and any warnings or changes suggested would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

Boo2
 
How many onboard,
I did Shotely Gate to Liverpool in January 2010, with stops at Gosport, Newlyn.
There were 3 of us onboard, the stop at Gosport was not planned for, but necessiated by house batteries failing off Dover (this was my delivery trip after buying the boat)

Newlyn was a really nice place to stopover
 
The Pembrokeshire part of your trip

Please give us more information, what size and type of boat, how many crew, range under engine, etc.

I know the Pembrokeshire coast fairly well and suggest that you could shorten the time taken for your trip by leaving out Fishguard and Lundy.

The Pembrokeshire Coast, like most headlands have tides that have to be worked unless you have a large powerful motor boat, and even then it is best to go with the tide.

Coming from North Wales to Milford Haven you can avoid the Ramsey Sound and the Jack Sound by plotting a course well West of the South Bishop light (with plenty of sea room) and West of Skomer, however make sure you are fairly close to Skomer because with a fair tide you should come inside (East) of Skokholm. If you are too far West of Skomer you could get swept on through the Goose Race.

Make sure you get the tide right. The NW stream at St. Ann’s Head starts at about 03:10 before HW Milford Haven, and the SE stream starts at about HW Milford Haven plus 03:15.

Don’t forget the very often active range at Castlemartin (SW Pembrokeshire coast).

For more detailed information of this area see Tom Bennett’s "Sea Guide to Pembrokeshire" at about £15.
At Amazon here http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sea-Guide-P...9909/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1316253618&sr=8-1 and other outlets.

Publisher: Imray,Laurie,Norie & Wilson Ltd (1 Jan 2007)
Language English
ISBN-10: 0852889909
ISBN-13: 978-0852889909
Have a good trip, George.
 
Until the Op says whether its a 12 foot rowboat or a 60ft Sunseeker..?

Whatever.The tide is your friend, use it and don't fight it at its strongest time or location unless you are happy to stand still, burn fuel or be plain stubborn.

As the old hippys would say, just go with the flow man.

To me the south side of the White is less interesting in terms of scenery, options and tidal benefit.

Now, what boat is it again and what cruising speed?
 
Blueboatman said:
Now, what boat is it again and what cruising speed?
Click to expand...


pay attention at the back ;)

Boo2 has already posted pictures of his boat

http://www.flickr.com/photos/63915474@N07/6109578867/in/photostream/lightbox/

I think you will find that it is a UFO 34

Given a crew who are up to it it should be possible to make that trip non stop!


Re the plan

I think keep it flexible

Consider Helford, Fowey, R.Yealm, Salcombe, Dartmouth and Weymouth as alternative stopovers.

I agree with the comments about the south side of the IOW.

If coming through the Solent then Yarmouth or Lymington to wait for the tide other wise also consider Cowes or Gosport.
 
Hi Chaps,

Yes, very remiss of me not to mention the boat is a UFO 34, I was told by a previous owner that 7kts is do-able but I will be planning for 5 both under engine and sail. I don't know how long a tank will last but will obtain an estimate before setting off. I guess 36-48 hours or so at cruising speed.

Crew is tbd : it may just be myself, hence not wishing to overdo it but I am asking around for more experienced people who might fancy the trip. If anyone here happens to be interested just PM me - I hope to leave Pwllheli next weekend. If there are enough skilled crew then a non-stop trip does have its attractions...

Any further comments on my battle plan ?

Thanks,

Boo2
 
Plymouth is a bit of a detour off the straight line from Falmouth to prawl point, especially if you were thinking about a marina rather than anchoring off cawsand. Salcombe is on the way and a viable jumping off point for lyme bay, saving one stop so could be worth thinking about.

Left side of Lyme bay to Poole is a big hike for one day. You need to fight the tide across the bay to get a fair tide past portland and St. Alban's head. Many people would either break the journey at weymouth or portland, or stop at studland bay: you'll be late enough into Studland without the faff of going into poole harbour so consider forgetting poole unless wind direction makes studland a bad plan.

The ride from the east of christchurch bay to Portsmouth can be faster than many people expect with a decent tide. Leaving studland towards the end of the ebb you can be in Gosport with tide to spare, or carry on to chichester if you feel like it.
 
Boo2 said:
Hi,

It's far later in the year than I'd planned but here's my outline passage plan for getting Sunrunner from Pwllheli to Shoreham in the last week of this month :

Pwllheli
Fishguard
Milford haven
Lundy
Padstow
Newlyn
Falmouth
Plymouth
Brixham
Poole
(Chichester)
Shoreham

Instead of putting in at Chichester I may just go S. of the IoW ang go direct from Poole to Shoreham.

I'm interested to hear peoples' opinions about this and any warnings or changes suggested would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

Boo2
Click to expand...

Not a lot of shelter in Fishguard for a 34 ft deep keeler - indeed the whole of that west Welsh coast is a bit unfriendly. We stopped at Aberystwyth wanting a short first leg from Pwllhelli in what was to us a new boat but if you are confident in the boat this stop isnt necessay. We then stopped at Fishguard but in good conditions

Milford is OK ( use the pontton or moorings at Dale) in any weather. Personally I wouldnt stop at Lundy but would go direct to Padstow or even to Penzance if you have crew. Lundy will give you good shelter at anchor if the wind is in the west or south west but anything with east in it is a no go and I wouldnt chose the anchorage for a straight north or south wind of strength.

Padstow entrance is not inviting in a strong north wind but the harbour is very secure. Round Lands end take the inshore passage and if you time it right there you can clear the Lizard making 5 knots or more in between.
If you want a rest then Penzance harbour is my favourite with things like red diesel available - they dont want to know leisure sailors at the Newlyn diesel facility.

Once round the Lizard you are home and dry - with prevailing west and south west winds the south coast is easy sailing which I guess is why its so popular. Personally I would go Falmouth / Salcombe/Poole and then south of the island to Shoreham to keep near to a straight line.

If you are single handing you would do better to make the legs shorter than this but if you want to get the boat home at this time of year I would crew up and go for it because the weather windows will be short.
 
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Well, we made it !

Final route was Pwllheli - Fishguard - Milford Haven - St Ives - Falmouth - Dartmouth - Shoreham-by-Sea, one leg per day - Dartmouth to Shoreham took just over 24 hours and was my first full night passage in a sailing boat. I took advice that Padstow was bad news unless you have local knowledge / someone on board who knows the area so...

I've posted the GPS tracks for the legs on on the Sunrunner page of my website in case anyone's interested, pix to follow (inc some of dolphins which seem to abound in the Bristol Channel area). Crew was myself, my brother in law and a hired skipper.

Thanks to all for the advice and help,

Boo2
 
Well done! You appear to be on the SYC visitors berth. Where's she going to live?
Might see you tomorrow - I need to pop in to the chandlers there.
 
Boo2 said:
Well, we made it !

Final route was Pwllheli - Fishguard - Milford Haven - St Ives - Falmouth - Dartmouth - Shoreham-by-Sea, one leg per day - Dartmouth to Shoreham took just over 24 hours and was my first full night passage in a sailing boat. I took advice that Padstow was bad news unless you have local knowledge / someone on board who knows the area so...

I've posted the GPS tracks for the legs on on the Sunrunner page of my website in case anyone's interested, pix to follow (inc some of dolphins which seem to abound in the Bristol Channel area). Crew was myself, my brother in law and a hired skipper.

Thanks to all for the advice and help,

Boo2
Click to expand...
Bluddy heck, you were parked next to me in Milford last Saturday!
Stu
 
Troubadour said:
Well done! You appear to be on the SYC visitors berth. Where's she going to live?
Might see you tomorrow - I need to pop in to the chandlers there.
Click to expand...

Yep, temporarily on the vb until she's lifted for the winter maybe next week. I still haven't sorted somewhere to keep her but if things go to plan I'm still on for a circumnavigation next summer so it will only be a pressing issue the year after. Maybe Chi or somewhere, can't afford a marina so...

Don't know if I'll be there tomorrow but if you pop along and I'm there I'll put the kettle on.

Boo2
 
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skipper_stu said:
Bluddy heck, you were parked next to me in Milford last Saturday!
Click to expand...

Oh what a coincidence, which one is yours ? Whatever her name she's lucky to be in one piece after I trusted the aging hired skipper with the tiller after his many years behind a wheel... :eek:

Boo2
 
Boo2 said:
Oh what a coincidence, which one is yours ? Whatever her name she's lucky to be in one piece after I trusted the aging hired skipper with the tiller after his many years behind a wheel... :eek:

Boo2
Click to expand...
Sacha
the bene with the cockpit cover. on your port side
Stu
 
skipper_stu said:
Sacha
the bene with the cockpit cover. on your port side
Click to expand...

I remember, nice boat but a bit big for me. Tbh, I'm finding the idea of single-handing Sunrunner a bit intimidating let alone something as big as that. Do you go it alone much yourself, Stu ?

I've just put up some vids of our trip back. The pre-Raphaelite smiling figure is Richard, my brother-in-law not me ;) I'm expecting to receive some of the ones he's taken and will add those as and when.

Boo2
 
Boo2 said:
I remember, nice boat but a bit big for me. Tbh, I'm finding the idea of single-handing Sunrunner a bit intimidating let alone something as big as that. Do you go it alone much yourself, Stu ?

I've just put up some vids of our trip back. The pre-Raphaelite smiling figure is Richard, my brother-in-law not me ;) I'm expecting to receive some of the ones he's taken and will add those as and when.

Boo2
Click to expand...
I dont single hand, me and Laura do it, not a prob, we had a 46ft bav in Greece 3 years ago, no prob, no bow thruster but a big fat prop that was very predictable.
Stu
 
nigel1 said:
How many onboard,
I did Shotely Gate to Liverpool in January 2010, with stops at Gosport, Newlyn.
There were 3 of us onboard, the stop at Gosport was not planned for, but necessiated by house batteries failing off Dover (this was my delivery trip after buying the boat)

Newlyn was a really nice place to stopover
Click to expand...
Having done the trip down to S Brittany, myself, single-handed from Pwllhelli, about 10-12 times you have two critical factors.
(apart from crew and a slowed boat)
One, over which you have some control, are the tidal gates, St Davids, Ramsey Swellies, Skomer and Longships. You have to take those with a fair tide under you.
Less controllable is the wind direction and VMG.
For this reason Fishguard is unavoidable.
I would definitely leave out Lundy, Milford and, probably, Padstow.
As to the other stopovers, the only challenge is getting round Portland.

You need anything but a SW across Ceregdion Bay - you'll give up if you have anything over a F5. Short, sharp, seas will bring out any tendency to seasickness.
What you really need is a NW, going round to a W as you clear Longships.
Happy GRIB viewing.

Having quite frequently done the trip non-stop Dyfi to St Mary's or l'Iroise and back and and even S Evette to Aberystwyth, I don't see your proposed trip as any sort of challenge PROVIDING you can choose your winds and work your tides.
 
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