Routes across north of the Dover Straits

CliveG

CliveG

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Hi

I am trying to work out the best (quickest) route from Oostend into the Thames estuary.
The issue is where to cross all the TSS lanes and not get told off.
If I go north of the junction for the Wandelaar TTS and then cross the main TTS I end up a lot further north than I want.
Or do I go south of the Junction and cross from the Ruytingen North Cardinal buoy?
The second route is a bit quicker according to Seapro 2000.
(I navigate at 4 knots)
 
CliveG said:
Hi

I am trying to work out the best (quickest) route from Oostend into the Thames estuary.
The issue is where to cross all the TSS lanes and not get told off.
If I go north of the junction for the Wandelaar TTS and then cross the main TTS I end up a lot further north than I want.
Or do I go south of the Junction and cross from the Ruytingen North Cardinal buoy?
The second route is a bit quicker according to Seapro 2000.
(I navigate at 4 knots)
Click to expand...

wot way is the wind direction Clive :D
 
CliveG said:
If only I knew Roger.
Most likely due West F7 knowing my luck.:mad:
A nice Southerly F4 would be good.

By the way I am aiming for the Medway as if you hadn't guessed.
Click to expand...

Hi Clive, all things being equal, we'll probably head up the coast to the Dunkirk area, then turn right for Ramsgate, and round the corner up the Thames (probably Princes Channel). Still haven't had my leave cleared, so can't even confirm I'll be there yet:mad:

Ian
 
Jomo said:
Hi Clive, all things being equal, we'll probably head up the coast to the Dunkirk area, then turn right for Ramsgate, and round the corner up the Thames (probably Princes Channel). Still haven't had my leave cleared, so can't even confirm I'll be there yet:mad:

Ian
Click to expand...

That'd be me too. I like coming down the inside channel, and if the weather is ****, I can turn left at quite a few places.

Other than that, cross up by the kink at South Falls area.

How much foul tide are you planning ( I haven't done the plan yet)?
 
Putting in your route, Seapro seems to indicate that being off North Forland at lowtide Sheerness - 2 hours (31/5/10 07:23) is the best move. At 4 knots that means leaving Oostend about 15:30 on the Sunday.
Arriving in the Medway about 13:00 Monday.
Leave Oostend at 19:30 Sunday will get us to the Medway at 21:30 on the Monday (late for the BBQ)
 
CliveG said:
Putting in your route, Seapro seems to indicate that being off North Forland at lowtide Sheerness - 2 hours (31/5/10 07:23) is the best move. At 4 knots that means leaving Oostend about 15:30 on the Sunday.
Arriving in the Medway about 13:00 Monday.
Leave Oostend at 19:30 Sunday will get us to the Medway at 21:30 on the Monday (late for the BBQ)
Click to expand...

Why 4 knots? You should be carrying 1.2 to 1.7kts of tide? Have you tied a bucket to the keel?
 
FullCircle said:
Why 4 knots?
Click to expand...

Jim.
4 knots is the speed though the water.:p
I use this in Seapro, my passage planing software.
Seapro will then add and subtract the tidal influence to give a
passage time.
On the Oostend to Queenbrough route the time taken varies from just under 21 hrs to over 25 hrs.
I could use 4.5 or 5 knots but then I start to get stressed and push things on the trip as we are falling behind the plan.
Of course if we make more than 4 knts then we get ahead of the plan and may arrive earlier.
That can be a good thing or a pain as we have to wait for the tide.
I think the 15:30 plan above is the one I am happy with.

osstendetimes2.jpg

This is an example of the passage times the SeaPro wil give.
This was for the Oostend trip in 2008.
At 5 knots this paln did not work out, thus I am using 4 knots this year.
 
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