Sailing across the channel

[mollykins]

I know some teenagers have crossed the english channel on little sailing dinghies.

But how experienced should you be and what safety measures should you take. I'm 17, and two of my friends are 18 and between us we have over 20 years experience (but only really on rivers and lakes) and are all up for crossing it in my graduate dinghy (us 3 can all fit easily)

I'm guessig other people who've done it had a power boat capable of towing them if they got into trouble, but what other stuff do you need to sort out? The channel is a busy shipping lane and big ships can't move out of your way and they may look like their in the distance, but they can be on top of you in minutes.

I know another thing to consider is about tides and currents, to make thejourney as easy as possible.

 

[Searush]

There is a strapline on here that goes "I'm too old to know it all, I leave that to the kids"

Not being nasty, just trying to get you to think a bit more about what you have in mind. Yes, what you suggest is perfectly feasible - if everything works out OK. But there is a lot in the phrase "If everything". And you know that, or you wouldn't be asking the question, which is a good start.

Think about what could go wrong, here are a few off the top of my head;

Capsize & waterlogged.
MoB
Damage, loss or breakage of rig/ rudder & fittings
Bad weather - wind (too much or too little), fog, heavy rain, cold, even too much sun!
Illness or injury to crew (seasickess is probable for some/all of the crew)
Navigation problems, possibly due to fog, heavy rain, or a calm spell & tidal currents

Now add in the crossing of the Traffic separation Zone - can you carry, fit & refuel an o/b engine while at sea? If you are dependant on the wind for speed, it may not be there when yoy need it most. Your speed is likely to be only a few knots, the shipping, which is huge & generating a large wash might be crossing your path at 15-30kts.

How many are going, can you manage watch system if the voyage ends up longer than say 8-10 hrs, what will off watch crew do, how will they rest? What food & drink can you take/ prepare? You probably should allow for a 24hr passage duration - about 2-3 times the probable time.

You need to consider all these issues (and any other stuff I haven't remembered) and have a sound strategy for dealing with them when it all goes wrong. If someone was planning this as a publicity stunt or charity fundraiser I would expect a fully crewed "safety boat" to accompany them with the capability of taking the dinghy on board or at least on tow & carrying the crew.

Or you could just go, have a blast & hope for the best with a waterproof VHF handheld & call for help if it doesn't work out . . . .

Remember most loss of life at sea isn't generally the result of one catastrophic failure, it tends to be a string of minor problems that can't be dealt with fully, which then build up until . . . .

Edit; Start by getting some sea miles under your belt; test your skills with a "simple" Solent crossing first, that may be more challenging than you think. A Channel Crossing is a pretty big undertaking, but read a few Frank Dye books, he sailed his Wayfarer to Iceland, but was extremely well prepared.

 

[Doineann]

When you say 'the channel' what do you mean? There is a big difference between crossing from the South Coast to Normandy/Brittany and crossing the straights of Dover.

 

[sarabande]

I guess that Grads have crossed the Channel solo in the past, but given the increased level of traffic today, I suggest that any plan includes a companion mobo or raggie with a decent engine to pull you clear of the traffic zones if necessary.


Doing all the preparations, boat kit, safety stuff, food, met, navigation, and lots of practice, will be a very rewarding experience and you will never forget the voyage .

Why not do the trip as part of the Duke of Edinburgh's Award ?


Go for it !

 

[Skysail]

Megan Baker did it in a Laser 13, Exmouth to Cherbourg. She had 2 support vessels.

http://webcache.googleusercontent.c...6&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk&source=www.google.co.uk

Everything Searush says applies, and then some.

 

[Searush]

FWIW,
When I was young, I borrrowed my Dad's 14' open dinghy with a Seagull Century o/b & crossed Bardsey Sound from Aberdaeron to the Island as a nice day out. The journey is only a few miles, but Bardsey Sound is a wild & dangerous bit of water. I carried food & water for the two of us (SWMBO came with me) for 24 hours and several times the fuel I was likely to need. We had l/j's, a compass and an OS map, but no chart or radio - it was a small open boat and probably in the late 60's. We did have an anchor & warp & some flares, but the draft was only a few inches so an e/s wasn't needed.

We had a great time, explored the island, climbed the hill, met some interesting people & got some excellent advice from them for the return journey. But nothing went wrong. Had the Seagull died, I had oars, but the currents would have been in control, not me. Fog or heavy rain would have meant turning back or sleeping rough on the Island, fortunately, the forecast was correct. I had also used the boat quite a bit before on the sea & in rivers & had confidence in its (& the Seagull's) capabilities.

Would I do it now? No, I understand the risks I took then a lot better now than I did then. Do I regret it? No! It was a great adventure, but it could easily have gone very wrong. I learned a lot from my preparations & the actual trip - including the fact that I had probably pushed my luck rather further than I should.

Edit; Mollykins - don't forget to plan for where you stay on arrival & how you are going to get back!

 

[Searush]

More thoughts,
In a sailing dinghy there is always a risk of capsize. EVERYTHING will need to be tied down, or at least fastened to the hull. That includes balers, oars, rudder & tiller, centreboard (may have a hingepin anyway) your food, water, any safety gear etc.

Change of clothing - in waterproof containers (you used to be able to get largish screw-toppped waterproof plastic containers with a ring seal in the lid from chemist shops - some bulk drugs are supplied in them)

Flares, VHF, GPS, chart (laminated photocopies would be good) waterproof clothing & several layers that you can add/remove as the weather changes.

A wetsuit or drysuit may seem like a good idea - until you have to spend the night & next day in it while you try to get home . . .

Foods, a variety of high energy stuff, finger foods that you can eat cold, a flask of hot soup and one of coffee. It is unlikely that you will be able to arrange sensible cooking options, but you could have self-heating food packs. Water & fruit juice would be good, but I wouldn't go for too much fizzy or "sport drinks". Biscuits & fruit can give a sugar boost if you need it.

Think about how you will go to the toilet - wee & poo may well be needed, you are 3 people in a very small space. No mention if sexes are same of different - it could be embarrassing for some.

I hope you are starting to get the drift now?

 

[Sailfree]

Go cruising in the sea first with something like the Wayfarer cruising association. The Wayfarer is one of the most durable sea boats. You will also learn how others stow equipment and what safety equipment you need.

They used to do a round the isle of wight cruise each year but after one year where there were problems they insisted on only more experienced sailors.

Make sure you have a dinghy where you can reef the sails.

We have raced a Wayfarer for some 18yrs but our racing sails don't reef. When racing we have been in conditions that other boats would not survive.

For the Wayfarer Internationals in 2006? 3 Wayfarers sailed across the N Sea to Holland to take part.

Weather can always catch you out. A few years ago I had a 38' Dufour boat on charter and the person checked the weather before sailing. Got caught out off France in a force 9 and boat and rigging were seriously damaged by knockdowns.

You must respect the sea.

 

[sailorman]

There is a strapline on here that goes "I'm too old to know it all, I leave that to the kids"

Not being nasty, just trying to get you to think a bit more about what you have in mind. Yes, what you suggest is perfectly feasible - if everything works out OK. But there is a lot in the phrase "If everything". And you know that, or you wouldn't be asking the question, which is a good start.

Think about what could go wrong, here are a few off the top of my head;

Capsize & waterlogged.
MoB
Damage, loss or breakage of rig/ rudder & fittings
Bad weather - wind (too much or too little), fog, heavy rain, cold, even too much sun!
Illness or injury to crew (seasickess is probable for some/all of the crew)
Navigation problems, possibly due to fog, heavy rain, or a calm spell & tidal currents

Now add in the crossing of the Traffic separation Zone - can you carry, fit & refuel an o/b engine while at sea? If you are dependant on the wind for speed, it may not be there when yoy need it most. Your speed is likely to be only a few knots, the shipping, which is huge & generating a large wash might be crossing your path at 15-30kts.

How many are going, can you manage watch system if the voyage ends up longer than say 8-10 hrs, what will off watch crew do, how will they rest? What food & drink can you take/ prepare? You probably should allow for a 24hr passage duration - about 2-3 times the probable time.

You need to consider all these issues (and any other stuff I haven't remembered) and have a sound strategy for dealing with them when it all goes wrong. If someone was planning this as a publicity stunt or charity fundraiser I would expect a fully crewed "safety boat" to accompany them with the capability of taking the dinghy on board or at least on tow & carrying the crew.

Or you could just go, have a blast & hope for the best with a waterproof VHF handheld & call for help if it doesn't work out . . . .

Remember most loss of life at sea isn't generally the result of one catastrophic failure, it tends to be a string of minor problems that can't be dealt with fully, which then build up until . . . .

Edit; Start by getting some sea miles under your belt; test your skills with a "simple" Solent crossing first, that may be more challenging than you think. A Channel Crossing is a pretty big undertaking, but read a few Frank Dye books, he sailed his Wayfarer to Iceland, but was extremely well prepared.

I didnt respond when it was first posted, insread looked @ bio.

A Sea Scout would have some basic knowledge i would have thought

 

[Seajet]

I agree with all the preparations etc, and especially getting some experience so as to see just what you're taking on.

However there's another snag no-one has mentioned yet; unless something has changed in a direction I wouldn't expect, I thought the French authorities got pretty upset about this sort of thing ?

Even cruising yachts are supposed to have certain equipment, and if they don't cross a shipping lane at the right angle there are severe consequences ( if you survive ). There are patrol boats and aircraft to regulate the lanes, let alone being reported by a ship, which is quite likely; a good chance of a patrol or lifeboat being sent out even if you didn't feel in trouble.

I contemplated this sort of thing when young and inexperienced, and was told I would not exactly get a warm welcome on the French side.

Sailing a dinghy along a carefully chosen part of the UK coast, camping, would be more fun but still not something to do without a lot more experience.

To be honest I didn't reply to this thread when it first appeared as it seemed like a Troll, and I'm still not too convinced it isn't !

 

[Pye_End]

Even cruising yachts are supposed to have certain equipment,

Can you elaborate on this?

To the OP - I have seen Wayfarers cross the North Sea to Den Helder, admittadly in a group, and well away from TSS's, but that is a big trip compared with say Dover to Calais.

Read Frank and Margaret Dye's books.

Realising that you need to think about your own safety on a trip like this means you are well on your way to getting it right.

 

[sailorman]

Can you elaborate on this?

To the OP - I have seen Wayfarers cross the North Sea to Den Helder, admittadly in a group, and well away from TSS's, but that is a big trip compared with say Dover to Calais.

Read Frank and Margaret Dye's books.

Realising that you need to think about your own safety on a trip like this means you are well on your way to getting it right.

A Graduate 3 up is quite different to a Wayfarer with 2 very experienced crew

 

[Seajet]

It is my understanding that a yacht operating in French territorial waters has to have things like in-date flares, a liferaft or half inflated dinghy on deck, lifejackets all round, radar reflector, fog signal, first aid etc, and there is an outside chance of an inspection to prove this.

This is going back to the mid-seventies when I started going cross-Channel, the standing joke was that the French had all this kit ( guardrails was another thing ) but at the time a lot had no engine...

Things may have gone more Euro-standard now, but it seems unlikely the safety reg's will have been de-rated; I just keep everything in date and get on with it.

As we know in real life it's pretty unusual to even see a French Customs guy.

Uffa Fox sailed an International 14 - it may have been his famous 'Avenger', I don't have the book to hand - across from Cowes to somewhere like Cherbourg 3-up, won a series of races then a day or two later sailed her back across.

The only snag was getting becalmed in fog in the Solent and having to tie up to a bell-buoy all night !

 

[Pye_End]

It is my understanding that a yacht operating in French territorial waters has to have things like in-date flares, a liferaft or half inflated dinghy on deck, lifejackets all round, radar reflector, fog signal, first aid etc, and there is an outside chance of an inspection to prove this.

Assuming that they do such regulations and are able to impose them (I do not recall any UK flagged yachts falling foul of them), how do they relate to dinghies? I don't recall seeing French dinghies with liferafts on them?

Mind you, it might be interesting to know what paperwork is required (cue Toad).

 

[Seajet]

Exactly my point; strolling up in a dinghy will attract attention even if going across doesn't.

At which point if a jobsworth is having a bad day, a dinghy isn't following said regulations, to put it mildly - I think the thing the French would be upset about above all else would be the shipping lanes though...

Yes, it's rare to even see officialdom in France, but it may be interesting to give 'Joburg Traffeeck' a call describing the proposed trip; if you do, please record it for us !

 

[Lucky Duck]

A Graduate 3 up is quite different to a Wayfarer with 2 very experienced crew

A couple of years back one couple sailed thier Wayfarer from Woolverstone to Calais and back, however thier boat was set up for cruising and they are a very experianced pair.

Given what has been written on these forums over the last couple of days regarding compliance with French and Dutch regulations I count myself lucky I am not currently posting from the Bastille

 

[sailorman]

A couple of years back one couple sailed thier Wayfarer from Woolverstone to Calais and back, however thier boat was set up for cruising and they are a very experianced pair.

Given what has been written on these forums over the last couple of days regarding compliance with French and Dutch regulations I count myself lucky I am not currently posting from the Bastille

as i stated earlier
A Graduate isnt a Wayfarer.
its a small narrow beam dinghy. Ok ( pun ) the wayfarer is a problem if inverted

 

[BobPrell]

When you say 'the channel' what do you mean? There is a big difference between crossing from the South Coast to Normandy/Brittany and crossing the straights of Dover.

I am pedantic, I do not mean to annoy.

There is only one Strait of Dover.

Your question "what do you mean?" is very important.

If the OP intends to cross from Suffolk, where he resides, he will be crossing the North Sea, not the English Channel.

This could mean avoiding French waters altogether, if the French are as problematic as some say.

This reference and the paragraphs around it are worth study IMHO.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_Channel#By_boat

including "However, in exceptional cases the French Maritime Authorities may grant authority for unorthodox craft to cross French territorial waters within the Traffic Separation Scheme when these craft set off from the British coast, on condition that the request for authorisation is sent to them with the opinion of the British Maritime Authorities".

In the busiest waters in the world, a dinghy would surely be unconventional.

 

[Bosun Higgs]

You would know the capabilities of your dinghy better than I would but I have friends who crossed the channel ( Solent area to Cherbourg) in a wayfarer in a force 6 and repeated the trip a couple of days later in the opposite direction. That was in the 70s.

My suggestion would be to do some open sea sailing to get a better idea of the capabilities of both you and the boat. Build up gradually. I've no doubt that both of you could make it on a nice summers day with a westerly force 3 but could you cope if conditions deteriorated to a 6 on the nose?

If you believe you can then equip properly. You need means to make big ships aware of you, and you need personal epirbs that will float alongside you. You need good buoyancy support. Lots of other things.

 

[Sailfree]

the wayfarer is a problem if inverted

The new mk 4 wayfarer can be bought up by 1 person from an inverted position. When racing we regularly fly the kite and capsize - it is not a problem on a Wayfarer with a large rotating centreboard,

Its can be more of a problem on toppers etc with dagger boards as the dagger board can drop down. I have had to dive under inverted dinghys to push up the dagger board before pulling them upright.

Tip - A polyprop knotted line at each shroud position with a loop for your toe just at the right height to help you climb aboard. If you are quick the crew can grab the knotted rope (left in board) as you start to capsize, throw themselves over the side and "catch" the boat before it inverts. This way we rarely go beyond mast touching the water. You could be unpleasantly surprised how difficult it is to climb in over the windward side of a dinghy after righting a capsize in cold windy conditions.