Silly thought...

[Chas25]

Ok, sat in the office all week looking at lovely clear skies and minimal wind, other half has just said her Friday meeting is cancelled, so tempted now to take Friday off and nip down to the boat straight after work Thursday /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Now for the tricky bit, I really wanted to do a channel crossing this year, and with the rubbish weather and now cancelled week off in Sept its looking very unlikely. Even having a weekend is looking tough /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

So would it be a daft idea to nip accross Thursday evening say to Cherbourg spend a couple of nights over there and travel back Saturday Morning, prior commitments would prevent us staying longer, although having said that if we had to delay the return for safety then we could.

If it isn't a daft idea then where would be best to head for, given we'd be arriving around 9pm and would ideally prefer a marina location

 

[Whitelighter]

Nope, sounds perfectly reasonable to me.

Would you be asking the same question if you were popping to Brighton or Dartmouth? Similar distance I think.

I say go, you'll only regret it if the weather is not so good later in the year.

 

[Chas25]

Not sure is the answer

First concern is not had the time, or even got charts to do the planning, everything is going to be a rush, I can see us not being on the boat until 7 so we'll be in a rush to leave to get most of the way in day light which probably means we'll forget something /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif Also wouldn't have time to top up the tank with fuel, I know there's plenty in it, but I'd rather have a full tank than a 2/3rds - 3/4 full tank.

And yes the planning could be done in what 2 mintues, out of the eastern solent turn rigth set chartplotter to Cherbourg follow the line..

Ok so I get to Cherbourg, its getting dark, I have no idea where I'm going or how to communicate with French harbour guys... I guess they'll understand me no problems and probably speak perfect english.. oui?

Before lunch I thought it was a great idea, the more I talked to Carol about it over lunch the more I talked myself out of it /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[Whitelighter]

Bring charts and stuff to the pub tonight. Will give the collected wisdom something to do rather than drink too much and watch a soft eye splice demo /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Chas25]

Charts are on the boat... in fact thinking about it I haven't even got charts for other side of the channel, not needed them before!

But someone might... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[rickp]

I can bring along my CMAP chart stuff tonight plus almanac if thats of any help. We can show you where you need to go on that. Cherbourg is easy, no need to talk to the marina folks on VHF - just find a spot on the visitors pontoons which are marked. We turned up at 2am one December morning and the hardest thing was not skating off the pontoons on the ice!

Just a warning about the fingers on the pontoons - no cleats on the end, just a metal loop that comes out parallel with the surface of the finger. A bugger if you're used to lassoing a cleat but no problem if you're forewarned /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Rick

 

[Chas25]

Cheers Rick /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Chas25]

Would I need to take Euro's or can they cope with plastic? Any idea how much an overnight stay costs? do they have normal 3 pin shore power connectors??

 

[rickp]

They take card, not sure of overnight charge but its not horrendous (by Solent standards). Normal blue 3-pin 16amp socket on the pontoon, but don't expect 16 amps - more like 3 amps /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif Oh, and polarity may be reversed - which doesn't stop anything working but is a bit of a safety issue. Didn't see that last time I was there though.

Rick

 

[rickp]

Tariff

Rick

 

[Col]

Half the outlets on the outer visitors pontoons (the one floating just inside the entrance) are polarity reversed, main pontoons seem OK

 

[timbad]

Go for it as Rick says we can go through it in detail tonight but very straight forward run over to a man who went to Falmouth in a cuddy!!

 

[Whitelighter]

Were you and Oujo out in the Solent yesterday?

 

[Chas25]

Look forward to chatting tonight about it /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I guess the recent spate of forumite problems has worried me... running out of fuel, trying to sink to name a couple!!

Also for Falmouth I had loads of time to think and plan, plus got really lucky with the weather!!

 

[timbad]

Not us giving her a little rest, we got back from West country after our 350nm trip Sunday PM now back at work until Friday yip hee.............