Single-handed Amsterdam -> Lymington -> Portugal. How to do it and where to stop?

[Sharky34]

TSS at both Ushant & off Finisterre, so need to be east or way west to avoid shipping.
Perhaps a good reason to hug the english coast down channel, avoiding traffic heading between Casquets TSS & Ushant TSS., if singlehanded.

 

[doug748]

Agreed. If you want to save 75% against UK S coast marinas lay up in France. Cherbourg and Roscoff marinas are served my UK ferries.
.......

Indeed, though the OP did say: " I will need to leave the boat in the UK after the refit "

Which I assume may mean he has business or a flight from there. If not, I think Roscoff would leave him very well placed come September and is fairly well situated for international travel via Paris.
.

 

[Sea Devil]

If it hasn't already been mentioned, putting up a single-handed pennant will make things much easier in the Netherlands and possibly Belgium. I don't know if the French have cottoned on to it yet, but the Dutch will go out of their way to help at the locks.

I have not heard about the single-handed pennant
. Is it a Netherlands/Belge thing or is it commonly used in the French UK waters?

thanks

Michael

 

[Mudisox]

I note that you are based in Tel Aviv. So getting to and from there also has to be taken into account.
Lymington is the only must visit harbour. So use the time as you go, to suit the wind/weather to stop as is convenient and safe. Learn about your new boat and look after it having had it upgraded by the professionals.
Once in France, public transport gets easier with thought and research. It is possible to "do" Biscay in single day sails of 50-60 mile legs. And you also visit some really nice places, few folk go to.

 

[Sharky34]

I note that you are based in Tel Aviv. So getting to and from there also has to be taken into account.
Lymington is the only must visit harbour. So use the time as you go, to suit the wind/weather to stop as is convenient and safe. Learn about your new boat and look after it having had it upgraded by the professionals.
Once in France, public transport gets easier with thought and research. It is possible to "do" Biscay in single day sails of 50-60 mile legs. And you also visit some really nice places, few folk go to.

Why, is Lymington "the only must visit harbour"?

 

[[163233]]

Why, is Lymington "the only must visit harbour"?

That's where he's getting his refit done.

...sail her over to Lymington for some improvements at Jeremy Rogers...

 

[ip485]

Hello fellow sailors, as soon as COVID-19 limitations allow me to do so, I plan to pick up my recently acquired Contessa 32 in The Netherlands and sail her over to Lymington for some improvements at Jeremy Rogers. Once those are done I plan to sail her more or less non-stop to Portugal, and leave her there until next spring, when I plan to continue sailing towards the Eastern Med, perhaps with yet another winter storage on the way.

Unfortunately I still have to work for a living (..), so I can not do the whole route in one go. I will need to leave the boat in the UK after the refit until September or October, and then sail her down to Portugal. Here are a few questions for you experienced UK sailors:

1. Amsterdam->Lymington: How would you plan that trip? Where is it optimal to cross the channel, is it better to cross right away and sail along the UK south coast or stay on the Dutch/Belgian/French side and the cross right from opposite the Isle of Wight? Something in-between?

2. Storing in the UK: I checked the marinas in/near Lymington - insane prices (7,000 GBP per year for a 32 ft boat!?!), true I need it only for 2-3 months max, but short term during the high season is not going to be much cheaper. Since I only need to store her until I come back, perhaps there are cheaper (but safe) options? Any recommendations, say within a day or two of sailing from Lymington?

3. Finally, once I get to Portugal I'll leave her there for 6 months, when the early season in the Med starts. Does anybody have a good tip for storage there? The marinas cost half of what they cost on the UK south coast, but still, I don't really need a marina.

Many questions, start typing away!

Thanks for looking at this anyway.

I havent read the other posts, as it isnt that sort of question, so forgive.

I am going to leave the Portugal leg, because the immediate question would seem to be getting to Lymington, and presumably without leaving the boat anywhere on route to return home?

You also dont say whether you are happy to sail through the night and whether you would rather get there quickly or not? This will obviously effect your planning.

As others have said, in terms of making coastal stops and gaining the tidal advantage the English side makes better sense. Also as the French coast gradually heads south you simply widen the gap between you and Lymington.

Unfortunately neither coast is exactly pleasant or interesting until you get well West.

Following the UK coast you have the following options for ports - Dover, Folkstone, Eastbourne, Newhaven, Brighton, and, in the Solent, Bembridge, Cowes, Chichester and Portsmouth. There are others in the Solent, but possibly a bit more out the way.

West bound Dover, Newhaven and Eastbourne are good all weather ports. You would get into all three even in pretty nasty weather, but all three inevitably offer the best protection with a big SW'ly blow which is the prevailing condition.

Brighton is in many ways best avoided - the entrance can be unpleasant, and the marina is especially uninteresting. It is also set in the bay on a line from Beachy Head to the Looe.

Dover, Eastbourne, and Eastbourne Bembridge, Cowes or Chichester are all realistic summer day sails, the second being by far the largest leg. All can be entered at any state of the tide, except Bembridge which requires planning. Newhaven significantly reduces these two legs into a more manageable size. Newhaven is absolutely fine - a bit industrial and again not a lot there, but a very safe haven.

Unfortunately there are almost no places to tuck in en route, that arent exposed to weather. Eastbourne Bay is ok other than in a very strong Easterly, but you might just as well go into the marina, and Seaford bay similarly, but you might just as well go into Newhaven. There is really nothing from Newhaven until you enter the Solent, although at a scrape Shoreham is OK, and Littlehampton at high tide but with great caution and local knowledge as the tides runs out very fast and there isnt much water.

You would love the rare north eaterly which will give you glass conditions staying in shore and a fast passage.

Were it me, it would be Dover, Newhaven, Chichester.

Of course the ideal is an Easterly and it is well worth waiting for one, otherwise it will be hard going.

Not much in the way of navigational problems, other than the decision to go through the Looe channel or not. The Looe channel is off the coast at Selsey. It is a great shorttcut to avoid going around the outisde into the deep water channel (the Owers). The Looe is currently well marked with two bouys. It is surrounded by sand banks and the tide races through. Its fine, but you need to be sure of your navigation. It is not a wise passage in heavy weather. There are big overfalls in the channel and it can get very unpleasant. I sail a 50+ yacht and I would be tempted subject to wind and tide in up to a F7, but otherwise the long way around. F5 is not a concern.

Once through the Looe there are lots of options and in almost any weather the sea will abate as you head towards the solent. Subject to the wind set there are plenty of safe havens to the East and North of the I of W, and Bembridge is fine in most conditions, but tide is critical (there is a tide gauge on the internet). Bembridge is lovely and highly recommened. Safe havens and marina aplenty in Chichester, but the bar gets shallow and can be sporty in a big swell. Once in, it will be tranquil in any weather and North Head is a lovely anchorage.

You could press on to Cowes of course.

The sailing up the solent is a good day trip and not likely to pressent any problems.

If you have time, Newtown Creek is a gem not to be missed, but read the pilotage or ask here for some advice. It is beautiful, but will be busy on a sunny w/e.

Lymington is shockingly expensive period - you may work various deals with the harbour master and any of the marinas, and Yarmouth is really only a stones throw and might be an alternative.

I have done this trip many many a time in different yachts as you might tell. Portugal is for another day.

Of course Dover to say Chichester is more than doable on a good day with an early start, and a good easterly or northerly, or, if you must, lots of motor. I have made the passage many times. It will be impossible to avoid some adverse tide, and the worst of the tide will be around Beachy Head and through the Looe, so planning accordingly.

There is now a large wind farm in the Shoreham bay which might not be on the charts if you are using older charts, but there are no navigation restrictions other than as maybe directed by the guard boat.

I hope this is of some help?

Enjoy.

Assuming airports are up and running, flights may be possible from Southampton, Bournemouth or Gatwick. Gatwick is a couple of hours by train, the others are less. Getting to Dover or Folkestone on public transport will be a bit of an epic, but doable.

 

[westhinder]

I have not heard about the single-handed pennant
. Is it a Netherlands/Belge thing or is it commonly used in the French UK waters?

thanks

Michael

It is the nr 1 pennant, used mainly by Dutch singlehanders. I haven’t seen it often in Belgium, France or the U.K.

 

[johnalison]

It is the nr 1 pennant, used mainly by Dutch singlehanders. I haven’t seen it often in Belgium, France or the U.K.

I have probably only seen it in the Netherlands, but it is such a good idea that the more people use it, the better it will be recognised, which is why I am happy to publicise it.

 

[LittleSister]

This one, I believe:

 

[ryanroberts]

I have stuck one up, shame there's not also a recognised newb/idiot pennant.

 

[michael_w]

Beware of largish boats with the same numeral tied to the backstay and no ensign. Signifies Class I and I'm racing.

 

[BoyBlue49]

If you get the right wind, Ijmuiden to Harwich is relatively easy and less than 24 hours. Westerly on the nose would be bad! Harwich to Ramsgate is also a doable leg but make sure you’ve got tide in hand art ramsgate as it runs hard there. Ramsgate to Brighton and Brighton to Solent. Ramsgate to Solent is hard work in westerlies as well

This would be my prefered route, a night at H'apenny pier then on to R'gate etc. looking on the chart it seems the shortest route.

 

[ip485]

"Ramsgate to Brighton and Brighton to Solent. Ramsgate to Solent is hard work in westerlies as well"

As I said I would give Brighton a miss though. Draw a line from BH to the Looe and it takes you well into the bay and off track, the entrance can be unpleasant in a blow, it often is silted if you want to get in at low tide, and it isnt an expecially nice marina. Newhaven to the Solent is a far better bet in my opinion and very little different in time.

 

[Sea Devil]

It's all opinion of course but the northern French coast is really yacht friendly with lots of options, half the marina prices of the UK and from Cherbourg its only 11 hours of easy sailing to Lymington....

 

[Sharky34]

It's all opinion of course but the northern French coast is really yacht friendly with lots of options, half the marina prices of the UK and from Cherbourg its only 11 hours of easy sailing to Lymington....

Why risk another 11 hours, when taking the northern route will get him straight there?

 

[Sea Devil]

Well its easier crossing the channel there than across the north sea which is very, very busy... I've had close encounters several times on that route.
Once you get to Pas de Calais its much less expensive and simpler to follow the north French coast... and there is a groove in the sea between Cherbourg and the Needles channel so many boats go that way... but as I say its all opinion

 

[Kukri]

I agree with what most people have said and with Johnalison, Westhinder, and MichaelW, in particular. I’d definitely make Southing through the canals to Vlissingen. Some of this can be sailed, in shelter, which gives a chance to check the new boat. After that I would think about Ostende, then perhaps Dover.

I don’t like any of the harbours between there and the Solent in a wind with any South in it. Don’t much like Dover, come to that?

 

[Sea Devil]

This video might help you decide on the route.. I collected my Benateau 323 from Lymington in mid March this year and single handed her along the south UK coast to Dover then across to Boulogne...

its in two parts

I've done the mast up passage down to Vlissingen a couple of times and its very easy...

 

[Sharky34]

This video might help you decide on the route.. I collected my Benateau 323 from Lymington in mid March this year and single handed her along the south UK coast to Dover then across to Boulogne...

its in two parts

I've done the mast up passage down to Vlissingen a couple of times and its very easy...

Strange you didn't go down to Cherbourg & then across to Lymington, as you advised in post #35.