Solent to Channel Is

[East Cardinal]

Have been asked to help an inexperienced boat owner make channel crossing, in spring 26.
Planning 2 to 3 days stay before return trip.
I’m happy with navigating around channel Is but having never been into a port/marina.
Any recommendations?
50 ft motor boat which I’m assuming cruises at least 15kn. Should be able to make any port in
Channel Is in one day. Would consider a night stop in northern France to allow Channel Island arrival
next morning.
Any berth or anchorage would need to be non drying. Would prefer a floating berth on a cat so
alleviating need to adjust mooring lines.

 

[rafiki_]

Have you had a look on You Tube? Plenty of help there.

 

[Boathook]

Solent to Alderney, then St Peter Port. Then St Helier and home ? Saves having to email various French marinas to give passport details, etc.

 

[ashtead]

For what it’s worth I seem to recall new Sunseekers out of Poole register in jersey after about a 4 hour trip filling up tanks on arrival -might be a tad quicker than the 15kn mentioned. Once registered return to Torquay or such like I assume.

 

[st599]

North entrance to Ile Chausey is always fun. Gotta get the tides right.

 

[East Cardinal]

Thanks for the ideas so far.
The boat is a Princess 52 ft but I don’t know the model or engines as yet. I was assuming an SOA of 15 kn just as a worst case scenario.
Maybe poor weather or late start. In good conditions I would think 20 to 25 kn would be achievable.
So direct Portsmouth to Jersey (120nm approx) would be doable in the daylight.
Probably as Boathook has said Alderney/Guernsey/Jersey would be a nice plan.
I’m interested in finding out more on the North entrance to Ile Chausey.
I’ve got an old copy of Channel Island pilotage by Peter Cumberlidge. I’ll have a look at that. I’m assuming the information in the most part will
be unchanged but I wanted some up to date information on berths that would take a 50 footer.
Just starting gathering information to put a plan together. I’ll see what the owner would like to do and finalise the trip in a few months.

 

[st599]

Iles Chausey - a pilotage dream has a nice overview

 

[Sticky Fingers]

Thanks for the ideas so far.
The boat is a Princess 52 ft but I don’t know the model or engines as yet. I was assuming an SOA of 15 kn just as a worst case scenario.
Maybe poor weather or late start. In good conditions I would think 20 to 25 kn would be achievable.
So direct Portsmouth to Jersey (120nm approx) would be doable in the daylight.
Probably as Boathook has said Alderney/Guernsey/Jersey would be a nice plan.
I’m interested in finding out more on the North entrance to Ile Chausey.
I’ve got an old copy of Channel Island pilotage by Peter Cumberlidge. I’ll have a look at that. I’m assuming the information in the most part will
be unchanged but I wanted some up to date information on berths that would take a 50 footer.
Just starting gathering information to put a plan together. I’ll see what the owner would like to do and finalise the trip in a few months.

15 kts would be a very poor speed to choose; neither displacement nor planing. So plan at say 8/9 kts, or 24-28kts.

 

[ashtead]

I’m sure a call to jersey harbour authority will reassure you on berth sizes -you can enter the basin I would have thought. At St Peter port you have to stay outside marina and it can be bouncy on the pontoons . Fuel is cheaper at guernsey I suspect though .

 

[Hurricane]

For us the tides worked well for Alderney for Lunch - Dinner in Guernsey.
And maybe a visit to Beaucette Marina - a very rewarding experience.
Looks scary but IIRC, you call them on the radio and they will help you in over the sill and through the gap.
We went a long time ago in our Sealine T51 so similar size.
Maybe head to St Peter Port first as it is a more conventional marina and right next to the town - again a sill to consider.
Then maybe a night in Beaucette on your way home - there used to be a nice restaurant in Beaucette but not much else.
But Beaucette is a real experience - they have a sill that you have to get right but, again, the marina staff used to ensure that we got it right.
IIRC, there are buoys outside that you can use whilst waiting for the tide - the marina staff used to come out in a rib and escort us in.

Here's a pic of the entrance to Beaucette
Looks scary but isn't that bad - the experience will be well worth it.


And this is when you are inside

 

[East Cardinal]

ashtead and Hurricane,
thank you, just what I’m looking for.
Beaucette has to be in the plan! Looks great.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

We love beaucette too. The approach is straightforwards in the modern age of navigation. We took our first catamaran in there before GPS. It’s still just as lovely once you’re in. Take food and drink though, there’s not much in the way of retail around there.

 

[Hurricane]

ashtead and Hurricane,
thank you, just what I’m looking for.
Beaucette has to be in the plan! Looks great.

Beaucette is an old quarry - a friend of mine, a long time ago, was on the team that blew a hole in the cliffs to make the entrance in from the sea.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Beaucette is an old quarry - a friend of mine, a long time ago, was on the team that blew a hole in the cliffs to make the entrance in from the sea.

We spent 3 days in there, way back, and had a pretty tame seal begging for food every day. The kids were fascinated. He didn’t need to beg though, there were literally hundreds of decent sized fish for him to catch.

 

[Bill W]

Here's a useful link for finding the opening/cill clearance times for Guernsey marinas. OpeningRange - Digimap Tides

 

[ashtead]

I’ve never visited Beaucette but my recollection was a Fleming was kept there. I’m sure it would be lovely provided you are well provisioned and I guess less bumpy than being outside StPp marina on the pontoons which in any weather can be challenging after a run ashore and a few beers.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

I’ve never visited Beaucette but my recollection was a Fleming was kept there. I’m sure it would be lovely provided you are well provisioned and I guess less bumpy than being outside StPp marina on the pontoons which in any weather can be challenging after a run ashore and a few beers.

Scarcely a ripple in Beaucette. Apart from when the seal pops his head up.

 

[Sticky Fingers]

I’ve never visited Beaucette but my recollection was a Fleming was kept there. ….

Pretty sure that was forum member Piers. Play D’Eau.

 

[dj43]

Solent to st, peters port around 4 / 5 hrs , we do this regular , similar size vessel ,we don’t bother with Alderney as hard to get a mooring buoy , st,peters port is great as you can arrive anytime and moor either inside or outside ,depending on tide, all walk ashore , Beaucette not a lot there, if your looking for restaurants , shops ect , best place to fill up is St,Sampson order a tanker with Rubis Feul tel 44 1481200800, they will arrange a time for you ,

 

[Bill W]

Solent to st, peters port around 4 / 5 hrs , we do this regular , similar size vessel ,we don’t bother with Alderney as hard to get a mooring buoy , st,peters port is great as you can arrive anytime and moor either inside or outside ,depending on tide, all walk ashore , Beaucette not a lot there, if your looking for restaurants , shops ect , best place to fill up is St,Sampson order a tanker with Rubis Feul tel 44 1481200800, they will arrange a time for you ,

A little misleading about Alderney. It can be busy at times but running out of buoys happens only a few times a year. Nothing to stop you calling Alderney Port Control to check availability as you approach and carry on to St Peter Port, (not St Peters Port) if it's chocka block. Rubis have a minimum order of, I think, 300 litres for a tanker delivery