solent to west country Next week

[steveeasy]

Sat and Sunday are two days I need to prepare.ive new sails to try. Some work on wind vane. Change filters. And to prepare a detailed plan and understanding of entry in to dartmouth. As well as spend some time chilling out before I set off. Monday I'll get to Yarmouth and prepare for a good early start catching the tide. As at present the conditions seam favourable I plan to stay well out in deep water.of course it's not the end of the world if I don't make Friday or I have to turn arround. It's more important I give it a go. Would.like crew but on the other hand I might drive them to jump overboard.
Steveeasy

 

[oldmanofthehills]

Re: Resurrected thread solent to west country Next week

Some really helpful advice. I am going to fit a V50 VHF with AIS, ill check to see if it has GPS, sure it does. I have a good chartplotter as well, and use an old garmin 128 as a back up. ....................................No choice but to single hand, Steveeasy

The V50 does not have GPS as far as I know. The problem is not just that you have to leave chart plotter on, which leads you to rely on it, but that if its link to radio fails then DSC "Mayday" feature wont work fully and AIS receiver wont work. I also have multiple GPS chart plotters, but plotters are power hungry and most of the time off shore there is nothing to see on the chart, so unless you can link to Radio AIS messages which I cant they not so useful.

For years I did single handed, but thankfully no longer need too

 

[lw395]

Re: Resurrected thread solent to west country Next week

That's what I thought too, but apparently not so when fatigue - always the No.1 enemy - sets in...

I have very nearly been a victim of this myself, when tired out of one's mind - and maybe not realising it - you ' see what you want to see '.

That's why I don't have much time for these singlehanded sailors pushing their boundaries I'm afraid.

 

[lw395]

Sat and Sunday are two days I need to prepare.ive new sails to try. Some work on wind vane. Change filters. And to prepare a detailed plan and understanding of entry in to dartmouth. As well as spend some time chilling out before I set off. Monday I'll get to Yarmouth and prepare for a good early start catching the tide. As at present the conditions seam favourable I plan to stay well out in deep water.of course it's not the end of the world if I don't make Friday or I have to turn arround. It's more important I give it a go. Would.like crew but on the other hand I might drive them to jump overboard.
Steveeasy

Personally, I'd find it more relaxing to make a bit of progress using the old kit.
Time pressure takes the fun away and causes problems to escalate.
I'd change the filters and get going. It's 3 good day sails do-able with any boat that basically works.
If you have to sit out strong wind somewhere, then that time can be spent fiddling with the electronics.
Try out your new sails one at a time en-route.
All subject to the forecast 24 hours at a time.

We usually go to Dartmouth in one hit, but with the attitude that making that much progress in one day is a bonus, not a cornerstone of the plan. If e.g. Weymouth starts looking appealing, then that's not a failure.

 

[steveeasy]

Personally im more comfortable havving time to prepare. If the conditions allow id like to sail direct to dartmouth. The first 6 hours eill be a good indication of progress. We have to push the boudries a little or wed not get anywhere. Ive had family on board before and in unfavorable conditions its more of a hinderance. Id like a crew member but it does not bother i am single handed. The unknown concerns me but we try to cover for a multitude of situations . Im going to carry new filters.60 ltrs of additional fuel.rep impeller.belts.fog horn.and dont think ill be tired having had three quiet nights and days. Im really looking fowzrd to it. Its taken 2 years to get to the point the boat is ready and indeed myself. Lets see how it goes.

Steveeasy

 

[Seajet]

Well I wish you fair winds and a great time, have a good one :encouragement:

 

[RobF]

Personally im more comfortable havving time to prepare. If the conditions allow id like to sail direct to dartmouth. The first 6 hours eill be a good indication of progress. We have to push the boudries a little or wed not get anywhere. Ive had family on board before and in unfavorable conditions its more of a hinderance. Id like a crew member but it does not bother i am single handed. The unknown concerns me but we try to cover for a multitude of situations . Im going to carry new filters.60 ltrs of additional fuel.rep impeller.belts.fog horn.and dont think ill be tired having had three quiet nights and days. Im really looking fowzrd to it. Its taken 2 years to get to the point the boat is ready and indeed myself. Lets see how it goes.

Steveeasy

Wishing you the best of luck. I've done this trip single-handed a number of times in my 29 footer. I found the easiest was to do
Solent - Studland (about 50NM, quite a long one)
Studland - Torquay (about 65NM, the longest leg, but means you don't have to do an 8NM detour into Portland/Weymouth). Possible to do the entire trip in daylight at 4 knots
Torquay - Salcombe
Salcombe to Plymouth (or anchor off Cawsands)
Plymouth to Fowey
Fowey to Falmouth

If you've not been to Salcombe or Fowey by boat before, they are quite memorable (for the right reasons). Dartmouth is en-route and also definitely worth a visit too.

 

[lrlloyd]

Hi Steveeasy,
We’re planning to head down to Devon ourselves this week. We’ve only had our boat for a couple of months so it’ll be our first time out of the Solent! We’re either thinking of going Yarmouth-studland-Dartmouth or were thinking of going across to Alderney and then back across to Dartmouth. Would this second option be a bit mental? What have you decided now the forecasting is a bit more reliable? Thanks, Lauren

 

[Seajet]

Lauren,

when crossing the Channel I usually get to Studland first then to Guernsey or if I have to, Alderney so as to get a much better wind angle in prevailing south westerlies which I believe are about to kick in.

From St Peter Port to Salcombe is often a fast beam reach so your idea is very sound, also good for the shipping lanes at 90 degrees.

For interest, in good warm weather the clouds usually replicate Salcombe below surprisingly accurately as another nav aid...Have Fun.

 

[lrlloyd]

Thanks seajet - out of interest why do you say ‘if I have to’ about Alderney?

 

[Seajet]

Lauren,

apart from the tides and rocks ( golden rule ' up the Race, down the Swinge ' if heading south, watch out to dogleg around the mid-Swinge rock ) I just find Alderney creepy, maybe I'm overly sensitive as I study a lot about WWII and there was a nazi concentration camp there, still a concrete gun emplacement on the beach.

I once met someone whose father had been an army surveyor - after the war he was given the job of investigating why voids were appearing in the German-extended breakwater; it turned out whenever a slave labourer keeled over they went into the concrete mix, and bodies don't last forever...St Peter Port has a lot more going for it anyway, much more sheltered and using the tides as a conveyor belt not much further, also a touch west which helps wind angle going to the UK West Country.

 

[lrlloyd]

Thanks for the tips! We will aim for guernsey then. Definitely don’t want to freak ourselves out as well as trying to sail!

 

[Ohlin Karcher]

Re: Resurrected thread solent to west country Next week

That's why I don't have much time for these singlehanded sailors pushing their boundaries I'm afraid.

I don't reckon the Knox-Johnstons, Jeanne Socrates' and Abilash Tommies of the world will be too disheartened by your disapproval..:encouragement:

 

[laika]

Re: Resurrected thread solent to west country Next week

Off-topic but I realised that I hadn't seen anything about how Abhilash Tomy had recovered. A bit of googling turned up this interview in the times of india:
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kochi/abhilash-tomy-not-many-indians-can-call-themselves-a-shipwrecked-sailor-at-40/articleshow/69619352.cms
Seems to be better but still affected by his injury.

 

[steveeasy]

Hi Steveeasy,
We’re planning to head down to Devon ourselves this week. We’ve only had our boat for a couple of months so it’ll be our first time out of the Solent! We’re either thinking of going Yarmouth-studland-Dartmouth or were thinking of going across to Alderney and then back across to Dartmouth. Would this second option be a bit mental? What have you decided now the forecasting is a bit more reliable? Thanks, Lauren

Hi Lrlloyd,
Well leaving Hamble early Tuesday and going straight to Brixham./Dartmouth. Winds are a bit light, so hoping the forecast mind change a bit. just prepping the boat now. I know a pirate who wanted to come along, so we opted for a night sail. When are you setting Off.

Steveeasy

 

[lrlloyd]

Hi Steveeasy,
We were thinking of heading to Newtown creek/Yarmouth tonight then maybe delaying and going to studland bay tomorrow in the hope Wednesday might have more wind. What time are you setting off on Tuesday?

 

[lw395]

Re: Resurrected thread solent to west country Next week

I don't reckon the Knox-Johnstons, Jeanne Socrates' and Abilash Tommies of the world will be too disheartened by your disapproval..:encouragement:

They're not the people crashing about in marinas or running into trouble along the coast. Ocean sailing is a very different game.

 

[steveeasy]

Re: Resurrected thread solent to west country Next week

Hi All,
progress report. Boat preparations went well and new sails set well. Things went pear shaped on the Bursledon piles for a scrubb. bow got stuck and Helix was left high and dry at a worrying 45 degree angle. She came back up with the tide and a lucky escape was had. Departed 7 am against the tide to make hurst point at high water. through Hurst point at 11.30 am along the Main channel currently doing a staggering 7.5 nts with the tide around St Albins. Pirate is on the rum and will be stopping at Weymouth. Happy day and fish and chips.
Steveeasy

 

[dom]

Re: Resurrected thread solent to west country Next week

Well done you, excellent progress in a Twister :encouragement: :encouragement:

I'll be a day or so behind you, setting off from Solent tonight with the tide, anchor up in Chapman/Mupe early am for a while, then late morning south towards Biscay. I may see you in the vicinity of Portland Bill tomorrow noonish and if so I'll give you a ping.

Good luck and fair winds!

 

[LadyInBed]

Re: Resurrected thread solent to west country Next week

They're not the people crashing about in marinas or running into trouble along the coast.

I object, most solo sailors manage to get it right - most of the time.
Some crewed up skippers also manage to cock it up occasionally!