taking the plunge from motoring to sailing

[dava]

hi all, i'm new to this forum so please be gentle.
i am an experienced motor boater, been on boats since i could walk but sold my latest boat a year ago mainly down to the fact it used around 120 gallons of diesel in an 8 hour fishing trip, anyway i've come into possesion of a yacht, a varne 27, and decided its the perfect opportunity to do a bit more exploring of the east coast. the longest passage i've completed on a motor boat is amble to scarborough which was around 8 hours obviously at a steady pace since i wasnt relying on wind for propulsion.
the past few years i have mainly sailed from and returned to the same port so general practice was to report to the port authority upon leaving and returning, my main question is when embarking on a long cruise from 1 port to another, what is the procedure for notifying ports/coastguard of my progress.
i'm not sure if this is even standard procedure but seems a good idea to have some authority know of your whereabouts at a regular interval.

oh and by the way if anyone is still catching their breath over the 120 gallons per 8 hours i should clarify my last boat was a 40' catamaran powered by twin 300hp caterpillars, slightly different to my new venture with a 20 hp yanmar!

thanks all in advance.

steve

 

[Pete7]

Steve, do you have a coastwatch station near you. Very nice chaps and some are members on here, so may be giving them a ring and the details of your trip.

 

[dava]

hi pete, thanks for the reply, i believe there is a coastwatch station at sunderland, i'm based on the tyne but doesnt appear to be any north of me which will most likely be the direction im likely to sail, particularly anstruther takes my fancy on the firth of forth.

these planned passages are not likely to happen this summer given the current situation but i do like to plan in advance.

 

[steveeasy]

Steve,
No idear, but how will you cope.Your probably get to the moon and back several times over for want you spent on your 8 hour trip.

Good Luck.
Steveeasy

 

[DJE]

No different to notifying a passage plan in a motor boat. You can do it by vhf to the coastguard but I don't think many people do. Or there is a smartphone app these days.
RYA App.

 

[RupertW]

You don’t have to register your boat, have any qualifications or notify anyone to sail in the UK. My last UK boat was never registered and I would just rock up at marinas and ask for a berth on my mobile.

But I have sailed since I was a kid and usually move the boat to a different area as next years base at the end of every season so I have got used to it.

If I were you I would go for competent crew then theory then practice Day skipper and take it from there.

 

[dava]

hi steve, that particular trip was aboard my boat before the catamaran, she was an ex naval pinnace and i recall using 23 gallons on that trip. the allure of doing 30 knots opposed to 9 led to that exchange (eternally regretted).

alas i'm no longer a speed demon and simply looking to get my daughter out on the waves as my dad did with me.

i also appreciate the suggestions for day skipper courses etc. but i literally grew up aboard boats, granted motor boats but seriously doubt the requirement of qualifications given the level of competency i have witnessed from "qualified" skippers i've run into in my time. i'm more than capable of passage planning etc. i just wondered if anyone followed any sort of protocol like reporting position and eta to the coastguard at regular intervals.

 

[obmij]

It's not required but there is nothing to stop you from notifying the coastguard, harbormaster or whatever. Notification can't do any harm - but should the waste really hit the macerator, it's unlikely to do much good either.

Friends / family are far more likely to prod the authorities into action should you fail to appear when expected. Quite right too. You wouldn't really want full SAR mobilisation if you'd decided to wait out a tide or two, or catch up on some zzzz's at anchor..

..and you wouldn;t really want to have to phone up each relevant authority to update them on your movements, but you might phone your mrs or a mate.

I suppose a crewlist would help to an extent if you needed rescue. If you want to do it 'properly' submit a FAL form 5. I wouldn't bother.

 

[Graham376]

We never bothered notifying the coastguard when day sailing locally but did if heading off longer distances such as Conwy to Isle of Man, Ireland or down to France. If not stopping at Penzance as planned, we would call up Falmouth and advise them passage plan changed and we were heading south.

 

[LadyInBed]

If you do notify CG, all that they do is make a note of your details.
You used to fill out a form CG66 but that has now gone online at SafeTrx Login so CG will probably ask if you have registered.
They then do nothing unless someone calls them to say that you are overdue.
Therefore, your best approach is register online, and inform a reliable friend of your passage intentions and ask them to inform CG if you don't call your friend, giving a reasonable leeway, of your safe arrival.
What a reasonable leeway is is for you to decide, maybe a percentage of your expected passage time, but others will have their own opinions.

 

[oldgit]

oh and by the way if anyone is still catching their breath over the 120 gallons per 8 hours
steve

Blinking hell .....sure you did not have hole in your fuel tank
My MoBo could have done 40 hours on that fuel and many enourmous fuel guzzling gin palace Mobos at WOT would have got 120 miles out of that amount of diesel.

 

[DJE]

I find that I notify my shore contact of my plans a bit less now that I have an AIS transponder.

 

[Stemar]

I wouldn't bother with the courses, if you can manage a big cat, you can manage a little boat under power. I'd just get out there and do it! A book on sail trim wouldn't hurt, but there really is no substitute for hours on the water to deal with the paradigm shift that is being dependent on the wind! If you can find someone who knows what they're doing to go with you the first couple of times, so much the better.

 

[V1701]

No never bothered but someone on shore always knows what I'm up to and it's surprising how far out you can be and still have mobile reception, but you already know that. Enjoy your trips, it's way more satisfying arriving into a new port or anchorage and stopping for the night...

 

[bikedaft]

it takes 30mins to show most people how to sail, across, up, and downwind. the rest you know, coming alongside, anchoring, navigation etc.

 

[Praxinoscope]

We used the coastguard contact system many years ago when we started cruising, but after a few months and gaining more confidence we stopped and haven't had an 'assisted passage' for about the last 50 years.
Welcome to being another 'rag sailor'

 

[Refueler]

Plenty of comment ...

There are two things I regard as important in this sort of matter :

1. Somebody should know of your plans / trip / when you leave and when you expect to arrive.
2. Have plenty of water / nibbles / fuel on board that covers much more than the expected trip.

#1 can be family / friends / Coastguard - whichever suits.

An example was myself, brother and my son on my boat went over from Langstone to IoW .... on return trip - unexpected bad weather hit and we were late back to Langstone ... weather which we knew was supposed to be much later hit us with a vengeance making getting to mooring 'interesting' ... my wife called CG and both her and CG were at the Farlington Slip checking for us. Luckily having an Avon - we rode the mountainous waves that were now in the harbour ... Avon was full of water but we got ashore ...
Later that night boat broke her mooring and ended up on the marshes unharmed.

The point is that Wife was told of expected return time .. she also kept eye on weather and understood when it hit so early - it was not good.

2. Having sat on mudbanks etc. having missed tide - you appreciate the supplies ... make a cup of tea or whatever.

If you are coastal - you should of course have Mobile coverage ... but do not rely on that alone ... mobile batterys die just when you need them. But an odd call to family or friend ashore letting them know all is ok as you proceed is good.

I don't care if you are Old Man and Sea ... we ALL can come a cropper on the water ....

 

[Caer Urfa]

I was based on the Tyne for over 20 years at Royal Quays Marina and for long trips you can advise Humber Coastguard on via channel 16, however you must let them know of your eta and when you arrive.

 

[Daedelus]

When we did our first channel crossing Mrs D was both fascinated and delighted by the routine safety call and particularly the wish for a safe passage with which the CG signed off. Thereafter she used to make the call . The modern safetrx has taken away that little pleasure.

 

[Refueler]

As far as I know - the Passage Advice format is still available for use with CG in UK ?

I can remember submitting a Boat description sheet to CG for their records and then if embarking on a trip - let them know and they had all boat details at hand. Is that still available ?