rickp
Well-Known Member
The track I recorded is online here for the interested.
We left the UK very early on Tuesday (though it seems a lot longer ago than that!) and flew over the Kattegat on our way into Göteborg. Things were looking promising for a start that day:
Unfortunately, the boat wasn't quite ready yet (a transport issue I believe), so we couldn't get underway as promptly as we liked. So we headed to Westline, and got a few photos:
By the afternoon things were moving. Having got some provisions, we met up with the W34 at a fuel station en-route to the marina - where we fueled up. The boat had been used by the yard, and we'd been told it needed around 600 litres (and that the boat had two 400 litre tanks). The port tank filled fine, but the starboard one wouldn't due to problems with the tank vent it seemed. Col looked at this and we decided to try and fuel on the boat on the water (where we could heel it a bit if required).
The team:
Col couldn't resist a quick check on the props, even though he's not lost one for a while now /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
Then it was off to a marina where the boat was put in the water by the crane on the truck. It was a really impressive truck - the crane was capable of lifting 8 tonnes (I think):
.
Once in the marina, we headed to the fuel dock to finish fueling the tank. With judicious use of crew weight /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif we managed to get the air out of the pipe and fueled both tanks to the brim. This didn't give us a problem again - taking fuel smoothly at each re-fill. The gauges seemed to be uncalibrated as they showed 100% full far before we finished filling. Then we had a little bit of finishing off to do from the truck trip such as putting the radar scanner and arch back up and getting stowed, so decided on an early start the next morning.
It was very odd to be in a place which never really got dark at night! It did mean we could do long days with decent visibility though.
So by 4:15:am local time the following morning, we were underway. It was a superb morning - with the sun just rising, flat seas and an easy 33 knots cruise:
Valö Lighthouse:
The sea didn't remain flat all the way - it got a little choppy but the boat handled it well. We headed down the Great Belt (Storebælt) and under the Great Belt Bridge. I failed to get an adequate photo of the bridge itself, so you'll have to admire the buoys:
By the time we were approaching the Kiel fjord, we had a 2m following sea, but Jez helmed us safely into Laboe on the east side of the fjord for a fuel stop (for both boat and crew). Nice place to stop - would definitely recommend it and we had a nice lunch. Col and I had herring, which was a bit of a running joke for us by this time - Swedes seem to have at least 23 types of herring dish on every menu /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
After a bit of a stop we headed over to the locks to try and press on through the Kiel canal. Leisure vessels can only move during daylight so we were restricted to 1:30am until 9pm. This meant we would need to stop mid-canal - but progress is progress and we were already concerned about the weekend forecast for the south coast. So into the locks at around 6pm local time, giving us 3 hours:
It was a bit unnerving when you had sights like this:
I was quite excited to see an Elling in the canal - us Elling owners have to stick together /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
We stopped for the night at a yacht club at Rendsburg, just around the corner from the Lürssen yard:
.
The following morning was another early start, moving by 5am local time. First sight was the Rendsburg Transporter Bridge - something I'd wanted to see:
We saw another british flagged motor vessel, but they were letting the side down a bit:
Before too long (well, ages really, at 8 knots) we got to Brünsbuttel and got ready to lock out into the Elbe estuary:
and through:
After a brief detour into Cuxhaven marina, we decided to press on as it was still relatively early in the day. I'd wanted a short detour to see the Alte Weser lighthouse, and as we were making good time, we headed over there:
From here we pressed on to Norderney to get fuel and provisions. The shop by the quay only sold alcohol and diesel! Once fueled and provisioned, we pushed on again towards Den Helder.
Unfortunately, the sea state was deteriorating and we turned back towards Borkum - where we ended up in one of the strangest places I've ever moored. We were in an old German Naval base - complete with service-style facilities. Showers from a 60's gynmasium etc. The crazy thing was that of the 3 huge pontoons they had, we could only use the west side of the first pontoon. So as everyone headed in to avoid the weather, that side became quite busy. It seems that they've not repaired the ramps on the other pontoons /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
The saving grace was the superb Yacht Club restaurant at the marina around the corner. We had a really great meal there - which we needed after the very long day we'd had.
Next day (Friday) the wind had dropped, and the sea had flattened. Again we left early (6am local time) heading for refueling at Zeebrugge and then pressing on to Dunkerque or even Dover to beat the nasty low we had been watching. We had lovely flat seas until we started closing on Den Helder, where it kicked up a bit around the corner - then it wasn't too bad on our way to Zeebrugge. We headed inshore to cross the Mass/Europort TSS in the small craft channel (having called them on the VHF first).
With about 15 miles to run to Zeebrugge one of the fuel gauges started dropping very quickly. We dropped to displacement speed and decided to divert to Flushing. We also thought we'd dip the tanks, but then we found that the door to that cabin had locked itself somehow, ruling that out. (We got the door open later on with a bit of Col magic /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif) By our reckoning we had around 200 litres of fuel left based on the fact we'd brimmed both tanks at each fuel stop. That should have given us 800 litres and we'd done roughly 260 miles.
A few miles later the starboard engine stopped taking the power steering with it. We notified the coastguard that we were on one engine and they tasked a lifeboat to us as a precaution, considering we were near a shipping channel with quite a bit of tide and sandbanks. We watched them launch their awesome rib as we were right outside the Flushing lifeboat station. We discussed taking a tow, so we could use the working engine to get us into the marina under our own power, but before we concluded anything we lost steering. As col has said, the extra pressure on the steering pump caused a weep to become a leak. Hence we ended up entering Flushing on the end of a tow rope:
They were a great bunch of guys with an superb rib on Hamilton jets. They managed to get us through the lock and into Michiel de Ruijter Haven without touching the sides. The downside was that the fuel berth there closed this season - but Jez managed to get us 50 litres (more than enough to cross the Estuary to Breskens) whilst Col sorted the steering and then he got the starboard lump running again.
They had a really nice pilot vessel in the commercial dock:
The following morning we set out to Breskens having put 25 litres in each tank. Once there we put a further 270 litres into the tank we emptied and slighty less in the other one. We're pretty convinced that even allowing for a bit of slop at the bottom of each tank, they are 300 litres each not 400 litres. Having never seen an accurate fuel gauge on a boat, I've always worked from the log and a 'worst case' fuel usage + safety margin - but that does rather require the manufacturer to get their figures right. Not sure I can believe that the tank holds 25% of fuel which can't be used either. We were well within our safety margin with 17 miles to run, so to say we were disappointed to find that we had 25% less tankage is an understatement. I'll leave Jez to sort out that issue with Westline.
Anyway, as Col has said - considering that we couldn't be sure the steering leak was really fixed and given the really nasty forecast, we decided to leave the boat at Zeebrugge and come back via a somewhat larger boat.
Think thats about all. Hope you appreciate the photos and work gone into this post. I just have to say thanks for Jez for a great time and Col for being great company and wielding the spanners where needed. We had a really good time despite what you might think from the long days and the odd problem /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif.
Also thanks to Derek for forecasting (and Hurricane for his thoughts, via Derek) - great to have you guys at the end of a phone if needed. The 3G stick worked well for us to get forecasts and 'live' details of the current weather - so can highly recommend that - even if the roaming is £7.50/MB, each forecast set was considerably less than 1 MB.
So, without further ado - let the forum dissection begin!
Rick
We left the UK very early on Tuesday (though it seems a lot longer ago than that!) and flew over the Kattegat on our way into Göteborg. Things were looking promising for a start that day:
Unfortunately, the boat wasn't quite ready yet (a transport issue I believe), so we couldn't get underway as promptly as we liked. So we headed to Westline, and got a few photos:
By the afternoon things were moving. Having got some provisions, we met up with the W34 at a fuel station en-route to the marina - where we fueled up. The boat had been used by the yard, and we'd been told it needed around 600 litres (and that the boat had two 400 litre tanks). The port tank filled fine, but the starboard one wouldn't due to problems with the tank vent it seemed. Col looked at this and we decided to try and fuel on the boat on the water (where we could heel it a bit if required).
The team:
Col couldn't resist a quick check on the props, even though he's not lost one for a while now /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
Then it was off to a marina where the boat was put in the water by the crane on the truck. It was a really impressive truck - the crane was capable of lifting 8 tonnes (I think):
Once in the marina, we headed to the fuel dock to finish fueling the tank. With judicious use of crew weight /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif we managed to get the air out of the pipe and fueled both tanks to the brim. This didn't give us a problem again - taking fuel smoothly at each re-fill. The gauges seemed to be uncalibrated as they showed 100% full far before we finished filling. Then we had a little bit of finishing off to do from the truck trip such as putting the radar scanner and arch back up and getting stowed, so decided on an early start the next morning.
It was very odd to be in a place which never really got dark at night! It did mean we could do long days with decent visibility though.
So by 4:15:am local time the following morning, we were underway. It was a superb morning - with the sun just rising, flat seas and an easy 33 knots cruise:
Valö Lighthouse:
The sea didn't remain flat all the way - it got a little choppy but the boat handled it well. We headed down the Great Belt (Storebælt) and under the Great Belt Bridge. I failed to get an adequate photo of the bridge itself, so you'll have to admire the buoys:
By the time we were approaching the Kiel fjord, we had a 2m following sea, but Jez helmed us safely into Laboe on the east side of the fjord for a fuel stop (for both boat and crew). Nice place to stop - would definitely recommend it and we had a nice lunch. Col and I had herring, which was a bit of a running joke for us by this time - Swedes seem to have at least 23 types of herring dish on every menu /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
After a bit of a stop we headed over to the locks to try and press on through the Kiel canal. Leisure vessels can only move during daylight so we were restricted to 1:30am until 9pm. This meant we would need to stop mid-canal - but progress is progress and we were already concerned about the weekend forecast for the south coast. So into the locks at around 6pm local time, giving us 3 hours:
It was a bit unnerving when you had sights like this:
I was quite excited to see an Elling in the canal - us Elling owners have to stick together /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
We stopped for the night at a yacht club at Rendsburg, just around the corner from the Lürssen yard:
The following morning was another early start, moving by 5am local time. First sight was the Rendsburg Transporter Bridge - something I'd wanted to see:
We saw another british flagged motor vessel, but they were letting the side down a bit:
Before too long (well, ages really, at 8 knots) we got to Brünsbuttel and got ready to lock out into the Elbe estuary:
and through:
After a brief detour into Cuxhaven marina, we decided to press on as it was still relatively early in the day. I'd wanted a short detour to see the Alte Weser lighthouse, and as we were making good time, we headed over there:
From here we pressed on to Norderney to get fuel and provisions. The shop by the quay only sold alcohol and diesel! Once fueled and provisioned, we pushed on again towards Den Helder.
Unfortunately, the sea state was deteriorating and we turned back towards Borkum - where we ended up in one of the strangest places I've ever moored. We were in an old German Naval base - complete with service-style facilities. Showers from a 60's gynmasium etc. The crazy thing was that of the 3 huge pontoons they had, we could only use the west side of the first pontoon. So as everyone headed in to avoid the weather, that side became quite busy. It seems that they've not repaired the ramps on the other pontoons /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
The saving grace was the superb Yacht Club restaurant at the marina around the corner. We had a really great meal there - which we needed after the very long day we'd had.
Next day (Friday) the wind had dropped, and the sea had flattened. Again we left early (6am local time) heading for refueling at Zeebrugge and then pressing on to Dunkerque or even Dover to beat the nasty low we had been watching. We had lovely flat seas until we started closing on Den Helder, where it kicked up a bit around the corner - then it wasn't too bad on our way to Zeebrugge. We headed inshore to cross the Mass/Europort TSS in the small craft channel (having called them on the VHF first).
With about 15 miles to run to Zeebrugge one of the fuel gauges started dropping very quickly. We dropped to displacement speed and decided to divert to Flushing. We also thought we'd dip the tanks, but then we found that the door to that cabin had locked itself somehow, ruling that out. (We got the door open later on with a bit of Col magic /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif) By our reckoning we had around 200 litres of fuel left based on the fact we'd brimmed both tanks at each fuel stop. That should have given us 800 litres and we'd done roughly 260 miles.
A few miles later the starboard engine stopped taking the power steering with it. We notified the coastguard that we were on one engine and they tasked a lifeboat to us as a precaution, considering we were near a shipping channel with quite a bit of tide and sandbanks. We watched them launch their awesome rib as we were right outside the Flushing lifeboat station. We discussed taking a tow, so we could use the working engine to get us into the marina under our own power, but before we concluded anything we lost steering. As col has said, the extra pressure on the steering pump caused a weep to become a leak. Hence we ended up entering Flushing on the end of a tow rope:
They were a great bunch of guys with an superb rib on Hamilton jets. They managed to get us through the lock and into Michiel de Ruijter Haven without touching the sides. The downside was that the fuel berth there closed this season - but Jez managed to get us 50 litres (more than enough to cross the Estuary to Breskens) whilst Col sorted the steering and then he got the starboard lump running again.
They had a really nice pilot vessel in the commercial dock:
The following morning we set out to Breskens having put 25 litres in each tank. Once there we put a further 270 litres into the tank we emptied and slighty less in the other one. We're pretty convinced that even allowing for a bit of slop at the bottom of each tank, they are 300 litres each not 400 litres. Having never seen an accurate fuel gauge on a boat, I've always worked from the log and a 'worst case' fuel usage + safety margin - but that does rather require the manufacturer to get their figures right. Not sure I can believe that the tank holds 25% of fuel which can't be used either. We were well within our safety margin with 17 miles to run, so to say we were disappointed to find that we had 25% less tankage is an understatement. I'll leave Jez to sort out that issue with Westline.
Anyway, as Col has said - considering that we couldn't be sure the steering leak was really fixed and given the really nasty forecast, we decided to leave the boat at Zeebrugge and come back via a somewhat larger boat.
Think thats about all. Hope you appreciate the photos and work gone into this post. I just have to say thanks for Jez for a great time and Col for being great company and wielding the spanners where needed. We had a really good time despite what you might think from the long days and the odd problem /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif.
Also thanks to Derek for forecasting (and Hurricane for his thoughts, via Derek) - great to have you guys at the end of a phone if needed. The 3G stick worked well for us to get forecasts and 'live' details of the current weather - so can highly recommend that - even if the roaming is £7.50/MB, each forecast set was considerably less than 1 MB.
So, without further ado - let the forum dissection begin!
Rick
