This years sailing plans.

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mnorgz

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Hi all,
After a decent trip to Ostende and back last year, I'm looking to sail over to Vlissengen and explore the southern delta. I plan to leave the boat there for a month or so and then sail back. I'm sailing there with two crew from last year and am going to explore a little with them and later with the family.

Does anyone have favourite spots to visit or know of a great (cheap) place to leave the boat for about a month?
Any help would be much appreciated, I have guide books but 1st hand knowledge would be great.

Below is a link to the video of last years trip.
http://vimeo.com/22079067
 
Hi Moodysabre,
We plan to leave on the 19th of June so will probably miss you.
We bumped into you last year at Bradwell we were just about to leave on our final journey back to our mooring down at Millbeach as you came back from Holland with your son.
You seem to sail to Holland quite often, from what i see on the boards.
 
mnorgz said:
Hi Moodysabre,
We plan to leave on the 19th of June so will probably miss you.
We bumped into you last year at Bradwell we were just about to leave on our final journey back to our mooring down at Millbeach as you came back from Holland with your son.
You seem to sail to Holland quite often, from what i see on the boards.
Click to expand...

We did?:o Yes we did.
Not often - once in fact but we were there for 5 weeks.:)
 
Moody Sabre
You were a little tired when we met.
5 weeks is a good trip though, i wish i could get that long.

Cantana
Where abouts are you heading?
I plan to sail from Millbeach to Brighlingsea on the afternoon of the 19th, and a early start to Ostende on the 20th and then North from there. Weather permitting.

I,m installing AIS this year, as a new addition, the shipping lanes were ok, although it was dark and we were tired last year. I wouldn't want to do that in fog.
 
Probably leaving weekend of Sat 11th June, maybe Vlissingen by the 14th after a stop or 2. We'll sometimes be in company with others from our club (Hollowshore) but we'll dip in and out of that. Probably won't go further N than the Haringvliet and Willemstadt, but we'll see how it goes.
 
Should be going across to Holland about 10th June not sure where though crew wants to go to Amsetrdam for a couple of days, probably going for 2 weeks weather and work dependant.
 
mnorgz said:
Does anyone have favourite spots to visit or know of a great (cheap) place to leave the boat for about a month?
http://vimeo.com/22079067
Click to expand...

I've never left my boat there myself but you may wish to consider rail connections before deciding. In the south I think that would mean Goes or Middleberg which I imagine you know. Like others, I like the Haringvliet, with Willemstadt and "Helluvaplace". I remember puzzling the locals when we played French Cricket there 30 yrs ago. Not very far away is Dordrecht, which might suit you for leaving the boat. At first sight the town can seem a bit solemn but I find it grows on you and we had a couple of pleasant nights there last year near the yacht club.
 
mnorgz said:
Hi all,
Does anyone have favourite spots to visit or know of a great (cheap) place to leave the boat for about a month?
Any help would be much appreciated, I have guide books but 1st hand knowledge would be great.
Click to expand...

I left mine for a week last year in the "garden marina" (De Werf) in Goes - but he took a lot of persuading. 10 euros a night :) Not a chance for a month but a must visit place (turn left right after the Ringbrug). Goes is great. In fact nearly everywhere was great. See this. The answer is to leave your boat somewhere you can get to by public transport. Trains only run on the mainland so that limits you. Buy a road map of Holland and you can see where it goes. How are you travelling to and from the boat? Flights will be via Schipol, foot ferriy to Harwich via Hook of Holland (train fom Rotterdam). Logistics can get a bit tricky.
 
Great Pictures, I can't wait to go visit.
We fly back from schipol on the 27th of June and was trying to get the boat to a marina that has easy access to there. I have Brian Navin's " Cruising guide to the Netherlands and will be looking up everyones suggestions in there.
The mast clearance issue left me scuttling for spec sheets for Silver Ann, I should have enough clearance for all but the 9m bridges.
Thanks in advance for all your suggestions
 
Bridges are not a problem. The Zeelandbrug has an opening section or you can call the bridge and ask for the clearance.

A road map is better for seeing the train line. The best places that have a station are Vlissingen, Middelburg and Goes. From Hellevoetsluis or Port Zeeland you can get a bus and metro into Rotterdam Central and then a train to Schipol. I arranged to meet crew in Willemstad but they had trouble finding a cab at the nearest station (Zevenbergen) and then it cost them 40 euros. Logistics are tricky.
 
Probably the easiest to Schipol would be Amsterdam itself, but that may be further than you want to go, maybe 3 days from southern Holland. Southern Holland and northern Holland, ie the Ijselmeer amount to 2 different cruises for most people, and each can be done in about 3 weeks, allowing time to return. Generally speaking, marinas on the canals in the middle of nowhere are cheaper than those in popular places such as Goes. Don't forget that most Dutch sailors speak excellent English and will be only too happy to assist. That does not include the skippers of traditional craft who smoke like chimneys and make a point of not understanding anything but low Dutch.
 
mnorgz said:
Hi all,

Does anyone have favourite spots to visit or know of a great (cheap) place to leave the boat for about a month?
Any help would be much appreciated, I have guide books but 1st hand knowledge would be great.

Below is a link to the video of last years trip.
http://vimeo.com/22079067
Click to expand...

Dutch coastal marinas are more expensive and rather remote; few inland ones are on a train line but all are reachable by bus, and more likely to put you up for a month.

You will get a reasonable deal with Arne in Middleburg, train just opposite. Goes marina is more restricted but also on the train line.

Willemstad is limited for space but offers bus connection to Bergen op Zoom and trains; better is Neumansdorp, opposite, with two marinas, lower charges and bus to Dordrecht or Rotterdam (also plane service home) Zierikzee is limited but Colijnsplaat opposite has space and is a bus ride to trains / airport. Bruinisse has capacity too. Yerseke is small but a short bus ride connects with the trains. Go to Dutch websites for bus info; enter "connexxion" or "9292" Chose English option. Dutch trains also have a good site - qv.

You don't have to fly home via Amsterdam or Rotterdam - the train connection via Rosendaal to Brussels will put you on the Eurostar (book in advance for a good price, tickets refundable and transferable) for a nice trip home, no hassle with luggage. Eurostar ticket takes you to all Belgian stations, the Dutch connecting ticket is very reasonably priced.

Mast height is not a problem in the west of the country - the Dutch have a standing mast route allowing boats with air draft to 18m to pass throughout. You will only find height a restriction if you dive off to the east or wander way off the track. Commercial vessel clearances there are approx 9m. There is a cheap map available in Dutch chandleries showing the Staande Maastroute to guide you safely.

Good trip.

PWG
 
Last edited:
MoodySabre said:
How are you travelling to and from the boat? Flights will be via Schipol, foot ferriy to Harwich via Hook of Holland (train fom Rotterdam). Logistics can get a bit tricky.
Click to expand...

When we collected our boat from Breskens, we flew Ryanair from Stansted into Eindhoven, one way car hire to Vlissingen and then the ferry over to Breskens.
Just so you know despite the excellent rail service, there are other ways (and other airports).
 
Thanks all, I've got to sit down now and put everything into a plan. The trip is pretty much 3 seperate trips, as the crossing and 1st exploration are done with my more adventurous and competent crew. We have a flight booked from Schipol on the 27th June, I then hope to go back with my family at the begining of the summer holiday for about 10 days and then pop back for the return leg a couple of weeks later.

So i realistically need 2 places to leave the boat one near rail routes to Amsterdam and the other closer to Flushing to make the return trip easier.

Also a list of nice places to visit.

Thank you for all your posts, I need to sit down now and make a plan.
 
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