UK cruising/circumnavigation planning - big questions so far

Doodles_McStrife

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The 20nm stuffs you in the irish sea or west wales route and even makes padstow to milforld convoluted. Good luck with seeing if that can be amended.

However a trip as far as Padstow covers some of the best sailing south of the scottish western isles - so do what you can in such manner as still fun
I like to think if we're limited to south of Padstow it will still be some great sailing time, but part of me also wonders if we were to rethink the trip as more of a 'bomb it up to Scotland' including multiple nights at sea (with or without the 20nm limit) and make the most of West Scotland before shooting back down again, might that be a better use of time and a greater overall experience than holiday-making on the south coast.......
 

Mark-1

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I like to think if we're limited to south of Padstow it will still be some great sailing time, but part of me also wonders if we were to rethink the trip as more of a 'bomb it up to Scotland' including multiple nights at sea (with or without the 20nm limit) and make the most of West Scotland before shooting back down again, might that be a better use of time and a greater overall experience than holiday-making on the south coast.......

In which case why not hire a boat on the West Coast of Scotland for the same period. (Or perhaps earlier because it's likely to be cheaper than the Solent.)
 

dunedin

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In which case why not hire a boat on the West Coast of Scotland for the same period. (Or perhaps earlier because it's likely to be cheaper than the Solent.)
There is a potential plan - hire a boat in Scotland for a month then the other boat from Portsmouth later on. Skip the delivery trips in between.
 

ridgy

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There is a potential plan - hire a boat in Scotland for a month then the other boat from Portsmouth later on. Skip the delivery trips in between.

Maybe the charter companies give big discounts for longer charters but 2k per week even in Scotland...we'd have to assume that the OP is getting a very good deal on this Portsmouth boat.
Otherwise it's going to be an astonishing amount of money to probably sit round in the rain. So many other interesting sailing options at this kind of money. Scotland vs Greece in September/October for instance?
 

steveeasy

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I like to think if we're limited to south of Padstow it will still be some great sailing time, but part of me also wonders if we were to rethink the trip as more of a 'bomb it up to Scotland' including multiple nights at sea (with or without the 20nm limit) and make the most of West Scotland before shooting back down again, might that be a better use of time and a greater overall experience than holiday-making on the south coast.......
My approach would be driven in a similar manner to yours I think. To reach a realistic area. What I would suggest which I’m sure you are will may do is go with the flow. Visit some key stop towards lands end perhaps Weymouth, salcombe, Fowey and Dartmouth. Really key places for enjoyment. A strategic stop at Newlyn. Then head north With 1 or 2 night sails early in your charter and assess if you can and are comfortable doing so. Then you may reach the west coast sailing grounds which may be your target. I would assume this may be achieved weather permitting with 2 weeks. If so your have time to explore the area and have plenty of time to return and there so many other places to visit on the way back inc a stop at Scilly isles of course.
Best of luck
Steveeasy
 
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Mark-1

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Maybe the charter companies give big discounts for longer charters but 2k per week even in Scotland...we'd have to assume that the OP is getting a very good deal on this Portsmouth boat.
Otherwise it's going to be an astonishing amount of money to probably sit round in the rain. So many other interesting sailing options at this kind of money. Scotland vs Greece in September/October for instance?

Maybe things have changed but when I was regularly chartering (up to 10 years ago) charter prices collapsed out of season. I remember hiring a newish ~36 foot Bav for £625 for seven days on the west Coast of Scotland over Easter. (I don't even regard that as off season, really, although the locals did!) Also recall a 3 day weekend for £250 in February from Portsmouth. I used to feel I could name my price and I'm not a good negotiator. (Or maybe I am and I didn't realise it.)

Call 10 years of inflation an exta 50%, I'd be thinking half that £2000pw. (Things could be different now, of course!)

I did the Ionian in the last week of Oct once (last week of their season) and that was still pretty pricey. Not sure Greece is as negotiable as the UK.
 
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lustyd

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I like to think if we're limited to south of Padstow it will still be some great sailing time, but part of me also wonders if we were to rethink the trip as more of a 'bomb it up to Scotland' including multiple nights at sea (with or without the 20nm limit) and make the most of West Scotland before shooting back down again, might that be a better use of time and a greater overall experience than holiday-making on the south coast.......
Personally I wouldn't run for Scotland. It'd be a lot of faff just to add miles and the planning with a 20nm limit would be tedious. Without Holyhead in the mix you'd also have very few places to run to as we'd usually do Dublin or Arklow.

If it's miles you want then sail to the scillies and straight to Dover, if it's places then the south coast is amazing. I'd do a long run straight to Scillies, possibly stopping at Newlyn to recover a little. That will remind you what a long passage is like but then you get to enjoy the Scillies and bump your way back along the coast. We took two months in 2022 and managed CIs, St Malo, Falmouth, Fowey, Plymouth, Salcombe, Dartmouth and Portland and even that was tight with weather, tides and a little exploring.

Is your preference exploring or sailing? As others have said if it's the sailing you enjoy you could get around, especially if you don't mind F7 apparent.
 

Tranona

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I like to think if we're limited to south of Padstow it will still be some great sailing time, but part of me also wonders if we were to rethink the trip as more of a 'bomb it up to Scotland' including multiple nights at sea (with or without the 20nm limit) and make the most of West Scotland before shooting back down again, might that be a better use of time and a greater overall experience than holiday-making on the south coast.......
As you will have seen from the responses, most question the wisdom of chartering a boat for such a long period going into the time of the year when most people are putting their boats away for the winter. 6 weeks from the middle of August onwards makes some sense, but October is really poor for continuous sailing. Getting from Portsmouth to Scotland to again arrive when the best is over does not make sense if the objective is leisurely cruising. Different if the objective is to cram as much challenging sailing in whatever the weather..

Another question is why you have chosen a Category 3 boat rather than the more common Category 2 (34'+) which is much more comfortable for both sailing and living on for 10 weeks? Of ours it is possible to do the sort of long distance coastal sailing in smaller boats, but most people who do it that way is because that is the boat they own, rather than choosing a boat for the specific activity. Suspect many here would choose a comfortable deck house cruiser for your original plan!

Good luck with whatever you decide and hope you have got something useful from sharing your thoughts on the forum.
 

srm

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I like to think if we're limited to south of Padstow it will still be some great sailing time, but part of me also wonders if we were to rethink the trip as more of a 'bomb it up to Scotland' including multiple nights at sea (with or without the 20nm limit) and make the most of West Scotland before shooting back down again, might that be a better use of time and a greater overall experience than holiday-making on the south coast.......
Once you "bomb it up" to the north end of the Irish Sea you have the options of east of the Mull of Kintyre and into the Clyde, or up the North Channel with a stop at Isla, (Port Ellen has a small marina) and the West Coast. If the longer range forecast looks grim then the Clyde may be a better bet but there is then the option of using the Crinan Canal to cut across to the west later. I have sailed on the Clyde during November in three different years and had both good weather and one full gale.
 

Daydream believer

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What is so special about Scotland? Once you have seen one heather clad rocky crag you have seen them all.
Is Padstow, Milford Haven & Fleetwood or whatever, really going to light the fires whilst getting there
If you can get foreign approval, then cross at Dover. Go Dieppe, Le Havre, Cherbourg, The CIs are great. Then Granville, St Malo, Leizardrieux, Roscoff, L'aberwrach, Camaret, Douarnez & on to Benodet etc if you can make it. Then return to ports you have been to as the weather gets less ameniable, so are less stressful. Also 24 hour entry.
You are not really that far from home when on the northern French shores. A 2 day sail would get you home in emergency.
 
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Tranona

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What is so special about Scotland? Once you have seen one heather clad rocky crag you have seen them all.
Is Padstow, Milford Haven & Fleetwood or whatever, really going to light the fires whilst getting there
If you can get foreign approval, then cross at Dover. Go Dieppe, Le Havre, Cherbourg, The CIs are great. Then Granville, St Malo, Leizardrieux, Roscoff, L'aberwrach, Camaret, Douarnez & on to Benodet etc if you can make it. Then return to ports you have been to as the weather gets less ameniable, so are less stressful. Also 24 hour entry.
You are not really that far from home when on the northern French shores. A 2 day sail would get you home in emergency.
Agree, but that would mean a different charter boat coded to Cat 2 which is 60 miles from safe haven. Most charter boats are of this type (and therefore bigger and more expensive) as they offer more possibilities for charterers.
 

Tranona

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So we're agreed then. OP should charter a different boat for a different time of year and a different length of charter, and they should plan a different trip to the one they want and go to different places.
The OP is already considering different options based on suggestions by others. So fair degree of agreement (including the OP) that the original plan based on the information given was probably not feasible.

In evitable that alternatives get suggested when feedback is sought on an outline plan.
 

Mark-1

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So we're agreed then. OP should charter a different boat for a different time of year and a different length of charter, and they should plan a different trip to the one they want and go to different places.

Instead of a boat how about bicycles?
 

Snowgoose-1

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Apologies if this has been already mentioned.

You don't have to do it all in one year. Depends how flush you are with both money and time. Chances are that your boat is already well found with not much to do for the next season. Often just a winter deal for a marina berth is cost effective. You will also meet new people.
 

steveeasy

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What is so special about Scotland? Once you have seen one heather clad rocky crag you have seen them all.
If you can get foreign approval, then cross at Dover. Go Dieppe, Le Havre, Cherbourg, The CIs are great. Then St Malo, Leizardrieux, Roscoff, Laberwrach, Camaret Douarnez & on to Benodet etc if you can make it. Then return to ports you have been to as the weather gets less ameniable, so are less stressful. Also 24 hour entry.
You are not really that far from home when on the northern French shores. A 2 day sail would get you home in emergency.
What is so special about Scotland? Once you have seen one heather clad rocky crag you have seen them all.
Is Padstow, Milford Haven & Fleetwood or whatever, really going to light the fires whilst getting there
If you can get foreign approval, then cross at Dover. Go Dieppe, Le Havre, Cherbourg, The CIs are great. Then Granville, St Malo, Leizardrieux, Roscoff, L'aberwrach, Camaret, Douarnez & on to Benodet etc if you can make it. Then return to ports you have been to as the weather gets less ameniable, so are less stressful. Also 24 hour entry.
You are not really that far from home when on the northern French shores. A 2 day sail would get you home in emergency.
Just out of interest then, why have you done it? There is a bit more than a few ragged rocks to experiance.

Steveeasy
 

srm

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You don't want a bike. What you want is a camper van.
No, not since some marketing prat came up with Route 500 around the north of Scotland - part of which is single track roads. When sailing in years gone by we used to laugh at cars with caravans crawling along narrow roads at walking speed breathing each others exhaust fumes, now its camper vans and motor homes mixed with tour buses. Though admittedly by October and November the roads were a bit quieter, but that was over ten years ago.
 

Tranona

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Apologies if this has been already mentioned.

You don't have to do it all in one year. Depends how flush you are with both money and time. Chances are that your boat is already well found with not much to do for the next season. Often just a winter deal for a marina berth is cost effective. You will also meet new people.
The OP is planning to use a charter boat which is for a very specific limited time period which inevitably closes off many of the options.
 
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