Vigo - Plymouth

[alant]

Late March/Early April.

Passage plan:
Leave Vigo & head West until 12 deg W (about 180 Nm)
Then head North for about 80 Nm, then 137 deg (T) for Bishop Rock (300 Nm).
From there, head 070 deg (T) for Plymouth.
Refuge Ports (1) Iberian Peninsular (2) Cornwall.

Discuss.

 

[Woodlouse]

Personally I'd go inside the TSS around Cap Finistere then make straight for a passage inside of the TSS around Ushant then make straight for Plymouth.

Biscay isn't so scary these days now that five day forecasts are relatively believable and this passage shouldn't take more than four.

I don't go out of my way to avoid busy shipping routes because firstly, it wastes time and secondly being nervous and uncertain around ships in dangerous. If you need to go near them, it's best to experience it when ever necessary.

 

[Goldie]

Late March/Early April.

Passage plan:
Leave Vigo & head West until 12 deg W (about 180 Nm)
Then head North for about 80 Nm, then 137 deg (T) for Bishop Rock (300 Nm).
From there, head 070 deg (T) for Plymouth.
Refuge Ports (1) Iberian Peninsular (2) Cornwall.

Discuss.

I'm not sure about the 137 deg (T) though....

 

[Blueboatman]

Nope.
Motor sail lickety spit coastal, wait, motor or sail across to Brest/Audierne/Camaret/Bele Isle etc, ride the tides up and then its a oner to Plymouth..Weather windows rather than extended good weather. IMO

 

[oldbilbo]

Needlessly adding distance/time/exposure to weather....

As said above, leave Vigo in settled weather and modest swell, stay inshore, and motor/sail around to La Corunna or thereabouts. Leave there in settled weather and route direct to Camaret. Leave there in settled weather and no sea fog, pass up the Chenal du Four with a serving tide and route direct to Plymouth.

That keeps you clear of the major shipping routes Off Finisterre - Off Ushant, there are all-weather bolt holes not too far away if something unforecast starts to brew up, and is the shortest distance.

....Unless you actually want to do some astro for an RYA YM ( Ocean ) qualifying passage... in which case you'll still need some more miles onto your original route.

 

[BlueSkyNick]

Needlessly adding distance/time/exposure to weather....

As said above, leave Vigo in settled weather and modest swell, stay inshore, and motor/sail around to La Corunna or thereabouts. Leave there in settled weather and route direct to Camaret. Leave there in settled weather and no sea fog, pass up the Chenal du Four with a serving tide and route direct to Plymouth.

That keeps you clear of the major shipping routes Off Finisterre - Off Ushant, there are all-weather bolt holes not too far away if something unforecast starts to brew up, and is the shortest distance.

....Unless you actually want to do some astro for an RYA YM ( Ocean ) qualifying passage... in which case you'll still need some more miles onto your original route.

Makes sense to me.

 

[ripvan1]

Personally I'd go inside the TSS around Cap Finistere then make straight for a passage inside of the TSS around Ushant then make straight for Plymouth.

Biscay isn't so scary these days now that five day forecasts are relatively believable and this passage shouldn't take more than four.

I don't go out of my way to avoid busy shipping routes because firstly, it wastes time and secondly being nervous and uncertain around ships in dangerous. If you need to go near them, it's best to experience it when ever necessary.

Ditto + you can run somewhere quick if forecast goes tits up around finisterre - also being close to, but outside shipping lanes gives one a certain sense of security

 

[Blueboatman]

We don't know the boat/engine details but if it helps, tacking up the Spanish coast and staging/ hops.. friends did it in a Vega with( out) a petrol engine.
My boat three times (R36), but it does beat to windward quite well without engine.

 

[Wansworth]

The Spanish Armarda,look what happened to that little escapade,set off in July when its about time the northerlies set in with a vengence.Setting off at easter gives the possibilityof a south wind brought by a depression so you could be lucky and carry the wind all the way to Plymouth from Vigo aslong as it doesnt get too boisterous off Finisterre.Friends who have attempted the passage have given up after being weaqtherbound in Coruña with Northerlies.One wonders how the Spanish Armarda made it...

 

[oldbilbo]

I would imagine that even an Albin Vega could go to windward somewhat better than a Spanish galleon....

The principal warships of the opposing English and Spanish fleets in the 1588 confrontation of the Spanish Armada were galleons, with the modified English "race built" galleons developed by John Hawkins proving decisive, while the capacious Spanish galleons, designed primarily as transports, showed great endurance in the battles and in the great storms on the voyage home; most survived the ordeal.

 

[Wansworth]

I am already upwind in Chichester!........the Spanish set off disadvantaged as the Galicians didnt actually like the Castillians so sold them poor grub and water..

 

[Roberto]

Using climatic data routing from the pilot charts data for April, these two routes come out.

The one with the white boxes is computed minimizing passage time AND percentage of gales

The one with the green boxes is computed minimizing passage time ONLY

View attachment 29895
View attachment 29888

But of course, climate is what you expect, weather is what you get

 

[Uricanejack]

Late March/Early April.

Passage plan:
Leave Vigo & head West until 12 deg W (about 180 Nm)
Then head North for about 80 Nm, then 137 deg (T) for Bishop Rock (300 Nm).
From there, head 070 deg (T) for Plymouth.
Refuge Ports (1) Iberian Peninsular (2) Cornwall.

Discuss.

Just to go against the trend.
looks good to me.
why Cape Finistair. Tendency for fog, lots of traffic. why deal with it. go well off.
Stay west of the main ttafic route not much differance in distance. you will still have to keep a good lookout, Old timers on ships would some times use this option.
most though not all the traffic will head for or from Ushant why cross?
Once clear of ushant head east.
You have added some distance, big deal. unless you are in a hurry
Personally I'd stay closer to the pub or nice resteruants in Britany.

 

[alant]

Needlessly adding distance/time/exposure to weather....

As said above, leave Vigo in settled weather and modest swell, stay inshore, and motor/sail around to La Corunna or thereabouts. Leave there in settled weather and route direct to Camaret. Leave there in settled weather and no sea fog, pass up the Chenal du Four with a serving tide and route direct to Plymouth.

That keeps you clear of the major shipping routes Off Finisterre - Off Ushant, there are all-weather bolt holes not too far away if something unforecast starts to brew up, and is the shortest distance.

....Unless you actually want to do some astro for an RYA YM ( Ocean ) qualifying passage... in which case you'll still need some more miles onto your original route.

You only need "600M by the log, been at sea continuously for 96 hours & the yacht must have been over 50M from land for a period of at least 48hrs for a distance sailed of 200M."

Vigo - Plymouth = 629Nm http://ports.com/sea-route/port-of-vigo,spain/port-of-plymouth,united-kingdom/

 

[alant]

We don't know the boat/engine details but if it helps, tacking up the Spanish coast and staging/ hops.. friends did it in a Vega with( out) a petrol engine.
My boat three times (R36), but it does beat to windward quite well without engine.

Boat is a Rustler 42, passage plan isn't mine.

 

[TiggerToo]

But of course, climate is what you expect, weather is what you get

That is a brilliant quote .... quite an aphorism.

May I use it?

 

[KellysEye]

I'd set a route by the wind forecast. Often leaving Portugal the wind is north and you have to head NW to pick up the westerlies. Stay outside the 1,000 fathom line in case there is bad weather. I've never worried about avoiding shipping lanes, it comes with the territory.

 

[oldbilbo]

You only need "600M by the log, been at sea continuously for 96 hours & the yacht must have been over 50M from land for a period of at least 48hrs for a distance sailed of 200M."

Vigo - Plymouth = 629Nm http://ports.com/sea-route/port-of-vigo,spain/port-of-plymouth,united-kingdom/

Wasn't like that in my day....

However, the route I've suggested would not, I am led to believe, meet the RYA's Yachtmaster Qualification Panel's criteria. It would, I submit, meet the OP's criteria as we know it for an efficient return from Vigo with the prospect of relatively pleasant and easy stops should such be sought.

And, looking again at alant's route indicated in his link, that would seem to involve crossing both inbound and outbound lanes of the Off Ushant TSS at an illegal heading - for no obvious advantage - which is a manoeuvre most likely to attact the unwelcome attention of the French Affaires Maritime police and an involuntary visit to a magistrate's court.

Can't quite see the point in that, but each to his own....

 

[alant]

Wasn't like that in my day....

However, the route I've suggested would not, I am led to believe, meet the RYA's Yachtmaster Qualification Panel's criteria. It would, I submit, meet the OP's criteria as we know it for an efficient return from Vigo with the prospect of relatively pleasant and easy stops should such be sought.

And, looking again at alant's route indicated in his link, that would seem to involve crossing both inbound and outbound lanes of the Off Ushant TSS at an illegal heading - for no obvious advantage - which is a manoeuvre most likely to attact the unwelcome attention of the French Affaires Maritime police and an involuntary visit to a magistrate's court.

Can't quite see the point in that, but each to his own....

"And, looking again at alant's route indicated in his link, that would seem to involve crossing both inbound and outbound lanes of the Off Ushant TSS at an illegal heading"

Simply picked this off the Google shelf, but cannot see how you it involves crossing the TSS at an illegal heading (Rule 10c a yacht crossing a TSS shall head at right angles to the lane axis).

 

[oldbilbo]

"Oh, ye tak' the high road, an' I'll tak' the low road..... an' I'll be in Plymouth afore ye...."