Will I make it!?

[Danfarry]

Hi everyone

I have just put a deposit down on an antares 8.8 with the Suzuki df300.
The boat is near Swansea and I want to get it up to Caernarfon. Distance is around 160nm.

Who thinks I'll make it in one go?

 

[sailorman]

doubt it what about fuel

 

[Danfarry]

Boat holds 400l, after lots of googling I think I can cruise at around 2l per mile.

 

[sailorman]

Boat holds 400l, after lots of googling I think I can cruise at around 2l per mile.

Think, isnt really good enough is it

 

[Danfarry]

You are correct. That is why I am here. Have requested fuel consumption data from Suzuki and Beneteau, which hasn't been forthcoming. Was hoping for some real world figures from current owners.

 

[sailorman]

consumption will vary due to prevailing conditions & 160 Nm is a long way in a new to you vessel

 

[Danfarry]

I will wait for ideal conditions. There is no rush at all. I have done thousands of offshore sailing miles, but very little power boating. My main concern apart from fuel consumtion is the lack of ports to bail in to if needs be. So far only milford haven, Aberystwyth and possibly Fishguard.

 

[jrudge]

Long way , small boat , uncertain fuel consumption , fuel gague quirks not known and undesirable time of year.

Plan for it by all means but have planned outs along the route.

Boating is after all a leisure activity !

 

[longjohnsilver]

Presumably you intend to take a few spare cans of fuel and some safe way of transferring it to the main tank?

Enjoy the trip.

 

[Danfarry]

Thanks

Planning on filling the cockpit with Jerry cans and using a hand pump to transfer.

Might just go hell for leather and have it done in a morning!

 

[sailorman]

Petrol, cans in the cockpit :disgust:

 

[Nautical]

Is it just my suspicious mind or is the forum being joked about with, seems a lot of new users about with odd requests / mad ideas! Blast 160 miles in a morning ? What you bought an Exocet missile ?

 

[Danfarry]

Maybe not in a Morning or with a cockpit full of fuel! I am planning on hopefully doing it in one hit, that's why the question about fuel consumption. In my experience, sailors wouldn't blink at that sort of distance

 

[sailorman]

Maybe not in a Morning or with a cockpit full of fuel! I am planning on hopefully doing it in one hit, that's why the question about fuel consumption. In my experience, sailors wouldn't blink at that sort of distance

But your "experience" seem somewhat limited as you posed the question

 

[Danfarry]

This is a serious question, no joking about! Can always have it delivered by road, but by sea is much more of an adventure

 

[jamie langstone]

Have it delivered by road and find out your fuel consumption at a later date in waters that you are used to. There is plenty of time to have your adventure.

 

[stuartwineberg]

Thanks

Planning on filling the cockpit with Jerry cans and using a hand pump to transfer.

Might just go hell for leather and have it done in a morning!

OK, I'll play. don't know the boat but let's give you 20 knots. That's 8 hours minimum. if you can do 30 it's about 6. what's the chances of 6 to 8 hours of glass smooth water to let you go full out. I have a heavily built 26 footer and I can assure you that when the sea gets up you won't be going that fast. Make sure your planning considers wind over tide which has a huge effect on small power boats. You mention you have a lot of sail experience but not much on power. Don't underestimate the knackering effect of noise and pounding at speed, completely different to the way a yacht handles, take crew. If something goes xxxx up on the engine you have no backup unlike on a yacht that always has 2 sources of power (sails and engine) and you don't know the engine. So make backup plan. if it hasn't been used much the long trip can stir up rubbish in the fuel and block filters so take spares. If sea start operate round your neck of the woods, join up and let the coastguard have your journey plan. I brought my single engined 26 footer back from Cornwall to Solent but I did it in three days, took a break when the weather broke and still got it wrong due to a mix of dodgy fuel gauge and gunged filters and needed Seastart.
Hope that is a useful starter for ten

 

[Danfarry]

Thanks, that's good advice. If I were to wait and become part of a round trip, the cost is not much more than a full tank of fuel

 

[Danfarry]

Thanks Stuart. Good advice. The problem is a lack of ports on the Welsh coast. Road is looking favourable at the mo

 

[Beamishken]

This is a serious question, no joking about! Can always have it delivered by road, but by sea is much more of an adventure

I agree about the adventure but personally I'd prefer to split the journey in two with maybe an overnight somewhere we sailed our previous boat from hartlepool to largs via the fourth & clyde we planned the first 150 nm miles from hartlepool to port Edgar in two days however the first day was a bit rough & we only managed 50 nm before we called it a day.The next day was flat calm & we did 100 nm in 3.5 hours
Your 160 nm will be tiring but doable
Hopefully someone will be along to give you the consumption info you need instead of pouring cold water on your plans
Best of luck with it & let us know how you get on