Yarmouth - Cherbourg

[EdWingfield]

In contrary to someone's remark earlier, the Marina will allocate you a berth. If you take a local's berth you may have to move.

In France the State of Emergency continues. You may be approached by a patrol boat. Be friendly, be agreeable - no problems.

 

[Seajet]

Also make sure you have binoculars - 7 X 50 are about right for holding steady on a boat - and some in - date collision warning flares just in case..

If there's any mention of fog in the area I'd say don't go.

A radar reflector of some kind should be fitted, but don't rely on anyone acting on it even if it does show up on their screens.

An external VHF speaker or handheld VHF so you can hear it in the cockpit is extremely useful.

You'll be fine, but remember fatigue is the killer - especially if it makes you see what you want to see re nav marks etc; it's not rocks or big waves that gets one, it's fatigue.

Yes do take flasks of hot water, and pot noodles, cup-a-soups - you may wrinkle your nose at these normally but mid-Channel they can be a boon.

My personal cross - Channel snack is jacobs crackers, squirted with Primula cheese spread, made into sandwiches with Kraft ' plastic cheese ' slices - if someone offered me these ashore I might be horrified, but again when mid - Channel they're easy to make with minimum time spent ' head down ' below instead of keeping a lookout, and very welcome - of course keep plenty of choc bars handy for energy.

I carry a couple of big cans of ' Red Bull ' in case I need an emergency energy boost; it's horrible and the price paid afterwards in feeling grot is high, but it might help if in a stressful tired situation.

Have plenty of water; I find the type of mineral water bottles with a teat to suck are the best, especially if the boat is being thrown around.

As for the autopilot, I think it essential for a singlehander crossing the Channel - so you'll need a reliable electrical supply with a good battery and a means of charging it too.

I normally cross Poole Bay and anchor at Studland, have a rest and cross the Channel for Guernsey or Cherbourg from there; this gives a better angle to the prevailing south westerlies, a fine or if lucky beam reach, so a lot quicker than close hauled.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Pouring hot water out of a flask and pouring it out of the kettle take about the same time (you don't have to unscrew a lid on the kettle). So in terms of activity and time below, you're saving however long it takes to fill the kettle, turn on the gas, and click the lighter. Ten seconds?

My thermos flask stays in the cockpit.

Do they also keep a flask of hot water around to "save bother" when in harbour or at anchor? If not, why not?

Maybe because one does not have to sail the boat when in harbour or at anchor, and there is rather less risk of seasickness as well?

 

[JumbleDuck]

Is this a pre-autopilot habit, perhaps? Certainly all this preparation would make a lot of sense if you're about to be tied to the tiller for the duration. All my singlehanding has been with an autopilot, and in reasonable conditions I rather enjoy doing things while the boat sails herself along.

It applies whether or not I am using the windvane or tillerpilot. As I said, it's not a matter of not doing things, but of not having to do things.

 

[lw395]

I've never understood this advice. The kettle still works when you're under way.....
Pete

Have you never found yourself in conditions where pouring boiling water from a kettle is a bit of an unnecessary hazard?
If it gets bouncy we can pour coffee from flask to cup in small measures, risking only a splash on the cockpit floor.
The oven and pots and pans work fine offshore too, but I like to have snacks easily accessible.
And some bottled water to drink.

 

[doug748]

When you arrive you're likely to be tired. Instead of getting fenders and lines out, and wandering around the marina looking for a berth, it's easier to simply drop anchor just outside Chantereyne marina and have a good sleep. Next morning you will have lots of berths to choose from as people leave for other destinations, and you will have saved yourself a night's berthing fee.

Top tip. It will take the shine off the trip if you cock up a difficult berth trying to get alongside. Berthing fees quickly get up the nose of the singlehander as well.


"Thanks for all the replies, a tiler pilot is one thing that is at the top of my list. I do not have a chart plotter only a handheld gps."

Good plan. Also, see if you can beg or borrow a chart plotter. It need only be the smallest thing and the charts could be ancient, it matters little. Ignore any hurrumphing about this. If in doubt, go next time with your GPS only and note the difference in aggravation level.

 

[wombat88]

If you are talking Yarmouth IOW, we used to do it in around 12 in a 28' which makes planning the tides so much easier.

The most important thing is time. Time to wait for the weather...and also being confident that you know what Cherbourg should look like at night.

If it has a big chimney you are not in the right place.

 

[Poignard]

If you are talking Yarmouth IOW, we used to do it in around 12 in a 28' which makes planning the tides so much easier.

That's good going.

 

[wombat88]

That's good going.

You are right, memory deceives, that was our best. 15 hours more likely and 20 if things go a bit awry.

 

[Robin]

The important time is the passage across tides in this case from a departure pointoff the Needles so around 60 miles. from Poole Fairway same distance we planned:-

Trident 24 bilge keel 16 hours
Liz 30 fin keel 12 hours
W33 fin ketch 10 hours
Sun Legende 41 fin 9hrs

THe times in all cases reflected average speeds when the wind might be uncooperative in strength or direction and therefore the motor might be called on. Our record in the Liz 30 was 8hrs in a westerly full gale returning to Poole, in the W33 8hours and in the Sun Legende 41 a tad over 7 when we ran out of wind in the last few miles, breaking 7 hrs was a target we never quite achieved.

It is a common but fool's fallacy to assume cross tides cancel out over 12 hours on this passage because they do not, the rates are much stronger on the French side than the UK side.

Arriving at night is easy peasy but the first lights you see on land will not be Cherbourg but most likely the big power station on Cap de La Hague often seen from mid Channel.. The west entrance is easiest to find as it has a conspicuous flashing white light and even used to have a radio beacon, the east entrance has more rocky horrors nearby so needs a bit more care but is nearer when approaching from points east. The tidal atlas ( we used Reeves Foulkes) shows less tides inshore off Cherbourg than actual IMO and I had better results assuming the same rates as shown on the line between Cap De La hague and pte de Barfleur. Often a race mark used to be off CH1 buoy, inshore so this latter correction could be a race loser/winner.

 

[Robin]

You are right, memory deceives, that was our best. 15 hours more likely and 20 if things go a bit awry.

We had clubmates once with an Achilles 24 fin that took 36 hours in a club race IIRC. They only had a Seagull Century outboard and little fuel and the wind vanished totally mid way in a race so kept going to be the only finishers too.THe skipper once told me he had 'gone electronic' after he bought an old Seafarer echosounder secondhand. He often sailed with me in the Liz 30 and would dispute the positions given by my Decca set. as we approached a final mark, but Desmond ( Decca ) always beat him

 

[laika]

In contrary to someone's remark earlier, the Marina will allocate you a berth. If you take a local's berth you may have to move.

Unless they've removed it recently, info on the designated visitors' pontoons and the lengths each is appropriate for is written in big letters on the wall as you came in. The plan is also on their website:
http://www.portchantereyne.fr/fr/acces/acceder-au-port/
So following instructions and then reporting to reception shouldn't result in inadvertently taking a local's berth.

Have you never found yourself in conditions where pouring boiling water from a kettle is a bit of an unnecessary hazard?

The OP is planning to pick some nice weather in spring/summer. If it looks like it might be too bouncy for kettles then perhaps re-scheduling might be in order?

 

[{151760}]

We once took 23 hours in an Achilles 24, as we didn't want to carry too much petrol for our 4hp outboard. It was a pleasant trip in very light winds. Coming back took 14 hours in force4-5 winds. That was with two of us. I always go through the process of adding up the distance the tide will take us sideways over the predicted passage time (therefore having several tables of offsets), then I aim one mile uptide of the uptide entrance adjusting course slightly as necessary. I have a GPS, and use a chart plotter down below. It's an easily accomplished passage with GPS and paper chart alone. Chartplotters are great, but don't sweat about not having one. An autopilot is much more use.

 

[Poignard]

You are right, memory deceives, that was our best. 15 hours more likely and 20 if things go a bit awry.

That matches my ' achievements' in my 28-footer . 12 hours with a strong westerly and once 20 hours when destined for Alderney but an increasing south-westerly made me change my mind and head for Cherbourg instead!

 

[ashtead]

Assuming you have some form of chart plotter a hand held back up eg from Garmin might be useful both afloat and when ashore with plentiful supply of batteries in case of electrics failure if you don't have Navionics on the iPhone of course

 

[Seajet]

The OP has said he has a handheld GPS, no plotter; remember, not long ago we'd have sold our Grannies for such a device !

On my first crossing to St Peter Port we were caught in unforecast fog so had to tack in the Separation Zone all night with the sound of big ship engines at the end of each tack until it cleared in the morning, we managed on dead reckoning as we were taking it seriously, but were shattered when we arrived after 40 hours.

We were two fit 17 year olds then, I wouldn't want to try that singlehanded now even with GPS, radar and autohelm - but hopefully fog forecasts have improved since 1979.

I'd say the main thing to avoid is fog at that time of year.

 

[Poignard]

(...)
I'd say the main thing to avoid is fog at that time of year.

Definitely!

 

[Minchsailor]

Why go to Cherbourg?. When I was Solent based I just could not see the attraction of the place. The marina is huge floating caravan park, the town is characterless after the joint attentions of the RAF and Luftwaffe and bad post-war planning and construction. Possibly the only worse place on this bit of coast is Le Harve.

Go to Alderney instead. I used to slip down to Studland, overnight, get away at dawn and be in Alderney in time for a pint on the quay side. Just watch the cross tide approaching the harbour (but much the same goes for Cherbourg).

If you want to go 'foreign'. consider Omonvile, to the west of Cherbourg. Nice little place. Your boat can easily anchor tucked in behind the breakwater.

 

[laika]

On my first crossing to St Peter Port we were caught in unforecast fog so had to tack in the Separation Zone all night with the sound of big ship engines at the end of each tack until it cleared in the morning

Having been myself caught in the middle (not technically separation zone if you mean the bit *between* the dover and off-casquettes tss but I know what you mean...) in thick fog without GPS or radar in my earlier sailing days....Weren't you concerned that tacking backwards and forwards in a strip 5 miles wide with fog and no landmarks for...what...24 hours?..was likely to introduce a rather worrying error into your estimated position?

 

[Bobc]

Chart of the channel, some flares, plenty of easy things to eat (mars bars, etc.) and the ability to make hot drinks, lots of warm clothing (it still gets cold at night in the summer), binoculars for the shipping lanes, plenty of fuel, and a tiller pilot.

I'm assuning your boat has a compass.

Leave early evening to get clear of the Neddles before dark, and you wil then have a fairly easy night of it. You will then do the shipping lanes in the morning in daylight, and should arrive be before dark that evening (if you're lucky).

Plot your GPS position on the chart every hour (gives you something to do and shows your progress). Get the tiller pilot to steer (hand steering for that length of time is boring and tiring).