Passage plan - sailing

[Ianfs]

I'm sailing to Alderney on Friday out of Lymington, Saturday to Ormonville la Rogue possibly Cherbourg. Then back to Lymington.

Originally the plan was to head for Guernsey on Friday but planning tides through the race would mean leaving Lymington at midnight Thursday, which we couldn't all manage.

Has anyone made this Passage? I must say that in a mobo, I would have more confidence.

[ColinR]

Not as such. I've done Portsmouth to Cherbourg a few times on a raggie.

Fun doing the tides. On the face of it, since it takes about 12 hours the tides should cancel out but they don't as the tidal rates at various parts of the crossing vary. If you plot to steer a constant course you effectively cut a S shape. Watch out for the great bit mid channel buoy! We nearly hit it once on a night crossing

Are you planning a daylight crossing? I've done both and I must admit I preferred the night one as you can see the lights from further out than marks in the daylight.

Very jealous, if I wasn't going to a wedding I'd be trying to scrounge a berth.

Hope you have fair winds and good weather.

[Ianfs]

As you say Colin, tides are cancelling, although we are heading towards a full moon on Sunday so working out tide stream speeds is not so much fun.

Are you planning a daylight crossing? I've done both and I must admit I preferred the night one as you can see the lights from further out than marks in the daylight.

The original plan was to sail to Guernsey on Friday, but in order to make safe passage through the Alderney Race it would have meant departing Lymington at around midnight Thursday and unfortunately a couple of the crew couldn't make it, hence Alderney then possibly Omonville la rogue or Cherbourg.


The wind sites have been predicting high winds, up to F6/7 on Sunday but today its all change again. If we do Alderney Friday we'll have NW to WNW, which will be fine until its wind against tide. Saturday hopefully blown over to the mainland, but Sunday if the sites are correct we should get southerly winds to blow us back to blighty.

Wish you could have come along, it'll be a fun run with some excitement.

[shibbs]

Not done the crossing myself, would certainly need a little refresher if I was planning it myself. Been a while since I’ve done any proper tide passage planning.

I hope the weather is on side, sounds like it will be a great trip. Enjoy.

[ColinR]

Ideally you want westerlies (or easterlies). We came back with a WSW once so were gull winged for most of the crossing. Rolling horribly. One of the few times I've been sick on a boat.

Put me down as crew for next year when I'll have more spare time

[Ianfs]

Thanks guys.

We had WNW departing the UK backing to WSW half way and on to Alderney. It was a very bumpy sail over and had beam on seas all the way. Sea state varied from moderate to slightly rough but mostly upper of moderate.

SSW on the way home so much nicer.

As soon as I can get the videos edited I'll put up a full post.

[ColinR]

Excellent. I assume this was a lads trip? I seem to recall your better half not liking the up and down part of boating

[Ianfs]

Well sort of a lads trip. I don't think swmbo would have liked it but we also had guests for the Sunday/ Monday, so back Saturday was a bonus.

My neighbour his friend and I would have gone regardless, but on Thursday the forecast was fair so my neighbours wife came along as well because she wanted to get used to it. Turned out Friday was a little rough and she regretted it, felt sick all the way. Sunday was to be a nightmare, so coming back Saturday in reasonable conditions was a good plan and as it turned out was the right choice. Shame though, it would have been great to sail to Cherbourg, then back on Sunday.


More trips planned, Weymouth, then Foway.

[ColinR]

Sounds like you have a new passion!

Funny how you quickly get used to the slower pace although it means that you have to work to get every ounce of speed out of the sails.

Somewhere I've still got a few books on sail trim and heavy weather sailing if you want to borrow them

[Ianfs]

I think sailing is ok to test navigation and planning knowledge and great fun to be able to help use her whenever but I have to say it has reaffirmed my original thoughts for wanting a mobo.

Two examples are that there was a couple who took their Rib to Alderney moored on a neighbouring buoy. It took them 2.5hrs to get across and us 11.5 hrs. Secondly, we couldn't go to Guernsey in the end because of timings at the Alderney Race, in a cruiser or anything capable of 15knts and above, timing is not so much of an issue, weather might be though.

I think you were right a few years back that the ideal lottery winning combo would be something like a Hardy or Nelson and a Yacht.