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Message board > Navigation & sea worthiness > English Channel Crossing

Message 5 of 5
Posted by member Stephen Izatt on Friday 11 November 2016

Hi, We are keen to get ourselves acros the channel in our 25 Mariner. We've gone down the coast and encountered some quite heavy seas - especially when sent out to sea by the range safety boats at Lulworth. We have done all that needed to be done (we hope) to get any issues sorted and the engine, turbo etc into good shape and and will service again in the spring. Now we'd like to get over to the Channel Islands or Cherbourg. We are based in the Solent, on the IOW. We'd certainly feel a lot better making this first crossing with others. We have some channel hopping friends who are keen for us to jointhem, but they have Sealine 42s which ride a lot higher and faster than our little semi D. Therefore, making the trip with some Hardy friends seems like a good plan. We were staying at the RMYC at Sandbanks this summer and we saw a few little flotillas going off very early in the morning, with a good forecast for a few days aghead. They were reporting back of their safe arrival by late lunchtime. It included Benteau Merry Fishers and boats of 18 - 20ft Keep us posted and maybe the stars will align for a long weekend. Stephen

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Message 4 of 5
Posted by member Rob on Friday 11 November 2016

Hello all. I think I worded my post badly and it has more than one meaning. What I meant to ask was peoples opinion on whether a channel crossing would be feasible amongst Hardy Owners Club members in terms of enough people interested with the correct boat set up and experience. The first question would be if there is enough support from Hardy owners to meet up at Ramsgate or perhaps the Solent. The next question would be when they could meet up. The problem may well be if they all could meet up on the same week, that the weather may be not right on the week they had planned. Regarding myself, I would say I am up to a channel crossing as part of a group but not to organise it. Thanks to Mike and Peter for your replies. Happy boating. Rob

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Message 3 of 5
Posted by member Peter on Wednesday 5 October 2016

Hi Rob, I think Liability can be down to your insurance etc. but more important is how confident you are at sea and the old factor of the weather. Most boats will cope with the crossing in flat calm but even a force 5 blowing up can give you a bad time. I had been boating for many years and eventually change to a small 21 ft. yacht. We set off in a nice sunny flat calm forcast weekend but soon found our day upset when a force 6 blew out of nowhere, despite being in a yacht who's design has crossed the Atlantic a number of times, it was still a hairy time. Preparation and experience and a good understanding of the passage are paramount in safe crossings. Never push the limits of your boat and crew and try a few practice runs to see how things turn out. You don't say what your experience is so can't comment on what you should be doing before hand but hope you enjoy your boating and get across to france. BR, Peter

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Message 2 of 5
Posted by member mike insall on Tuesday 4 October 2016

Hi Bob, you may be interested in the following, a navigational video series that includes a channel crossing from Ramsgate. Visit www.yachttuition.co.uk and go to the pilotage section. Regards, Mike

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Message 1 of 5
Posted by member Rob on Tuesday 27 September 2016

This post is more to get peoples opinions. I would like to do a channel crossing in my Hardy Navigator, next year from April onwards. I have thought of a start and finish at Ramsgate. Without being negative , I can already see two problems. One is the liability factor, the other is the weather. It would be good to do this with other Hardy's. Let me know what you think. Rob

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