A Cross Channel Cruise

[Charles]

Paul Lemmer and I are putting together a little cruise we shall call the 'ST.MALO CRUISE' for the following dates:

Friday 27 September 2002 - Sunday 29 September 2002.

Basically the UK ribs would leave the Solent area heading directly to the NW Minquiers buoy to RV with me and A.N. Other.
We will continue cruising south and stay over in St.Servan (St.Malo) on Friday night. Next morning its either locking through the barrage into the Rance and head for Dinan, or motor up the coast to Granville and Chausey, staying the night at one or the other. Sunday, its north to Jersey for brunch and R&R and then back to the UK. If anyone is interested please contact me?

This is an ideal opportunity for anyone who would like to attempt a cross-channel cruise for the first time with highly experienced ribsters.

[thewavehumper]

Count me in please Charles

[Alan Priddy]

Also, i should be bringing theSpirit of Cardiff back home on this weekend. Clive, Jan & myself are setting out from St John's on Sunday 15th September and plan to be back in Cardiff for that weekend.

Alan P

[Charles]

Great Alan, you guys can swing by St.Malo for a cupla beers and some fine 'Fruit De Mer' followed by a vintage 'Volnay'.

[LURCHER]

Charles ,
Would you consider 5.85 with 115hp too small for the trip ?
We are based at Hayling .

JOhn

[Charles]

Firstly, as you will be cruising in company I do not think that size should be a problem. It all depends on sea-state. What sort of speed can you comfortably cruise at?

I have crossed the Channel a number of times with a 5.8 Humber Dive-pro as well as my small 6.5 Hysucat. Twice in a F4/5...pretty nasty. There is safety in company, BUT you really do not want to hold up the larger RIBS too much.

[Pete7]

Lurcher, just go for it your rib will be fine. Its not the boat thats the problem as much as its the crew that tends to give up first. Assuming the weather is good you will have a fab time, and as Charles says the cruise is company is is great for safety. If the big boats want to open the trottles thats fine they will stop every so often to let other catch up. Have a good trip. Pete

[cliveg]

Being new to RIBs I am interested in your comments re crossing Channel.
I woul love at some time to crew as I only plan on getting a 4.5m RIB which I would not expect to be suitable.
How long does the crossing take on average and what problems can be experienced?
Sorry for such basic questions but I only ever planned on pottering around the Cornish coast.
I bet a trip to Scilly would be superb. Has anyone done this and was it good?

Cheers.

Clive

[Pete7]

Portsmouth the Alderney took four hours at a leasurely 22-24 mph, stopping every hour for coffee and allow the boats to group together again. Alderney through the race to Jersey another 3 again stopping every hour. Takes a bit of nerve switching off the engine when your 30 miles from land, but all part of the fun. Petrol dead cheap in Jersey take anything that will hold fuel. Smallest rib on the trip was a Flatacraft 17 ft rib with 60 hp Yamaha. No problems if the weather is good and the boat well prepared. Its the crew that give up first rather than the boat. Interestingly it was the big ribs that had all the problems with engine to stern drive shafts braking on two off them. 'Orrible little 2 stoke engines just carried on smoking like a pusser on capstan full strength, oh apart from a BWM which the tubes fell off, but then it was built by Messrs Lemmer and Co, so nothing new there then still, patched (an appropriate name for it) it still made it home. Great trip and will be doing it again soon.

[Brian]

Cliveg
On the last trip to Channel Islands, we (me and Andy Mickelwright and family) did Alderney back to Brixham (Torbay) in exactly 2 hours. It's about 65nm. ALDERNEY TO Jersey is about 30nm so say 1 hour in flat sea.
Each year I organise, on behalf of BIBOA, the South West Cruise which goes left one day from Plymouth and goes right for the other day. We usually do about 80nm each day. nice and easy. Very scenic, designed for beginners and families (although all welcome). This year we additionally did one down to the Scillies and back as well.
If you use the Search button on this forum and the Gallery forum, you will read all about what happened find out a huge amount of info re accomodation, refueling etc. and see the piccies.
Keywords in the Search are Scilly, Scillies, and South West.
See you on next years Cruises?