From U.K. to Norway by rib in April 2004

Fjordrafting · 01 November 2003, 17:00

We plan to go from U.K. to Norway next spring with a 9m.rib. Who has done it before us, and what should we think about?
Martin

Petrov · 01 November 2003, 19:17

You can look on the thread crazy trip under rib gallery, search for it there or try this link.

Crazy trip

You can also look at these 2 links, drove the whole Norweigan coast, Kirkenes to Oslo.

Norways coast

Norways coast 2

Garygee · 02 November 2003, 21:24

Hi Martin

Their was a group went from the IOM a few years ago that was covered in RIB International very well.

Think it was a couple of years ago and was called Odins Ravin I think.

I will try and find the issue number but of you want a photocopy drop me a PM and I can send to you.

Where are youmplanning to go to/from as sounds like a interesting trip.

Regards Gary

jwalker · 02 November 2003, 23:36

They did it in a Delta, 8.5 I think. I heard they took fright and didn't return in the rib.
Not trying to discourage you in anyway though.

I know the guy who sold the rib. He rekons it wasn't the best of boats. Gearygee, you may know him. He used to be based at Troon Marina.

Alan · 03 November 2003, 08:03

Talk to Allen C (Corlett) who occasionally posts hereabouts. He was on the IOM crew that did the trip IIRC.

Andre · 03 November 2003, 19:52

Martin

Exciting crossing. Does this mean you have finally selected your new rib or is it going to be a Scorpion
Whichever congratulations on your purchase?

Have you decided on the port of departure?

Andre

Allen · 04 November 2003, 09:08

Martin,

Alan is quite right, I can help you with this - I thought I sent you a pm about it last week actually.

But anyway, I was one of a team of five who took an 8.5m Delta from the Isle of Man to Trondheim in June/July 2000.

The purpose of this trip was to replicate in reverse (if that's possible) the Odin's Raven expedition of 1989, when four of our crew had been part of the Manx/Norwegan crew that rowed a replica viking longship from Trondheim to Peel in the Isle of Man.

Contrary to jwalker's comment, because we planned to make all the stops that Odin's Raven made, the trip was obviously going to take much longer than it would have done had we scheduled the route at rib speed. So to make best use of our available time we planned to freight the boat back and fly home ourselves. Our skipper, Nigel Wood, actually flew his family out to Trondheim for a few days boating in the Fjord after we deckhands had flown home!

Although I wasn't involved in buying the boat, it was passed off as being set up for a trip to Iceland - clearly not the case as it turned out! Although the Delta is a big lump of a boat and served us very well, the fuel tank was tiny, and as a result we had to carry fuel on deck and even refuel at sea once! A fair bit of work had to be done to it to make it fit for the voyage.

We made a number of stopovers on the west coast of Scotland followed by Kirkwall, Fair Isle, Lerwick and then overnight across the North Sea to Bergen. Then Moloy, Alesund and Trondheim. The weather was pretty crappy all the way which saw us either in the bad weather or trying to keep ahead of it. We only had one really nice day which we spent drifting and drinking between Iona and Staffa.

We had good coverage in either a late 200 or an early 2001 edition of Rib International.

The trip is quite straightforward as long as you have a suitable boat, the right weather, and of course you are personally capable of it.

I'm very happy to give you what help I can, just let me know.

Cheers

Allen

Fjordrafting · 04 November 2003, 09:56

Quote:

Originally posted by Andre
Martin

Exciting crossing. Does this mean you have finally selected your new rib or is it going to be a Scorpion
Whichever congratulations on your purchase?

Have you decided on the port of departure?

Andre

The Scorpionguys are working full time trying to find a better slottime for the delivery. And I will let them do that a little bit more to see what they can come up with.
About the trip:
I have found a very good navigator and he is more than willing to take the trip. We have to see what we can do, but the first plan is to test the boat for two days where we pick it up, have a service taken and then have the boat sent by car up to some place north of U.K.
We will then go to Bergen and finally up to my hometown, Trondheim.

Martin

Fjordrafting · 04 November 2003, 10:04

Quote:

Originally posted by Allen
Martin,

But anyway, I was one of a team of five who took an 8.5m Delta from the Isle of Man to Trondheim in June/July 2000.

I'm very happy to give you what help I can, just let me know.

Cheers

Allen

Hi, Allen!
I am so sorry that I missed your first mail!
Thank you for responding.
When everything is certain, which boat ot by where etc. I will definately take advantage of your experiance and knowledge.
Have a nice day!
Martin

Allen · 04 November 2003, 10:11

You're welcome.

What size Scorpion are you after?

Allen

Fjordrafting · 04 November 2003, 10:12

Quote:

Originally posted by Andre
Martin

Exciting crossing. Does this mean you have finally selected your new rib or is it going to be a Scorpion
Whichever congratulations on your purchase?

Have you decided on the port of departure?

Andre

The Scorpionguys are working full time trying to find a better slottime for the delivery. And I will let them do that a little bit more to see what they can come up with.
About the trip:
I have found a very good navigator and he is more than willing to take the trip. We have to see what we can do, but the first plan is to test the boat for two days where we pick it up, have a service taken and then have the boat sent by car up to some place north of U.K.
We will then go to Bergen and finally up to my hometown, Trondheim.

Martin

Alan · 04 November 2003, 10:25

Long way with two big petrol engines! Whats the fuel capacity of the boat intended to be?

Fjordrafting · 05 November 2003, 16:36

The gastanks are initially 100 gallon. I have two extra gastanks at home. they are 15 gallon each.
I have not looked too closely, but it is probably 300 miles from the tip of U.K. to Bergen.
If we use 1.5l per mile pr. engine, it will be 900 liter!
We havent made any decition yet, but we might order larger gastank. The disadvantage with larger tank is that the weight will move more backward the larger the tank is and the difference will be huge between full and 1/4 tank if the tank is very big.
We have to make more thinking here.
Two tanks, pump in between etc.!
Martin

Petrov · 05 November 2003, 17:05

It`s around 319 nautical miles to Bergen from aberdeen.
This mean that if you have a average speed of say 40 knots and a fuel consumption of 1,5 liters PER engine wich means 3 liters per nautical mile is 957 liters.
Looks tight if you don`t install bigger tanks and have some extra fuel with you.
Check also how many percent oil the engines take, say around 1-2 percent depending on brand of engines.

Fjordrafting · 05 November 2003, 18:12

Thank you Petrov! If it hadnt been for you, I would still be paddling this time year next year!

Alan, an other solution Petrov came up with on the phone is to go to Shetland to tank there first.
Maybe it is possible to get a deal with an oilrig, and refil there? We still have 6 months to find out something. This is something we defenately want to do, so I am sure we will come up with something.
We will be very happy for any good sugestion.
Martin

jwalker · 05 November 2003, 19:58

Quote:

Originally posted by Petrov
It`s around 319 nautical miles to Bergen from aberdeen.
This mean that if you have a average speed of say 40 knots and a fuel consumption of 1,5 liters PER engine wich means 3 liters per nautical mile is 957 liters.
Looks tight if you don`t install bigger tanks and have some extra fuel with you.
Check also how many percent oil the engines take, say around 1-2 percent depending on brand of engines.

Don't leave from Aberdeen, it's not such a good place for pleasure boats. Use Peterhead. This will be my departure point for the future. The crossing from Shetland is about 200mls, but Shetland is a long way in the first place.
However, 200mls@40mph = 5 hours. Leave at shetland at 9am, arrive at 2pm. Sounds easy, doesn't it.

Alan · 06 November 2003, 08:46

If you are going for twin engines for safety as well as performance then wouldnt the sensible approach to have two fuel tanks (and twin electrics for that matter) so that bad fuel in a common tank doesn't kill both your engines?

For your trip home (which sounds great fun by the way) you are going to have to stage via Shetlands I'dve thought. Can't see how you could carry enough fuel to do it in one hit. 317nm @3l per mile + 30% reserve = 1240 litres!! Your 100 gallon tank gives you 450 odd (although probably not all usable) so thats a hell of a lot of deck tanks needed. No smoking on board I trust!

Also I assume you are not going to calculate passage times, fuel consumption etc assuming 40kts as cruise speed? It'd have to be a very calm day to acheive that and I suspect very calm days are in short supply in that area! A cruising speed of 25kts might be more conservative.

Agree with JW about Peterhead. Found the people there very friendly when we stopped there on RB4. Not sure that Peterhead or even anywhere in Shetlands offers petrol alongside though. (Keith Hart can probably advise about Shetlands.) Dont want to think about refuelling the quantities that you will need by can from the local garage though!

Brian · 07 November 2003, 07:52

Hmmm. Sounds to me that what you really, really need is a single, diesel engined Scorpion Sportscruiser that can do that trip comfortably (and in some comfort).
It just so happens that I know of one for sale at the moment.................

Brian · 07 November 2003, 11:25

More seriously though...................
I fully support your planned trip across to Norway.
The sort of trip I would like to do myself, if only I had the time, but.......
apart from the cost of petrol, which may not influence you, have you considered it's availability?
Out in the middle of the North Sea, I can image that an oilrig, a supply boat, the odd trawler or two, may well be able to part with some diesel. But petrol? Hmmm, more doubtful, I think.
Still, nevermind, I am sure you will be thinking of your forebears and taking along several long oars and some big bedsheets.