Rib Cruise from Poland to Littlehampton 27th April - 2 May 2011

[Andre]

A few weeks ago I mentioned on another thread that I was planning to bring my next demo rib to the UK all the way by sea from Poland.
Well I am pleased to say that a time table has been set and it is a GO.

The rib known as “Black Magic” is an all Black Parker 650 powered by Cummins QSD 2.0 170HP with the Bravo One drive. The navigation equipment from Simrad ie the NX45 but I may change to the latest NSE12. I am also having AIS installed so we can be tracked on line.

I will be joined on this cruise by my friends Steve G & Mike C. Mike is only going to do the first two legs of the trip and leave us at the exit of the Kiel Canal.

We will all fly out to Berlin on Tuesday 26 April and then travel to Szczecin, Poland. The rib will have arrived by the morning of Wednesday 27th and after a good shake down we will set out for Germany. The factory will have clocked up the first 20 engine hours on the local lake and done the first service.

The idea is to take the inland waterway route from Szczecin to Der Strom, Peenemunde and across the sea to Stahlbrode then to the Kiel Canal. On Friday 29th April at the exit of the Kiel we will hopefully meet up with Jan (DNV) and say our goodbyes to Mike. From there Steve and myself will head for Helgoland , Norderney, Den Helder, Ijmuiden, Breskens, Dunkerque, Calais, Dover and Littlehampton. We will later move “Black Magic” to Southampton Dry Stack.

If the weather is good to us then we should arrive Littlehampton Monday 2 May late in the afternoon. HW is after 5PM so we should aim for that.

Once the cruise has been completed I will post some photos and advise of fuelling stops, fuel consumption, speeds, legs, hotels and marinas on route. I have already prepared a very comprehensive route plan and the only uncertain thing so far is the weather. I have even managed to obtain the mobile tel number to the fuel man on the isle of Norderney.

The distance which we will cover is about 750Nm

[martini]

Good luck with the trip, hope the weather's a bit kinder to you than last time!

Especially as I'm planning a 650nm round trip up the Seine during the same week!

[Andre]

Originally Posted by martini

Good luck with the trip, hope the weather's a bit kinder to you than last time!

Especially as I'm planning a 650nm round trip up the Seine during the same week!

Hi Matt, you too best of luck and no doubt we will meet up at Seawork in June

[Channel Ribs]

Sounds great

[Andre]

Just to confirm to those who may wish to follow this thread - The cruise is on only it has been delayed by a few days as we will have to clock up the first 20hours before departure and then have the engine serviced. I estimate we will now depart Szczecin on Friday 29th April.
I only hope the weather is good to us.

Black Magic is near completion and I will post photos at the end of the week. She looks good.

[Andre]

Originally Posted by Andre

Just to confirm to those who may wish to follow this thread - The cruise is on only it has been delayed by a few days as we will have to clock up the first 20hours before departure and then have the engine serviced. I estimate we will now depart Szczecin on Friday 29th April.
I only hope the weather is good to us.

Black Magic is near completion and I will post photos at the end of the week. She looks good.

Just now managed to log on. Sadly the weather is against us. We have just spent 3 fantastic days ribbing in the Szczecin waters and the day before yesterday circumnavigated the island of Wolin. The sea part was a rough ride with most of the way F5 with the wind behind. The rib is fantastic and I take my hat off to scotseats. The seats are unbelievable and a great pity we will not make the passage but that was always in our mind. F4 to 5 max but anything above then no. We are today setting off on an inland cruise to Peenemunde where we will stay the night and of course visit the museum. See what the V1 and 2 were all about.
Mike and Steve will fly back on Tuesday. I will stay on and join the towing to Calais where we will launch and cross the channel and head for Littlehampton repeating the NautiBouy trip but hopefullly less the excitement that followed.

We are very disappointed but safety and common sense comes first

I will post some photos during the week when I have access to computer. This log in is via my blackberry

[250kts]

What a dissapointment Andre, but a wise decision.

Keep us updated on the cross channel trip and hope customs leave you alone this time

Steve

[Andre]

Originally Posted by 250kts

What a dissapointment Andre, but a wise decision.

Keep us updated on the cross channel trip and hope customs leave you alone this time

Steve

towing to Calais tomorrow. hopefully we will cross the channel on saturday. Mike and Steve will come across on the ferry. This is also weather pending and traffic pending as i have a 700mile trip and HV is in the afternoon on Saturday. If i miss that window we tow all the way

[250kts]

Good luck, hope all the timing work out and the guys get across to meet you
Steve

[Andre]

Well we are back having had the rib towed from Szczecin Poland to Calais on Friday. Launched Black Magic on Saturday in Calais and was later joined by MIke and Steve

It took us just about 4 hours to get to Littlehampton and just in time before LW. Steve and I will be moving the rib today to Southampton Dry Stack

I will post some photos from various rib trips in the Galley. It is a shame we could not do the whole distance but there will always be another time.

The Scotseats proved themselves again. I am so pleased that Jonathan from Scotseats talked me into them. I will at a later time give more details about our rib trips in the superb waters of western Poland ansd eastern Germany

no doubt Mike and Steve will also give their accounts