Jersey to Pontaubault 12 August 2010

[GJ0KYZ]

In the south east corner of the bay of Mont St. Michel is an estuary shared by two rivers: the Sée and the Selune. The Sée leads to Avranches and the Selune to Pontaubault. I had reached Avranches earlier in March this year and on Thursday I managed to get to Pontaubault. I had the assistance of two French guides but even so the trip was harder than I had expected and involved some very tricky navigation, several groundings and our having to battle a large tidal bore on the return journey. As was the case with Avranches, I'm certain that my reaching Pontaubault was the first visit by a foreign vessel in recent times; perhaps ever. Anyway, here's the link to the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ur54Yd85zY

[Erin]

Another fascinating expedition, and a great vid too, very professional edit. We must try and arrange a Jersey Ribnetters cruise with you and maybe get Gotchiguy along too.

[GJ0KYZ]

Thanks Erin. It was a pretty necky trip to be honest. The river level had fallen overnight and were grounded until the bore arrived at which point we had only 20 minutes to get to the estuary. I'll be returning to the bay of MSM on the high tides in September and October; you're all welcome to come along.

By the way, if you have Windows 7 you'll have the video editing software already - it's called Windows Live Movie Maker and is dead easy to use.

[martini]

Cool another first

I'm hopefully getting some plans drawn up over the next few months for an aluminium rib hull. I think we need to do a jet drive version for you!

[Channel Ribs]

Originally Posted by GJ0KYZ

I'll be returning to the bay of MSM on the high tides in September and October; you're all welcome to come along.

Sounds good

[GJ0KYZ]

Martini - thanks! Yes, an aluminium jet drive rib would be ideal. Does anyone make aluminium ribs in the UK nowadays?

Malthouse - next trip will probably be to Mont St. Michel on Saturday 28 August. There are loads of tides in September that would be ideal as well.

[martini]

Originally Posted by GJ0KYZ

Martini - thanks! Yes, an aluminium jet drive rib would be ideal. Does anyone make aluminium ribs in the UK nowadays?

Malthouse - next trip will probably be to Mont St. Michel on Saturday 28 August. There are loads of tides in September that would be ideal as well.

Theres a few around, Ocean Dynamics are still turning them out http://www.mustangmarine.com/ribworker/index.htm and hopefully I will be too!

28th sounds good, looks like I got a friend over from the uk then so would be great for him

[GJ0KYZ]

Originally Posted by martini

Theres a few around, Ocean Dynamics are still turning them out

Whoa!! Check this out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tzCzmYtWKw

[martini]

Holy s**t! Ok he can drive a boat I'll give him that

I remember they were demo'ing these at the very 1st ribex ('99?) in weymouth, epic manoeuvrability

[GJ0KYZ]

Is anyone able to buy from Ocean Dynamics? I read that you have to be be commercially licensed before they'll do business with you, in the same way Delta was a while back. In these difficult times I wonder if any RIB manufacturer can afford to be this fussy.

[captainpugwash]

Originally Posted by GJ0KYZ

Martini - thanks! Yes, an aluminium jet drive rib would be ideal. Does anyone make aluminium ribs in the UK nowadays?

Malthouse - next trip will probably be to Mont St. Michel on Saturday 28 August. There are loads of tides in September that would be ideal as well.

http://www.robustboats.co.uk/Alimal%20Ribs.htm

[martini]

Originally Posted by GJ0KYZ

Is anyone able to buy from Ocean Dynamics? I read that you have to be be commercially licensed before they'll do business with you, in the same way Delta was a while back. In these difficult times I wonder if any RIB manufacturer can afford to be this fussy.

I've never heard this, certainly I haven't seen anything on their site to suggest this. I think they even sell their hulls in kit form or did at one point.

In case anyones not aware, Ocean Dynamics is now part of Mustang Marine boatbuilders in Wales, the ribs they produce are called Ribworker.

[Channel Ribs]

Originally Posted by martini

Holy s**t! Ok he can drive a boat I'll give him that

Piffle, it is all about a careful hand on the bucket lever.

Burhou has a couple of little gullies like that, needs similar maneuvering to get in and out. Though I have seen people do it with more shouting and fending.

Can I have a 6.7m Ali Jetdrive please?

[Paul Cannell]

Originally Posted by martini

Holy s**t! Ok he can drive a boat I'll give him that

I remember they were demo'ing these at the very 1st ribex ('99?) in weymouth, epic manoeuvrability

There's one running out of Weymouth, 10mtr long & 4mtr beam. We did a trip into the Portland race with him, fantastic boat.

[Jizm]

Originally Posted by GJ0KYZ

Whoa!! Check this out:

Excellent vid....

[gotchiguy]

Originally Posted by Erin

Another fascinating expedition, and a great vid too, very professional edit. We must try and arrange a Jersey Ribnetters cruise with you and maybe get Gotchiguy along too.

Yes looks like great fun! I am however rather too attached to my gearbox for something like this!...

[GJ0KYZ]

Originally Posted by gotchiguy

Yes looks like great fun! I am however rather too attached to my gearbox for something like this!...

It was more anxiety provoking than fun to be honest and most of my original gearbox is now on the bed of the Couesnon river in front of the new barrage. Still, a few of us may be going to Mont St. Michel next Saturday if you fancy coming along.

[martini]

I'm still keen, one thing or another has stopped me from joining you all year!

[gotchiguy]

Originally Posted by GJ0KYZ

It was more anxiety provoking than fun to be honest and most of my original gearbox is now on the bed of the Couesnon river in front of the new barrage. Still, a few of us may be going to Mont St. Michel next Saturday if you fancy coming along.

As long as there is somewhere soft-ish to beach the hull, I would love to join you one day on a trip by boat to the MSM, have been many times by car, but it would change the experience completely arriving by boat, especially a flotilla of British ribs, we get a ton of attention wherever we go, I can't imagine what the reaction would be with Martini and you along too!! The french really do admire all our boats in a fanatical kind of way

Unfortunately we won't be able to make it this saturday, we're going home for a week since Gotchidad needs to work the juice that wot the etec drinks has got to be paid for I suppose and we've other commitments. Back next monday, and will definitely be coming up to Jersey however, in the first week of September/end august for a service at GT marine to get the engine checked over, so if you're around at that time (any others of you on here too obviously) we'd love to join you for an evening on Chausey or Minquiers or wherever pity the trip down here hasn't yet come to fruition though though theres always the winter to come

[Mollers]

Originally Posted by gotchiguy

The french really do admire all our boats in a fanatical kind of way

I feel similarly about their women, especially those from the more southerly latitudes.