Needles - Cherbourg - Saturday 12 October 2013

[Avocet]

Strangely (and rather oddly), I used exactly the same each way: 135 litres (Poole - St Vaast; St Vaast - Poole, not refuelling in Cherbourg).

I haven't checked the mileage but probably 100M which (allowing for rounding) gives the usual 1.3 litres per mile that I work on for cruises. The adverse weather conditions seemed to make no difference!

[lakelandterrier]

Originally Posted by landlord

For those that couldn't make the trip there were tee shirts handed out to those that made it to commemorate the crossing. However there are some tee shirts left over. Now these tee shirts are highly sort after and are bound to become collectors items, they will probably end up at Southerby's one day

As we are raising money for MacMillan cancer support I am willing to let the tee shirts go for a £10 donation to the fund. Ill post them free of charge.

Donations can be made here Rib. net is fundraising for Macmillan Cancer Support

I only have 5 x XL and 2 x L. so let me know if you want one and what size before you donate the £10.

Seems wrong to have/wear a T-shirt for something you didn't actually take part in - but I'm well impressed with what you guys achieved (although I doubt some of your sanity) - I wouldn't have taken my RC 5.3 on that journey in those conditions !) I'll donate £10 anyway and not have a shirt as a mark of my respect for the venture. Anyone else?

[landlord]

Understand your comments but its similar to buying a tee shirt of the Queens 60th Jubilee. Doesn't mean you were at the party at Buck House but you were there in spirit

We know who went over to Cherbourg but those that get a tee shirt by donating are simply showing their support for a great cause

[lakelandterrier]

Originally Posted by landlord

Understand your comments but its similar to buying a tee shirt of the Queens 60th Jubilee. Doesn't mean you were at the party at Buck House but you were there in spirit

We know who went over to Cherbourg but those that get a tee shirt by donating are simply showing their support for a great cause

To me there is a difference - not got a problem with anyone wearing a general Jubilee / Olympics etc...T-shirt. I would find it distasteful for someone to wear a "I went to the party at Buck House" or "I completed the London Marathon" T-shirt if they hadn't I think it devalues the experience / achievement of those who did.

My personal view - which is why I'll donate the price of a T-shirt to the cause without wanting one. I don't want to discourage anyone from donating to the cause or stand in their way of gaining such a collectable shirt!

[ajstars]

I have to resize each picture to post them! It's a time consuming process - I picked the best!
Can't wait to see the go pro footage though.

[landlord]

Can't remember seeing your Gopro, where was it mounted

[ajstars]

Sorry that was in relation to Hadds footage.

[willk]

The reports coming back from the skippers and crew regarding cruising in "sub-optimal" conditions are fascinating. Over the past few years I've done more than my share of this stuff and I had no information like this to prepare me. Fairly much without exception, I have ended up by trial and error coming to the same conclusions that you guys listed:

Dry suits good, everything else a waste of time
Gecko helmets good - need intercom patched into VHF + full visor.
Wear everything you will need, including food and drink.
Arsing about with electronics is difficult - be prepared to use the compass for long sections/periods, it's much easier.
Good handholds are essential - most leisure RIBs are badly served in this area.
You can't see through a wet screen AND a wet gecko.
You'll be driving while standing
Gloves are for girls and passengers.
If you can see the RIB ahead of you all the time, the swell is less than 3m

[biffer]

I will add something to to your list Wilk but it only relates to inboard boat, as boat engines run at 80 degrees its a good place to put your water soaked clothing at the end of a cruise, I also put my pasties on the top to warm them up, you do need a clean engine though

[gtb]

Originally Posted by willk

The reports coming back from the skippers and crew regarding cruising in "sub-optimal" are fascinating. Over the past few years I've done more than my share of this stuff and I had no information like this to prepare. Fairly much without exception, I have ended up by trial and error coming to the same conclusions that you guys listed:

It's my first such trip, and without the collective advice of the rib.net massif I would likely have been ill prepared, so thanks for being one of the trailblazers, and sharing!

Dry suits good, everything else a waste of time
Gecko helmets good - need intercom patched into VHF + full visor.
Wear everything you will need, including food and drink.
Arsing about with electronics is difficult - be prepared to use the compass for long sections/periods, it's much easier.
Good handholds are essential - most leisure RIBs are badly served in this area.
You can't see through a wet screen AND a wet gecko.
You'll be driving while standing
Gloves are for girls and passengers.
If you can see the RIB ahead of you all the time, the swell is less than 3m

"Dry suits good, everything else a waste of time"
I ended up with a floatation suit rather than dry suit (despite the advice here!) It kept me very dry, with a high collar that came up around my mouth and under the Gecko visor to keep all the water out. Didn't get a drop of water inside. The only niggle was that I was overheating in it, I has t-shirt and thin jumper under but only needed a t-shirt really.

"You can't see through a wet screen AND a wet gecko."
I put Rain-X on the Gecko visor, which kept it free from dropplets and fogging.

+1 to everything else.

I'd also add, don't expect to do any kind of record keeping while making way, the good intentions to log time/distance/fuel en route never materialized -- it would require planned stops to log such stuff.

[gtb]

I should clarify ... when I say
"the good intentions to log time/distance/fuel en route never materialized"
I meant my intentions, I certainly don't mean to cast aspersions on anyone else.

[biffer]

I've been reading through these post while consuming large volumes of tea, a few things that I want to throw into the po if you guys are going to do more, compasses, it's ok to follow a compass heading if you're old school and I'm not opening a debate here, you need to have a compass swung every year if you're going to use it to navigate and swinging one on a rib is next to impossible, I'll explain, compass senses magnetic field so if you get anything metal near it you will put it out, push your control lever forward will put your compass out, if they're both on the console, so will cable steering when turning the wheel, something you can't adjust against, secondly if you're using a compass you will need paper charts and a plotted course.
If you're a few miles out when you get to land there is no way of knowing where you are without a chart of some sort and going back to old school, you can tell a lot from a chart, from depth, land marks, sea bed composite.
A plotter, you'll miss it if it doesn't work but have a back up planer plotter and don't rely on it entirely.
Now two questions, who had charts and who had an accurate compass, no fibbing now

[hadd]

Originally Posted by ajstars

Sorry that was in relation to Hadds footage.

I'm having problems at the moment transferring footage on to iMovie sorry may take some time to sort out.

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by biffer

I've been reading through these post while consuming large volumes of tea, a few things that I want to throw into the po if you guys are going to do more, compasses, it's ok to follow a compass heading if you're old school and I'm not opening a debate here, you need to have a compass swung every year if you're going to use it to navigate and swinging one on a rib is next to impossible, I'll explain, compass senses magnetic field so if you get anything metal near it you will put it out, push your control lever forward will put your compass out, if they're both on the console, so will cable steering when turning the wheel, something you can't adjust against, secondly if you're using a compass you will need paper charts and a plotted course.
If you're a few miles out when you get to land there is no way of knowing where you are without a chart of some sort and going back to old school, you can tell a lot from a chart, from depth, land marks, sea bed composite.
A plotter, you'll miss it if it doesn't work but have a back up planer plotter and don't rely on it entirely.
Now two questions, who had charts and who had an accurate compass, no fibbing now

+1, IMHO the best I could get from a compass on a RIB in those conditions , is that I'm heading generally in the right direction.

[tony t]

Originally Posted by hadd

I'm having problems at the moment transferring footage on to iMovie sorry may take some time to sort out.

Here we go excuses excuses sounds like the american moon landing debate to me did they didnt they

[biffer]

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

+1, IMHO the best I could get from a compass on a RIB in those conditions , is that I'm heading generally in the right direction.

You and me both, I'd sooner be looking at a rolling road, a few degrees out over 60 odd miles, eek

[tony t]

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

+1, IMHO the best I could get from a compass on a RIB in those conditions , is that I'm heading generally in the right direction.

+1 id sooner trust my plotter, also the passenger sitting in front of it can always tell you if your off course id say most skippers have another experienced helm next to them when there out

[Erin]

You certainly can't steer by compass in the conventional fashion on a rib (or for that matter any high speed small planing vessel). However, if you're in Cherbourg and you head northish most of the way, unless there is a huge amount of lee you'll end up hitting blighty at some point . I agree it would be a time to use the rolling road on the plotter though.

[PeterM]

Interesting & very valid points made by Biff re compass errors - add in turning and errors caused by accelaration etc and they are hard to follow an exact course - but they'll give you a fair idea of heading.

I guess with this trip specifically with numerous boats there was lots of back up by way of a plotter failing . I found the compass rose on the plotter handy to follow in duff weather - and if you a track set up - you line up the indicators/ bugs and follow them only having to thank about turn left or turn right a bit - instead of thinking about actual numbers.

Of course even with the best paper charts ( or waterproof ones etc ) actually pulling them out and using them would it probably be more yachmaster level than advanced powerboat etc - no one would be daft enough to head out in a RIB across the channel in weather like that ! ..would they?

[ajstars]

I predominantly used the plotter on the return journey where somehow I found myself out ahead for a considerable time, but I did cross check this with the compass mounted above the console on the frame. It was near impossible to follow the compass as each wave could easily put you 20 to 40 degrees off course. It's very easy to get disorientated especially when you stop and then start again.