Crossing English channel in a SIB

[Allye]

It takes a bit longer under human power!!

[Limecc]

Originally Posted by treerat

We quite often head out from Plymouth to see the rock and will happily join you if free.

Great! Provisionally we got ourselves a date and you will have your new Highfield. Will be first time away with our new old boat.

Totally off-topic, but why did they ever build a lighthouse when they could have blasted away the offending rocks to a depth making it safe for shipping? Fascinating history, I'm dying to see it up close (not too close ).

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Limecc

Totally off-topic, but why did they ever build a lighthouse when they could have blasted away the offending rocks to a depth making it safe for shipping? Fascinating history, I'm dying to see it up close (not too close ).

Because it’s not just a rock, it’s a whole reef system around 0.75 x 0.5 nm.

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by pumpkinking

....
Are the people arguing that we’ve got no sense of adventure saying that you can just rock up to the beach on a calm day and set off to France?
.

I don’t think anyone has said that, apart from yourself. All the advocates have emphasised the need for paperwork/conditions/suitability of craft etc.
Re. The beach launch, why not? I wouldn’t have any issue launching my SIB from a beach & crossing to France. Notwithstanding the fulfilment of the aforementioned criteria.
Re. Your graphic showing the traffic in the channel. Have you actually been out mid-channel in a small boat? Because if you have, you’ll realise how big The channel actually is. Yes it looks busy on your pic, but there is no sense of scale there. The icons bear no resemblance to the size of the sea they’re floating in. It’s the same when you look at AIS targets on the plotter, you think “jeeesus, look at all those ships” then you actually look for them & they’re miles away.
Back to the OPs original question, have I done it, no. Would I do it, absolutely, subject to proper planning & preparations. But that should apply to all boat trips, shouldn’t it?

[Wave Rider]

The tide runs roughly east west at Dover, parallel to the shore. It doesn't on the French coast peninsular, SW-NE when tide running in, last 1/4 of your journey. Once nearer the shore it then runs parallel. If the sib doesn't cruise at 15 knots then might want to consider a neap tide.

Its only 22 ish miles but tide calculations makes it further if you get your angles wrong.

You are going to go for it anyway or else you would not be asking. Just do all the preparation which everyone has pointed out.

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

I don’t think anyone has said that, apart from yourself. All the advocates have emphasised the need for paperwork/conditions/suitability of craft etc.
Re. The beach launch, why not? I wouldn’t have any issue launching my SIB from a beach & crossing to France. Notwithstanding the fulfilment of the aforementioned criteria.
Re. Your graphic showing the traffic in the channel. Have you actually been out mid-channel in a small boat? Because if you have, you’ll realise how big The channel actually is. Yes it looks busy on your pic, but there is no sense of scale there. The icons bear no resemblance to the size of the sea they’re floating in. It’s the same when you look at AIS targets on the plotter, you think “jeeesus, look at all those ships” then you actually look for them & they’re miles away.
Back to the OPs original question, have I done it, no. Would I do it, absolutely, subject to proper planning & preparations. But that should apply to all boat trips, shouldn’t it?

This this Joker is playing you Mate...
"what ABOUT ..the people that swim it"!!???

[sunsport350]

Originally Posted by HDAV

Yet hundreds of people with zero experience manage it on overloaded boats every year with no planning at all...........

Thousands, escaping the war in France.

[Last Tango]

Originally Posted by HDAV

Yet hundreds of people with zero experience manage it on overloaded boats every year with no planning at all...........

They rely heavily on our superb free water-taxi services.........Bilges ?

[horacebat]

I live a couple of miles from Dover, and overlook the channel from home.

There are days you wouldn't want to go out to sea in a 10m RIB, and there are many days where it is as flat as a pancake.

We've done this trip a number of times from Dover to Boulogne and Calais, and it was tres bien.

One time on the way back we were stopped by customs who were looking for Cigarettes and Alcohol and were disappointed that all we had was cheese. They retorted .. do they not sell cheese in England!

Needless to say it's a great trip, we did it with 2 sub 6 metre boats (not SIBs), and it's easily do-able in under a couple of hours, and an ideal place to go for lunch when the conditions are right.

As many of the other posts have said, just a bit of prep with planning, safety kit, documents etc and if I'm honest I'd rather go with a mate, just in case.

[RickW]

Been diving the Eddy for years and years visited it on my new Rib on its third trip out - easy enough but obviously not a SIB. Friends from our village have done it as an all day Beano with beach launched SIBS not channel crossing for sure but there and back in a day it’s the same distance. Having done several runs across the channel for diving on dive boats can concur that yes it’s busy but it’s not a motorway

[essex]

I would like to go to France on my sib but only with a flotilla of other sibbers and a safety boat in extremely calm conditions.
A trip to the isle of wright is on my to do list, maybe even a lap of it

[boristhebold]

Perfectly possible given the right sea conditions, however thats not saying you should do it, if something goes wrong its not your own neck you are risking but others like the RNLI.

Personally speaking I think its a dumb idea and full of risks, I would not contemplate crossing the channel in any rib under 7M and it would have to have 2 well serviced engines, spare fuel, supplies and some spare parts, 2 vhf radios, a plb, a liferaft etc etc and be a well planned event with good weather. Unexpected things happen at sea, ive seen alot in 11 years of boat ownership and 10 years of working on large ships all over the world.

Best not to attempt it.

[HDAV]

Originally Posted by pumpkinking

https://youtu.be/g0J5RZjvP-Q

These guys look like a good example of how to go about it (albeit on jet-skis) and looks epic.

Pussies took a rib with them also that GP would need fuel for the return trip.... if not the outward one

Originally Posted by Voodoo

I would recommend a lap of the isle of wight. Ive done it on a jetski for charity (GAFIRS) also in previous boats and when I was racing...its a great trip, around 55 miles. No passport required

Done it, (dawnbusters) was more than 55 miles tho....




Regularly cross the Bristol Channel and back in a day, 2nd highest tidal range 5knt tide etc etc it’s never flat all the way across and back, went to ilfracombe a d watchet several times this year from South Wales less traffic in terms of ships the odd car carrier out of Avon mouth a few bulkers headed for port Talbot


I don’t have a sib so wouldn’t do it on that, but done it lots and lots of times only ever had one incident steering broke on return trip I wasn’t out that day but everyone got back.

Ingest issue in a sib will be sheer boredom after 30 mins of getting slapped int he face bumpy cold water most want to go home not endure another couple hours followed by aggro on the beach and a long walk to get a beer/coffee and do it all again to probably have a load more hassle when you get back but bucket list done

[Obsidian]

I have done numerous Channel crossings in all manner of vessels, it is certainly possible and potentially enjoyable

Perhaps more relevant have a look for a chap who used to / still is a member here - he used to regularly do expeditions on his jet ski and that includes Channel crossings (not the short Dover part but the proper bits)

As for the guy who would not do 20nm in anything less than a 7m twin engine boat, that made me snigger

[Sutty]

As for the guy who would not do 20nm in anything less than a 7m twin engined boat, that made me snigger[/QUOTE]

Particularly when his nomenclature is BORIS THE BOLD

[Limecc]

Originally Posted by Obsidian

As for the guy who would not do 20nm in anything less than a 7m twin engine boat, that made me snigger

Originally Posted by Sutty

Particularly when his nomenclature is BORIS THE BOLD

This is a bit severe. If incurring an engine problem would your contingency be to PanPan the CG and trouble the RNLI?
Having a backup motor is good planning, many people have them self included.
The guy with the jet-ski, well fine, he's good tv material on 'saving lives at sea'. Hilarious actually.

The size of boat is personal preference. Not that I have one, I'd also use my 7m boat for short journeys.

Re the twin radios he mentioned, many on here have a handheld in addition to the fixed vhf. This is contingency for electrical failure. Is it also funny to carry flares? It might be if never doing more than coastal hops.

[Fender]

Originally Posted by Sutty

As for the guy who would not do 20nm in anything less than a 7m twin engined boat, that made me snigger

Particularly when his nomenclature is BORIS THE BOLD [/QUOTE]

The irony wasn't lost on me neither

[Obsidian]

Originally Posted by Limecc

The guy with the jet-ski, well fine, he's good tv material on 'saving lives at sea'. Hilarious actually.

Being severe is something you dabble in as well I see

Actually to the best of my knowledge he never once had cause to call for help, shame I can't remember his name as the number of trips he made was legendary

[Limecc]

Originally Posted by Obsidian

Being severe is something you dabble in as well I see

Actually to the best of my knowledge he never once had cause to call for help, shame I can't remember his name as the number of trips he made was legendary

Yeah sorry.
If jetski guy is still doing the crossings just a matter of time before his luck runs out and we see him on tv then

I have to draw the line carrying a liferaft. Even if capsized, stay with the boat.

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Limecc

Yeah sorry.
If jetski guy is still doing the crossings just a matter of time before his luck runs out and we see him on tv then

Doesn’t that also apply to everyone that ventures out of their armchair & onto the water? Even the best planned & prepared for ventures go wrong. You have to wonder if some of the nay-sayer’s boats ever get wet.