North Sea and Bay of Biscay this spring anyone?

[Caminantes]

Hi, this is my first post here, and i wanted to introduce myself before asking some questions.

Yeah, english is not my mother tongue.

Myself, i am just a guy who travels around since his teens and have never settled. It is also, not in my plans to do so.

Since a few years, i took interest in boats as a way of moving around.

In 2018 i took a plastic kayak and descended the Rhône river from Geneve (Switzerland) to the Med. And then i continued coastal hoping until i reached Barcelona.

Kind of cruising. Then i realized i wanted a bigger boat. A boat to travel where i could also cook and sleep, and take my stuff with me. I dont have a home.

After my kayak trip from Switzerland to Spain, i found a derelict Leisure 17, no cabin, no rudder no skeg. Just a Hull with lots of holes. In north Germany.

After seven months working on it in a open hall belonging to a nice farmer in north germany, i managed to put together something looking like a boat and went cruising.

I live with almost no money (i work only in stuff i feel passionate about). And live on maybe 100 euro a month i earn doing odd jobs here and there.

So i rebuilt that boat using reclaimed materials: wood, metal scrap, old paint and stuff i found laying around.

The final product looked like a contraption out of a Madmax film, with a touch of Jack Sparrow, but it floated and steered.

I also built a sculling oar inspired on a video from an old japanese guy who seemengly crossed the pacific rowing with a similar oar. The difference is his was aluminium and mine was steel. But hey! He was 79 and i was 40.

Shortly before i departed, someone gave me an old 2 stroke yamaha that i used until it died.

Against all odds, i managed to motor and row a good part of the german, dutch, belgian and french waterways on my little ugly boat.

Unscratched. And yeah, i took a third party insurance just to be mindful of the other boaties in case something happened in a lock. Luckily, nothing bad ever happened. Just lots of smiles.

That was 2020.

The boat i gave away in france, to a nice dutch girl i met during the trip. Dont ask.

Back in germany (i am not german, but i have residence here since a few years) i found another very neglected sailboat. This time a metal one. 8 meters, Dutch made in the 70's. 20 years abandoned in a Boatyard.

After playing around with the welding machine, i managed to build a preety descent new rudder for the boat, sealed (welded) all the seacocks and went for some more sailing in the german waterways.

This time i had a 4PS (4 stroke) new Yamaha (longshaft) to move around. A present from a good friend who always supported my adventures.

I was impressed with how well the long keel metal boat hold its curse, and how well it took the waves of the big ships on rivers like the Wesser (at least compared with the little modified Leisure 17 i was used to).

After playing for a while with the old metal boat, i came to a Hafen where a very impressed Hafenmeister offered me yet another boat.

A boat a client left unattended 4 years ago and which the marina kept after the owner failed to pay the mooring fees. They wanted to get rid of it.

A 9 meter steel boat. Also dutch made. In almost pristine condition (for my standards, that is). It had very little to no rust outside. Inside was also rust free (i inspected it quite trougroughly).

9 meters long, 3 meters wide, 115 cm draft. Quite shallow (but almost double than the 65cm from the Leisure who could take the ground with its bilge keels).

It was a no brainer to scrap the old metal boat and move to the newer, bigger, and way more beautiful boat i ve got for 1 euro.

The new boat has a 20PS Bukh diesel engine that was running when the boat came to the marina 4 years ago. It has not been run since then.

The boat is in the water. I fixed the windows and cleaned the bilges and the boat is now dry and nice inside. It has sails and a good 10meter mast.

For this new boat i have sligthly bigger plans.

For instance, I will scrap the bottom in low tide, inspect the rigging and waterproof the sliding hatch and the cockpit locker lids.

(eventually i will also modify the cabin, but not now. I have a welder and a plasma cutter that travel with me)

This year i want to sail it to the Med, via north sea and the atlantic coast of Portugal. The channel, Biscay, all that.

I have little experience as a sailor.

Last winter i helped a friend deliver his Hurley 22 from Holland to Germany. Thats the most adventure i had on a sailboat, besides crewing on a big sailboat in the caribean many years ago.

With the H22 we motorsailed 36 hours in heavy seas and the boat was wet but fine. We had an outboard in a well. Yeah, some times the shaft was not deep enough. My friend got sea sick, i was ok.

A little scary where the breaking seas when we left Holland (the Dollard, where the Ems river goes in the North Sea).

We had current against wind, and a few shallow areas. At a point we got some 3 meter breaking waves that loocked scary and shacked us but no more than that. It was cold and we had not the best clothes. They where some big ships, but they all had lights and the buoys where also marked with lights.

Other than that, the next morning we where singing and playing guitar in the safety of port, drying everything on an unusual winter sunny day.

My new boat is a little bigger than the Hurley, equiped with a Bukh 20 PS diesel inbord. I dont know much about motors. Except that i dont like them. Sound. Smell. Dirt. Expenses. Specialized parts.

Of course, they can save your life in a lee shore. And there propellers stay in the water all the time. For good and for bad.

The thing is, for a diesel to be reliable, you need to maintain them properly, having the knowledge and the money to do so. I dont have much of neither. I can keep an outboard working properly. But have no idea about diesel engines.

I would happily ditch (sell) the Bukh and keep the little outboard on the stern to help me enter/exit ports and anchorages.

I would like to hear stories of people who succesufully navigated the north sea coast and crossed biscay without a diesel inboard.

How feasable it is to sail there in April/May with a boat like mine? I could also try Biscay cross in June, if then i have the better chances of finding a good weather window.

Is there any experienced sailor who would like to join for the first leg? Anyone who has some good tips? Anyone willing to practice together the heave to maneuver? taking reefs, etc? To share the watchs so we can all get some sleep?

The boat has a very old windpilot (another great finding) that i am restoring (the wheel to set the course is crumbling so i will replace it with something else).

In case i dont ditch the diesel.

Anyone who knows these motors would take the time to explain me the basics? What shall i inspect on that ugly red little monster hidding under my cockpit before we depart?

I would probably at least have to clean the tank, clean the filters, exchange the oil, clean the propeller. I have like 100 liters of 4 year old gasoil in jerrycans in a cockpit lock. But i doubt i will be good to use.

Well, thats it for now. Been reading the forums for a couple of years. This is the first time i post.

Be kind. Otherwise i may find you at sea, park my ugly junk boat next to yours, and make your daugther fall in love.

Just imagine having to share christmas table with me!

Thanks for your imputs.

[tkeithlu]

Welcome to the forum, Caminantes. That's quite an adventure.

[Caminantes]

Originally Posted by tkeithlu

Welcome to the forum, Caminantes. That's quite an adventure.

Thank you tkeithlu.

Europe inland waterways is actually quite boring, but somehow preety.

I try to keep it lively by spending time outside.

Looking forward for some sea room and waves this spring!

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Caminantes.
Great first post!

Work shop Manual for BUKH diesel engine TYPE DV10/20
➥ https://bukh.dk/upload_dir/docs/FAQ/...%2020%20ME.pdf

OWNER'S HANDBOOK FOR BUKH MARINE DIESEL LIFEBOAT ENGINE TYPE DV24 RME
➥ https://bukh.dk/upload_dir/pics/Prod...-DV-24-RME.pdf

[boatman61]

Hi Caminantes.. Welcome to CF..
Regarding your questions about traveling down to the Med..
The N Sea is more tricky with its many shallows and shipping lanes and as I discovered after leaving the Kiel canal and headed South.. the authorities don't take kindly to one being stuck in shipping lanes when engine and wind choose not to cooperate..
Once you reach Ostend I would suggest angling across to the UK coast and follow that as its more tidal friendly than N France.. much fewer drying harbour/shelters to stop at and a much decreased chance of Lee shore and nowhere to go situations..
I have sailed the English Channel and then crossed the Biscay down to Portugal in a Hurley 22 and a Corribee 21 both with outboard engines.. the Corribee I ended up having to paddle to Baiona when my outboard broke, the wind died and my water ran out, luckily I had some canned peaches and pears which kept me moist over the two days of paddling..
The Hurley I crossed the Bay late November, early December.. plenty of wind..
The Corribee.. June crossing,.. becalmed mid Biscay for 4 days so read books in the cockpit between watching larger boats motor past me.. then becalmed after passing Finisterre.
West Portugal is often calm inshore in the summer, you need to stand well out to sea to catch decent winds..
Carry plenty of water at all times.. running out is not good.

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by Caminantes

A 9 meter steel boat. Also dutch made. In almost pristine condition (for my standards, that is). It had very little to no rust outside. Inside was also rust free (i inspected it quite trougroughly).

The new boat has a 20PS Bukh diesel engine that was running when the boat came to the marina 4 years ago. It has not been run since then.

How feasable it is to sail there in April/May with a boat like mine? I could also try Biscay cross in June, if then i have the better chances of finding a good weather window.

The boat has a very old windpilot (another great finding) that i am restoring (the wheel to set the course is crumbling so i will replace it with something else).

So to get down the English Channel and round the corner into Biscay you are going to be dealing with winds from the South West 75% of the time. Added to this the tide with be going West against the wind for 50% of the time which means short steep waves. You can either bash your way into it for 500 miles or follow Boatman61's advice.

Since the tides and current is a problem I would lean the basics about diesel engines, and service yours. It will be so useful helping you get down to the Med and afterwards, because the Med is either too much wind or no wind so an engine is needed.

As for the sailing, well have a good look at this guy, who sails an engineless yacht. However, note; he has already sailed that yacht around the world so quite good at sailing in and out of tight spots.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0P2T...owtoSailOceans

[Caminantes]

Gordmay thank you for the links. I downloaded the manuals and i am studying them.

I m really bad understanding it in the draws.

I will check also some stuff like the water intake for growth (to be sure that water comes for cooling).

And clean everything thoroughly.

The flywheel is moving free, and i see no oil driping, so maybe the motor is still good.

Thanks again!

[Caminantes]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Hi Caminantes.. Welcome to CF..
Regarding your questions about traveling down to the Med..
The N Sea is more tricky with its many shallows and shipping lanes and as I discovered after leaving the Kiel canal and headed South.. the authorities don't take kindly to one being stuck in shipping lanes when engine and wind choose not to cooperate..
Once you reach Ostend I would suggest angling across to the UK coast and follow that as its more tidal friendly than N France.. much fewer drying harbour/shelters to stop at and a much decreased chance of Lee shore and nowhere to go situations..
I have sailed the English Channel and then crossed the Biscay down to Portugal in a Hurley 22 and a Corribee 21 both with outboard engines.. the Corribee I ended up having to paddle to Baiona when my outboard broke, the wind died and my water ran out, luckily I had some canned peaches and pears which kept me moist over the two days of paddling..
The Hurley I crossed the Bay late November, early December.. plenty of wind..
The Corribee.. June crossing,.. becalmed mid Biscay for 4 days so read books in the cockpit between watching larger boats motor past me.. then becalmed after passing Finisterre.
West Portugal is often calm inshore in the summer, you need to stand well out to sea to catch decent winds..
Carry plenty of water at all times.. running out is not good.

boatman61 thanks for the tips!

Now we are talking. So you made a winter passage with the H22. 🙌 The only time i sailed it felt like a very though little boat. The Corribee is a bilge keel? like the Leisure i had, but a little bigger.

Authorities normally laugh at me and let me pass. But it wouldnt be nice to be run over by one of those huge ships or end up washed somewhere in the french shore.

I will definitively head towards UK coast after Ostend. Drying out on the Leisure was fun, i always carry my guitar with me for those moments😂.

Water and food make life less misserable, agree. Some mofe clothes this time will also help. For me a thermo full of nice warm tea also does help.

Well, if you had to paddle two days, its a sign that you where prepared. At least you carry paddles!

I have a set on board, and i m building another sculling oar for using in narrower places.

About Portugal been becalmed in summer. If you where intending to reach Cadiz, would you point then towards Madeira after Finisterre?

Thank you guys for amswering so fast with useful tips and data. I m taking note and will prepare accordingly!

[Caminantes]

Originally Posted by Pete7

So to get down the English Channel and round the corner into Biscay you are going to be dealing with winds from the South West 75% of the time. Added to this the tide with be going West against the wind for 50% of the time which means short steep waves. You can either bash your way into it for 500 miles or follow Boatman61's advice.

Since the tides and current is a problem I would lean the basics about diesel engines, and service yours. It will be so useful helping you get down to the Med and afterwards, because the Med is either too much wind or no wind so an engine is needed.

As for the sailing, well have a good look at this guy, who sails an engineless yacht. However, note; he has already sailed that yacht around the world so quite good at sailing in and out of tight spots.

Thank you Pete7 for your reply! I will surely follow boatman61's advice!

The diesel yes, i guess its good idea to at least try to service it, since its already there. I m studying the manuals that GordMay shared.

I m not very attracted to the Med, but i have a good friemd living in Ibiza/Formentera in his boat and i would like to visit him. He told me about the med fast changing character.

I guess i was really lucky during my kayak trip. It was almost always flat calm. Even the cross of Cap Creus was super easy. People where warning me like it was Biscay. I thought thw storms where mostly in winter.

The guy in the video: he works safe, proficient, patient and calm. He knows what to do, and does it before things get nasty. I m certainly not remotely close to that level of proficiency, but its certainly a good role model. Thanks for sharing!

The heavy weather sail he puts has that form to let the evdntuall waves pass bellow it, doesnt it? My boat came with a rollfock, which saves the hassle of reefing like he does. But i was thinking to add another stay a little receaded from the rollfock where i could use a sail like that when needed.

I have access to the marina trashbin, which often has interesting old sails i could use to make myself one of those heavy weather sails.

The guy has a gaff rig if i m not mistaked. Mine came with a bermuda. If i replace it one day i would like to either make it a gaff or a chinese junk. They seem to work under less pressure/tension than the bermuda.

Sorry for my typos, i dont have a computer and i write from an old smartphone that has seen better days.

[Caminantes]

Does anyone know if the english authorities require much papers and reglamentary stuff to boats with german flag after brexit?

I was told the french can be quite annoying in that regard. Not my experience in the canals. But yeah, i guess it will depend on who i happen to met and in which circumstances ��

[joelhemington]

Originally Posted by Caminantes

boatman61 thanks for the tips!

Now we are talking. So you made a winter passage with the H22. 🙌 The only time i sailed it felt like a very though little boat. The Corribee is a bilge keel? like the Leisure i had, but a little bigger.

Authorities normally laugh at me and let me pass. But it wouldnt be nice to be run over by one of those huge ships or end up washed somewhere in the french shore.

I will definitively head towards UK coast after Ostend. Drying out on the Leisure was fun, i always carry my guitar with me for those moments😂.

Water and food make life less misserable, agree. Some mofe clothes this time will also help. For me a thermo full of nice warm tea also does help.

Well, if you had to paddle two days, its a sign that you where prepared. At least you carry paddles!

I have a set on board, and i m building another sculling oar for using in narrower places.

About Portugal been becalmed in summer. If you where intending to reach Cadiz, would you point then towards Madeira after Finisterre?

Thank you guys for amswering so fast with useful tips and data. I m taking note and will prepare accordingly!

I'm guessing you have no idea how heavy your boat is. We know it's steel - so quite a bit heavier than a plastic boat of the same length. Since I find it doubtful that a small outboard will push that thing (sculling oar - no way) I think you should make it a priority to get the complete handle on that diesel engine before going anywhere - there's a good chance you're going to need it

Ps, your English is a good bit better than most on this forum

[Caminantes]

Originally Posted by joelhemington

I'm guessing you have no idea how heavy your boat is. We know it's steel - so quite a bit heavier than a plastic boat of the same length. Since I find it doubtful that a small outboard will push that thing (sculling oar - no way) I think you should make it a priority to get the complete handle on that diesel engine before going anywhere - there's a good chance you're going to need it

Ps, your English is a good bit better than most on this forum

My guess is that the boat fully loaded displaces somewhere between 4 to 5 tons.

Its a heavy thing. The plastic boat i used to scull on the canals was a little bit over half its length, and only 1 ton. And after i gave away about 300kg of unnecesary stuff, it became much easier to move around.

I must say, the comtraption i built was quite efficient at moving us, even against mild currents in Holland.

I played for a while with different paddle sizes and found a sweet spot that allowed me to keep paddling for 8/10 hours a day and then park, eat, rest, and repeat the next day.

I m quite positive a similar set up would do the trick if i happen to find myself in a situation like the one boatman61 described.

The 4PS outbord i have now definitively moved the other metal boat i briefly owned last december. It was also steel, a meter shorter and 50cmm narrower. It had a long keel, about 110 cm deep. Maybe 3 tons. We where slow, but we managed a few multiday trips on the german waterways.

But, i was taking advantage of the tides, never even trying to go against them. Mostly used the motor to get some steering. Didnt push it to keep things savy. And i never made more than 5 km/h when going in places with no current.

Preety slow travelling 😆

I agree with the general consense that a diesel is a good asset.

Although i do admire guys like the one in the video who manage their sailing engineless... i m the first in recognizing that i am too green a sailor to go and try that upfront. One day, i will probably ditch the diesel. Just not yet.

I guess i will try to sail like i have no motor, while keeping the motor in working condition for the cases where i put myself in a challenging situation.

Like with everything in life, i guess we can just use what is there, and do the best what we have.

My english, well, thank you Joelhemington!

Lets just say i do my best to speak my broken languages just like i do my best to sail my boats with what i have 😄

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Caminantes

boatman61 thanks for the tips!

Now we are talking. So you made a winter passage with the H22. 🙌 The only time i sailed it felt like a very though little boat. The Corribee is a bilge keel? like the Leisure i had, but a little bigger.

Authorities normally laugh at me and let me pass. But it wouldnt be nice to be run over by one of those huge ships or end up washed somewhere in the french shore.

I will definitively head towards UK coast after Ostend. Drying out on the Leisure was fun, i always carry my guitar with me for those moments😂.

Water and food make life less misserable, agree. Some mofe clothes this time will also help. For me a thermo full of nice warm tea also does help.

Well, if you had to paddle two days, its a sign that you where prepared. At least you carry paddles!

I have a set on board, and i m building another sculling oar for using in narrower places.

About Portugal been becalmed in summer. If you where intending to reach Cadiz, would you point then towards Madeira after Finisterre?

Thank you guys for amswering so fast with useful tips and data. I m taking note and will prepare accordingly!

The Corribee comes with bilge keel or a type of encapsulated fin keel.. mine was fin..
Re after Finisterre no need to aim for Madeira just pass around 5nm off the cape then head S say 185* as the coast curves inwards past Spain then when level with say Peniche set a course for St Vincente as once past Lisbon there's good winds more often than not.
Along the Algarve can also be fairly light with the wind in summer so I would second the recommendation to get the hang of the engine as it's a steel boat.
If you can deal with an outboard you can deal with a diesel, they are not that complicated.

[Caminantes]

Originally Posted by boatman61

The Corribee comes with bilge keel or a type of encapsulated fin keel.. mine was fin..
Re after Finisterre no need to aim for Madeira just pass around 5nm off the cape then head S say 185* as the coast curves inwards past Spain then when level with say Peniche set a course for St Vincente as once past Lisbon there's good winds more often than not.
Along the Algarve can also be fairly light with the wind in summer so I would second the recommendation to get the hang of the engine as it's a steel boat.
If you can deal with an outboard you can deal with a diesel, they are not that complicated.

Taking note of all these informations, while checking the maps. So thankful for all the imputs!

I will definitively look into the Diesel challenge. In the quest for simplification i some times go a little extreme.

Like this winter for instance. I managed to get a room that is fine for sleeping. And then i improvised a small kitchen in the balcony.

Now i m cooking my meals with 11°C bellow zero, praying that the gas doesnt freeze 😬

I will pretend i m practicing for when one day i sail to higher latitudes 😂

I will curb my simplification for now.

[sa1l1ng33k]

I'll be in Lake St. Clair all summer, so I'm afraid I won't see you. Have fun my friend.