Denmark to Spain in Winter ...Possible?

[onavegador]

Instead of transiting the bay of biscay you may think about sailing the canals. You may enter the german canals in Travemünde/Lübeck and then sailing on the canals to the river Rhine sailing down until Arnhem and follow to the river Maas up the river Maas to near Nancy and then the canal des Vosges until Corre. From Corre down the river Saone and then the river Rhône to above Arles and then following the Petit Rhône to near Port Camargue. There you mount the mast and sail with coastal hops down to Almerimar. But before you start look at the VNF side (vnf.fr) and the german website https://www.elwis.de/DE/Karte/.
Good luck and fair winds!
James

[TrentePieds]

Sure Ann :-) It means: "Don't take my words too hard. They are just meant as a warning that your proposal is not all that easy. It is possible to do it, but it requires more experience than I believe you may have."

Even Ms. Google would know that ;-)

Others have mentioned the European canal system, and I would think that using it to get to Almerimar from Thyborøn would make for a much easier and much more pleasant, let alone interesting, voyage than going down the coasts.

That leads to a whole different proposal. :-) From Thyborøn you could go east instead of west. You could enter the Limfjord crossing the peninsula of Jutland and emerge into the Kattegat. Then you'd follow the Jutland shore south, pass through Lillebelt (the Little Belt), follow the Schleswig shore and enter the port of Kiel and the Kielerkanal. That canal emerges into the Wattenmeer at Brunsbüttel. From there it's 40 or so miles of really, really thin water inside the Scharhorn to Wilhelmshafen where, I believe, you can enter the great canal system that will take you all the way to the Med.

Aficionados of The Riddle of the Sands would already know about that :-)

Pulling the stick on a Viggen is no great trick. There would be no need to do so until you reach Wilhelmshafen AFAIR. Once you are in the canals, the absence of a REAL engine :-) would not be a problem. A 9.9 kicker on a Viggen would it nicely.

Oh dear! Now I've nearly talked myself into selling up - lock stock and barrel - and doing that trip myself. Had I no family responsibilities, I think I just might do it :-) A Viggen, or even one of the boats I learned on - the Folkebåd - would do the trick.

And now, just for you Ann ;-0), here is an old ditty I've sung many a time running before the wind in the "South Seas", the westernmost part of the Baltic between The Danish island of Funen, my native island, and Germany. Consider it a "homeward bound" chanty. The waltz beat is typical of Danish chantys. If ever we meet, I'll crank up the gramophone and we'll take a turn on the danse floor :-)!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBi5IUSiBB4

Cheers

TP

[NSboatman]

TP- love that! Well done.

[rmesfo]

Originally Posted by B23iL23

Don't think there is much difference between Jan and Feb or even March for that matter. As you have limited experience I would advise short day hops along the coast. That way you can always bug out if conditions or your nerves get the better of you.


Apart from the winds, the tide is strong in the channel and the North West French coast. Having a good engine to punch through would be an advantage.


Seeing as it's only 24 foot have you thought about sticking it on a trailer and driving it down?

Ditto the trailer. Unless you want the experience.

[mcarthur]

Originally Posted by TrentePieds

... Then you'd follow the Jutland shore south, pass through Lillebelt (the Little Belt), follow the Schleswig shore and enter the port of Kiel and the Kielerkanal. That canal emerges into the Wattenmeer at Brunsbüttel. From there it's 40 or so miles of really, really thin water inside the Scharhorn to Wilhelmshafen where, I believe, you can enter the great canal system that will take you all the way to the Med.

Davies would be surprised, but quietly so, at your interpretation. Thin water? Surely not Carruthers! It's a rum day when a Britisher would be daunted so. Don't mentioned the fog...