Gib'Sea 302

[KORINA]

Is it safe to sail north from Gib to UK in such a boat - in the summer??

http://david_warr.tripod.com/BOAT/korina.jpg

[Hydra]

Yes, I suppose it is safe. With my own Gib'Sea 302, I sailed from S Brittany to the Scillies and Ireland, in the summer.

Alain

[boatman61]

Its not as bad as one thinks or often hears.. usually on rounding Sao Vicente I run NW for Lisbon hard on the wind which usually dies near Lisbon... it picks up again past Cabo Roca so you put in a long tack for Peniche.. etc.
There's ports all along the way... one word of warning don't try and enter any if the swell is big as they are river mouths and dangerous bars exist... a couple of the bigger ones are okay but in general a few boats get broached every year timing it wrong... better to gain searoom if theres a blow..
Your Gibsea's good enough if upto spec.. if you have doubts either in the boat or yourself...don't do it...
PS; should explain the NW bit.. once far enough offshore the wind goes more E and one can make northing

[KORINA]

Originally Posted by Hydra

Yes, I suppose it is safe. With my own Gib'Sea 302, I sailed from S Brittany to the Scillies and Ireland, in the summer.

Alain

Thanks for that
I was wondering how the boat would behave off shore

Did you get much water over the back and does the shape of the stern affect the following waves..?
Many thanks
David

[goboatingnow]

And of course plenty of shipping ( just kidding)

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Its not as bad as one thinks or often hears.. usually on rounding Sao Vicente I run NW for Lisbon hard on the wind which usually dies near Lisbon... it picks up again past Cabo Roca so you put in a long tack for Peniche.. etc.
There's ports all along the way... one word of warning don't try and enter any if the swell is big as they are river mouths and dangerous bars exist... a couple of the bigger ones are okay but in general a few boats get broached every year timing it wrong... better to gain searoom if theres a blow..
Your Gibsea's good enough if upto spec.. if you have doubts either in the boat or yourself...don't do it...
PS; should explain the NW bit.. once far enough offshore the wind goes more E and one can make northing

That's interesting I've never been able to lay Peniche , always had to banana out west

Dave

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

That's interesting I've never been able to lay Peniche , always had to banana out west

Dave

My base is Fig da Foz 60 miles up the coast so practice made perfect...
Furthest out I go is on the leg to Lisbon.. usually its a 25mile-ish motor up to and past the bay before catching a wind again..

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by KORINA

Thanks for that
I was wondering how the boat would behave off shore

Did you get much water over the back and does the shape of the stern affect the following waves..?
Many thanks
David

She should be no worse than a old Bendi 321 and I solo'd one across the atlantic W-E... reef early.. sail nights with max reef in the main so you don't have to leave the cockpit (assuming you have a furling jib) in the hours of darkness.
As for water over the back.. likely you'll only have N-NE'lies till past Baiona/Vigo, I'd pull into either Baiona or La Coruna and wait for a nice SW'ly to ride to 300+ miles across the Bicay.
Personally I choose Baiona.. always seems a waste of effort going all the way round to there... like the city... but Baiona is more my style.
Mate.... if it gets big enough for water over the back I've been hove to and supping Caribbean coffee and munching digestives or cookies for at least 4hrs...
But seriously.. the only big leg you have is the Biscay.. lots of anchorages and marinas along the way that you can hop along timing your weather windows... give yourself 3 weeks... you'll likely do it in less but sometimes the Biscay makes you wait..
Oh and carry extra fuel.. I used to get 25L chemical drums from the purifying plant in Gib.. carry an extra 50-100L.
You'll likely be motoring for up to 36hrs once past Trafalgar heading for Portugal.. if you have the time theres some nice anchorages along the Algarve.

[goboatingnow]

+1 on baiona. Nice town nice yacht club.


Dave

[Hydra]

Originally Posted by KORINA

Thanks for that
I was wondering how the boat would behave off shore

Did you get much water over the back and does the shape of the stern affect the following waves..?
Many thanks
David

I never got waves over the stern. But I never sailed with following waves higher than 3m / 10'. I did it once with quartering waves. Helming was a lot of work with the mainsail at the 3rd reef, to the point that I thought I would break the tiller extension. It was much easier (but slower) after lowering the main and keeping only the jib.

Boatman is right regarding fuel: my tank is only 70 litres, that's less than 3 days at cruising speed with a Nanni 2.50HE engine, not really enough for motoring from La Coruña to UK or Brittany. For such a crossing, I would have to take an additional tank, for safety.

Alain