Preparing for a Channel crossing
Sunshine, French cheese, fine wine and Gallic scenery are just a (long) day’s sail away. But if you’re bound for a cross-Channel adventure, here are a few practical considerations. Laura Hodgetts reports
Last month’s report of a depressed yacht thief who set sail for France as he was ‘sick of life and wanted to go sailing’ may have struck a chord with boat owners. Getting away from it all, just a Channel hop away, is achievable for many a small boat. Last year, PBO’s David and Ben enjoyed a 12-hour shakedown cruise to Cherbourg in Snapdragon 23 Hantu Biru, while charity challenger Dave Birch sailed 75 miles from Guernsey to Torquay in a Laser Pico dinghy in 14 hours this June – the same month that hapless thief Fanche Mahe’s escapade was cut short 4.5 miles from Saundersfoot Harbour, Pembrokeshire. Fortunately the yacht’s owner spotted his cruiser’s distinctive red sail disappearing into the distance. Police apprehended the 30-year-old Mahe, from County Galway, Ireland, who ended up in custody for 14 days instead.
For cruisers wishing to cross the Channel – by legal means – a little forward planning will go a long way to making an offshore trip plain sailing.
Preparing your boat
Firstly, is your boat ready for the trip? Start with a visual inspection of the rigging, ensuring that there are no missing split pins or signs of swage terminal failure. Visit http://po.st/rigging for tips (or see PBO’s rigging checklist in the February 2016 issue).
Ensure you know where all the skin fittings are, that the seacocks aren’t perished and that you have a suitable bung to hand. Check the engine is running smoothly, and that you have a good range of spares. Store tools such as pliers, spanners and a hammer, cable ties and a head torch with spare batteries, plus spare bulbs for navigation lights.
Check your safety equipment: have you got working lifejackets? Do the lights work on your horseshoe buoys? Are they easy to detach, or lashed on with several metres of knotted rope? Do you have a radar reflector? First aid kit? Flares may not be necessary: it is now possible for a pleasure vessel under 13.7m (which is not by law required to carry flares) to be equipped for distress alerting without carrying traditional pyrotechnic flares. An alerting device listed in the COLREGs such as an EPIRB (ideally with GPS and a homing device) or VHF DSC set (correctly connected to the GPS) which is suitable for the intended area of operation, together with some form of electronic visual distress signal for location in the final mile, may be a suitable combination.
Liferafts are essential for an offshore passage and can be hired relatively cheaply. Liferafts should be stored in an accessible place, and you and the crew need to know how to deploy them.
Ship’s papers: either a Small Ships Register (SSR) certificate or full Part 1 registration – remember that SSR documents expire every five years. Ensure you have a Ship Radio Licence (free when applied for via the Ofcom online licensing service), proof of VAT status and evidence of marine insurance. Most UK insurance policies cover the area from Brest to the