English Channel - Leg 2, 14-23 July 2023 (10 days)

This will be a pleasant sailing with time to explore ashore. In total we should log around 380 nautical miles and 70h in tidal waters. The general mode will be to sail for a day and stay another day in harbour to explore ashore.

Anticipated route:

Falmouth - Penzance - Scilly islands - Plymouth - Channel Islands (Guernsey and Alderney) - Hamble River (Solent, near Southampton)

We will be maintaining a watch system to ensure everyone is well rested and meals are prepared.

First 40.7 ("Abraxas")

She is a well-maintained, lifted out regularly to check hull, keel and prop. She is in excellent condition and recently had her keel re-bonded. We will inspect the boat thoroughly before the voyage to ensure that every bit of equipment is absolutely ship-shape.

The First 40.7 has been one of the most popular production racing yachts. Over 700 of these yachts are afloat, and they have won many major events, including overall winner of the Sydney-Hobart race in both IMS and IRC divisions. Despite this they also make a good and fast cruising yacht. Abraxas herself has sailed the ARC and been raced by her owner.

General info:

• Year: 2006
• Type: sailing
• CE design category: A – Ocean
• Hull: monohull
• Keel type: fin
• Length: 11.95m m (40ft)
• Berths (Bunks): 8 (3 double cabins & 2 singles in saloon)
• WC / Shower: 1
• Beam: 3.76 m
• Draught: 2.4 m
• Engine: Yanmar 3JH4-CE
• Fuel capacity: 129 l (Diesel)
• Water capacity: 318 l
• Displacement: 9677 kg
• Sails: main (slab reef, 3 reefs), genoa (furling), storm jib, symmetric spinnaker with a spinnaker pole

Equipment:

• Pillows for each crew member
• Dinghy
• Autopilot
• Electric Anchor Windlass
• Heating
• Refrigerator
• Stove
• Sprayhood
• Radio/CD/MP3
• DSC VHF radio
• Handheld VHF DSC radio
• EPIRB
• AIS class B transponder (Transponder/Receiver)
• Radar reflector
• Chart plotter with GPS and digital chartography charts
• Sextant Astra IIIB Deluxe
• PredictWind Offshore app (satellite-enabled license) - Ocean Racing proven, highest resolution marine forecasts
• Complete set of pilot books, almanacs and charts

Average weather conditions can be found here.

Air temperature

During the day you can expect on average very pleasant temperature of 21°C during the day and 15°C at night. July has an average maximum temperature of 23°C and is the warmest, sunniest and driest month of the year in UK. You may expect a few isolated showers during the whole trip.

Sea temperature

Sea water is warm in July with an average of 18°C.

Wind and sea state

Southern England is one of the more sheltered parts of the UK, the windiest areas being in western closer to the Atlantic. Wind conditions in July are excellent in the English Channel with an average of 4-5 Bft blowing from westerly sectors. The strongest winds are associated with the passage of deep areas of low pressure close to or across the UK but are not common in July.

The route is divided into several passages with some night sailing. You will receive a certificate of passage to prove your sea time for sailing licenses. You will be an active member of the crew and we will provide practical trainings on board to everyone that will be interested to improve your sailing skills.

We give a great amount of responsibility to each crew member in running the ship so that you can gain a good experience and learn new skills as much or as little as you want. The skipper is an instructor and will find it difficult not to teach or coach to anyone that shows the slightest bit of interest.

RYA qualifying passages

If you are an aspiring Skipper or Yachtmaster, it will be an excellent opportunity to gain some offshore miles, practice navigation, pilotage and COLREG skills so that you can be more confident and comfortable when taking a boat out to sea on your own.

The opportunity will also be there to act as a skipper (with guidance if needed from the skipper) for your RYA Yachtmaster Coastal or RYA Yachtmaster Offshore qualifying 60M passages.

Main topics that you can learn or brush up:

• Maneuvering under sails & engine: berthing, hoisting and lowering sails, reefing, tacking, gybing, sail trim
• Anchoring
• Safety: use of liferaft, lifejacket, EPIRB, PLB, AIS beacons, managing emergency situations
• Equipment: use of Autopilot, AIS, VHF, Satellite communication
• Weather forecasts and weather routing
• Offshore & Coastal navigation: digital and traditional (including astronavigation)
• Night navigation
• Pilotage and passage planning in tidal waters
• COLREGs
• Use of Symmetric Spinnaker and a Spinnaker pole
• Storm tactics and the use of storm jib
• Life on board: organization of watches, nutrition, sleep management

14 July: Joining day - Falmouth

We will spend the first day preparing and victualling the yacht, going over the safety routines and practices, getting up to speed with the boat and learning or refreshing all the basic sailing skills before we embark on the journey. Once we slip the lines there will be plenty of occasions to practice tacking, gybing, reefing, boat handling under engine and all the other key skills we must have.

Falmouth Marina

Gyllyngvase Beach in Falmouth

Falmouth harbour is a real sailor-town and a favourite jumping-off point for ocean voyagers, as well as those whose aims are less grand. Falmouth is one of the finest all-weather harbours in the Britisch Isles.

Falmouth offers everything from superb Blue Flag beaches, cliff walking and a bustling town centre with a wide range of top quality cafes, shops, galleries and restaurants. There are numerous attractions in and around Falmouth including the National Maritime Museum and the historic Pendennis Castle.

Penzance (~34 NM / 7h of sailing)

The Lizard is the most south-westerly point of the British mainland and boasts its own unique landscape and stunning views. The rare geology of the area creates a haven for exceptional plants and flowers.

Lizard Peninsula

Penzance town

Penzance is a historic port with one of the mildest climates in the UK. One of the striking things about the town is the abundance of palm trees and gardens full of sub-tropical plants, a sure sign that you have arrived somewhere unique. It's made even more special by the sight of St Michael's Mount out to sea, which seems to hover magically over the water.

A must-go place is the Land's End headland and Porthcurno Beach, the most beautiful beach in Cornwall, situated just a short bus ride from Penzance. It is Britain's most south-westerly points, famous for its unique location, natural beauty and stunning scenery.

Scilly islands (~38 NM / 8h of sailing)

The Isles of Scilly is an archipelago off the southwestern tip of Cornwall. Everything looks and feels quite different on Scilly - simpler, kinder, more innocent. The islands are covered in heathland, and fringed by sandy beaches such as Great Bay on St. Martin's.

Land's End headland

The Isles of Scilly

The Isles of Scilly are made for walking. Unspoilt, untouched and truly peaceful, you can enjoy the spectacular coastal paths, nature trails, fields of flowers and top-to-toe island walks.

Plymouth (95 NM / ~18h of sailing)

Nestled on the south coast of beautiful Devon, Plymouth is a historical city with hundreds of years of maritime history. Over the centuries, Plymouth has seen its fair share of histories; all of which has shaped the city of the years. Home to England's biggest seaports and naval bases, the city basks in rich maritime history, which includes its role in the defeat of the Spanish Armada.

Drake's island in the Plymouth Sound

Plymouth

Be sure to make a trip to Plymouth Hoe which is the backdrop for Sir Francis Drake's legendary game of bowls. You can get incredible views of the Plymouth from Smeaton's Tower. And don't forget to pay a visit to the Barbican, a bustling array of specialist shops, restaurants, cafes all set against the backdrop of Plymouth's picturesque harbour.

Channel Islands - Guernsey (~95 NM / 18h of sailing)

The Channel Islands, just off the coast of France, are truly beautiful pearls that lie off the Normandy coast. The Channel Islands are close to the French coast and yet they are more British than French. In fact, they are Crown dependencies. Formally they do not belong to the United Kingdom, but they have a special position.

The islands have an oceanic climate. Winters are mild and warm while summers are dry and hot.

Charming town of St Peter Port

Cobo Bay

From the moment your feet touch the ground of Guernsey, you will start to enjoy the attractive scenery. The island is a tourist scenic gem, with picturesque scenery, ancient castles and historic structures.

Channel Islands - Alderney (~30 NM / 5h of sailing)

While sailing from Guernsey to Alderney we will cross the Alderney Race. The race sits off one of the most tide-swept of all headlands and is of international notoriety, achieving streams of over 5 knots on the tidal diamonds, but up to 11 knots in real life. This makes sailing here a fascinating and rewarding experience.

Alderney beaches

Alderney coastline

With no crowds, no queues and no traffic jams the small island of Alderney offers a warm, peaceful and relaxing escape. Alderney is one of the best places in the Channel Islands for wildlife lovers. The golden beaches of Alderney are ideal for a day of relaxing and sea swimming.

Hamble River (~80 NM / 16h of sailing)

We will sail overnight back to the Solent from the Channel islands. We will cross the busy English Channel before we get into the Solent from the west via Needles Channel. The Needles is a row of three stacks of chalk that rise about 30 metres out of the sea off the western extremity of the Isle of Wight.

The 50TH edition of the famous Rolex Fastnet race will start from Cowes on 22nd July and we might be able to watch the fleet as they sail west from Solent.

The Needles (Isle of Wight)

Hamble Point Marina

The Hamble River is a major centre for all types of recreational boating, home to thousands of sailing yachts and motorboats and recognised as the home of British Yachting.

Hamble Point Marina is hard to beat for its location alone, right at the mouth of the River Hamble with easy access to the world-famous waters of the Solent, a strait of the English Channel between the Isle of Wight and Great Britain. This makes the marina a magnet for competitive sailors from around the globe, and a favourite with racers and cruising yachtsmen alike.

23 July: Finishing day, Hamble River (Hamble Point Marina)

We will leave the boat in Hamble Point Marina and it's always a strange feeling to pack up, say farewell to new friends and prepare to head back home.