Crossing the Channel

[Frank]

I read the other day that people now swim the Channel in under eight hours, has anyone tried sailing it in a S 15, if yes how long did it take & where did they go for lunch!

[cedric]

The latest dinghy mag has an article about some youngsters that crossed the north sea, from Brightlingsea sailing club to Ostend, doing the 80 miles in 6.5 hours. Think they had an incident involving a capsize and a ship but don't remember anything about lunch, oh and they were in Tornado's not S 15's

[cedric]

P.S. I seem to have become a Petty Officer on the forum which must be good!

[Peter Lytton]

I few years ago whilst guesting at Sandwich bay sailing Club, I recall a report posted in the clubhouse regarding a member who had sailed his Sprint 15 back from France to Sandwich bay. I have no idea how long he took, though I seem to remember that the wind died on the final leg of the journey, involving a lot of short tacks hugging the shore to avoid the tide.

[Bob Carter]

Yes - Jim Jeffery did it on boat 1664 which he tells me he has sold in Spain when he was on holiday. Nick will give you chapter & verse if you are interested.
Cheers
Bob
PS Jim is in the market for another Sprint 15 in this country

[Andrew Hannah]

Earlier this year, Duncan Ford sailed his Sprint to circumnavigate Foulness Island. This reminds me of an old schoolboy howler:

Sir Francis Drake circumcised the world with a hundred foot clipper.

Andrew,
TBYC.

[JimJeffery]

Yes, I was that soldier. 15 years ago last weekend, when I was 50, and with a brand new Dart15 1664, I sailed solo to Calais from Sandwich Bay, and back. I did it because the Hornet fleet had been refused permission to do it, because that asked. I didnt ask. I prepared by Dart as if it was a yacht, registration, insurance and ICC.
The wind was very light and it took 7 hours each way. I now do it in 3.5 in my yacht, if there is wind, and 4 with an engine.
I stayed overnight and ate and slept on a friends yacht.
I did write a report that was widely reported in the yachting press. I was also awarded the Dart 15 OTT Trophy.
Further details and advice available.

[JimJeffery]

and Im still and AB/OR, I was a WO in the Royal Marines. What do I have to do to get promotion?

[Bob Carter]

and Im still and AB/OR, I was a WO in the Royal Marines. What do I have to do to get promotion?

Hi Jim,
I think there are 2 ways:
1) make a lot more postings
2) bribe the web master
Nice to hear from you
Regards
Bob

[George Love]

If you look in the last issue of 'Newsprint', you can read all about it - Jim's article was re-published in the Autumn 2011 issue as he told me he was thinking about having another go to celebrate his seventieth birthday