duncan

one additional point from your post - much better to handle the anchor and warp from the cockpit for the whole trip in conjunction with this method. you can then relocate the anchor and warp (safely) once back in.

unfortunately, whilst I will keep my fingers crossed for others, Phaeton won't be on the trip this time - which sort of sucks as we have travelled the route a lot in the last few years. I have been off again for the last few weeks as the disc that was operated on last July seems to have 'let go' again, and I still can't even drive down to Poole yet so working on the boat to get it ready hasn't started - and I don't think it would be right from a safely perspective either (me not the boat!) Will obviously look forward to hearing the reports, and hope AWOL gets sorted in time etc etc etc For obvious reasons it's far too early for me to plan anything but I will certainly be heading over as soon as health, boat, tide and weather coincide through May and June to take advantage of the long days. Company welcome. So I wish you all conditions like this for your crossings and if conditions permit you to anchor up overnight for your meal - take it, but take care!

great wreck fishing post Tom.....I'm sure your inbox will be overflowing!

Now, I don't know if Dave is taking the mickey, but the sentiment is there. Welcome Oli. Hope you and the old man have a great time as members of the club. Doing my best to make Alderney, but money is tight. Also have been told I have to work on the Monday now! I may try and get out for an offshore wrecking / codding trip instead? Tom Surely if money is tight you will want to make the most of your financial investment and fixed running costs? And a big welcome to Oli and Nick...

whilst I commend the intentions and planning the practical reality is that there are more holiday 'anglers' in the SW fishing the estuaries, beaches and rocks than the listed 250,000 anglers. they probably have more impact on certain stocks and areas than even the commercials!

not on it's side it isn't........... anyhow we will see

the most obvious idea is to get rid of the live bait tank........ seriously though you are going to have to establish the gear ratio first, and go from there. I suspect that your primary concern will be getting the pitch just low enough for the engine revs to be able to bring in the turbo before the hull speed hits the hump. The problem with with DPs are that they are too damm efficient and don't create enough slip otherwise. Having had the experiences with Phaeton on this I despair at times. Right now you should certainly have your fingers crossed re the gear ration but I agree your analysis that given the donor you are probably 'on the safe side' and should be able to get an effective combination sorted out for your boat.

Given that you are only getting 5100 when pretty much at minimum loading I would certainly go to a lower pitched prop. On the face of it I would definitely loose 2". This should make the whole package a little more responsive with just you and probably give you your current performance when you have another fisherman and his gear on board plus another 25litres of fuel/tank.

that and reading the contract etc etc Mark, whilst I am aware of occassions when the return trip gets delayed a little ..... don't you think you are taking things to the extreme here?

get to France for treatment springs to mind.........

subject to the usual variables (boat, weather, crew, etc) I hope to make the trip....leaving sometime and then coming back

great to see the enthusiasm and planning..... Adam's long range forecast seems to suggest that they think normal prevailing conditions for the period - so the flooding tide and likely SW breeze will work together to our benefit. If these are the conditions then the good bit is that what you get off Durlston for the first few miles should be the worst of it ie it shouldn't get any worse as you head over. I am still a long way from being prepared at all - suspect I might have a fair bit to do

indeed Bob so you are given a choice of repeating the trip wave for wave or a trip out on the potter in the Pacific in 50knot winds...........respond honestly please

apparantly the producers originally had him down for a day's small boat fishing launching at Kimmeredge - but this was considered too extreme based on a report here, so he went on that potter instead.

Gordon I have a small Coleman cube oven designed to sit on a gas ring that does pies / pasties really well. Collapses flat for storage. Yours for

Thanks guys! Almost forgot it myself. Still have May in mind, and have even started thinking about the list of likely things to do before heading off! Given it will be about a year since last used I guess I should do more than launch, plug in electronics and turn the key before pointing it at Alderney this time.

as with all passage plans Phaeton's is fluid and weather dependant. will wander out of Poole on the ebb, turn right round Old Harry onto 210 on my compass and review when 5 miles past Durlston where the true crossing state should be apparent in anything but winds from the East at all. Three times we have diverted here rather than ploughing on, twice to Weymouth and once to Cherbourg (because we could make 15 knots on that course OK but only 7 on the other!) we may or may not stop for a drift or two = probably not. most of the time we will be on the banks - but there are a lot of them to choose from. at some point I would like to renew the aquaintence of the 'fish' that cut clean through my wire trace after towing the boat for 20 seconds...... we will stay where the weather permits - Braye sucks for a small boat in NEs and even moderate SE winds we will come back when the weather suggests - or we run out of beer. as everyone else i am of course working on the assumption of NW1-3 heading over and SW1-3 heading back with just enough breeze to keep the sunstroke down in between...but very occasionally it doesn't pan out that way!

yep - amazing how all the 'little things' impact on performance. on the day the boat's delivered with

any skipper working to 150lb per customer is going to sink pretty quick with this lot.........

account with Corrals for fuel - gives 24 hr fuel access harbour dues as advised but not all places include them as part of the 'fees' - crown estate fees will be included with any berth though. upton oil has always seemed very expensive to me

It's an extremely difficult one to call because of a number of quite variable factors - Whilst a basic 3 day trip will see fuel usage on 'our boats' of between 300 and 500 litres you can actually clock up a huge number of engine hours if you take things 'seriously' (over the last 3 years Phaeton's done 3 trips where we didn't get of the boat once and fished every hour the sun was up - and none of the fishing was at anchor!). I personally subscribe to the theory that such hours are more beneficial that costly on our boats but others may not. Anyhow 30 engine hours isn't unusual over 4 days. Accomadation and food is a total variable - some will only drink the best Chablis with their pan fried brill, and aged Congnac before going below; others have been known to survive the whole trip on bottled water.....overall the only issue that ever seems to be a problem here is when there are mixed views on actually going out and to where (budget wise) or when the skipper finds the crew have finished the congnac whilst celebrating their catch during the day! Overnight berthing costs have been constant in both Braye and St PP at

looks like I logged on just in time........ weather (and a whole lot more permitting) I sould make it I don't tend to stop on the way over or back, except when I see a large mackerel schoal on the way over and I'm easy on when and (overnight) where. One night we just slung the hook amongst the reefs to the West of Alderney Much prefer to travel in decent conditions. This was heading back one time - Alderney's the bit in the distance.... but it's always been fun even if the fishing can be a little more like hard works at times than people think... Fingers crossed

Sounds OK if that's the exhaust bellows as it's 'wet' and primarily concerned with carrying the exhaust gas to the through hub exhaust (you don't want loads of air bubbles in the water in front of the prop! I don't even get bellows for this on my drive. if it was the other one, the U joint bellows, that's dry and needs to stay that way for obvious reasons. then there's the cable bellows but that's small and dry.... I guess I can see some logic in drain holes in this as there is no point storing sea water in this area if the boats out and stored but I would certainly be checking the j clips are appropriately tight.

give us a clue Charlie - earlier or later?