initial plans for the Fowey trip

I’ve been doing some initial pre-planning for my possible trip down the coast to Fowey. I haven’t got a date yet and I need to check tides and tidal streams along the coast. I have however, plotted a rough course with distances, magnetic bearings, dead reckoning timings and possible transect points.

My initial thought is one day sailing down, overnight and one day sailing back. If I can persuade the family to give me parole for three days, then I could spend a day sailing up the river Fowey as well.

If things aren’t going well – then I can call in and overnight at Looe or at Polperro instead. I would need to make a decision as to whether to continue or not after rounding Rame Head because after the QR buoy, I’d be committed to heading for Looe!!

Leg 1 western breakwater to Rame Head

Now Arwen does an average speed of 3kts in force 3 winds if I was close hauled. So that’s roughly 3 nm in an hour, 1 nm in 20 minutes not taking into account tides, currents, streams etc. I navigate along the coast using a combination of OS maps and admiralty charts. I mark all the calculations in chinagraph pencil on the chart and only adapt them if the first few prove to be wrong. I keep a half hourly log and regular ‘timing’ checks via transects to distinctive shore marks en route. I have a ‘sailing route card planner’ with all the details of the trip on it as well. You can find my passage planner outline card here at this old post http://arwensmeanderings.blogspot.com/2010_05_01_archive.html

Leg 2 along Whitsand Bay

Leg 3 Portwrinkle to Seaton

 

Leg 4 Seaton to Looe Island

Leg 5 Looe Island, past Polperro

Leg 6 Polperro to Fowey

below is the draft passage plan initial details. Still lots to add in and work out.

Steve