TFMs Guide to Crossing the Channel

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[The Ferry Man]

Greetings, and here is TFMs guide to crossing the English Channel between Dover and Calais. This was worked out from personal crossings and the use of AIS history to get the correct bearings. So The ship is secured for sea, and we are now underway:

From Dover:
*After leaving from your berth you will need to depart via the Eastern Entrance.
*After departing you need to head on a bearing of between 117' and 122' (Fig 1)
*At around the halfway mark you will need to make a course correction to between 120' and 130' (Fig 2)
*when about 2-3 miles off the coast, as judged by the radar, you will need to swing around into the white Calais Approach channel (Fig 3)
*you need a course of around 80'-85', and remember to keep to the French side of the channel.
*upon entering the channel, slow to around 17 knots
*As you approach Calais you will see a blue band on the chart.
*Before crossing this band make sure you have started slowing down
*When you cross over this band start turning your ship away from the harbour entrance, before swinging her around to enter (Fig 4)
*make sure when you enter the harbour your speed is less then 12 knots

(http://s713.photobucket.com/albums/ww134/The-Ferry-Man/SSE/Dover-Calais%20Guide/?action=view&current=DCFig1.jpg)

(http://s713.photobucket.com/albums/ww134/The-Ferry-Man/SSE/Dover-Calais%20Guide/?action=view&current=DCFig2.jpg)

(http://s713.photobucket.com/albums/ww134/The-Ferry-Man/SSE/Dover-Calais%20Guide/?action=view&current=DCFig3.jpg)

(http://s713.photobucket.com/albums/ww134/The-Ferry-Man/SSE/Dover-Calais%20Guide/?action=view&current=DCFig4.jpg)

From Calais:
* Assuming you have berthed bow-in as is done in Calais you will need to swing your vessel around. there are two main ways to do this
   -Move out into the Harbour Basin, and swing around in the harbour (Fig 5)
   -Reverse out of the harbour and swing around outside the harbour (Fig 6)
*when you enter the channel head along at a bearing of between 259' and 264' remember to keep to the English side
*When you come to the end of the Approach Channel, start turning to get a bearing of between 309' to 314' (Fig 7)
*After passing the Mid-way point Change your course to have a bearing between 295' to 305' (Fig
*When you are approximately 2 miles off of Dover start to turn to head through the Eastern Entrance (Fig 9)
*You should pass through the Eastern Entrance at a bearing of between 260' and  265', at a speed of less then 12 knots

(http://s713.photobucket.com/albums/ww134/The-Ferry-Man/SSE/Dover-Calais%20Guide/?action=view&current=DCFig5.jpg)

(http://s713.photobucket.com/albums/ww134/The-Ferry-Man/SSE/Dover-Calais%20Guide/?action=view&current=DCFig6.jpg)

(http://s713.photobucket.com/albums/ww134/The-Ferry-Man/SSE/Dover-Calais%20Guide/?action=view&current=DCFig7.jpg)

(http://s713.photobucket.com/albums/ww134/The-Ferry-Man/SSE/Dover-Calais%20Guide/?action=view&current=DCFig8.jpg)

(http://s713.photobucket.com/albums/ww134/The-Ferry-Man/SSE/Dover-Calais%20Guide/?action=view&current=DCFig9.jpg)

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I hope this was useful to you all.

If you want, I can try and do similar things for the route to Boulogne and Dunkerque (though these ports aren't on map) , and see if I can Sort out the Western Entrance

[krisostend]

Here is a nice detailed chart of the Dover Strait

http://www.harbourguides.com/charts.php/Dover-Strait

[goodles]

thanks TFM great work  you get 2 thumbs up from me 

[The Ferry Man]

Thanks, glad it was useful 

[VirtualSkipper]

Now I know how to exit Calais 

Thx TFM! 

[cptnchris]

Got here from your sig, nice topic very helpful  

[The Ferry Man]

Glad it was helpful 

[gibby12]

Where would this forum be if TFM havnt came along 

[cptnchris]

Where would this forum be if TFM havnt came along  

Indeed, we would be 7,333 posts behind  
(exactly 7,000 more than me )

[Destrega]

Fantastic! 

[VirtualSkipper]

Why can't they just dredge that area off?

[The Ferry Man]

What area?

[VirtualSkipper]

That blue band in front of Calais

[The Ferry Man]

You mean this bit?

[VirtualSkipper]

More like this:

The purple stripe indicates the new route. All the blue within the red line should be dredged and also the ferries will be able to go in port in a straight line and I think it will safe fuel. 

[The Ferry Man]

Maybe

but then the ferries wouldn't cross the channel at right angles...

[VirtualSkipper]

It's just a thought 

[Ballast]

Hi TFM,

I assume you refer to the angles of crossing. Vessels only need to cross the lanes of the TSS perpendicular. As soon as they enter the inshore traffic zone, they can sail any direction they like. The border between the traffic lane and the inshore traffic zone is marked with the dotted line, in this case the line between the Ruytingen SW buoy and the ZC2 buoy 

[The Ferry Man]

 


That's what I meant by channels 

[rich84]

Thanks for this guide, I wish i'd spotted it sooner I approached Calais at the wrong angle & run aground & I managed to dock after freeing myself & then collided with the linkspan

[craigster1]

hi can anyone show me how i can do it on sse online thanks

[oceandream]

^^ that you should post the multiplayer board

[VirtualSkipper]

Craigster, all you can do is practice.

[The Ferry King]

Craigster i dont think its that hard for you to sail across the channel..

The channel crossing is the easiest part..

The docking and departing is only a bit hard but you can easily master it
Just remember:
Practise makes Perfect

[craigster1]

ok thanks