Sunday 16th August – Saturday 27th August 2026
Sail in company with Solent Gaffers in August 2026 on a cross-channel cruise, exploring West Normandy and visiting the Channel Islands. Read on for more details – we are in the planning stage of this event and some details may well change.
A small group of gaffers will meet somewhere in the Western Solent the night before the crossing. The following day, possibly in the early hours, we will take advantage of the tide to set off down the Needles Channel crossing the Channel to the lively naval port of Cherbourg, with its huge harbour, maritime museums and fresh seafood, where there will be a chance to enjoy the atmosphere, before rounding Cap de la Hague and heading south along this rugged Atlantic Normandy coastline.
We plan to visit places such as Carteret (a charming seaside town with wide sandy beaches, tidy marina vibes, and a laid-back holiday feel) and Iles Chausey (a quiet, magical archipelago with shifting sands, turquoise shallows and wildlife) along the way, en route to the “pirate city” of St Malo, offering dramatic tides, golden beaches, medieval ramparts, and an irresistible blend of maritime history, creperies, and salty Atlantic air.
We expect to enter the Rance river, pass its hydro-electric barrage, and cruise its sheltered waters, perhaps as far as the beautiful medieval town of Dinan, full of timber-framed houses, cobbled lanes and leafy ramparts. After this, we will make our return via Jersey and Guernsey.
This trip includes some areas with strong tides and large tidal ranges, which we expect to turn to our advantage! Participating boats and crews should be prepared for these conditions. Some of the locations may be limited to boats of a maximum draft of 2m and a maximum air draft of 18m. We expect to anchor at some locations and also plan to visit marinas which involve drying pontoons. Participants may choose to join or leave the cruise at any point along the way, to suit their own plans.
Check-in to the EU will take place at Cherbourg and the check-out will be at St Malo, as these are both ports of entry. Customs clearance in the Channel Islands is a less formal process.
Safety note: this is a cruise in company, which offers the safety benefits of travelling in a group, however each skipper must ensure that both boat and crew are suitably equipped for the passages. The itinerary may be changed or shortened depending on weather conditions. Passage planning remains the responsibility of the skipper and it is their sole decision to participate in each stage of the cruise.
Proposed Itinerary (subject to change)
| Date | Passage |
| Sun 16th Aug | West Solent anchorage meet up (afternoon/evening) |
| Mon 17th Aug | Sail to Cherbourg (70M) – very early start! |
| Tue 18th Aug | Rest day in Cherbourg |
| Wed 19th Aug | Carteret (40M) |
| Thu 20th Aug | Îles Chausey (30M) |
| Fri 21st Aug | Plouer-sur-Rance (27M) |
| Sat 22nd Aug | Rest day/Dinan |
| Sun 23rd Aug | Rance cruising/Dinan/St Malo |
| Mon 24th Aug | St Malo (check out) |
| Tue 25th Aug | Jersey (35M) |
| Wed 26th Aug | Rest day |
| Thu 27th Aug | Guernsey (25M) |
| Fri 28th Aug | Rest day |
| Sat 29th Aug | Return to Solent (80M) [possibly via Alderney] |
Participating boats
| Skipper | Boat name | Type of boat |
| Charles Erb (co-ordinator) | Molly of Mylor | Cornish Crabber 26 |
| Grant Morris | Meagan | Ed Burnett Gaff Cutter |
| Roger & Christine Hardman | Indian Runner | Cornish Crabber 26 |
| Brian Tweedie-Smith | Shenanigan | Janneau 42i |
| Doog Wright | Liberty of Chichester | Cornish Crabber 26 |
| Liz and Tim Dodwell | High Barbaree | Cornish Crabbers Pilot Cutter |
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