DrakeParagonvideo
Sailing from Brest, France to Falmouth, England: Part 2 | DrakeParagon Sailing
February 28, 2026 · 20 min · 4K views · Brest, France
What this video covers
Paragon, a Westsail 42, departs Brest, France on June 15th at 1800 for a 130-nautical-mile passage to Falmouth, England, with a narrow weather window forcing the departure.▶ 0:15 The first nine nautical miles require motoring directly into 20–30-knot headwinds through a tight channel, timed to hit slack current; Drake plans to hoist a double-reefed mainsail to assist the engine.▶ 1:53 After clearing that channel, the route turns north between the French mainland and offshore islands, where a two-to-three-knot favorable current runs for roughly 20 nautical miles on a broad reach in 20-knot winds.▶ 2:16 The passage then goes offshore at sunset, leaving France behind for a beam-reach run to Falmouth in 15–20 knots.▶ 3:04 Departure from the marina is complicated by a catamaran and a rafted race boat astern and a large monohull ahead; Drake rigs a bow spring line, motors forward to kick the stern out, and relies on the stern wind to swing Paragon clear.▶ 4:11 Friends from Tripatya — Hazel and Tony — assist on the bowsprit to protect the bobstay from the dock.▶ 11:34 The Windy app and a current-overlay chart plotter guide the tidal timing throughout.▶ 6:08 Hitting slack current precisely in a narrow, high-current channel is the critical factor when motoring to windward in a confined departure.
Boats in this video
More from DrakeParagon
From DrakeParagon — see the channel’s boat, crew, and every analyzed video.
The Sailing Directory Newsletter
One email with the fleet's best finds — the moments, boats, and stories worth your watch time. Enter your own address to get your own copy.