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Why Keep A Watch While Sailing? - Sailing from France to England, Part 4 | DrakeParagon Sailing
March 14, 2026 · 18 min · 4K views · English Channel
What this video covers
Paragon, a Westsail 42 on a solo overnight passage from France to England, encounters two large ships in quick succession with dangerously close CPAs.1:08 The first, Cape Del Cato, closes to 0.22 nautical miles in 8 minutes; the second, Cristina Maceveo (395 feet), shows a CPA of 0.19 nautical miles at 12 knots.1:00 Drake hails both on VHF 16, switches to working channels, and each ship alters course — raising CPA to 0.42 and clearing to starboard respectively.5:01 AIS provides names and approach data; radar confirms positions visually.1:06 Drake credits a Watch Commander alarm, set to 12-minute intervals, with forcing regular checks of radar, chartplotter, and sails throughout the night.7:24 The iSailor app displays real-time current (0.6 knots east-to-west) for a $10 annual subscription.10:01 Approaching England, Drake abandons a plan to enter Falmouth — where mooring balls run £40 per night — and instead anchors in the Helford River at Durgan, chosen via the Navily app (4/5 stars, 10 reviews), which notes protection from all directions except east, a dinghy landing with a 25-minute walk to a village shop, and facilities including water, waste bins, showers, and a bus to Falmouth.14:52 The Hydrovane wind vane is engaged to relieve the autopilot.17:10 Maintaining an active watch and a working VHF are the direct reasons both ship encounters ended without incident.
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