Overview#
Between Hamburg and Lymington there are at least 470 nm. In practice, it will probably be about 30% more, so roughly 600 nm. That is quite feasible in 10–14 days, with a few longer legs of more than 60 nm on the cards.
Some passages will run into the night, or begin before dawn so that arrival is in daylight. After night passages, a rest day is planned. During the legs, the crew can keep watches and sleep in rotation.
The ports named here are the preferred staging ports; other or additional stops are possible.
Ports by distance from Hamburg#
The ports are listed in ascending order of nautical-mile distance from Hamburg, based on distance tables in the Reeds Marine Distance Tables. Hamburg itself is 0 nm. Brunsbüttel lies downstream on the Elbe. Heligoland is about 45 nm to the north-west, and Borkum about 165 nm. The remaining distances follow the standard Reeds tables for North Sea routes. Reeds Marine Distance Tables states that its figures are based on the shortest or most usual routes, taking shipping lanes into account. api.pageplace
| Port | Distance (nm) |
|---|---|
| Hamburg | 0 |
| Brunsbüttel | 37 |
| Heligoland | 88 |
| Borkum | 170 |
| Terschelling | 220 |
| Scheveningen | 240 |
| IJmuiden | 270 |
| Ostend | 380 |
| Dover | 500 |
| Newhaven | 480 |
| Brighton | 470 |
| Lymington | 650 |
Passage plan#
| No. | From → To | Alternate ports | Great-circle distance (nm) | Duration at 4.5 kn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | Hamburg → Brunsbüttel | Cuxhaven (35 nm) | 38 | 8.4 h |
| 1 | Brunsbüttel → Heligoland | Wilhelmshaven (50 nm) | 47 | 10.4 h |
| 2 | Heligoland → Borkum | Wangerooge (30 nm) | 56 | 12.4 h |
| 3 | Borkum → IJmuiden | Norderney (20 nm) | 80 | 17.8 h |
| 4 | IJmuiden → Ostend | Den Helder (40 nm) | 100 | 22.2 h |
| 5 | Ostend → Dover | Zeebrugge (10 nm) | 70 | 15.6 h |
| 6 | Dover → Brighton | Ramsgate (15 nm) | 52 | 11.6 h |
| 7 | Brighton → Lymington | Newhaven (10 nm), Eastbourne (5 nm) | 70 | 15.6 h |
This passage plan is for a three-person crew aboard the Contessa 32 Lucy, with a draught of 1.65 m, and a start on 1 June 2026. The distances shown are great-circle figures from the Reeds nautical distance tables. At a mean speed of 4.5 kn, the schedule remains realistic, and the whole passage comes in at roughly 650 nm. Reeds Marine Distance Tables confirms the use of nautical-mile distances and the shortest or usual routes. api.pageplace
Weather allowance#
A typical allowance for tide, wind and sea state is 30% on top of the Reeds distances, which gives an effective sailing distance of about 600 nm. As a rule of thumb, this reflects the extra ground that can be lost to adverse conditions, particularly in the North Sea. For example, a Hamburg–Heligoland leg of 45 nm becomes about 58 nm in practice.