Ideas for boat doing French Canals 1st, Med 2nd

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by Leee

Hi. Nice plan. I think you will need both an ICC and CEVNI before you can take your own boat into the canals. And a copy of the CEVNI rule book on board and a few other odds and ends like boat numbers and nav. lights that work when the mast is on deck. I have a 50' centreboard that just fits both below and above. A bit skinny on air draft. Be sure you have a good handle on your standing rigging settings prior to taking the mast down as you will have a difficult time finding a rigger to reset it all at the other end. Have fun.

yes you will need the ICC and the CEVNI endorsement, your also have to purchase the VNF navigation license around 7.60euros per metre per month

have a look at this link https://www.french-waterways.com/, click " Hands on " to get practical info

Note that by special arrangement both the UK and Ireland can issue ICCs to US residents

[boatman61]

For the canals I suggest something like this.. A Princess 32.
Some friends of mine did the trip from Brighton across the Channel and followed the canals through to Paris and on to the Med.
They enjoyed it so much the planned 6mth trip down to Marsalis took 3 years.. they ended up in Fuengirola where they stayed till he died and she sold up and went back to the UK

[grantmc]

Obviously they had the mast of that Princess 32 shipped separately Boatie.

[skyhawk]

thanks for pointing that video grantmc. I've been wondering about some of those other rivers and canals...
moral of the story I think is have a boat with a bigger engine if you're ever planning to cruise any rivers! Having been a power boater my whole life I've rarely been in underpowered situations like that

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by grantmc

Obviously they had the mast of that Princess 32 shipped separately Boatie.

more then likely , I mean its a big thing

[robazurus]

Again, thanks for the replies.
That video of the couple heading upstream from the Med raised my eyebrows at the strength of the currents. So I see a good strong engine is important. What's the name of that European Trailer Sailor with the big outboard motor again? lol :-)
I've watched Ruby Rose's video on the canal passage as well, and see they had issues with grounding, and weed.
Saw that many of the canals have very low bridges as well as shallow water depth. I need to research this very well I see.
Thanks again for all your posts.

[bil56]

the official french website
https://www.vnf.fr/vnf/
"voies navigables de france" = french waterways

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by robazurus

So I see a good strong engine is important. What's the name of that European Trailer Sailor with the big outboard motor again? lol :-)

There are plenty of Magregor 26x over here, but the problem is then buying petrol. Fine if you don't mind long walks with trolley and jerry cans. That said at least you could clear the weed easily enough and tip it up for the shallow bits.

Pete

[robazurus]

Originally Posted by Pete7

There are plenty of Magregor 26x over here, but the problem is then buying petrol. Fine if you don't mind long walks with trolley and jerry cans. That said at least you could clear the weed easily enough and tip it up for the shallow bits.

Pete

Actually the one I was trying to remember was the swing keel and water ballasted Imexus 28 with a turbo diesel. I saw one here in Australia with an outboard on it, but believe they're available in Europe with an I/O

[naroz]

this is what you need my Quinto https://youtu.be/BbEm6_lONpM
my site wil be wary soon ready www.milandrta.org
if you are interested to by let me know,
gr,Zoran

[Toujours]

You may want to contact http://http://yachtrubyrose.com/french-canals/. They recently completed a transit of the French canals in their Southerly (believe 39'). They passed through many locks so that may be a consideration in selecting a boat. Enjoy your trip...should be amazing

[robazurus]

Hi, Yes have watched Ruby Rose's passage. If I could have afforded their boat I would have bought it when it was up for sale to fund the cat.

[psakw]

My wife and I did the French, Belgium, Holland German and even went into Switzerland with a 52 foot sail boat with a draft of 5' 6" without a problem. We did the Rhone, Soane, Canal De Bourgonia, Canal du Sent, Doub, Marne, Mosel, Rhine and all of Holland canals without a problem.
Don't limit yourself, get the boat you want.
I left my masts, Dingy, Anchor, Sails etc at Port Napoleon located at the Med entry to the Rhone River. Very inexpensive to leave them there. We were then free to do the canals without hindrance of carrying the masts.
Wonderful Experience. We are going to do it again starting in 2022.

[Sunshine Coast]

We're also Aussies who've been cruising through the French, Belgium, Dutch and German rivers and canals for the past three seasons but obviously not this season due to Covid. We plan to do two or three more seasons in the canals before heading out into the Med. We have a 12 metre GRP motor cruiser for for what it's worth I'd have to agree with some of the posts here that it would be very uncomfortable to cruise through with the mast stowed on deck. The plan to ship the mast to your final destination or just buying a new one is well worth considering.
As previously said, you can get around the Schengen rules because Australia has bilateral agreements with several countries including Germany, Netherlands, Belgium and all the Scandinavian countries. Check out

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPcx...el=GeoffPeters

for more information.

[edlepera]

Contest 31. Tabernacle mast rig