Recent content by davidphillips

We did it a couple of years ago. Found winter moorings in Paris at Joinville le Pont (on the R. Marne and about four tube stops from Chatelet). Really nice capitaine i/c of the port de plaisance there, Luc Lamotte who looked after our boat all winter. The second winter at Veneray Les Laumes on...

Last year weeds were particularly bad between Dijon and St Jean de Losne on the Burgundy Canal. Elsewhere they weren't at all bad and outside the Burgundy canal we had no problems at all with the exception of a nappy on the R Seine (ugh!) We developed a system of using the dinghy foot pump...

Thanks to everyone for their helpful comments!

The problem of going via the Canal du Midi is (I am told) the sail up the coast against prevailing winds. Could try back up the Rhone - but 2kts seems very little compared with what we experienced on the way down. Anyway we 're in no great hurry and plan to have a last Med Cruise this spring...

The problem is getting up the Rhone to Lyon. I'm limited to a little over 5 kts and although you can get tow up I gather this is expensive.

I'm soryy to hear that you are selling up too! It does seem to be possible to rent a trailer for the weight (2,800kg) which would have to be towed by a Landrover Discovery or similar. As long as we are within the 3M width (just I think) are there any other problems with using French roads.

Thanks for this - is it feasible to tow back to the UK. The weight is 2,800kg and presumably is more than a car could tow but should be possible with a long wheelbase landrover or low loader.

Unfortunately it looks as if our cruising days are over for the time being as we have to look after two resident and increasingly decrepit grannies at home. I have a Westerly Chieftain (26 ft 1970's centre cockpit sloop related to the Centaur) at Navy Services in Port St Louis. Anyone any...

Thanks for everyone's help with our trip down the French Canals so far. We've got to St Jean de Losne after a marvellous time (we intended to just go through the system but ended up taking two years!). We would like to travel down the Saone/Rhone to the south next month. I hear stories of...

I'm planning to go through the Canal du Bourgogne next month. The vnf website giving details of lock opening times in July describes some locks as having "programmed navigation" only. There is little other information. What does this mean?

We've had a wonderful time taking our Westerly Chieftain (bilge keels) through the system. We are currently half way down the canal du bourgogne. No problems with the peniches as long as you are polite and give way to them. In fact many have been very friendly and suggested we secure to them...

Thanks everybody - this has been very helpful and gives me confidence that we'll survive the winter!

Re: Ice WE'll be at Veneray Les Laumes but off and on the boat

Would this not slow down galvanic corrosion because of the poorer conductivity of fresh water??

I'm planning to overwinter my boat (26ft Westerly Chieftain) in the canal du Bourgogne this year. I'm told it can get quite cold with a risk of the canal freezing over. Is this a problem for a fibre-glass boat. Has anyone had any experience of this?