24ft Boat in Med

[Adrian]

I’ve been offered a free berth at Port Grimaud, Sth France, for 2005, am I mad to tow my Jeanneau 24 down for the season? I’m thinking of “School Holiday” sailing 1week Easter and Whitson and 2 weeks in the summer doing 2-3 day sails up and down the coast using PG as a base, we’ll have access to an apartment when in PG.
We keep the boat on Windermere normally so it is set up for that kind of sailing. I’m mainly worried about the following:-
1) We have got a Porta Loo which normally lasts 2-3 days before needing emptying, are there facilities to empty it along the coast?
2) We have a 5hp 4 stroke OB charging a 70Ah Battery, will this be enough, Hp and Ah
3) What paper work will I need? (Apart from Boat papers)

Any comments appreciated.

Oh yes, there will be 4 of us!

<hr width=100% size=1>Adrian
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.kydproducts.co.uk>http://www.kydproducts.co.uk</A>

 

[colvic]

Go for it. A bit of a drive and if you don't book soon the ferry could cost an arm and a leg.

Plenty of marinas to empty the loo in.

SSR registration; Insurance; ICC if you haven't YM.


Phil

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[TrailerSailer]

We're thinking of taking our boat down for a 3 week period out of the next door marina. Normally we take our Laser 2k dinghy down and sail off the Pampalone beach, but this year we may venture upmarket. Just waiting for the confirmation from the marina of a slot.

Launching may be a problem. The slip looks really steep. It may be better to have it lifted in and out. Not too expensive I believe.

P&O offer caravans free on certain sailings. (early mornings from Dover and up to 13:45 from Calais). Caravans means any trailer!!

If we do take the boat down we'll use it as a caravan on the way down and back. I reckon it will take 2 days driving at about 50 MPH. I've done that route so many time I could do it in my sleep. Your only difficullt bit will be from the autoroute into PG. A little bit twisty. Take it easy and arrive alive (as their signs remind you every couple of miles). Be prepared for traffic over the last stretch. By the way go via Rimes and not Paris. Only adds a couple of miles and is much easier driving.

If you're not going to use the berth let me know just in case mine falls through...

Best of luck.

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[extravert]

My understanding is that the qualifications required to sail a British registered boat in foreign sea waters are those required in your home waters, ie none, so officially an ICC is not required. However, the RYA recommend having one anyway, as it saves any possible grief with foreign officials who implement their local rules for foreign flagged boats. See here.

<hr width=100% size=1>One day, I hope to own a real boat (and a reliable lifejacket).