60' - Will this be a problem?

Piers

Piers

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Joined
2 Jun 2001
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Location
Guernsey, Channel Islands
www.playdeau.com
60\' - Will this be a problem?

Maybe - just maybe, buying a larger boat (60'). But are there problems when cruising and trying to find a marina that can offer a berth for a night or three?

Channel, Channel Islands, Normandy, Northern Brittany, Holland....

Or will it be a disaster, with everyone saying 'told you so....'

Piers du Pré
www.playdeau.com
 
Re: 60\' - Will this be a problem?

Don't forget the MCA are getting tough on craft over X (45?) feet and you can be fined if your vessel doesn't comply.

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<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.freeware.mcmail.com/435.htm>http://www.freeware.mcmail.com/435.htm</A>
 
Re: 60\' - Will this be a problem?

Would not entertain anything so big. Would kill all the fun IMHO and struggle getting in loads of places. 35 or 40 ft. Plenty big enough. Just fall out with a few of the extra folk you've encouraged to come!!

<font color=red>The X Invisible White Man/forums/images/icons/laugh.gif<font color=blue>Haydn
 
Re: 60\' - Will this be a problem?

Used to a boat that size and always found a berth inc Channel Islands, etc. But at that siz ewe used to anchor or stay on a buoy. Best tip, is to just arrive and they always found somewhere for us!
 
Re: 60\' - Will this be a problem?

I had a 63' TSDY with a 19' beam and never had a problem, it can feel like a problem coming into St. Vaast, sometimes the lock gates look awfully narrow. The main thing is to call first and like with all marinas arrive by 3.00 pm if you can.

Ouistreham marina was a bit tight I must say, and trying to get 70 tons into the locks when a thousand screaming Frenchmen in 25 foot GRPs leg in ahead of you even when the lock keeper tells them to wait can be interesting for the blood pressure. But getting into tight places was part of the fun.

Even if the French Marinas can't take you there's usually a big unused freight basin around the corner where you will be welcome, and in a real boat environment.

John
 
Re: 60\' - Will this be a problem?

Having seen what you were looking at, HE would love one too. I also think parking would be a problem, no popping in anywhere on the off chance is my opinion. But as mentioned above, anchoring is more of an option with stabilisers it would make it an easier night.

Did you ever get those photos you took of us at Soton run off HE would like to know?
 
Re: 60\' - Will this be a problem?

Piers

Just give me advance warning if you want to come here I will arrange a berth for you as long as it is not in the middle of the silly season it shouldnt be a problem.

Dielette Carteret will be a problem at the weekend as they get v busy but St Quay ok in Brittany and Granville in Normandy.

Dom

I am boating again ;-)
 
Re: 60\' - Will this be a problem?

Although we are 'only' 51ft (sail) we have only ever twice been turned away - but in both cases they were turning away 26' boats as well.

The fun part is watching the audience watvhing for the foulups - I enjoy their look of anguish when it goes well. The extra displacement means that manouevres are mor epredictable (but take more stopping when they start to go awry).
 
Re: 60\' - Will this be a problem?

I can't remember, my really big boat days ended with the last recession. I don't think we booked Oustreham because I thought we would always have the canal as a mooring option.

At Fecamp we used the commercial basin, and likewise the fishing basin at Dieppe, Cherbourg the marina, Le Havre the marina, Deauville we used the yacht basin on the Trouville side not the marina. In a smaller 50 footer (still 65 tons) two years ago I was asked to go on the big ship mooring at Alderney because I was dragging their yellow yachtie ones. Alderney on the big ship mooring in an Eastery Gale is like being at anchor across a wind against tide sea and most unpleasant. Going round the boat on ones knees. Too rough to stay, too rough to leave.

One other point. If the 60 footer is a displacement hull it's likely you will have a centre hung rudder with outboard screws as I did. This arrangement gives you virtually none of the TSDYs ability to manourvre in confined spaces; which only works really well with ram rudders and a planing hull. On two occasions, once on the Caledonian and once at Fecamp, full ahead and full astern on either engine produced no turning moment at all and we required to use springs. Springs are definitely an essential with this kind of big boat.

One other item of note was that heading for lock gates has to be done at a bit of a lick, (say 4 knots) to give good steerage, no use trying to creep in at a knot. My 50 footer had a single screw and was actually much easier to manouvre at slow speeds than the twin. In her you could creep at a knot because a blast of water across the rudder could change your direction in a instant.

John
 
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