Best marina for transporting mast to in southern France.

[Oscarpop]

After reading grehans website ( which is brilliant) , we are now planning on having our mast transported south, from possibly honfleur.

I will contact the chap who transports them , but wish to know a good marina in southern France that will firstly store our mast safely and secondly be able to help with the stepping, before we sail into the med.

I do not want the worry of turning up in a marina and finding that no one knows where our mast is.

Many thanks

 

[Grehan]

If you're thinking of using Wolfgang he'll undoubtedly have some comments on the potential 're-step and sail off' ports. Which one might depend on which direction you're heading - east Med or west Med. Port Napoleon or Navy Service, at the Rhone exit, must do many many masts each year and are, I think, both quite organised. Similarly, Chantier Allemand on the Herault further west.
However your thoughts are well placed and it is best practice to ensure that the mast and its fittings are well and safely parcelled and clearly marked with your name and the boat's name.
Lastly, consider unstepping at Rouen - this saves the potentially wobbly mast-less voyage up the Seine. Although Honfleur is a super place to call into, no question (if you don't mind being part of the touristy charm).

 

[Oscarpop]

Dear grehan,
Thank you for the swift reply. We will no doubt be asking some more fairly basic questions over the next year.

We initially intend to head from southern France over to the Greek islands and then off to the canaries to pick up the arc.

We have just over a year until our planned jump date, so are just getting a basic route, charts and kit sorted at the moment.

We have a southerly so like you shouldn't struggle too much with draft.

 

[anniebray]

I used Wolfgang this year. Unstepped in Port Napoleon & re-stepped in Rouen. I had no worries using this service. Everything is well organised. You should expect to package the mast yourself & obviously attach a label giving the itineray, boat name, phone no etc.
In Port Napoleon many of the contractors were Belgian who all spoke English. I asked whether it was necessary to remove the Radome but was told no problem, if Wolfgang wanted it removed they would attend to it....itwas left on the mast & was undamaged. English was spoken in Rouen also.

 

[Oscarpop]

I used Wolfgang this year. Unstepped in Port Napoleon & re-stepped in Rouen. I had no worries using this service. Everything is well organised. You should expect to package the mast yourself & obviously attach a label giving the itineray, boat name, phone no etc.
In Port Napoleon many of the contractors were Belgian who all spoke English. I asked whether it was necessary to remove the Radome but was told no problem, if Wolfgang wanted it removed they would attend to it....itwas left on the mast & was undamaged. English was spoken in Rouen also.

Thank you so much. That's fantastic to hear.

 

[Chris_Robb]

Have you thought about carrying the mast with you? We did this in a 40 footer, and it really was no problem.

Having seen what goes into packing a mast up for transport - you have to remove every last removable item, otherwise it will be nicked - placing on X frames, strapping down etc., was chicken feed in comparison.

The mast did not get in the way, and we had no issues with the overhang, which we made sure was greater at the stern.

 

[Windy_Stu]

+1 for carrying mast with you

we are on our way down to the med ourselves via the Midi... getting the mast down was easy and the year at Pauillac was straight forward... the yard even had some trellis already made up I guess left buy a traveler going the other way €10 euros for the trellises ( i think the wood must have cost more than that ) €70 for the un stepping... bobs your uncle.... getting through the locks has "touch wood " so far been fairly trouble free.

Not sure what transport cost are, but I bet its more than €80... more cash left in cruising kitty

We are also planning to re step in Port Napolian

Stu

 

[All_at_Sea]

+1 for Chantier Allemand, absolutely fantastic small family run boatyard on the river, very very efficient and cheap. Used them twice and can't fault them. Speak to Marilyn, she speaks good English whereas the others (in the family) don't.

 

[anniebray]

Have you thought about carrying the mast with you? We did this in a 40 footer, and it really was no problem.

Having seen what goes into packing a mast up for transport - you have to remove every last removable item, otherwise it will be nicked - placing on X frames, strapping down etc., was chicken feed in comparison.

The mast did not get in the way, and we had no issues with the overhang, which we made sure was greater at the stern.

My boat is 9m LOA but the mast is 13m so a big overhang. In our first lock on the Rhone I think it would have got damaged but thereafter we were a lot more skilful always using the "running moor" method with single rope to the midships cleat. Might consider transport on the boat if there is a next time ! When I reached the canals proper, I managed to obtain 8 used tyres FOC which gave very good protection.

As regards thieving, I certainly removed all turnbuckles + the Genoa reefing drum which are perhaps typical items that might be borrowed.

 

[Oscarpop]

We are in a 40 footer (12m)' with a 17 m mast.

That was probably too much overhang I thought?

1m at front and 4 at the back. Is this feasable?

 

[Windy_Stu]

I would have thought you would be OK.... we have a bit less maybe 3mtrs overhang, but we have dingy on davits on the back so the actual overhang is quite small... don't forget most people have the mast higher at the stern than the bow so the angle loses some of the length

We are a small cat (10.5 mters), but we are traveling with a couple of half boats both have there masts on top... all three are fine so far!
Stu

 

[Mrnotming]

We carried ours level on deck on X frames fore and aft.
Needs good strapping to make it secure, more than you would think!
Perhaps these photos will appear!
Lost a bottlescrew, which simply unscrewed and disappeared!
Used Navy Services, very good then 2003.

 

[charles_reed]

I'd 2nd Navy Service as the probably the best place to which to forward the mast.

 

[Oscarpop]

I'd 2nd Navy Service as the probably the best place to which to forward the mast.

I am now worrying about finding half my rig missing when I get there.

Is it safe, or is there a high chance of bits of rigging going missing ?

 

[Mrnotming]

When the rig is carried on the boat, little dismantling is needed and bundling of items is usual, crosstrees left in place etc. as per the photos I posted.
If I was sending a mast by road, it would be just the bare pole with everything stripped out and string substituted for halyards, mast lights & antennae safely put away, both sets of crosstrees, coils of rigging wire, all bottlescrews the boom, babystay, inner forestay, and whatever else like spinnaker ring fitting etc.
As it may be weeks before you again see your mast, the less spare bits on it the better.
You will find the same learning curve with or without a mast on deck, and the weight removed will not save anything significant in the draft of the boat.
A tyre on the mast at the bow will absorb any accidental contact with the lock sides, and equal trestles will allow the crew to work the foredeck by ducking under the mast forward.
I've not made the transit without the mast so it will be up to OP's to make the case for mast transportation.The overhangs never bothered me in the slightest.

 

[chasroberts]

Should you decide to send the mast on then take the rigging off it and store it in the boat! I would remove everything you could should, spreaders etc and just keep them with you. We carried all ours and the mast down the same route as Grehan the year after them with no major problems. Would agree that, in hindsight, demasting in Rouen would be better if you are carrying it as that stretch between Honfleur and Rouen can be very bumpy with large ships pasing in both directions. Use every bit of rope you've got and lash it down hard. The rest of the trip was easy by comparrison with that first bit......

Despite the slagging they get from some quarters here a bow-thruster is also a very useful piece of kit to have on the trip down, especially if you are doing it short handed. Don't forget a temporary VHF aerial to talk to lock-keepers on the big locks. Trying it in French will DEFINITELY speed your progress through the system.

Finally practice your mooring from the central cleat whilst motoring slightly against the mooring, two solid boat hooks/poles one forward one aft to fend and you'll be fine. Fabulous trip in a Southerly. Don't be afraid of carrying the mast, it's not that scary after a while and as some said above that's a big chunk of money to spend. The mast make a great cover for a boom tent for evenings as well.

Enjoy the trip.

Chas

 

[Chris_Robb]

Use every bit of rope you've got and lash it down hard. The rest of the trip was easy by comparrison with that first bit......



Enjoy the trip.

Chas

Hi - I suggest that cargo straps are the best way of tying down. The mast is like a battering ram when you hit a wash on the rivers, so ropes invariably come loose, and cargo straps are easy to tighten on the run.
You will need 6 of them.

We fished two splints of 2 x 2 wood to the top of the mast to protect the bits at the top, leaving everything in place. The foot went over the bows, leaving the more vulnerable mast head astern. The mast is 16 meters on 12 meter boat.

 

[Grehan]

Carrying the mast?

FWIW This is the f-w.com page about 'masts and mastering'.



We carried our mast foot-first, radome down but we did remove spreaders from the mast (they were easy both to remove and to re-fit) which kept deck clutter to a minimum. Top shrouds and stays stayed on and of course then had to be carefully tied and tidied along the mast, and the resulting 1-2m of excess length at the mast foot dealt with. Height of mast to clear bridge arches also worked out perfectly to be able to walk under (and pitch a tarpaulin tent over) at the cockpit and easily duck under at the bows (for rope and fender handling). Agree completely with the comments about the need for sturdy X-frames / trestles and for rocking-rolling proof lashings.
We very soon got used to having the mast to look out for and it saved some dosh too. No major incidents, no damage but there's no doubt it would have been nice not to have it. Cost-benefit balance, I guess.
Oh yes, we also found our bow-thruster extremely useful . . but they're never effective enough when one really needs them! Very good for helping reversing direction, not so good at slow speed going forward but being pushed awry by some water movement.

 

[capsco]

A friend of mine had her mast transported south, not sure which yard will look it up later, the yard allegedly signed for delivery, when friend arrived to collect whole thing was gone, yard denied responsibility, result, insurance claim for £15k less I think, 20% betterment.

 

[Oscarpop]

Thank you all who have posted.

It would seem as If deck carrying is the best option.

Brilliant suggestion re cargo straps. I can use the deck strong points for attachment