Boat Transport

[TheMerryFisher]

Hi all,
I am new to this forum and am glad to have found such a wealth of knowledge!

I am looking to bring my Jeanneau Merry Fisher 805 from A Coruna in Spain to Gloucester.

I have had quotes ranging from £3500 (return load) all the way to £8000 (dedicated trip)...

Someone said to me about taking 2 weeks holiday to cruise the boat to the UK. Has anyone on here done something similar?
She has a Volvo Penta TAMD 200HP diesel engine on board, obviously with GPS, VHF etc.

Or is it worth to just pay for a truck to pick her up?
Any advice is greatly appreciated!

 

[Seastoke]

Hi all,
I am new to this forum and am glad to have found such a wealth of knowledge!

I am looking to bring my Jeanneau Merry Fisher 805 from A Coruna in Spain to Gloucester.

I have had quotes ranging from £3500 (return load) all the way to £8000 (dedicated trip)...

Someone said to me about taking 2 weeks holiday to cruise the boat to the UK. Has anyone on here done something similar?
She has a Volvo Penta TAMD 200HP diesel engine on board, obviously with GPS, VHF etc.

Or is it worth to just pay for a truck to pick her up?
Any advice is greatly appreciated!

The lower price sounds good , and which way would you come back ,

 

[STILL AFLOAT]

Ok, its not exactly a big boat.
First, figure out the fuel price, on an average ....speed / fuel use.
Then, Cost in, how many marina stays, you will need, to complete the voyage, and the prices pr night.
Unless you are intrepid, you will probably want to rest up, for a few days, in certain places, after a bad night, at sea.
Then factor in, how long you might be stormbound for ?
As that is not free either !
Then, toss, the coin..... Are you doing it as an adventure ?
Then yes, enjoy every good or harrowing moment, of the trip.

On one trip back, from the Caribbean, I was stormbound, in Crosshaven, for 9 days !
Gales, throughout all UK sea areas.
When we finally left Crosshaven, the seas were still rough, then the Mayday came, and we spent 2 days sailing patterns to & from Lundy, trying to find Tabarly, who had been swept off Pen Duic. The Amatures on board, were not capable of managing the boat, thank God, a more agile boat than mine, An Australian race boat, managed to get an experienced man, on Pen Duic & take control. There was also a Brit Warship, trying to help, but to no avail. Some 9 days later, Tabarlys body was caught in a trawlers net.

If, on the other hand, you want a fast trip....... Then Sorry, ...
You cannot beat road transport.
Also, a reputable transporter, covers your boat, with his insurance, while in his care !
Be sure to ask , about that !!!!
Some Unscrupulous persons, will not tell you, that they are limitedly insured & its your fault , that you did not arrange road transport cover through your own Ins Policy.

Obviously, the above, only comes to light, if there is an accident, and you expect the haulier to pay !

One part I cannot understand, is your pricing, ?? Are you wanting to bring it to the UK forever
Or also, take it back to Spain ?

Take Care, Out There

 

[Dominicpriestley]

Is the 805 you've seen in Spain a particularly good one? I'm looking at 805 and 925's at the moment. Lots here for sale.

 

[petem]

Hi all,
I am new to this forum and am glad to have found such a wealth of knowledge!

I am looking to bring my Jeanneau Merry Fisher 805 from A Coruna in Spain to Gloucester.

I have had quotes ranging from £3500 (return load) all the way to £8000 (dedicated trip)...

Someone said to me about taking 2 weeks holiday to cruise the boat to the UK. Has anyone on here done something similar?
She has a Volvo Penta TAMD 200HP diesel engine on board, obviously with GPS, VHF etc.

Or is it worth to just pay for a truck to pick her up?
Any advice is greatly appreciated!

You'd have to be absolutely nuts to do that trip in a MF 805 - if would be gruelling, stressfull, and use a load of fuel. £3500 is a good price, just stick it on a truck and enjoy it when it gets here.

 

[Sticky Fingers]

Or do it via the inland waterwys and take 6 months over it....!

 

[Rocksteadee]

Another option is to sell there and buy a new one here.
The loss maybe be less than 3500

 

[Beamishken]

I guess it depends wether you would consider sailing the boat home an adventure or a chore. Personally I'd relish the challenge and thoroughly enjoy sailing the boat home. From the north coast of spain you can harbour hop around the coast of Biscay and work the weather as you go. Financially by the time you factor in fuel marinas and food etc then you may be close to your road transport cost. However if you see it as a holiday opportunity then its like you have £3500 to spend on your holiday trip.
I'd seriously consider sailing it home if you have the time and confidence

 

[TheMerryFisher]

Hi all,

Thank you for taking the time in getting back to me.
All of your feedback is appreciated!

Someone has said that I would be nuts to do it..well! I have a couple of people who want to come along with me and assist with the journey.
With the cost, it is about the same price as the lower transport to power her to the UK from Spain but it is that feeling of adventure that I need to balance.

I already own the boat in Spain so she has to come here!

Has anyone done the crossing from the north of Spain to the UK that could shed some light?

 

[TheMerryFisher]

Ok, its not exactly a big boat.
First, figure out the fuel price, on an average ....speed / fuel use.
Then, Cost in, how many marina stays, you will need, to complete the voyage, and the prices pr night.
Unless you are intrepid, you will probably want to rest up, for a few days, in certain places, after a bad night, at sea.
Then factor in, how long you might be stormbound for ?
As that is not free either !
Then, toss, the coin..... Are you doing it as an adventure ?
Then yes, enjoy every good or harrowing moment, of the trip.

On one trip back, from the Caribbean, I was stormbound, in Crosshaven, for 9 days !
Gales, throughout all UK sea areas.
When we finally left Crosshaven, the seas were still rough, then the Mayday came, and we spent 2 days sailing patterns to & from Lundy, trying to find Tabarly, who had been swept off Pen Duic. The Amatures on board, were not capable of managing the boat, thank God, a more agile boat than mine, An Australian race boat, managed to get an experienced man, on Pen Duic & take control. There was also a Brit Warship, trying to help, but to no avail. Some 9 days later, Tabarlys body was caught in a trawlers net.

If, on the other hand, you want a fast trip....... Then Sorry, ...
You cannot beat road transport.
Also, a reputable transporter, covers your boat, with his insurance, while in his care !
Be sure to ask , about that !!!!
Some Unscrupulous persons, will not tell you, that they are limitedly insured & its your fault , that you did not arrange road transport cover through your own Ins Policy.

Obviously, the above, only comes to light, if there is an accident, and you expect the haulier to pay !

One part I cannot understand, is your pricing, ?? Are you wanting to bring it to the UK forever
Or also, take it back to Spain ?

Take Care, Out There

Hi Still Afloat,
That is one heck of a journey you did there! Can you recommend any decent road transport firms? I have a few quotes from some but just in case I have missed any.

She will be coming back to the UK "forever" as I will get more use out of it here than over in Spain. I don't see the point having a boat there and only using it twice a year for a week or so.

Thanks again!

 

[burgundyben]

This is not an ideal time of year to be doing it.

I would be inclined to plan lots of short hops, maybe a morning run, then a lunch stop and an afternoon run if possible. Might make it less gruelling.

Perhaps head into the canals in Southern Brittany and come through the Rance to St Malo.

Then maybe Guernsey to Plymouth.

 

[R400]

Morning merryfisher
Fabulous idea but could I ask what is the longest passage you have made so far? Also do you have trim tabs.

 

[oldgit]

You'd have to be absolutely nuts to do that trip in a MF 805 - if would be gruelling, stressfull, and use a load of fuel. £3500 is a good price, just stick it on a truck and enjoy it when it gets here.

+1.
Back via canals.Need some proof. Buy David Edwards -May book, Inland Waterways of France and spend a few winter evenings trying to add up the number of locks twixt there and here.
and as for having 3 blokes, even your best mates, aboard for 6 weeks.! Assume one bog.
Adventure or blimming hard graft. ?
Do know somebody who went down throught the canals last summer to the Med, he came back by truck,enjoyed the trip but encountered delays and tribulations of all types some due to bad weather and floods.

As for doing it the long way round. you need to factor in weather and cost of stopping in Ports and Marinas on the way back.Suspect the range of the boat would be a limiting factor as well. Would you have enough fuel to get between 2 distant ports with enough in reserve to sleep at night..
Do you have a second back up NAV plotter/ emergency liferaft etc, by the time you add all this kit etc etc .
How about insurance. ?
Just saying.

 

[Beamishken]

Must be a lot of people never go past 5 miles from the marina. But there are those who enjoy pushing the boundaries, maybe a little inspiration here:-
https://www.mby.com/video/the-great-motorboat-tour-biscay-18737
Obviously not a trip to be taken lightly but with carefull planning and Identifying plenty of bolt holes then probably doable. We find on long trips 75- 100 miles per day is plenty sometimes less. Presumably the boat will have something like a 200 mile range?

 

[petem]

I'd originally assumed southern Spain but if it's northern Spain then its more doable if you can take your time.

 

[sarabande]

Biggish standby outboard needed if you are driving it back.

 

[Wansworth]

Wrong end of the yer for gallivanting around the Bissau,put it on a lorry

 

[Portland Billy]

I would seriously consider the inland waterway route, provided you had the time or could leave the boat on a safe mooring between stages.

 

[Orthop]

look at John Boyle: Long Way Home,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhHMF2vNtZY

 

[PCUK]

In unladen trim she is light enough to tow with a Navara, Landy or similar. If you have a suitable vehicle then you can rent a trailer and bring her back yourself.