Cost of Journey to France

[lesleyandrea]

We're in the process of buying our first boat (Princess 415) and I'm trying to find out the approximate cost of taking the boat from Kent to France. Everyone I speak to has a different opinion and the costs seem to range from £200 to £1000. This is having a major impact on our decision because we obviously don't want to buy a boat that we can't afford to take out from it's mooring. Any advice to a couple of Newby's would be much appreciated.

 

[speedfiend]

Cost depends on distance of course.Eg dover to calais 25 miles(ish). Approx £5/gallon for diesel.Probably get 1mpg on average on a P415. Thus cost £5 x 25 = £125 for this single way trip.
you could add in other costs eg servicing/depreciation but then it gets complicated!
Depending on kent base and final french destination you can do your own sums. Once in France diesel probably more like £6-7 per gallon, so costs rise proportionately when cruising on the "other side".

 

[lesleyandrea]

Thanks speedfiend. That's a massive help. We're not likely to be jaunting to France immediately (not enough experience) but we can use this info as a yardstick for the local journeys we are keen to kick off with.

 

[speedfiend]

Where are you thinking of berthing her?
There are some lovely cruising grounds in france. Beware the cost of diesel though.
much better to fill up in the uk or belgium. When you get plenty of experience, St Valery sur somme is lovely and quiet!!
S

 

[lesleyandrea]

Due to complete sale in a couple of weeks and she is currently berthed on the Thames but we hope to move her to Eastbourne as soon as we feel our navigating skills are up to it. This is our first boat and we are very excited but obviously a little nervous.

 

[speedfiend]

Fantastic! Good luck and enjoy every minute of her.the delivery trip to Eastbourne alone will be an exciting adventure for you. once you`ve got the requisite qualifications (day skipper etc) waste no time in doing your 1st channel crossing. It is very daunting but well worth it and from then its just plain sailing(or motoring!!).

 

[oldgit]

Due to complete sale in a couple of weeks and she is currently berthed on the Thames but we hope to move her to Eastbourne as soon as we feel our navigating skills are up to it. This is our first boat and we are very excited but obviously a little nervous.

It is vital that you ensure your all your fuel filters are new and clean and most importantly that your fuel tank does not have any debris in it.
Any boat that has spent any time on the tranquil Thames will not have encountered the sort of shaking it will receive in open water.This may dislodge years of crud on the bottom of the tank.
It will block your filters and could bring your boat to a halt in perhaps a very unpleasant situation some way from help or shelter.Might I also suggest a visit to the Thames forum as worthwhile.Loads of local knowledge and somebody might even know the history of the boat you are buying.

 

[Thepipdoc]

Depending on where you plan to visit in France a detour to Guernsey would be well worth it. I was in St. PP in September 2010 and it was 0.58p a litre. This makes just about any trip affordable I reckon.

 

[Solitaire]

Due to complete sale in a couple of weeks and she is currently berthed on the Thames but we hope to move her to Eastbourne as soon as we feel our navigating skills are up to it. This is our first boat and we are very excited but obviously a little nervous.

I can understand your excitement. But just a few thoughts:

Why Eastbourne?
Where do you live - not address, town will do! Just because Eastbourne is "close to home" does not make for a good place to be.
For a new boater, taking a boat from the Thames and down to Eastbourne is not an easy jaunt!
You say it is your first boat - Eastbourne has a lock, so you need to consider your boat handling skills in confined environment for a new boater.

Have/are you getting a boat handling course?

 

[carlton]

I can understand your excitement. But just a few thoughts:

Why Eastbourne?
Where do you live - not address, town will do! Just because Eastbourne is "close to home" does not make for a good place to be.
For a new boater, taking a boat from the Thames and down to Eastbourne is not an easy jaunt!
You say it is your first boat - Eastbourne has a lock, so you need to consider your boat handling skills in confined environment for a new boater.

Have/are you getting a boat handling course?

My thoughts too.

Consider taking a look at Brighton rather than Eastbourne. It's accessible at all states of tide and no lock to negotiate, and a massive selection of restaurants compared to Eastbourne. Slightly more expensive than Eastbourne, but the 24/7 access is worth the extra.

 

[oldgit]

Cost depends on distance of course.Eg dover to calais 25 miles(ish). Approx £5/gallon for diesel.Probably get 1mpg on average on a P415. Thus cost £5 x 25 = £125 for this single way trip.
you could add in other costs eg servicing/depreciation but then it gets complicated!
Depending on kent base and final french destination you can do your own sums. Once in France diesel probably more like £6-7 per gallon, so costs rise proportionately when cruising on the "other side".

First get your boat from Teddington to Dover.100 miles ? £500.00 ??

 

[lesleyandrea]

Cost of Journey

Thanks for your thoughts and apologies for not replying sooner. I'll certainly pass Oldgits comments on to the surveyor on wednesday so he can check it out. At the moment we live five minutes walk from Chatham Marina but as we work from home the idea of Eastbourne was to get away from home and work and it's an area very familiar to us with regard to restaurants etc.

Next week my husband will be taking the stage 2 accredited motorboat course and I promise you wild horses wont get me on the open sea without a good few man hours of boating experience under our belt. the very thought terrifies me at the moment. I used the Kent/France journey to get a rough estimate of boating costs generally.

Thanks again.

 

[Tom Price]

Where are you thinking of berthing her?
There are some lovely cruising grounds in france. Beware the cost of diesel though.
much better to fill up in the uk or belgium. When you get plenty of experience, ST VALERY SUR SOMME is lovely and quiet!!
S

That 's really naughty = unhelpful - for a beginner as it's difficult to enter - or are you trying to send him inland up the Somme Canal out of the way???

With Featherstone's North France & Belgium Cruising Companion (£21 from Amazon) he can work that out for himself!

 

[SovereignDiver]

Got to support oldgit and Carlton

Thanks for your thoughts and apologies for not replying sooner. I'll certainly pass Oldgits comments on to the surveyor on wednesday so he can check it out. At the moment we live five minutes walk from Chatham Marina but as we work from home the idea of Eastbourne was to get away from home and work and it's an area very familiar to us with regard to restaurants etc.

Next week my husband will be taking the stage 2 accredited motorboat course and I promise you wild horses wont get me on the open sea without a good few man hours of boating experience under our belt. the very thought terrifies me at the moment. I used the Kent/France journey to get a rough estimate of boating costs generally.

Thanks again.

We were berthed at Eastbourne for many seasons. Our cruising hours were not good as once you're through the lock the options are Brighton or France!
We did a lot of France but when fuel was not such an issue. Did quite a bit of Brighton, but please remember Beachy Head and the head ledge. We got well used to it but when the tide kicks across the ledge, especially when the is an Easterly blowing in Eastbourne bay, wowee, that's akin to the best white water rafting on the planet.
You are close to Chatham where we are currently based and have already got four good tips under our belt this season. That's at least three more than anyone in Eastbourne.
Consider Chatham Maritime Marina as a sound base, and if you need a hand with the trip down from the Thames, let me know and I'll see if I'm around to just sit with you.
Best of luck and welcome to the most enjoyable and challenging hobby available.

 

[SovereignDiver]

Oops.

Forgot to mention Solitare. Also good and thoughtful advice.

 

[oldgit]

The Mudway is an excellent and very benign enviroment to learn boating.Nothing hard and rocky to run into and with a nice mix of educational mud and tides.Fairly protected from weather in most directions means year round boating,but with a nice easterly on the go,a fast appreciation of why sometimes it it better to stay moored up and put the kettle on.
A good range of good value marinas(this is not the Solent) down to basic boatyards provide sensible berthing costs.
As for getting away from it all,for most people just drivng through the marina gates on Friday night puts home and work a thousand miles away,even if if it is only 5 mins in the car and just being able to pop down to the boat on warm summer evening merely to sit on the flybridge with a quick G&T is priceless.
Thats never going to happen when your boat is 3 hours away on the M25 and you arrive only to find its blowing a gale

 

[Csail]

I can understand your excitement. But just a few thoughts:

Why Eastbourne?
Where do you live - not address, town will do! Just because Eastbourne is "close to home" does not make for a good place to be.
For a new boater, taking a boat from the Thames and down to Eastbourne is not an easy jaunt!
You say it is your first boat - Eastbourne has a lock, so you need to consider your boat handling skills in confined environment for a new boater.

Have/are you getting a boat handling course?

Why would you need a boat handling course....if you can drive a car then!!!!!

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Thanks speedfiend. That's a massive help. We're not likely to be jaunting to France immediately (not enough experience) but we can use this info as a yardstick for the local journeys we are keen to kick off with.

5 quid a mile is a fair estimate for a 40ft flybridge mobo but don't forget that fuel is only one part of the cost of running a boat. For an older boat like yours, unexpected maintenance bills will be a regular occurence and you could easily end up spending as much on maintenance in a year as you do on fuel. In this respect its wise that you become as familiar with you new boat as possible so that you can do some of the simpler maintenance jobs yourselves rather than calling out an expensive technician every time. It would also be a good idea to take a diesel engine maintenance course. Diesel engines are relatively simple things and a little bit of knowledge can go a long way to keeping them running sweetly

 

[lesleyandrea]

My husband's thoughts exactly, Csail. He thinks he can circumnavigate the globe on a few basic 'hand over' instructions. I on the other hand don't have a courageous bone in my body and want to see some certification before I put a plimsoled foot aboard!!

SovreignDiver, we actually live on St. Mary's Island so Chatham Marina couldn't be nearer. A lovely marina but I think for us living so close, it wouldn't have that 'away from it all' feel and if the weather was slightly iffy we'd more inclined to give the boat a swerve and stay at home whereas if we had a bit of distance between us and chosen marina we would set out for the weekend and make the best of any weather.

I've taken your comments on board Oldgit, and I know that this could be the beginning of a very expensive hobby although I comfort myself with the thought that if we can't afford the repair(straight away)we can stay put on our mooring and put the gin in Gin Palace. Also love the thought of hunkering down with a cup of tea with the wind howling outside - as long as we're berthed of course.

I think Deleted User's idea of a diesel maintenance course is excellent. I'm searching the internet as we speak looking for a suitable course to book especially as The Husband has a birthday coming up. I'll break the news after I've booked it as his enthusiasm for giving up his free time might not be as great as mine.

We're still in a massive quandery about were to moor the boat, as I said original intention was to berth on the Thames for two to three months as the boat is there already and also we were told that if you can handle the locks on the Thames you can handle most things (obviously not seen me trying to throw a rope around a bollard) and then move to Eastbourne or wherever. But we've just discovered we'll have to pay the full annual fee for the Thames River Licence (£850+) irrespective of how long we're there. They weren't kidding when they said that B.O.A.T means Bring On Another Thousand. For £850 we could have the boat transported by road to it's final destination and save us the immediate worry of getting it there.

Thanks again for all your thoughts.

 

[Searush]

Take care, Csail is teasing.

Boating isn't exactly hard but it IS very different from a car. For starters, the roads don't move much do they? Water sure does. Secondly, stop a car & walk away & it will probably stay there (if not on a hillside) a boat needs tying in place or anchoring & if the tide goes out, the lines must be set up to deal with that. If your car breaks down you can get out & fix it, boats just drift off. If a car gets a hole in it, who cares? But your boat may sink. Run out of fuel & you can walk to a garage for some more, you can't do that in a boat.

Having said all that, get some practice manouvering in moving water - try picking up a pop bottle out of the water perhaps. Get a copy of the RYA distance learning course & work through it together at home & you will learn a lot. Also get the Chart Symbols booklet & learn the useful ones (err, OK that's most of them).

Finally, keeping the boat handy doesn't make it less of a break - it will always have a very different feel to your home.