capnsensible
Well-known member
So, I get asked by a friend if I can deliver his brand new Jeunneau 42i from Les Sables to Lanzarotte. How can I refuse?? Had been involved a bit in the planning and was right up for a bit of sailing instead of cleaning and mending them.
The handover date slipped a couple of times, no worries, but in the end with no real firm date from the agent we had to book the flights and go. After the previous days cattletruck airlines to the UK, the flight from Birmingham to La Rochelle felt like a private jet!
First thing we discover are the cost of French taxis, 150 euro to Les Sables. The other crew arriving via Nantes got stiffed for 200.
Now this is tuesday and despite many calls to the UK, we still dont have a handover date. Got to be said that within 2 seconds of being in the French yard, we get Friday as the day. Oh well, chance to spend more of the owners dosh on a hotel, fortunately being a chap not over concerned about this.
Forecast for the next few days was very light winds so nothing lost. Gave us a chance to get round all the Chandlers plus get just about all the victuals. Hire car was of great benefit again due to the largess of 'Lord Scattercash!'
The yard were very helpful at this stage, giving us some storage space for the chandlery and dried goods. Indeed on thursday we got a lot of stuff for the fridge and got an even better result. I am sure if we had of asked first, the answer would have been 'Non', but force majeur, we turn up with 10 bags of fresh stuff for the fridge and they not only got shore supply and the fridge on, they let me on to stow it. Great, gave me a chance to give the boat a good eyeballing and prepare a mental list of jobs to be done. Lots of gear still in packages or simply not there. Well handover not til next day, so no panic.
Friday morning finds us homeless and carless, so its off to the yard. Ah, handover between 4 and 5. Bit of grovelling and we can move on at 2. Great quote from owner 'well I've only done 600 euros so far today so lets have another go at the chandlers!!'.
Anyway, warmed the bell a bit and got all the gear on and stowed by 5 past 2. Major checks all round boat, still loads of gear not fitted. Um. Still at the crack of 2 minutes to 5, the agent fronts up. I get a teeny bit tense with him and show our agreed inventory list including fitting. Aha, his doesn't tally at all well. The most impressive bit came next though as a small army of workers descended on the boat. This at nearly 6 on a Friday, last working day before France basically shuts for August. Better still, one of the lads is English, no more patomime boat preps!! So, Anchor plus 50 metres of chain appears and is stowed, leecloths, liferings, danbuoy, etc, etc are all unpacked and fitted. All gps, navtext etc reconfigured to English, assureanses that Autopilot and instruments are calibrated and all is well.
Couple of hours and we are virtually ready for sea, papers signed and its off to wet the babies head.
An excited owner was up early olcock on Saturday, so its last couple of jobs, water topped off, final bread and milk run and its sea trial time. The yard was open until lunchtime, thereafter any problems would take weeks to get done. With that in mind, we slipped and went round to the diesel dock, topped off and spent a very enjoyable couple of hours putting the boat through her paces. Tacking, gybing, reefing, heaving to, generally batting the engine about, etc. Then its make your mind up time. Or when I earn my money! Must say it wasnt difficult to decide to get cracking, boat is well mannered, fully stocked and 3 happy chaps. Even the weather joined in, nice Northerlies all the way across Biscay. Nice easy watchkeeping, the other 2 are pretty experienced and plenty of chances for me to indulge in a massive ammount of willy-nilly button pressing on the plotter/radar etc.
The pain part was the engine. We had pre planned a pit stop in Cascais to pick up 3 more crew and get the 50 hour engine sevice done. It wasn't until I gave the Yanmar handbook a good looking at that I realised that those first fifty hours have to be mostly done at high revs including periods of 'wide open throttle'. This eats miles but has the same effect on fuel consumption, obviously. So depite a cracking reach at speeds over ground of up to 10 knots we still had to shorten sail from time to time and give the engine a good workout. We were sat about at high power on Sunday morning discussing a probable fuel stop in Bayonna when I saw 1 of several lobster pots. We were very quick to get the engine in neutral but not quite quick enough for the other 3 we hadnt seen! The sounder was showing 170 metres, largely confirmed by the plotter, so these were substantial affairs. Missed one, got hooked on another and as it turned out had 2 more wrapped around the keel, unknown to us. Got free but a lot of rope around the prop and no chance of removing it out there, so its off to La Coruna, happily one of my favourite ports. The wind gods continued to smile so despite dragging an unknown ammount of junk around with us, we made good progess to the entrance of Coruna. I called the Port Authority to make them aware of our problem, very helpful chaps. To the point where they sent out a flippin huge tug to tow us in!!! Well that was clearly not the right solution so after a bit of mixed Spanish and English between the port guy, the tug driver and myself we waved him on his way and I sailed us in, around the breakwater and anchored for a well earned cockpit beer plus a few zzz's before morning. Once again, great response from the local marina. 20 mins after my request at 0830, we are under tow by a sensible sized rib and duly alongside in the nice new marina in the inner baisin. Better still, not long after that, the diver appears and in between much chortling cuts off a heap of rope from the prop and releases 2 large baloon fenders from under the boat. At least they were marked with the name of the owners so they may even get them back!
So it turned out to be a good excuse for a run ashore, get fresh bread and, well, wet the babies head!
Also saved a diesel stop, seeing as we are already in a place that sells it. We had been told of a new fuel station to the south of the bay so by 0900, bills payed and hangovers under control we were away again. I have never liked the old fuel dock at Club Nautico, awkward to get to and often surgey, so the new place was to be a bonus. Except its for fisherman only! Despite waving lures and line in their general direction, it was then back to the Club dock. Yuk. Dignity intact however we cleared the bay within an hour or two at a very repectable 9 to 10 knots, thanks again Neptune. Shot past Finnisterre, still daylight and then had a very peaceful cruise down to Cascais. Even had to low down a bit to enter Friday morning after dawn, 1 lobster pot incident having been sufficient. Just as well, the entrance to Cascais has thousands of them! On reception by 8, new crew woken up in their Thursday night hotel and even got showered before shifting berths ready to meet them (my wife plus owners wife plus a friend from Lanzarote). Next bit of luck, the Yanmar guy can come friday, no need to wait until Monday, hurrah. So shopping done, spinnaker pole sorted, minor defects fixed, engine serviced and its, yeah, time to wet the babies head. Didn't go Saturday........
Sunday then, bright and breezy, dieseled up plus 100 extra litres in cans and its off for the final leg. Wind North, 4 or 5, slight seas, now 1 in 5 watches.......in danger of bored. Poled out headsail practice, more button pressing and as I broke a tooth, more goes at amateur dentistry. Did not like that bit.
A lovely 4 days otherwise, sun and dolphins plus 2 very happy owners. Thats what its all about really. Only incident was the headsail tack shackle doing a lemming. Minutes after lashing it with a spare bit of thin Dyneema, its partner at the head of the sail joined in and the headsail slid gracefully down the foil and over the side. Still, one quick visit up the mast toretrieve the halyard and a rob of the pole downhaul shackle later, we were back in business.
Dawn arrival thursday and briefly to reception dock to find the berth is all arranged and we can go straght to it. Secured by 8, alll gear off and back on my own boat at half past, all mustered with arrival team in pub at 0900 ready to ........wet the babies head!!!!!!!!
Lovely trip and great help from a load of people of various nationalities. My thanks to them all, merci, gracias, obrigado.
The handover date slipped a couple of times, no worries, but in the end with no real firm date from the agent we had to book the flights and go. After the previous days cattletruck airlines to the UK, the flight from Birmingham to La Rochelle felt like a private jet!
First thing we discover are the cost of French taxis, 150 euro to Les Sables. The other crew arriving via Nantes got stiffed for 200.
Now this is tuesday and despite many calls to the UK, we still dont have a handover date. Got to be said that within 2 seconds of being in the French yard, we get Friday as the day. Oh well, chance to spend more of the owners dosh on a hotel, fortunately being a chap not over concerned about this.
Forecast for the next few days was very light winds so nothing lost. Gave us a chance to get round all the Chandlers plus get just about all the victuals. Hire car was of great benefit again due to the largess of 'Lord Scattercash!'
The yard were very helpful at this stage, giving us some storage space for the chandlery and dried goods. Indeed on thursday we got a lot of stuff for the fridge and got an even better result. I am sure if we had of asked first, the answer would have been 'Non', but force majeur, we turn up with 10 bags of fresh stuff for the fridge and they not only got shore supply and the fridge on, they let me on to stow it. Great, gave me a chance to give the boat a good eyeballing and prepare a mental list of jobs to be done. Lots of gear still in packages or simply not there. Well handover not til next day, so no panic.
Friday morning finds us homeless and carless, so its off to the yard. Ah, handover between 4 and 5. Bit of grovelling and we can move on at 2. Great quote from owner 'well I've only done 600 euros so far today so lets have another go at the chandlers!!'.
Anyway, warmed the bell a bit and got all the gear on and stowed by 5 past 2. Major checks all round boat, still loads of gear not fitted. Um. Still at the crack of 2 minutes to 5, the agent fronts up. I get a teeny bit tense with him and show our agreed inventory list including fitting. Aha, his doesn't tally at all well. The most impressive bit came next though as a small army of workers descended on the boat. This at nearly 6 on a Friday, last working day before France basically shuts for August. Better still, one of the lads is English, no more patomime boat preps!! So, Anchor plus 50 metres of chain appears and is stowed, leecloths, liferings, danbuoy, etc, etc are all unpacked and fitted. All gps, navtext etc reconfigured to English, assureanses that Autopilot and instruments are calibrated and all is well.
Couple of hours and we are virtually ready for sea, papers signed and its off to wet the babies head.
An excited owner was up early olcock on Saturday, so its last couple of jobs, water topped off, final bread and milk run and its sea trial time. The yard was open until lunchtime, thereafter any problems would take weeks to get done. With that in mind, we slipped and went round to the diesel dock, topped off and spent a very enjoyable couple of hours putting the boat through her paces. Tacking, gybing, reefing, heaving to, generally batting the engine about, etc. Then its make your mind up time. Or when I earn my money! Must say it wasnt difficult to decide to get cracking, boat is well mannered, fully stocked and 3 happy chaps. Even the weather joined in, nice Northerlies all the way across Biscay. Nice easy watchkeeping, the other 2 are pretty experienced and plenty of chances for me to indulge in a massive ammount of willy-nilly button pressing on the plotter/radar etc.
The pain part was the engine. We had pre planned a pit stop in Cascais to pick up 3 more crew and get the 50 hour engine sevice done. It wasn't until I gave the Yanmar handbook a good looking at that I realised that those first fifty hours have to be mostly done at high revs including periods of 'wide open throttle'. This eats miles but has the same effect on fuel consumption, obviously. So depite a cracking reach at speeds over ground of up to 10 knots we still had to shorten sail from time to time and give the engine a good workout. We were sat about at high power on Sunday morning discussing a probable fuel stop in Bayonna when I saw 1 of several lobster pots. We were very quick to get the engine in neutral but not quite quick enough for the other 3 we hadnt seen! The sounder was showing 170 metres, largely confirmed by the plotter, so these were substantial affairs. Missed one, got hooked on another and as it turned out had 2 more wrapped around the keel, unknown to us. Got free but a lot of rope around the prop and no chance of removing it out there, so its off to La Coruna, happily one of my favourite ports. The wind gods continued to smile so despite dragging an unknown ammount of junk around with us, we made good progess to the entrance of Coruna. I called the Port Authority to make them aware of our problem, very helpful chaps. To the point where they sent out a flippin huge tug to tow us in!!! Well that was clearly not the right solution so after a bit of mixed Spanish and English between the port guy, the tug driver and myself we waved him on his way and I sailed us in, around the breakwater and anchored for a well earned cockpit beer plus a few zzz's before morning. Once again, great response from the local marina. 20 mins after my request at 0830, we are under tow by a sensible sized rib and duly alongside in the nice new marina in the inner baisin. Better still, not long after that, the diver appears and in between much chortling cuts off a heap of rope from the prop and releases 2 large baloon fenders from under the boat. At least they were marked with the name of the owners so they may even get them back!
So it turned out to be a good excuse for a run ashore, get fresh bread and, well, wet the babies head!
Also saved a diesel stop, seeing as we are already in a place that sells it. We had been told of a new fuel station to the south of the bay so by 0900, bills payed and hangovers under control we were away again. I have never liked the old fuel dock at Club Nautico, awkward to get to and often surgey, so the new place was to be a bonus. Except its for fisherman only! Despite waving lures and line in their general direction, it was then back to the Club dock. Yuk. Dignity intact however we cleared the bay within an hour or two at a very repectable 9 to 10 knots, thanks again Neptune. Shot past Finnisterre, still daylight and then had a very peaceful cruise down to Cascais. Even had to low down a bit to enter Friday morning after dawn, 1 lobster pot incident having been sufficient. Just as well, the entrance to Cascais has thousands of them! On reception by 8, new crew woken up in their Thursday night hotel and even got showered before shifting berths ready to meet them (my wife plus owners wife plus a friend from Lanzarote). Next bit of luck, the Yanmar guy can come friday, no need to wait until Monday, hurrah. So shopping done, spinnaker pole sorted, minor defects fixed, engine serviced and its, yeah, time to wet the babies head. Didn't go Saturday........
Sunday then, bright and breezy, dieseled up plus 100 extra litres in cans and its off for the final leg. Wind North, 4 or 5, slight seas, now 1 in 5 watches.......in danger of bored. Poled out headsail practice, more button pressing and as I broke a tooth, more goes at amateur dentistry. Did not like that bit.
A lovely 4 days otherwise, sun and dolphins plus 2 very happy owners. Thats what its all about really. Only incident was the headsail tack shackle doing a lemming. Minutes after lashing it with a spare bit of thin Dyneema, its partner at the head of the sail joined in and the headsail slid gracefully down the foil and over the side. Still, one quick visit up the mast toretrieve the halyard and a rob of the pole downhaul shackle later, we were back in business.
Dawn arrival thursday and briefly to reception dock to find the berth is all arranged and we can go straght to it. Secured by 8, alll gear off and back on my own boat at half past, all mustered with arrival team in pub at 0900 ready to ........wet the babies head!!!!!!!!
Lovely trip and great help from a load of people of various nationalities. My thanks to them all, merci, gracias, obrigado.
