French canals: Important info re. Le Havre mast stepping/unstepping

Carolwildbird

Carolwildbird

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I have just heard from Wolfgang Graf, who is transporting my mast from the south of France, that CNHM at le Havre (Stephan Reiset), has closed down.

I have not confirmed it myself, but I have no reason to doubt Wolfgang's info, as he transports masts all the time.

So its now Rouen or Honfleur, I guess.

Carol
 
I'll be checking Carol's report out on the ground at Le Havre on Tuesday morning and I've also altered the information about the River Seine and Rouen on french-waterways.com .
Stephan not only did mast stepping/unstepping but other yard services and sales. In truth, it does appear that Rouen is now not only the sensible place to up or down-sticks (with reference to the tidal Seine) but has consistently good reports too.
 
I was in both Rouen and then to Stephens yard for a month last September.

Having seen both and watched the Rouen folks at work it was a breath of fresh air - new equipment, enthusiasm and generally nice people.

Stephen, although a great guy, didn't have his own crane and did intimate that times were tough and the location of his relative new premises were not ideal. They sufferred a lot of crime to boats in and around his yeard. I guess he s bitten the bullet.

Perhaps it may be worth while is trying to establish a discount with Rouen, who although are not expensive are likely to pick up a lions share of the demasting in the lower Seine.

Nice marina there too with very good facilties , and only a short walk to town.
 
Andy and Lyn said:
Nice marina there too with very good facilties , and only a short walk to town.
Click to expand...

Agree that Rouen marina is good but I would dispute the 'short walk'

This is what I wrote after my visit in Aug 2011:

The marina facilities are very good – proper showers (v hot) with shower head on a ‘wander lead’ and they don’t turn off every 30 secs, washing machine, dryer, microwave, ice maker, WiFi – all free! Pontoon water and electricity also free.
Charges: for 7-7.99m boat €8 / night or €40 / week.
2011 for 9-9.99m boat €10 / night or €50 / week.
for 11-11.99m boat €13 / night or €65 / week.

So what is the down side? The Capitainerie is only open 08:00 – 11:30 and 16:00 – 18:30 local time (if your lucky), though if you catch them in, they are very helpful.
The marina is out on a limb, it is a hike and a half along the river bank to get to the town centre, but it is a nice walk along the river on a wide pedestrian area past a couple of watering holes and avoiding cyclists and acrobatic roller-bladers. There is also a bus station, nearby if you find the short cut across the (virtually disused) railway track, or walk alongside and past Docks 76, a posh shopping arcade with multiplex cinema and cake shops but no supermarket, and along a foot path. A T1, T2 or T3 bus will get you to town and back for just over €1 e/w. The same route past the bus station will get you through the back streets to an Intermarché. The alternative to the bus is to master the ‘Boris Bike’ system, there is a depot just outside Docks 76. You pay €1 for a day + incremental time charges up to €7 for two hours, the first half hour free and you can get to town in that time. Once you have mastered the key pad (it’s not touch screen as I first tried!), selected a pin, put in your credit card and promised to pay hundreds of euros if you steal the bike, got a ticket, selected a bike then finally worked out how to extract it, you are on your way. Unless of course there is two of you, then you go through the whole procedure again! You deposit the bike(s) at several depots around town, then when you want to return, you key in the number on the ticket and select a bike. Unlike me, who didn’t realise this till the last day, and did the whole credit card bit all over again! (Oh! And remember to pop into a supermarket in town to get milk etc. before you extract a bike!!!). By far the simplest method is to take your own bikes.
 
I have always had a good DIY mast job in Le Harvre. The marina crane is operated by one of the staff and although it has to be done around HW it is user friendly. Alternativly Honfleur is OK except for the tide restrictions getting into the harbour then into the basin with the crane. Then the problem you need to 'lock out' at HW then wait on the 'waiting pontoon' for LW to go up the very tidal Seine
 
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