French south coast hole up

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nimbusgb

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A long way from my boat! :(
www.umfundi.com
Can anyone suggest a reasonably priced, secure place to leave the boat ( 11.6m ) for a month or so before heading in to the French Canals at Port Saint Louis du Rhone.

I need to 'park' for 4 to 6 weeks from the beginning on May.

Many thanks!
 
try PORT ST LOUIS du RHONE itself! (about 50 yards from the Rhone lock)

not a particularly stunning place but marina itself is fine - new showers/WC etc. Bus to Arles and train to Marseille (or anywhere else i guess).

I did exactly what your doing and agreed on about 350 euros for a month (10 metres). Top tip - arrange in advance!!.
 
Looks like I may head a little further round and just put the boat on a low loader.

I have been quoted between £3500 and £4000 excluding travel, marina costs and diesel fund for a delivery skipper so lets say £5k

Coming up through the canals the budget is around £3500 - Fuel, carnet, marinas etc plus 5 or 6 weeks minimum by all accounts.

Onto a low loader, couple of days to Cherbourg €3300. ( Euros ) plus the vat.

All things considered it seems to be an easy decision to make! Can't understand why a delivery skipper is so much more expensive than the road trip though.
 
Hi again Nimbus.

We lived aboard at Port Saint Louis, it is close to the town, cheaper than Port Napolean. The staff did the rounds of boats twice a day, more often with strong winds. A left of field option could be Port Freoul, a couple of islands of Marseilles, next to Isle D'If, for Count of Monte Chrosto fans, it is serviced by regular ferries from Marseilles.
If you do come up through the canals, it can be done quickly by getting the first lock in the morning and not stopping until the locks close at night. The other option is canal de Midi then Biscay, missing the Portugese coast and Gibralter. Going through the canals their are a number of places where you can leave you boat securely along the way so you would not have to do it in one long bash.
I am looking at the outside route round Portugal.
 
I think I am going to bite the bullet and put her on the overland low loader. There's less strain on the boat ( 20 to 25 days banging into the weather or so I am assured by the delivery skippers ) A chance to examine all the rig, all over in a week or so, boat home in time for the summer season. In addition there's so much less hassle with insurance, making sure all the kit is up-to-date etc.
 
Go by road - you know the price today -
By canals - you will not know the price until it arrives and doubtless will be much, much more - not to mention scratches, fuel, engine wear etc - etc etc etc.......
 
Roj1 said:
Go by road - you know the price today -
By canals - you will not know the price until it arrives and doubtless will be much, much more - not to mention scratches, fuel, engine wear etc - etc etc etc.......
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the only real expense through the canals is time and it will be an experience you will enjoy and look back on with satisfaction. the permit is only a few hundred euros (can't quite remember how much but grehan will.) The moorings are all either free or very very cheap and plenty of safe places to leave your boat for a month or so to enable you to do it in bitesize chunks. As an example we left our 38 ft boat in Rouen for a month about 4 years ago, for 80 euros. I have no idea where you got a budget of £3,500 from. What is your boat?
 
nimbusgb said:
I think I am going to bite the bullet and put her on the overland low loader. There's less strain on the boat ( 20 to 25 days banging into the weather or so I am assured by the delivery skippers ) A chance to examine all the rig, all over in a week or so, boat home in time for the summer season. In addition there's so much less hassle with insurance, making sure all the kit is up-to-date etc.
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Agree with that. You delivery skipper was a bit on the high side, but costs soon mount if there are any delays and of course wear and tear. I had my boat brought back by road last year from Sant Carles to Poole for £4250. Tried to get a French quote to Cherbourg but is was 5000 euros. Obviously your distance is shorter and you are probably getting a return load. Go for it.
 
just checked your profile and reckon you can at least halve that budget.
I did it 4 years ago in a twin engined mobo with 450 hp for under well under £2,000 including 2 month long marina stopovers.
about £800.00 of that was diesel, a cost you will surely not go anywhere near in a yacht
 
blueglass said:
the only real expense through the canals is time and it will be an experience you will enjoy and look back on with satisfaction. the permit is only a few hundred euros (can't quite remember how much but grehan will.) The moorings are all either free or very very cheap and plenty of safe places to leave your boat for a month or so to enable you to do it in bitesize chunks. As an example we left our 38 ft boat in Rouen for a month about 4 years ago, for 80 euros. I have no idea where you got a budget of £3,500 from. What is your boat?
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Oceanis 390.

Mast in / mast out total 45 mins of crane at €100 / 1/2 hour €300
1 months marina storage before going up canal ( several quotes ) €750
Diesel approx €1200
5 - 6 weeks living expenses €500
mast transport across france €650
season Carnet €400 ( Off the French site )

not having found the cost of stays at marina stops in the canals I had budgeted €500 so that may be different.

I may have over budgeted on the diesel!

Soon racks up!
 
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nimbusgb said:
Oceanis 390.

Mast in / mast out total 45 mins of crane at €100 / 1/2 hour €300
1 months marina storage before going up canal ( several quotes ) €750
Diesel approx €1200
5 - 6 weeks living expenses €500
mast transport across france €650
season Carnet €400 ( Off the French site )

not having found the cost of stays at marina stops in the canals I had budgeted €500 so that may be different.

I may have over budgeted on the diesel!

Soon racks up!
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see what you mean , I hadn't accounted for the mast expenses,
but your diesel and stopovers would be much less and the E500 living expenses would be mostly incurrred anyway, living at home!
And don't forget the human benefit. The trucking option is just dead money. The canal trip is different, you are buying an experience to remember as well as getting the boat delivered.

Incidentally, Charles above is not kidding about the mozzies around Port St Louis. Worst I have ever experienced anywhere in the world. Its a real problem there, and not a one off blip, evidenced by the huge array of insect control products in the supermarket.
 
blueglass said:
see what you mean , I hadn't accounted for the mast expenses,
but your diesel and stopovers would be much less and the E500 living expenses would be mostly incurrred anyway, living at home!
And don't forget the human benefit. The trucking option is just dead money. The canal trip is different, you are buying an experience to remember as well as getting the boat delivered.

Incidentally, Charles above is not kidding about the mozzies around Port St Louis. Worst I have ever experienced anywhere in the world. Its a real problem there, and not a one off blip, evidenced by the huge array of insect control products in the supermarket.
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I'd really love the 'human experience' but unfortunately tiime is limited, I'm still a working grunt so I'd be paying for someone elses experience. Not that I have had a rash of offers! I was prepared to pay diesel etc and costs to a skipper / couple / crew to bring her up the canals but no takers. Even given the 'human experience' of such a trip.

The €500 living expenses would be above what I'd incurr at home! Surely you can't do the canals without visiting French restuarants, sampling the local wines and entertaining! A long weekend in Paris with a boat to stagger home to would be a blast for the family :D :D :D

Also I haven't factored in the cost of having to travel two or 3 times to somewhere in France to move the boat in stages.
 
nimbusgb said:
I'd really love the 'human experience' but unfortunately tiime is limited, I'm still a working grunt so I'd be paying for someone elses experience. Not that I have had a rash of offers! I was prepared to pay diesel etc and costs to a skipper / couple / crew to bring her up the canals but no takers. Even given the 'human experience' of such a trip.

The €500 living expenses would be above what I'd incurr at home! Surely you can't do the canals without visiting French restuarants, sampling the local wines and entertaining! A long weekend in Paris with a boat to stagger home to would be a blast for the family :D :D :D

Also I haven't factored in the cost of having to travel two or 3 times to somewhere in France to move the boat in stages.
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I didn't appreciate you wouldn't be taking the trip yourself so my comments are invalid anyway - ignore me - it just seemed a shame to miss out on it.
 
blueglass said:
Port Napoleon is probably the best bet. just round the corner from Port St.Louis. all facilities etc etc.
WAS very cheap, I hear now a bit more expensive but still reasonable.
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May is now the summer season rates - as from last year 2010. At 12 mtr we were paying around €48 per night, and every place in this area charges exactly the same - apart from one. I am afraid I cannot remember its name,but it is the first Marina you get to going east from Port St Louis. Fuel also available there.
 
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