Going to the dark side, finally

[sarabande]

General physical decrepitude means that I may have to give up sailing on safety grounds. If I buy a mobo around 22 - 25 ft, with an inboard diesel I should be able to run her over to France from Plymouth, given reasonable weather ? Then, is it feasible to find a marina berth, say Roscoff/Brest, and explore the coasts, rivers and canals, and vineyards .

Could someone please advise on

a) legislative Napoleonic paperwork required
b) books/charts recommended for preliminary in-depth reading
c) alternative areas (Holland, Germany, Portugal, Spain) worth consideration (I have zilch experience of European waterways, except a couple of hours sitting outside the Hennessy HQ at Cognac on a friend's smart mobo.

 

[dunedin]

Two thoughts
1) The French are perhaps the world leaders in small motor boats - if want to explore France then better buying there as masses of choice.

2) If interested in doing European inland waterways then join the Cruising Association as they have a section EIWS dedicated to this, and produced guides for almost everywhere you might want to go. Their forum could also help advise on best boats for this. CA

 

[Tranona]

Yes, much better choice of such boats in France and no restrictions on keeping it there whereas if you took a boat from the UK it would be limited to 18 months after which it must leave the EU and re-enter to start another 18 months. For many EU inland waterways you need an ICC with a CEVNI endorsement.
The Atlantic coast would be a challenge in such a boat and limited inland waterways, although the Brittany canal is good. Much more popular is the main canal system which is entered from the Seine or Marne but this is more suitable for larger cruisers - a bit like UK canals without the width restrictions.

Biggest constraint will be the Schengen restrictions with the limit of 90 days in 180 for you if you are UK citizen.

 

[KREW2]

I have recently done the same. The thought of going forward in 25 knots of wind mid channel has no appeal any more.
I sold my swing mooring, and Westerly Storm, and now keep a motor boat in a marina.
Planned on taking it through the canals to Paris last year but it never happened, and this year there are the Olympics so will not bother.
You can take your cevni online multiple choice and as many goes as you like.
Maybe next year. Good luck with whatever you go with.

 

[Bouba]

General physical decrepitude means that I may have to give up sailing on safety grounds. If I buy a mobo around 22 - 25 ft, with an inboard diesel I should be able to run her over to France from Plymouth, given reasonable weather ? Then, is it feasible to find a marina berth, say Roscoff/Brest, and explore the coasts, rivers and canals, and vineyards .

Could someone please advise on

a) legislative Napoleonic paperwork required
b) books/charts recommended for preliminary in-depth reading
c) alternative areas (Holland, Germany, Portugal, Spain) worth consideration (I have zilch experience of European waterways, except a couple of hours sitting outside the Hennessy HQ at Cognac on a friend's smart mobo.

Welcome sarabande....us decrepits always welcome fresh blood.....and kidneys and replacement joints

 

[Nigel52]

As a long term sailor who moved to a 9m motor boat in 2022 I’m not sure it is advisable to take a 25’ motor boat from Plymouth to france. I would follow other advice and buy in france. As the ex Cruising Association local representative for La Rochelle, west coast france area I would definitely recommend talking to the ÇA about your plans.

 

[Sandy]

We have acquaintances who regularly take their 30 foot motor boat to France from Dartmouth: always on a smooth or slight sea. Others in sailing boats have done it in a lot smaller.

I have a few charts you can have a look at. Just purchased the Imray 5200 folio Northern Brittany and the Secret Anchorages of Brittany by Peter Cumberlidge, no guesses where I am planning to go this summer – named storms allowing.

If you are looking to stay over 90 days you can purchase a long term visa

https://www.france-visas.gouv.fr/en/web/france-visas/long-stay-visa

Friends have spent about a year in the French Mediterranean on one, but are coming back to the UK this summer.

As ever all things are possible given the right weather and enough cash to throw at it.

 

[KREW2]

I have a seaward 25 and they are more than capable of channel crossings. If you don't want to watch the whole Vid go to 4 minutes in

 

[Sticky Fingers]

Yup, agree. Friend brought a c.6m outboard powered day boat back across the channel from the CIs last summer single handed. Drama free. It’s all about the prep and the weather / sea conditions.

That said, the suggestion to buy in France has a lot to commend it, given the OPs intentions.

 

[Bouba]

I have a seaward 25 and they are more than capable of channel crossings. If you don't want to watch the whole Vid go to 4 minutes in

Those things are practically lifeboats....I wouldn’t be surprised if they could self right

 

[Alicatt]

I have a 2tonne 25ft motorboat, I would not want to take it any where near a wave much less a following sea.
I'm thinking on adding a bit more ballast to her to see if that helps her stability short comings.

I did have a 6m dory with 75hp Johnson outboard that I used on the North Sea a lot and had no problems in a 3m sea with her, I was more terrified of going fast in her and catching air under her coming off a wave, at speed she felt very light in the head and took her time getting back down to the water.

 

[superheat6k]

Hi Tim I trust you are well.

Have you sold U Wych Y Don ?

Not a bad decision - fancy a Grand Banks - definitely good for Plymouth to France and further ?

 

[Plum]

General physical decrepitude means that I may have to give up sailing on safety grounds. If I buy a mobo around 22 - 25 ft, with an inboard diesel I should be able to run her over to France from Plymouth, given reasonable weather ? Then, is it feasible to find a marina berth, say Roscoff/Brest, and explore the coasts, rivers and canals, and vineyards .

A 25ft motorboat can be perfectly capable but length is not a good measure of seaworthiness. The RCD (now called RCR, Recreational Craft Regulations, in the UK post Brexit) rating can be a useful indicator. An RCD category "B- Offshore" would, in my view, be a good choice for crossing the Channel,

 

[Sticky Fingers]

Hi Tim I trust you are well.

Have you sold U Wych Y Don ?

Not a bad decision - fancy a Grand Banks - definitely good for Plymouth to France and further ?

Are you selling? Surely not.

 

[Sticky Fingers]

I share your pain, and have decided it is time to get out, at least for a while.

Urgh just seen this. Maybe you are?

 

[KREW2]

A 25ft motorboat can be perfectly capable but length is not a good measure of seaworthiness. The RCD (now called RCR, Recreational Craft Regulations, in the UK post Brexit) rating can be a useful indicator. An RCD category "B- Offshore" would, in my view, be a good choice for crossing the Channel,

There you go. not heard of RCD before so just looked this up.

The Seaward 25 is designed for use offshore and cross Channel and has undergone stability testing by Lloyd’s Register for compliance with the new Recreational Craft Directive Category B for use in wind speeds up to force 8 and wave heights up to 4 meters. Reassuring that the boat is, but I'm not.

 

[Bouba]

There you go. not heard of RCD before so just looked this up.

The Seaward 25 is designed for use offshore and cross Channel and has undergone stability testing by Lloyd’s Register for compliance with the new Recreational Craft Directive Category B for use in wind speeds up to force 8 and wave heights up to 4 meters. Reassuring that the boat is, but I'm not.

It’s also related to the amount of passengers and luggage...for example it might be a C for 8 passengers and a B for only 6

 

[jakew009]

It’s also related to the amount of passengers and luggage...for example it might be a C for 8 passengers and a B for only 6

Didn't they also change the way the ratings were done in about 2007. That's why a Merry Fisher 805 is a Cat B but the 815 is Cat C. Nothing changed other than the Cat B rating became harder to achieve.

 

[Bouba]

Didn't they also change the way the ratings were done in about 2007. That's why a Merry Fisher 805 is a Cat B but the 815 is Cat C. Nothing changed other than the Cat B rating became harder to achieve.

The thing is that these are self declared by manufacturers.....but the big French manufacturers look like they are trying to add value to different ranges and models at the expense of others

 

[Tranona]

The thing is that these are self declared by manufacturers.....but the big French manufacturers look like they are trying to add value to different ranges and models at the expense of others

No they are not. The design and category needs to be externally verified and certified as meeting the standard. The only "self declaration" is that the boat is built to the appropriate standard. Post 18 is correct. The 2013 standards changed (among other things) the stability requirements for B rather than c and many builders had to either redesign the boat or change the category.