PaddyDog
New Member
Hi
I have been told that this canal is free to navigate. Can any one confirm or deny this factoid?
Thanks
Kate
I have been told that this canal is free to navigate. Can any one confirm or deny this factoid?
Thanks
Kate
Ille et Rance, Vilaine canal
- Thread starter PaddyDog
- Start date
Madeo
Well-Known Member
Hi,
Did the trip with my first boat (about 6-7 years ago).
When you say 'free' I guess you mean free of charge? I didn't pay anything, apart from taking the mast down at Redon and restepping it at Dinan.
If you want any more info, PM me...
Nice trip, by the way!
Brian.
Did the trip with my first boat (about 6-7 years ago).
When you say 'free' I guess you mean free of charge? I didn't pay anything, apart from taking the mast down at Redon and restepping it at Dinan.
If you want any more info, PM me...
Nice trip, by the way!
Brian.
David_Jersey
Well-Known Member
The last I heard.........and the canal bank is free to moor against /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
PaddyDog
New Member
Hi
Thanks for the confirmation.
Can you remember how much it was to unstep and step the mast?
Kate
Thanks for the confirmation.
Can you remember how much it was to unstep and step the mast?
Kate
Madeo
Well-Known Member
Hi Kate,
If I remember rightly, it didn't cost much more than 10 - 15 quid to hire the (hand-driven!) crane either at Redon or Dinan.
Great trip, as I said - only prob we had was with leaves blocking the engine intake in the uphill locks (we did the trip in September) - nearly cooked the engine twice!
Plus the gnarly cross current going into the lock at the 'Barrage de la Rance' (heading north). The phone number in the guide was wrong and we approached at the wrong moment. Scary!
Lots of herons, kingfishers etc. and some lovely little villages for 'l'heure de l'apéritif'!
Brian.
If I remember rightly, it didn't cost much more than 10 - 15 quid to hire the (hand-driven!) crane either at Redon or Dinan.
Great trip, as I said - only prob we had was with leaves blocking the engine intake in the uphill locks (we did the trip in September) - nearly cooked the engine twice!
Plus the gnarly cross current going into the lock at the 'Barrage de la Rance' (heading north). The phone number in the guide was wrong and we approached at the wrong moment. Scary!
Lots of herons, kingfishers etc. and some lovely little villages for 'l'heure de l'apéritif'!
Brian.
Grehan
Well-Known Member
Do you have any rough idea how big (tall) a mast the crane(s) can cope with?
Madeo
Well-Known Member
Hi,
It was a while ago, so not too sure. I was in a little gaff cutter, so the mast wasn't too tall, perhaps 8-9m (as it was keel-stepped), but quite heavy.
I guess it's not too much of an issue as the quite shallow canal does not allow really big boats to use it.
I've got the guide in front of me and there is nothing in it about the cranes. How tall is your mast?
Brian.
(Just had a closer look at the guide; the crane at Redon is marked 6 tonnes...)
It was a while ago, so not too sure. I was in a little gaff cutter, so the mast wasn't too tall, perhaps 8-9m (as it was keel-stepped), but quite heavy.
I guess it's not too much of an issue as the quite shallow canal does not allow really big boats to use it.
I've got the guide in front of me and there is nothing in it about the cranes. How tall is your mast?
Brian.
(Just had a closer look at the guide; the crane at Redon is marked 6 tonnes...)
PaddyDog
New Member
Hi
Thanks again for all the information
Kate
Thanks again for all the information
Kate
Grehan
Well-Known Member
Not so much a matter of weight, but (obviously) a crane needs to be able to lift the mast above the pivot point and without the mast hitting the crane's boom or hook/pulley when lifted free. The top of the boom should, I think, be above the top of the mast. There is also the matter of where the spreaders are - the strop is normally put below the highest spreader. Although when ours was last lifted they used a rolling hitch in an appropriate place - I understand this is not always 'allowed' as being less secure.
Our mast is 15m tall. Or is the top 15m above the waterline?, I forget!
[photo taken at Honfleur]
Our mast is 15m tall. Or is the top 15m above the waterline?, I forget!
[photo taken at Honfleur]
Madeo
Well-Known Member
Yes, looking at the height of your mast, I think you may have a problem with the size of the cranes (from my hazy recollections...). Best to check with the harbourmasters.
Perhaps you could take the mast down elsewhere (St Malo for example)??
Brian.
Perhaps you could take the mast down elsewhere (St Malo for example)??
Brian.
jerryat
Well-Known Member
Oooh! Your piccy's brought back some memories of Honfleur!! It seems to us that if the driver's in a good mood it's a doddle, but if he's in a mood ................ /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
LadyInBed
Well-Known Member
There is no charge on the Rance and Vilaine canals as they are not controlled by VNF.
oldvarnish
Well-Known Member
I did this trip 15 years ago and found a man at Dinard who removed your mast and drove it across to the other side where it awaits your arrival. I don't remember it costing much, but annoyingly I can't remember his name, but a local would know. It was a useful service and the mast was replaced at Arzal Marina. Saved a lot of hassle in the locks and made for a relaxed passage - apart from the depth. We drew just 2ft with the plate up and were often ploughing through the goo.
Grehan
Well-Known Member
2ft depth
Yikes! Have things changed in the last 15 years? /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
Yikes! Have things changed in the last 15 years? /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
Pete7
Well-Known Member
Re: 2ft depth
Kate, we haven't transversed the canal but in the last two years we have toured both ends by rib. There is a Capitanarie at Dinan (as far south as you can go with the mast up) with a crane but it's very small and hand cranked so I would suggest St Malo or Dinard to lower the mast. No charge for the canal as already mentioned. Going south from St Malo, at the Rance barrage lock yachts need to enter first to clear the road bridge. As already mentioned watch the cross currents from the barrage. Can't remember the times but it will open every hour to let you up, coming down its on the half hour, so if you miss it then you're there for an hour although there are some local waiting bouys which we used. The rib draws 4 feet with the stern drive down and we touched once just before one of the locks by trying to cut the corner at low water. Great Western 3 star hotel in Dinan opposite the little marina if you want to posh it up for a night before the wilds of the interior. Dinan very pretty.
From the sea to Arzal you must follow the channel, nearby seagulls are walking not floating at low water. We crept in with the drive raised. However high water would give you plenty of clearance. We arrived at about 1230 hrs only to find the lock shut until 1400 hrs, again I think they open the lock on the hour so had to wait in the lock. Large marina at Arzal is were I would put the mast up again. Friends travelled and slept on a rib all the way through taking a week and reporting few shops on route.
La Talballe just squeezed us in during August 2007 for Euro 22 a night (6.5m) although a 11m fin yacht ran aground at LW spring in the harbour. Le Crouesty Euro 11 and Piriac Euro 20. Lovely part of the world, please don't tell anyone about it /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
Pete
Kate, we haven't transversed the canal but in the last two years we have toured both ends by rib. There is a Capitanarie at Dinan (as far south as you can go with the mast up) with a crane but it's very small and hand cranked so I would suggest St Malo or Dinard to lower the mast. No charge for the canal as already mentioned. Going south from St Malo, at the Rance barrage lock yachts need to enter first to clear the road bridge. As already mentioned watch the cross currents from the barrage. Can't remember the times but it will open every hour to let you up, coming down its on the half hour, so if you miss it then you're there for an hour although there are some local waiting bouys which we used. The rib draws 4 feet with the stern drive down and we touched once just before one of the locks by trying to cut the corner at low water. Great Western 3 star hotel in Dinan opposite the little marina if you want to posh it up for a night before the wilds of the interior. Dinan very pretty.
From the sea to Arzal you must follow the channel, nearby seagulls are walking not floating at low water. We crept in with the drive raised. However high water would give you plenty of clearance. We arrived at about 1230 hrs only to find the lock shut until 1400 hrs, again I think they open the lock on the hour so had to wait in the lock. Large marina at Arzal is were I would put the mast up again. Friends travelled and slept on a rib all the way through taking a week and reporting few shops on route.
La Talballe just squeezed us in during August 2007 for Euro 22 a night (6.5m) although a 11m fin yacht ran aground at LW spring in the harbour. Le Crouesty Euro 11 and Piriac Euro 20. Lovely part of the world, please don't tell anyone about it /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
Pete
