Motoring to France - Frequently
- Thread starter CrawfW
- Start date
Dino
Well-Known Member
She doesn’t sound like the sort of women who would appreciate the utilitarian beauty of a converted MFV.
Something like this would get you across the channel safety and at reasonable semi displacement speed but the accommodation is a bit limited Nelson 34 for sale UK, Nelson boats for sale, Nelson used boat sales, Nelson Motor Boats For Sale 1965 Nelson 34 - Apollo Duck
Something like this would get you across the channel safety and at reasonable semi displacement speed but the accommodation is a bit limited Nelson 34 for sale UK, Nelson boats for sale, Nelson used boat sales, Nelson Motor Boats For Sale 1965 Nelson 34 - Apollo Duck
CrawfW
New Member
LA. Sunshine and Smog.
PilotWolf
Well-Known Member
Pretty smog free at the moment.As per profile I’m I’m Long Beach and still have a good view of the mountains.
W.
jrudge
Well-Known Member
I had a cranchi endurance 33 ( not a recommendation - it’s a giant speed boat ) and went to LaRochelle and back twice in it. I am not really sure I knew that much when I did it as now i would not do it !
It was 33 feet with twin diesels.
I would not want to regularly cruise offshore 40 miles from shore In a single engine boat. I have had an Engine failure ( belt went and too rough to fix - I had the parts and tools ). Nor would I want to be in anything smaller.
Also for your sake and the emergency services it needs to be well maintained and known to be reliable. You also need reliable nav gear. I didn’t have auto pilot on that boat and hand steering in a straight line for hours is both hard and tiring
The price point does not really match and the wife will not like crossing in an older boat in what at some point will be choppy.
up the budget a lot ot stay local
It was 33 feet with twin diesels.
I would not want to regularly cruise offshore 40 miles from shore In a single engine boat. I have had an Engine failure ( belt went and too rough to fix - I had the parts and tools ). Nor would I want to be in anything smaller.
Also for your sake and the emergency services it needs to be well maintained and known to be reliable. You also need reliable nav gear. I didn’t have auto pilot on that boat and hand steering in a straight line for hours is both hard and tiring
The price point does not really match and the wife will not like crossing in an older boat in what at some point will be choppy.
up the budget a lot ot stay local
CrawfW
New Member
I really appreciate the detailed comments - I guess we all find ourselves with more time on our hands - even if i don't like the answers!
Asking further isn't simply persisting until i get the "right" answer, i am sure there are brokers willing to do that, but i am keen to make sure i have explored every possibility. This has, without exaggeration, been an idea that i have held on to for years. I now discover that it is based on some embarrassingly fundamental misunderstandings!
In particular, that the Channel is a distinctively busy and difficult waterway - i have read too much about its narrow Eastern End, and about more predictable stretches of water.
To be clear, the Aim of the Game is to make a crossing between the SW UK and NW France roughly once a month, for six months a year. It would be good to take less than 5 hours, rather than being an 12-14 hour mission.
So-far, the only boat which has been suggested is the Nimbus 2600.
Is it right to say that there are no planing boats (at any price?) that could do this? That then leaves semi-displacement options which will only ever do about 15 knots, unless they are the same size as a ferry, and use similarly enormous quantities of fuel.
Is there anything motor-based that offers different options at less than 50K?
This is obviously a big change in budget, and rather different to the original question, but such is my desperation to hold onto my dream.
If not, it seems to leave sailing boats, which will never get above 7 knots at the absolute max - and a flight from a nearby airport. The slight downside to which is that FlyBe just closed!
Asking further isn't simply persisting until i get the "right" answer, i am sure there are brokers willing to do that, but i am keen to make sure i have explored every possibility. This has, without exaggeration, been an idea that i have held on to for years. I now discover that it is based on some embarrassingly fundamental misunderstandings!
In particular, that the Channel is a distinctively busy and difficult waterway - i have read too much about its narrow Eastern End, and about more predictable stretches of water.
To be clear, the Aim of the Game is to make a crossing between the SW UK and NW France roughly once a month, for six months a year. It would be good to take less than 5 hours, rather than being an 12-14 hour mission.
So-far, the only boat which has been suggested is the Nimbus 2600.
Is it right to say that there are no planing boats (at any price?) that could do this? That then leaves semi-displacement options which will only ever do about 15 knots, unless they are the same size as a ferry, and use similarly enormous quantities of fuel.
Is there anything motor-based that offers different options at less than 50K?
This is obviously a big change in budget, and rather different to the original question, but such is my desperation to hold onto my dream.
If not, it seems to leave sailing boats, which will never get above 7 knots at the absolute max - and a flight from a nearby airport. The slight downside to which is that FlyBe just closed!
Ferris
Well-Known Member
A bit of an odd ball suggestion but there is the Skibsplast 700d. Single yanmar shaft drive, semi displacement hull with a sports cruiser top and 20kts cruising.
Skibsplast 700D For Sale | Norfolk Yacht Agency | NYH63758
YBW thread:
Some general questions ref a Skibsplast 700D
Skibsplast 700D For Sale | Norfolk Yacht Agency | NYH63758
YBW thread:
Some general questions ref a Skibsplast 700D
jrudge
Well-Known Member
The chance of crossing 6 months of the year in a smallish boat are in my view close to nil.
May to October ? I have a 58 foot boat in Mallorca. If Isaid I was going to cross to the mainland of Spain during that period it might work but I would miss several slots due to weather I suspect.
Oh and it will rapidly get boring. Long offshore transits are not fun for anyone. You would not want to do it all the time
May to October ? I have a 58 foot boat in Mallorca. If Isaid I was going to cross to the mainland of Spain during that period it might work but I would miss several slots due to weather I suspect.
Oh and it will rapidly get boring. Long offshore transits are not fun for anyone. You would not want to do it all the time
Boathook
Well-Known Member
As per jrudge I doubt that you will be able to cross the channel every month for 6 months in ideal flat calm conditions unless you are able to go at any time with short notice. The chance of then getting flat conditions to come home is also remote. Just about everytime I have crossed the channel if it starts flat calm by the end it will be blowing or the other way round.
Sticky Fingers
Well-Known Member
To the OP. There are plenty of boats that can do this, and in comfort and safety. None fit your stated spec. The issue here is your unrealistic combo of requirememts. So to do this safely and in reasonable comfort might I suggest you forget trailerable; double or triple the budget; and forget altogether about your fuel consumption expectation.
CLB
Well-Known Member
I used to have a single diesel sterndrive sportscruiser of 25ft. I crossed the channel in it numerous times and it returned about 4-5mpg at 20 knots, so it meets your requirements so far. The downside is that a boat of this size needs flat seas or the journey becomes a bit torturous. I crossed once from St Peter Port to Brighton (circa 125nm) in a F4 and although it never felt anything but safe, the passage was far from enjoyable. Your other half will also need to be a keen boater to put up with this kind of boating as it is compact and more akin to camping.
If she is the kind of person that expects luxury onboard, then bite the bullet and go bigger. I would suggest 35ft minimum. This will require two engines and bring your fuel consumption down to around 2mpg with a diesel sterndrive set up. (Over 2l per nm).
If she is the kind of person that expects luxury onboard, then bite the bullet and go bigger. I would suggest 35ft minimum. This will require two engines and bring your fuel consumption down to around 2mpg with a diesel sterndrive set up. (Over 2l per nm).
Dino
Well-Known Member
It’s the old story, you can only ever pick two of the following:
Cheap
Fast
Big and luxurious
Cheap
Fast
Big and luxurious
ashtead
Well-Known Member
If the OP is serious in looking at what it’s like in a somewhat larger vessel in rougher weather he might find the vids of the Trader55 returning to its home in the broads of interest . I think the collect wisdom is best summed up by that famous quote from Jaws , so while say an in budget vessel can make it across it will probably frighten the crew off for life .
[2068]
...
I did own an S24, but realistically, going cross-channel needs you to go up one size unless you magically find perfect weather windows or you enjoy getting mashed.
Our S28 went to Normandy, Paris, Netherlands, Channel Islands etc.
Our S28 went to Normandy, Paris, Netherlands, Channel Islands etc.
