Moving a boat from the Med to the UK

[Judders]

So far as I can see, we have three options if we buy from the Mediteranian coast of France, sail by sea, come up the canals or delivery by road.

Now since I can't take three months off work, I'm guessing getting her lorried to a channel port is my best bet? Has anyone any idea of the costs? (32', not particularly wide).

 

[Tranona]

Around £4k by road plus handling either end. Might get cheaper if you can get a return load. French transport to channel port is in theory cheaper as it avoids the ferry cost, but I did not find this so when I got quotes earlier this year. There are plenty of companies who do this work plus you can try Shiply if you are in no hurry. I used www.boat-shift.com who were the most competitive when I shipped my 37 ft boat from Sant Carles in Spain to Poole in June.

 

[Richard10002]

Why 3 months off work?? 4 to 6 weeks should do it, either through the canals, or via The Straits.

 

[Halcyon Yachts]

I would recommend delivery by sea ;-)

 

[greenalien]

Provided that you're prepared to work at it, i.e. start each day at 7am and keep going until the lock ahead of you is closed, you can get through the French canals from the Med to the UK in a month. Your boat obviously must have a reliable engine, essential for the Rhone and the Seine, and shouldn't be too deep draft. It's entirely possible to do the trip single-handed - I know, 'cos I've done it - but it's very hard work, much easier with 2 people. The southern route, via the canal lateral a la loire and the canal du centre is the fastest. The only thing that could be a problem is bad weather - the Mistral in the southern stretches, and excessive rainfall and flooding which can reduce headroom under bridges.

 

[mountain]

So far as I can see, we have three options if we buy from the Mediteranian coast of France, sail by sea, come up the canals or delivery by road.

There is a fourth option.
Buy in N. E. Greece (bargains are popping up all the time now) and return the boat via Black Sea, Danube, Rhine.

 

[webcraft]

.
Inland routes from the Black Sea to the North Sea are possible, but most of the river current is W-E at up to 5 knots so most boats do it the other way.

There's an interactive map of the route HERE.

- W

 

[doug748]

What if you had it carted to La Rochelle or some such? Might save some money, and a jolly spot to cruise home from next year perhaps?

 

[Tranona]

What if you had it carted to La Rochelle or some such? Might save some money, and a jolly spot to cruise home from next year perhaps?

Very little difference if the quotes I had were anything to go by. Using a well known French firm to Cherbourg was as expensive as a typical quote for delivery to Poole. You may, however be able to get a return load on this route from a truck delivering Dufours etc to the Med.

 

[vyv_cox]

You may, however be able to get a return load on this route from a truck delivering Dufours etc to the Med.

Opal Peters used to deliver and fit out Bavarias to Port Leucate, trucks returning empty. No idea whether the same still happens but it might be worth an enquiry.

 

[westernman]

Opal Peters used to deliver and fit out Bavarias to Port Leucate, trucks returning empty. No idea whether the same still happens but it might be worth an enquiry.

Somebody still seems to fit out Bavarias there.
No idea about the logistics behind that though.

 

[doug748]

I think the Ovni range is produced at La sables d'olonne. They probably deliver a number to S of France.

 

[Tranona]

Most of the major boat factories are based in Western France, so there is regular movement of boats to the Med coast.

Bavaria offer delivery to SofF (as well as Slovenia), but of course their route is from Bavaria in Germany. This is useful if you are shipping from Slovenia as hauliers are looking for return loads to Northern Europe. Problem is often though, that shipments to the coast are seasonal so you have more chance of a northbound return in late winter/spring time.

 

[Eygthene]

As suggested by Halcyon Yachts, get a quote for delivery by sea. Our friends (from Falmouth) sent out their 35 footer by ship from Southampton to the Med a couple of years ago.

 

[Tranona]

As suggested by Halcyon Yachts, get a quote for delivery by sea. Our friends (from Falmouth) sent out their 35 footer by ship from Southampton to the Med a couple of years ago.

The suggestion was to have it sailed by a delivery crew, not by ship. The latter is simply not competitive with road for smaller boats. I was quoted £13k plus cradle from Greece, but comes into its own with boats too big to go by road.

 

[temptress]

So far as I can see, we have three options if we buy from the Mediteranian coast of France, sail by sea, come up the canals or delivery by road.

Now since I can't take three months off work, I'm guessing getting her lorried to a channel port is my best bet? Has anyone any idea of the costs? (32', not particularly wide).

Delivery be SEA is a viable option depending on the time of year and location you need the boat moved from and to. I used to do this and made a living of sorts moving boats back to N. Eurpoe from the Med (not any longer sadly). I've moved boats up and down at all times of the year and had one of my most pleasant Biscay passages in December.

Talk to a delivery company and see. Costs should be similar or slightly less than road transport as long as the boat is in reasonably good condition although it the weather is rough then the time can extend somewhat so road will be the most reliable.

A delivery crew will spend all their time at sea unless they have to shelter from bad weather so the trip time is much shorter than you might think.

Most people worry about Biscay but IMO the challenge is up the Atlantic coast of Portugal. The wind should be behind you in Biscay.

This is one of the factors that make boats in the med seem a 'cheaper' option but usually only works that way if you keep them in the med or bring them back yourself.

 

[westernman]

Delivery from UK (Cowes) to the South of France by delivery skipper took 12 days for my boat in january.