Rate my plan?

[Frogmogman]

I suggest you have a look on the French website le Bon coin. There are a number of boats of the sort you’re interested being offered free to a good home. You could then spend your budget on getting it shipshape. This Kelt for example which is at Hyeres

Voici une annonce intéressante que je viens de trouver sur Leboncoin : https://www.leboncoin.fr/nautisme/2084532178.htm

 

[oldmanofthehills]

Then write a book.

Of course one can circumnavigate Britain in a 17ft - but it probably wont be fun to most people and the chance of a novice needing rescuing or giving up sailing forever part way round must be significant

 

[Wing Mark]

I suggest you have a look on the French website le Bon coin. There are a number of boats of the sort you’re interested being offered free to a good home. You could then spend your budget on getting it shipshape. This Kelt for example which is at Hyeres

Voici une annonce intéressante que je viens de trouver sur Leboncoin : https://www.leboncoin.fr/nautisme/2084532178.htm

There are worthless wrecks everywhere, waiting to trap those who underestimate the cost of getting them seaworthy.

 

[oldmanofthehills]

Indeed, there are a number of basically sound boats out there capable of stressing the budget of a humble engineer such as myself as he discovers massive recent price rises, and the complex layers of fudging and bodging done by previous incompetent, impecunious or foolish owners.

 

[lustyd]

Then write a book.

in 2021? Why would you write a book when YouTube is so lucrative and has a much wider audience?

 

[Fr J Hackett]

in 2021? Why would you write a book when YouTube is so lucrative and has a much wider audience?

Especially now he's dead and did it starting 1972.

 

[mrming]

Little Westerly bilge keelers are capable of grand adventures - read this, and you will be inspired.
'Voyage to America': Young Tiger, part two

Here is an update re Young Tiger -
'A friend in a field'

And an iconic photo of her at anchor in Admiralty Bay, Bequia, in the Grenadines, in the 60's.

View attachment 127148

In case anyone is looking for part one of the Young Tiger blog post, it’s here: 'Voyage to America': Young Tiger, part one

 

[Daydream believer]

Indeed avoid going any distance in a 22ft unless you are an acrobatic midget. Its up to you but if you want to go cruising any distance then 24ft or 26ft is much much better. As others have said an old Snappy might do. I sold a Macwester 26 for £3k and plenty of boats in that price range if you ferret around

I have done 2 SH round Uk trips. What amazed me was the number of people sailing SH in boats of around 22ft. One chap asked me how on earth I managed to handle a 31 ft boat single handed. I replied that anyone who could go round in a 22 ft one had to be a far better sailor than I ever could be. For a start journey times are much slower so one has to work one's destinations much differently. I could log a 100 mile hop in 18 hours & find decent harbours at the end. I rarely met a small boat sailor who did 100 miles. They all had to do short ( 25miles typically) hops & hide in little bays in fear of dodgy weather. They had to work really hard to get anywhere.
As for recommending boats like a Snapdragon- I am not sure that is really a good thing. I always looked on them as being pretty slow & poor upwind. The larger one in our club certainly is diabolical. One needs to be able to make decent times on passage. I think the suggestion of the Centaur more sensible.

 

[ianat182]

I too would suggest the purchase of a yacht in the EU; if it was possible there are several modest 22 - 25ft yachts that may be available such as the Hunter Delta(25') the Pearson 26 or cheaper sisters the Seal 22 and 26. all these are lifting keel models that are useful in those shallow canals, partly lowered you would have decent steering and preferably lifting rudder blades . There may be larger French choice in the Beneteau family. Also remember the opportunity to sail will be restricted and the mast and gear on deck for most of your journey- you will need to add to your overall length in manouvering. A route whch takes you to the port of Sete near Marseille will take you across the large lakes and a swinging/pivoting bridge at Sete to the Med then several short sails to small ports as required . Its a lo9ng time since I was in that area but found Cassis and Sete two of the most friendly places to visit. Don't forget you will need Certificate of Competence and probably an inland VHF licence over there.

Ianat182

 

[oldmanofthehills]

I have done 2 SH round Uk trips. What amazed me was the number of people sailing SH in boats of around 22ft. One chap asked me how on earth I managed to handle a 31 ft boat single handed. I replied that anyone who could go round in a 22 ft one had to be a far better sailor than I ever could be. For a start journey times are much slower so one has to work one's destinations much differently. I could log a 100 mile hop in 18 hours & find decent harbours at the end. I rarely met a small boat sailor who did 100 miles. They all had to do short ( 25miles typically) hops & hide in little bays in fear of dodgy weather. They had to work really hard to get anywhere.
As for recommending boats like a Snapdragon- I am not sure that is really a good thing. I always looked on them as being pretty slow & poor upwind. The larger one in our club certainly is diabolical. One needs to be able to make decent times on passage. I think the suggestion of the Centaur more sensible.

As a Westerly fan I would obviously suggest a Centaur if the OP could get a reasonable one for £3k. Not much beating to windward going through the canals and beating to windward single handed will tire after 25 or 30 miles in most small craft

 

[Laminar Flow]

I too would suggest the purchase of a yacht in the EU; if it was possible there are several modest 22 - 25ft yachts that may be available such as the Hunter Delta(25') the Pearson 26 or cheaper sisters the Seal 22 and 26. all these are lifting keel models that are useful in those shallow canals, partly lowered you would have decent steering and preferably lifting rudder blades . There may be larger French choice in the Beneteau family. Also remember the opportunity to sail will be restricted and the mast and gear on deck for most of your journey- you will need to add to your overall length in manouvering. A route whch takes you to the port of Sete near Marseille will take you across the large lakes and a swinging/pivoting bridge at Sete to the Med then several short sails to small ports as required . Its a lo9ng time since I was in that area but found Cassis and Sete two of the most friendly places to visit. Don't forget you will need Certificate of Competence and probably an inland VHF licence over there.

Ianat182

There is no such thing as an inshore/land VHF license, but you do need a VHF license and a VHF that can be tuned down to 1 watt max when inland. Under 15hp you do not need a license or CEVNI.

 

[DownWest]

Wonder how the OP got on?

 

[DownWest]

Edit not working... Just looked and it seems not. Now in Spain and looking for space as crew.