Transatlantic motorboats

[TwoHooter]

Those who like globetrotting motorboats might care to look in on the Dirona website over the next couple of weeks - James and Jennifer Hamilton hope to depart Newport RI this weekend, destination Kinsale, Ireland.

There's a little fleet of motorboats leaving shortly for another west-east crossing, destination Falmouth - their website is here. No date yet so far as I know.

 

[longjohnsilver]

Very interesting, thanks.

 

[Jim Schofield]

They have a great website, full of info.

Thanks for the link.

Jim

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Thanks for that TwoHooter. The articles in Passagemaker magazine by Dirona's owners are also very interesting and full of practical advice for bluewater cruisers. Fascinating to see how they seem to have applied the logic learnt in the working lives (software development I think) to the business of managing their boat

 

[rafiki_]

Drifting the thread Michael, but how are your preparations going? Are you still up at Gloucester?

 

[TwoHooter]

Drifting the thread Michael, but how are your preparations going? Are you still up at Gloucester?

Hi Paul - Think of it as XTE. We are in the boatyard at Portishead for the annual lift-out, or haul as I suppose I ought to call it since it's an American boat. We have enjoyed a jaunt up to the Second Severn Crossing but we never got to Gloucester. Our wonderful ocean-going all-weather trawler yacht with proven round-the-world capability and a European Union Class A (Ocean) Recreational Craft Directive Certificate failed, yes actually failed, its Boat Safety Inspection :confusion: Fascinating to see the totally different requirements which the Canal & River Trust apply. We (well, I really) decided that we will make the necessary changes to the boat because I really do want to go to Gloucester, and Bristol, and as near Norwich as we can get. But there's not enough time this year so we have done the usual annual lift-out jobs and will tick the rest of the boxes later in the year.

Back to the thread, Dirona has left Newport and is underway to Kinsale. And back at Portishead we met the owners of a Westerly yacht which is in the yard behind us. They asked us if we know a boat called Dirona because they noticed our boat is the same type (albeit ours is the junior version). They first met the Hamiltons in Darwin, and then again in Rodriques (Indian Ocean). Great oceans, tiny islands, ships that pass in the night, small world....

 

[Greg2]

Hi Paul - Think of it as XTE. We are in the boatyard at Portishead for the annual lift-out, or haul as I suppose I ought to call it since it's an American boat. We have enjoyed a jaunt up to the Second Severn Crossing but we never got to Gloucester. Our wonderful ocean-going all-weather trawler yacht with proven round-the-world capability and a European Union Class A (Ocean) Recreational Craft Directive Certificate failed, yes actually failed, its Boat Safety Inspection :confusion: Fascinating to see the totally different requirements which the Canal & River Trust apply. We (well, I really) decided that we will make the necessary changes to the boat because I really do want to go to Gloucester, and Bristol, and as near Norwich as we can get. But there's not enough time this year so we have done the usual annual lift-out jobs and will tick the rest of the boxes later in the year.

Boat Safety Scheme is a bit of a law unto itself and some of its requirements are at odds with the norms on seagoing vessels. Visiting boats to inland waterways often don't need it.....when we went to the Thames we just had to sign a document. We now have it as it was subsequently brought in on the Broads. Will depend on whether you plan a longer stay so need an annual licence or whether a visitor licence would work.

 

[rafiki_]

Michael, as Greg says, for a visitor, you don't need a BSC. For Bristol, you won't need anything. The annual armada of a hundred or so boats from Cardiff and Portishead will not have a BSC. Actually a lot of what the BSS requires makes a lot of sense, around fire safety etc. I think your overriding concern will be Insurance compliance, so best to check with your Insurers.

Please pass on my best regards to Alan, also the Advance boys if you are using them.