French Med Cruising

[Geraldine]

You may remember me from earlier this year - the sportscruiser owners invading your forum asking for information on Cornish cruising. The information given was very helpful and four sportscruisers were towed to Mylor and launched, but recovered at Queen Annes Battery, Plymouth, three days before the scheduled end of our holiday. I'm saying nuthin, apart from does anyone have any info on launching and cruising the French Mediterranean! We need a bit of sun and a little less wind next year!!! We have all bought Rod Heikells Pilot, but can find no information on slipways where we could launch the boats ourselves, and secure storage space for 4 4x4s and trailers for two weeks.

While at Mayflower Marina (stormbound for three days.....) we saw a book about launching in France but made the mistake of walking past it. When we decided to try France for next years holiday we rang the Chandlery at Mayflower only to be told the one and only copy had been sold, they didnt know who published it and couldnt tell us where we could buy another copy.

I even plucked up courage and rang one of the marinas in Menton, only to be told I had rang the Banc de'Antibes! They were very helpful, and said that although they didnt know of any slipways they would open an account for us to start saving for our holiday!

We have already booked our ferry crossing so are all searching whichever forums we can for any information.

Hope you can help.

Geraldine

[John Kennett]

Funnily enough we were just talking about this on another thread:
South of France



John

[Simon Hawkins]

Hello. I dont know anything about lauching in france. However more importantly have you all got you International Certificate of Competance as if you have not you wont be able to launch anyway.

Simon

[The Jackeens]

Originally Posted by Geraldine

recovered at Queen Annes Battery, Plymouth, three days before the scheduled end of our holiday. I'm saying nuthin

go on go on Geraldine.

I like scary stories

missus

[John Kennett]

Originally Posted by Simon Hawkins

I dont know anything about lauching in france. However more importantly have you all got you International Certificate of Competance as if you have not you wont be able to launch anyway.

Are you sure about that Simon? A user here who runs a powerboat training school in Nice says you don't need one:
Buy rib for south of france

It's probably not a bad idea to have one though . . .

John

[Louise]

Geraldine, this might have some useful info for you: http://www.cruising.org.uk/reviews/r50heikell.htm

[Geraldine]

Rod Heikells Pilot is very good and on first sight it seems there are 100s of slipways everywhere, but we have been told that most are for lifting in and out by crane and are too short and steep to launch with 4x4s. Also there is no information on trailer/car parking or storage.

All the blokes are booked in for Powerboat I and II next month, so hopefully by next July they will all have ICCs!

No scary stories - unless you count the near madness inducing slap slap slap slap slap slap of water against the hull when moored on mid stream pontoons........ Chinese water torture has nothin on it!!!

Geraldine

[The Jackeens]

Originally Posted by Geraldine

- unless you count the near madness inducing slap slap slap slap slap slap of water against the hull when moored on mid stream pontoons........Geraldine

Music to me ears

(You should do the training too...)

missus

[Simon Hawkins]

Originally Posted by John Kennett

Are you sure about that Simon? A user here who runs a powerboat training school in Nice says you don't need one:
Buy rib for south of france

It's probably not a bad idea to have one though . . .

John

John was emphasizing this point as no doubt they will venrure into the inland waterways.

Simon

[Louise]

Originally Posted by Simon Hawkins

John was emphasizing this point as no doubt they will venrure into the inland waterways.

Simon

In which case they'll need the CEVNI endorsement too...