Crew Wanted: Crew for French Canals

[Bebopbob]

I'm interested. Am retired, have the time and would like to spend some of it in France. I have some (limited) sailing experience and speak limited French.

[Westerly]

Originally Posted by Bebopbob

I'm interested. Am retired, have the time and would like to spend some of it in France. I have some (limited) sailing experience and speak limited French.

Hi Bebopbob
Yes I will keep you informed of my plans and who gets to fill the space I do now have a list of a few people wishing to join me
Thanks Keith

[Westerly]

Originally Posted by step3en

hello i would be interested i stay in sunny scotland and spent many summers in the south of france however have only sailed once on the sail training ship ss winston churchhill 3 masted schooner around scotland nearly 20 years ago and the only thing i havent forgotten is how good it was please send me more info when you sort things out i am a coachbuilder with electrical bias and good with my hands

Hi step3en
Yes I will keep you informed of my plans and who gets to fill the space I do now have a list of a few people wishing to join me
Thanks Keith

[Westerly]

Originally Posted by s/v Breakaway

I'm interested for part of the trip. I have a fair amount of boating experience, am good at fixing things, and a good cook. I vacationed in France this year and 2 years back and really liked it.

Please PM me.

Hi Breakaway
Yes I will keep you informed of my plans and who gets to fill the space I do now have a list of a few people wishing to join me
Thanks Keith

[Westerly]

Originally Posted by laurwaltkeen

I would be interested. I crewed on a trawler doing the Great American Loop, helped captain through Champlain Canal system. Please PM me. Thanks.

Hi laurwaltkeen
Yes I will keep you informed of my plans and who gets to fill the space I do now have a list of a few people wishing to join me
Thanks Keith

[markpierce]

Ooops, sorry, this is the Netherlands.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by markpierce

Ooops, sorry, this is the Netherlands.

Although I suspect not on OP's actual Route - below are a couple of pics from the Canal du Midi in Brittany (NW France) to give a flavour of the scenery It goes from St Malo (Northern Brittany) to La Roche Bernard (eastern Brittany) - so possible to pretty much do a lap of Brittany - half at sea, half via canals.



Unless it's either a Municipal mooring (usually in a town etc) of a private dock - then all you do is tie up to the river bank for the night. For buckshee



A lock, mostly needs some DIY to operate, although some have lock-keepers........but nowadays they often have a string to look after.



The "Old" bridge at Dinan - just up the River / Canal from the sea - basically if you can get under that bridge you are good for the rest of network (unless the Canal is in Flood ). A wheel house does fit under, depending on boat.

[s/v Jedi]

Yes, but it's a shame that they are cutting down all the trees along the canals due to some north-american tree-disease.....ps. St Malo is a magical place!

ciao!
Nick.

[hillsi6]

Hi i'm a 50 male and would be interested in doing the canals
Dean

[Grehan]

Seems like there's quite a bit of interest in the french waterways.
I can't help with crewing, but if you want to whet your appetites, take a look at my travel-the-canals-from-top-to-bottom video !
A Journey Through France | | Aboard in France

[zeta]

Love this thread and looks like OP has plenty of available crew. I too would love to cruise the canals. Not to hijack but how difficult would it be to buy a boat in Europe (small sail--18-25ft) and do the canals and would it be possible to keep boat in Europe for later cruises?
I have a potter 19 that I think you be fine for canals but cost to ship would probably be exorbitant. BTW I have travel Europe many times and I am okay with the minimalist approach.

[Westerly]

Originally Posted by Grehan

Seems like there's quite a bit of interest in the french waterways.
I can't help with crewing, but if you want to whet your appetites, take a look at my travel-the-canals-from-top-to-bottom video !
A Journey Through France | | Aboard in France

Well thanks for that Grehan it was very enjoyable
Seems like I have found my crew for my trip strange how life seems to always throw something in just when your not lookin. In the last couple of weeks met a new lady and has become part of my life big time. And she wants to travel (sail) we me. So I'd like to say thanks to everyone and I will keep you all informed on how we get on next year when we leave.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by zeta

Love this thread and looks like OP has plenty of available crew. I too would love to cruise the canals. Not to hijack but how difficult would it be to buy a boat in Europe (small sail--18-25ft) and do the canals and would it be possible to keep boat in Europe for later cruises?

I have a potter 19 that I think you be fine for canals but cost to ship would probably be exorbitant. BTW I have travel Europe many times and I am okay with the minimalist approach.

The short answer is that perfectaly doable . and IMO for that sized boat the sensible thing to do.

Storage between visits can be anything from a Marina to Farmer's field - but I would recomend that everything of value be removed for safer storage.

Depending on how you are with the lingo, then easy enough to buy "foreign".

The tricky bit will be how / where to register her (and whether you need to / how to de-register her if can't transfer boat reg to you - Boat registration tends to require a person to be a resident).

Personally I would be looking to the UK, both for the Lingo and laziness reasons and also that for SSR registration only really need to come up with a UK address (not a PO box) - and for that you could use the address of a relative / freind (or whatever )......of course could do the same UK SSR route for a boat bought foreign (without boat needing to visit the UK).

Ebay UK usually has small sailing boats capable of both crossing the channel (on a decent day) and dissapearing up the Canals.

I would recomend:-

1) a decent cockpit tent / canopy (doesn't need to be pretty - just rainproof and being able to use some when underway is nice)
2) the ability to drop (and raise!) your own mast.
3) some form of land transport is more of a wishlist thing - but really opens up your world.

Have fun

[zeta]

Thanks David, pretty much as I imagined. Seems one could buy a small boat in England and cruise for months for the cost of a vacation to Paris for a few weeks. I am currently in the process of having a motorcycle shipped and stored in Germany and if I buy a boat there I'll for sure have a bicycle strapped somewhere on deck.
Mike

[bravenewworld]

Westerly,

I'm interested and available. I'm a young and healthy 63, an architect, real estate developer, chemical company owner with sailing experience on my own Columbia 27 and Catalina 37, mostly Chesapeake Bay sailing; married father of four grown kids and a wonderful wife who understands my love of sailing. I'm available after Christmas through June 2012. The canal trip sounds wonderful.

Let me know.

Kim Kristoff
602-315-8368