What Boat for Europe Canals?

[Jackie]

G'day,
We would like to leave bluewater sailing for a while (maybe forever?).
We have crossed France on our circumnav. through Paris and out via Dunkirk.
We were on our 33ft sailboat Mariah II.
Now we want a boat capable of some coastal work (Baltic in summer, Med as well) but more suitable for canal work than our sailboat.
Soooo! another WHAT'S THE PERFECT BOAT QUESTION?
Any ideas for contemplation out there?
Cheers,
Noel

[onestepcsy37]

don't know if it's perfect, but i read about a couple who taught school in new england. they bought a 25' power boat in france and did the canals during their summer hiatus. hauled it out and went back home. did it for at least a couple of years.

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by onestepcsy37

don't know if it's perfect, but i read about a couple who taught school in new england. they bought a 25' power boat in france and did the canals during their summer hiatus. hauled it out and went back home. did it for at least a couple of years.

Long thin , single engine ,steel , bow thruster, low profile

Dave

[Morrissey]

Coastal and canal capable involves some compromises. I went to these guys
H2O boat - Sell, river ports, construction, workshop, and chandlery
when looking at canal barges, and they had a lot of GRP boats that were of no interest to me. But if you check their inventory they might have something in GRP that that suits you and would work for your intended usage.

[boatman61]

Some folk I knew did the canals and coast hopped the Med in a Princess 32.. nice boat and they were as happy as Larry.. they used one of the water tanks for wine...

[terminalcitygrl]

If you got lots of bucks maybe a Southerly?

[boatman61]

If you don't mind a mast across the top of the boat for months at a time

[valhalla360]

We are looking at something similar and are considering a small catamaran (debating on shipping our Gemini across or buying something like a Catalac local).

Shallow draft, manuverable, straight sides for easy locking.

When we did the inland rivers and the erie canal, we mounted the mast on up off the deck. Because of the wide bow a catamaran affords, it didn't impact operations much and still kept the overall height moderate. If you are OK giving up sailing, you can leave the mast in storage somewhere and you have a nice little motor cruiser that can handle rough water.

[Morrissey]

IIRC max beam for French canal locks is 15'. This limits catamaran options a bit.

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by Insequent

IIRC max beam for French canal locks is 15'. This limits catamaran options a bit.

The options I suggested are around 14' beam. I believe some of the older prouts meet that requirement also. Don't know if it's true but someone told me that they set the beam on them just so they could run the canals.

The newer wide body models not so much.

[DoubleWhisky]

If You want to go wandering in canals/rivers of France You need a canal boat. You can just transfer the canals with a sailboat, but it is not so nice and not so easy. It is just not proper thing in a proper place...
This Princess Boatman pointed to may be a compromise

[artic warrior]

Most Princess 32's are twin engine,,,,not really needed

[Jackie]

Thanks for all the good advice. We traversed from med to Dunkirk in a 33' timber yacht with 5' draft. It was a bit limited in the choice of canals that 5' will fit into. being timber we always felt a bit vulnerable in the locks as well.
Steel will probably be our choice. I was wondering maybe sailboat with a lifting keel. As close to 3' draft the better.
Noel (Jackie)

[Lake-Effect]

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by artic warrior

Most Princess 32's are twin engine,,,,not really needed

Yes but handy to have , especially on the rivers and those coastal hops

Dave