May Commissioning in France - La Rochelle / Les Sables D'Ollone

[monte]

Hi
We are off to Les Sables in May 5th to receive our new L400. After a few days there we will head to La Rochelle to have solar panels, inverter, batteries and watermaker fitted. From there hopping across to Spain and Portugal before departing for the Canaries and Caribbean, probbaly with the Atlantic Odyssey late November.
Is anyone else around Les Sables / La Rochelle around the same time? We can catch up for a etc.
Monte

[MarkJ]

That will be very exciting!

[Tellus]

Took over a Janneau in La Rochelle few years ago. Was a great experience, fantastic food and nice people. Have fun and fair winds...

[MIRELOS]

Excellent farmers market at the large marina parking lot in New Rochelle, free bottle of wine when you buy a number of sausages, can't beat that. No better place for boat lovers.

[StarryHorizons]

Congrats on the new boat Monte! My wife and I will be in La Rochelle most likely in October/November to pick up our Helia and then are targeting bringing her back across the Atlantic in November as well. If you're still around France that late, we'd definitely be interested in getting together.

David

[Navegante1105]

Hi, all of You crossing the Atlantic in November; I live in Gran Canaria, in the marina of Pasito Blanco; I shall very pleased to say "hello" if You pass through Gran Canaria on the way to the caribean and have a drink if You have time. Also, if You need any kind of help, I shall be very plased to give You a hand as local...
Regards, Agustin.

[Polux]

Congratulations on the new boat. If you need suggestions regarding the Spanish and Portuguese coast say so.

[roetter]

Congratulations, Monte. Have a great time there. Make sure to stock up with Bordeaux wines.

I assume that Robin Marine will install your VHF antennas. On both our boats they broke off during the Atlantic crossing. The second time I talked to Thierry about it and he said he had better brackets now. Well, is wasn't so. I would go for the light steel antenna, which I have now. The fiber glass ones are just to heavy in large seas.

[monte]

thanks for the info guys. David we will probably be well on our way to the canaries by November, but may see you along the way. Thanks for the offer Agustin, will look you up when we are nearby!
Thanks Rolf, will at least pack a spare steel antenna for the trip. Yes La Rochelle is a great place, we have been a couple of times before but didnt see a farmers market, will check that out this time.
Polux, would be interested in hearing any suggestions along the spain and portugal coasts. We did sail it in 2012 but look forward to discovering some more beautiful places en route.
ZCheers

[django37]

Will be in Les Sable d'Olonne the 6th May - helping friends to sail their new Lagoon 39 home to Denmark. What's your L400 Building no? Les Sable is now quite full of Lagoons...

[Katiusha]

Congratulations!!! We're possibly thinking of crossing this year too, so let's keep in touch!

is it going to be three of you on board again (counting the dog of course)?

[Polux]

Originally Posted by monte

...
Polux, would be interested in hearing any suggestions along the spain and portugal coasts. We did sail it in 2012 but look forward to discovering some more beautiful places en route.
ZCheers

I posted this on another forum. It may help:

"Along the west coast of Portugal you should not miss Viana do Castelo, lovely town, as well as Porto, Vila do Conde, Nazaré, Figueira da Foz, Cascais and Sines. Interesting places are also Peniche and Povoa do Varzim, both fishing ports with Marinas.

Take care because with bad weather there are few ports safe to enter on that coast. Don't try to enter if the authorities say the port is closed. Lots of sailors have died trying that stunt : Leixões, Peniche, Cascais and Sines are the best options with bad weather.

On the west coast the places for the winter are a lot less expensive. Figueira da Foz is a great town to have the boat on the winter. Figueira da Foz is a very pleasant place even on winter.

On the South coast Lagos, Albufeira and Faro are interesting places. Marina places, including Portimão, are expensive and in Faro there are few. Maybe the best interesting compromise in what regards price and the place in Algarve is Olhão. You can also go up river on the Guadiana (also a Marina in Vila Real de Santo António on the river mouth, but difficult to maneuver due to strong river current) till Mertola where there is a river port. Nice town but lots of boats looking for a place there."

On all the west coast there are very few sheltered places to anchor: Aveiro, São Martinho (if your boat has 1.8m draft or less), Cascais, Sines are exceptions. On the South coats there are more: Baleeira, Portimão, Alvor (1.8m), Olhão, Guadiana river are the main ones.

Regarding Spain I have made several seasons cruising the Rias Galegas but since you know the place also, it depends on how well you know it.

[TPF]

Hi Monte,

Congratulations on the new boat! We too are taking delivery of our FP Helia 44 on 7 May 2014 in La Rochelle. Actually, just returned to Oz from a visit there this week to get things organised. We too have some additional work to be done in early May and when completed off to NW Spain and eventually the Med for the rest of the season.

Will obviously be in LR the same time as you are. Happy to catch up! Our boat's name is "Bisou" from Port Stephens.

All the best with your adventure!

Cheers, Tad

[monte]

Hi Django, we will probably see you in Les Sables, our boat is hull 386, named Sephina. Come say hi if we dont see you first!


Will keep in touch with you Dennis and Katia and Marina, yes it will be the three of us and 2 extra crew for the Atlantic crossing. Take a look at the Atlantic Odyssey to cross with if you are interested. The cost is half if you have children on board so at 250 euro its a pretty good deal considering it includes 1 week berthing beforehand, tours/activities, half price haul outs, safety and weather seminars and yellowbrick tracking etc. Hopefully we will see you later in the year!

Congratulations as well Tad! We will definitely catch up for a beer in La Rochelle. We will probably arrive there around the 10th and head to the Uchimata dock for some works to be completed for a couple of weeks. Let me know if you have any questions about the process as we did it all 2 years ago as well. Some details on our blog at Sephina

JeffOC is also picking up a new FP a couple of weeks before you. From our experience at La Rochelle if you are taking a new FP delivery, plan on staying there a few weeks to get everything sorted. There are also local skippers available if you feel the need for some tuition motoring/docking/sailing etc.

Monte

[Jeffrey Oc]

Hi Rob, getting close now, Tad sent a few photos of our Helia at FP yards almost ready for transporting to LR . We leave Auss next Sunday and get to LR on the 15th , all being well we will catch up for the ( Tad thanks again for the photos )