January delivery from La Rochel to BVI

[ED-M]

Soon we will be living aboard our Fountain Pajot Isla 40. When we ordered the boat and had an October slot, we planned on hiring a captain to sail the boat and teach us along the way. Now we are looking at sailing from France in January to the BVI. We both have sailed the Bahamas, Caribbean and Lake Superior. We are not old salts but capable sailors.
Does anyone know a good delivery captain with good English that likes teaching and might be available?
Is it possible to get to France during Covid for an owner and or a delivery captain? Or should we look at another country along the route to meet a Captain?
I would hate to put our boat on a ship to transport. I really would love for my wife and I to experience the crossing. She agrees the crossing would be a great learning experience.

Thank you

[Hanksy]

Hi ED-M

I am an RYA Yachtmaster Commercially Endorsed and a Crusing Instructor. Can I pm you? I am available early Jan but might be tied up in the second half of Feb. If the dates don't work for me I can put you in touch with some skippers perfect for this delivery.

[ED-M]

Yes please send a PM.

[Zzmeyer]

We hired a captain through FP and our dealer to sail our FP from La Rochelle to Plymouth England in January. They have lots of them. The advantage is that they know the product. While my captain also has delivered a lot of Lagoon, he had delivered more than 30 FP.

[sailingforfun]

Originally Posted by ED-M

Soon we will be living aboard our Fountain Pajot Isla 40. When we ordered the boat and had an October slot, we planned on hiring a captain to sail the boat and teach us along the way. Now we are looking at sailing from France in January to the BVI. We both have sailed the Bahamas, Caribbean and Lake Superior. We are not old salts but capable sailors.
Does anyone know a good delivery captain with good English that likes teaching and might be available?
Is it possible to get to France during Covid for an owner and or a delivery captain? Or should we look at another country along the route to meet a Captain?
I would hate to put our boat on a ship to transport. I really would love for my wife and I to experience the crossing. She agrees the crossing would be a great learning experience.

Thank you

Great idea and you’ll love the experience. We did it in 2015.

Make sure get a competent Captain, but just as important a personable Captain. We got the former, but not the latter and it put a damper on the mood during the crossing.

[MIRELOS]

I recommend Nicolas Boutteloup, young, energetic, patient, expert with Fps, you can reach him through Reliance Deliveries

[stull61]

We are also looking to get our FP Saba 50 in La Rochelle in January. It is currently on the hard in La Pallice waiting for us to get there. The French Embassy in Washington just told us there is no way we can travel from California to France, so we will fly to London and quarantine for 2 weeks before crossing the Channel into France. Hopefully that will work. January is a pretty bad time to cross the Bay of Biscay. We are looking to cross in April, same as we did 7 years ago in our last Lagoon 421 (Suggest you delay until then if you can, but understand the need to cross the Atlantic in January/February). If you didn't want to try your luck getting into France from the UK, you could always get your delivery skipper to pick you up in England and keep going from there. Definitely worth the experience of going along yourself, you will learn a lot (especially at that time of the year!). Pay attention to getting all the safety gear you need on board, including a failsafe way to get weather downloaded at sea (Iridium Go and Predictwind Offshore is the combination I use). All the best and let us know how you go given we are both trying to travel to the same place in January.

[Franziska]

Watch out. In January travelling between the UK and Europe might be complicated not only due to Covid but also due to the, possibly unregulated, Brexit.

Originally Posted by stull61

We are also looking to get our FP Saba 50 in La Rochelle in January. It is currently on the hard in La Pallice waiting for us to get there. The French Embassy in Washington just told us there is no way we can travel from California to France, so we will fly to London and quarantine for 2 weeks before crossing the Channel into France. Hopefully that will work. January is a pretty bad time to cross the Bay of Biscay. We are looking to cross in April, same as we did 7 years ago in our last Lagoon 421 (Suggest you delay until then if you can, but understand the need to cross the Atlantic in January/February). If you didn't want to try your luck getting into France from the UK, you could always get your delivery skipper to pick you up in England and keep going from there. Definitely worth the experience of going along yourself, you will learn a lot (especially at that time of the year!). Pay attention to getting all the safety gear you need on board, including a failsafe way to get weather downloaded at sea (Iridium Go and Predictwind Offshore is the combination I use). All the best and let us know how you go given we are both trying to travel to the same place in January.

[Scrimshaw4]

Before you leave I STRONGLY urge you to check with the BVI consulate to find out i you can even get into the BVI's. COVID / Flu season will be at it's height while you are en-route. JMHO

[stull61]

Yep. Forgot to add we will go in December to get in before Brexit. That way we may also be able to get into France without a passport stamp to help with Schengen issues - maybe!!!

[jmschmidt]

Ya, but I forgot his name, its Mike something. The last I heard he was running a sailing ship charter out of Granada. I've never used him but a couple of people I know did and liked him as a skipper and instructor.

[ED-M]

Thank you everyone. This is great stuff. Tomorrow I hope to get some time to start contacting consulates to see what is any options are available for travel. From what I found today France does not look good. So I will investigate other countries Portugal, morocco, canaries.

[PeteTheDeliverySkipper]

Originally Posted by ED-M

Soon we will be living aboard our Fountain Pajot Isla 40. When we ordered the boat and had an October slot, we planned on hiring a captain to sail the boat and teach us along the way. Now we are looking at sailing from France in January to the BVI. We both have sailed the Bahamas, Caribbean and Lake Superior. We are not old salts but capable sailors.
Does anyone know a good delivery captain with good English that likes teaching and might be available?
Is it possible to get to France during Covid for an owner and or a delivery captain? Or should we look at another country along the route to meet a Captain?
I would hate to put our boat on a ship to transport. I really would love for my wife and I to experience the crossing. She agrees the crossing would be a great learning experience.

Thank you

I would be delighted to help you. I will send you a PM.

Many thanks,

Pete

[canadianbeethov]

You guys must take care in those cold months. The Covid cases are going to increase, for the cold.

[conway]

Several California-based owners and crew/family that I know personally travelled to France to take delivery of their boats over the summer. Some travelled through London, some flew straight to Paris. They all had the required supporting documentation and none had any difficulty. Those who travelled via London left for France by train or car the same day (you're required to quarantine in the UK for 14 days or the duration of your stay if shorter). Your mileage may vary, especially as the covid situation in Europe has worsened since then.

Originally Posted by stull61

The French Embassy in Washington just told us there is no way we can travel from California to France, so we will fly to London and quarantine for 2 weeks before crossing the Channel into France. Hopefully that will work.