Moving a boat to the continent....

[Guest]

Circumstances (I won't bore folk) are possibly contriving to bring forward our long term (3-4 years) plans forward to possibly later this year.

 

We had considered in the past the feasibility of moving 'The Dog House' to France and need now to make tentative inquiries about exactly you would go about this.

 

(All the stuff about actually using a UK narrowboat on the continental system is I know complex and worthy of a whole new thread) - this is just about how we would get the boat there.

 

What sort of companies undertake this sort of enterprise?, very roughly how much do folk think/know it would cost? - how do they actually do it, by that I mean crane low loaders will obviously be involved but would the boat be lifted onto a ship at this end and off at the other or does it travel all the way on it's low loader which is loaded on a ship.

 

Before any body suggests it - no I ain't going to take it across myself on a 'calm day'.

 

Many thanks.....

[Evo]

You must of seen the Waterworld programs on this..if not I'm sure they are available. Same lowloader all the way and when you get over there you have to have a Convoi exceptionale flasing light escort aswell.

 

It all costs thousands and goes up big time every year.

 

Before any body suggests it - no I ain't going to take it across myself on a 'calm day'.

 

I am and I cant wait. Our boat is supposed to be over in France allready but the FiL got ill and died before it happened.

 

 

As soon as I'm out of work I'm off.

[Guest]

It all costs thousands and goes up big time every year.

 

That is one of my concerns and may actually lead to us selling here and buying there....

[Naughty Cal]

 

 

 

 

I am and I cant wait.

 

[WJM]

Evo, are you the same Troll who started (and fuelled) a sixteen page topic on why you didn't want to do a marine VHF course because you would only use it once going up to Teddington? And now you are crossing the channel and heading onto the busy commercial waters of Europe! A Troll indeed!

Edited March 24, 2011 by WJM

[Evo]

Troll You're joking aren't you. Now dont ruin Martins thread with any silly bits.

 

 

Edit:- Your you're AGAIN I keep doing it..!!

Edited March 24, 2011 by Evo

[Naughty Cal]

Hi Martin

 

Some friends of ours have just had their 40ft x 14ft sports cruiser transported back from Spain. It wasnt a cheap affair at £11k but the company involved were by all accounts very proffessional and the boat was looked after from the moment it was loaded to the time it was unloaded from their truck and chocked ashore. I will find out the name and number of the chap they used for you.

[abloadescort]

http://www.cpltrans.com/ - Give these guys an e-mail/phone for a quote.

 

Rob

[carlt]

I'd give Tuckeys a ring, too.

 

Bear in mind Phylis' mate's £11k would have included the special arrangements for widebeams, on the road, that narrowboats aren't (yet) subject to.

[Albion]

http://www.cpltrans.com/ - Give these guys an e-mail/phone for a quote.

 

Rob

 

I used CPL Transport too for Phoenix (53ft x 12.5ft) and they were very good. Phoenix was shipped from Newark (where there was a straddle crane suitable to lift Phoenix) to Migennes, on the River Yonne (Jo Parfitt's yard) where there is a crane large enough to unload boats up to 40 tons. The yard has been sold now and is owned by another Brit, Simon Evans (see: http://www.evans-marine.fr/). The cost last July was £3850 plus VAT, not including the craning out at Newark and in at Migennes. I don't reckon this is too bad a price as you have two men, two vehicles (a truck and an escort vehicle due to the size of the load...and they can't use the autoroutes due to the height of the load not getting through the toll booths (payages)) and they have to return possibly without a load. CPL have delivered many times to Migennes and have been Jo's preferred UK deliverer because they deliver exactly on time, the driver that usually does the trip is superb at manoeuvring etc.

PM me if I can be of any more assistance.

Roger

 

Edited to add: Don't forget that you need to take out a special one-off insurance in case of damage en-route. Standard shipping damage, which the transporters have, only covers accidental and negligent damage on their behalf while in their care. All else is down to you.

Edited March 24, 2011 by Albion

[abloadescort]

Its been a while since I was involved in a abnormal load transport in France (as i mainly specialise in the UK & Ireland). The last time I went the catorgorys were as follows:

 

CAT 1 Permit - >20.00m long x >3.00m wide x >48,000kg. A pilot car isn't necesarry (normally). A Cat 1 permit is required but these come in two types, either a one off permit or a roaming permit. A company like CPL or Interboat from Reading will proberly already have a roaming CAT 1 permit.

 

CAT 2 Permit - 20.00m> long x 3.00m> wide x 48,000kg>. Normally a pilot car is needed for this catorgory.

 

CAT 3 Permit - 25.00m> long x 4.00m> wide x 72,000kg>. Normally a pilot car (or two) and the police.

 

As I said, these rules may have changed, I know the french system has been made some changes recently. However the transport company will be able to tell you the up to date rules and also sort it all out for you.

Of course, you may be able to put the boat in the canal at Calais without needing to drive out of the dock(not sure if this is still possible), thus, not needing any of the above.

 

Rob.

[Guest]

Some excellent links and info. in there thanks I will book mark them for future reference.

 

I'd sort of guessed between £5K-£7K so I may not be that wide of the mark, the link to the yard at Migennes is particularly interesting as it is roughly in the area we are thinking of basing the boat if we do go.

 

Thanks every body.

[Strads]

One or two other points to consider may be:

 

does your boat conmply with the CEE/EU regs or is it exempt etc.

 

Insurance - in view of above. - just make sure that it is 100% covered in the lift/move/delivered phases..

 

Otherwise - why not and have fun!

[ditchcrawler]

Take a look and maybe contact Bill he took his boat over and brought it back again.

Wandering Snail are still there. These are both Narrowboats

[Evo]

Phylis's 11K frightened me a bit for one way. Thank god its less than that.

Mind you its still very pricey if you intend to bring the boat back. Our plan was to only be over there 3 years max.

I dont mind around 1K out and 1K back but 6K each way...out of the question.

[Albion]

Some excellent links and info. in there thanks I will book mark them for future reference.

 

I'd sort of guessed between £5K-£7K so I may not be that wide of the mark, the link to the yard at Migennes is particularly interesting as it is roughly in the area we are thinking of basing the boat if we do go.

 

Thanks every body.

 

The availability of a crane that can handle the weight of steel boats in the 20 - 35 ton region is usually the limiting factor in choice of where you are dropped in. There isn't another crane capable of doing a narrow boat for quite some distance IIRC.

Roger

[Naughty Cal]

Phylis's 11K frightened me a bit for one way. Thank god its less than that.

Mind you its still very pricey if you intend to bring the boat back. Our plan was to only be over there 3 years max.

I dont mind around 1K out and 1K back but 6K each way...out of the question.

 

£1k might get you on the lorry

 

We were quoted by a few different companies £700 to take NC from Lincoln to Wroxham on a boat trailer without involving lorries and escorts.

 

The £11k delivery was a four day excursion with escorts and lots of planning. You cant just roll up to a hotel and park a 40fter in the car park for the night.

[Nine of Hearts]

The £11k delivery was a four day excursion with escorts and lots of planning. You cant just roll up to a hotel and park a 40fter in the car park for the night.

 

Why the chuff would you want to park in a hotel car park? Your living quarters are on the low-loader. Just pull into a lay-by and kip in the boat.

[Naughty Cal]

Why the chuff would you want to park in a hotel car park? Your living quarters are on the low-loader. Just pull into a lay-by and kip in the boat.

 

Your escorts might not be too happy about sharing the bunk

[Albion]

Another requirement for boating on the continent is the possession of the ICC plus CEVNI endorsement (for craft less than 20 metres, IPP for longer craft, and stricter requirements for Germany) and VHF set/s and qualifications for greater than 15 metres(?) IIRC.

Roger

[abloadescort]

Your escorts might not be too happy about sharing the bunk

 

That should't be a problem as they kip in the van. The only time I had to sleep in the truck was when my night heater broke in the van..... it was a very cold night.

 

Rob

[tony collins]

Ring Tuckey, He has done it several times, own crane this end and he has the contacts over on the other side.

http://www.abtuckey.co.uk/abtuckey.co.uk/Home.html

[LoneEcho]

This may or may not help, but the transport cost for my 60x12 from Poland was about 4.5k. Looking at some of the prices quoted, this seems reasonable. Would it be worth you finding out the details of the transport company from the builders and trying to do a deal to France on their return from a delivery ?

 

As I say, may or may not work, but thought I would mention it.

[ditchcrawler]

Phylis's 11K frightened me a bit for one way. Thank god its less than that.

Mind you its still very pricey if you intend to bring the boat back. Our plan was to only be over there 3 years max.

I dont mind around 1K out and 1K back but 6K each way...out of the question.

Don't forget you will save 3 years BW licence

[Guest]

This may or may not help, but the transport cost for my 60x12 from Poland was about 4.5k. Looking at some of the prices quoted, this seems reasonable. Would it be worth you finding out the details of the transport company from the builders and trying to do a deal to France on their return from a delivery ?

 

As I say, may or may not work, but thought I would mention it.

 

Thanks LE all thoughts welcome..