Holland to France

[Vanessa Barns]

I am just testing the water here...... If I am successful in finding the right boat in Holland, would there be any members interested in joining & helping me to bring it from Holland over to France? The hope it that it would be a live-on-board barge around 15mtrs. If so, what is the normal procedure or expectations? This is in the early stages but it is something I need to think about.

Thank you, Vanessa

[Guest]

I am just testing the water here...... If I am successful in finding the right boat in Holland, would there be any members interested in joining & helping me to bring it from Holland over to France? The hope it that it would be a live-on-board barge around 15mtrs. If so, what is the normal procedure or expectations? This is in the early stages but it is something I need to think about.

Thank you, Vanessa

There is a small continental boating contingent on here and I would say ideally you would need somebody with experience. Whilst you may get the assistance you seek on here you may get more advice via. The DBA.

 

http://www.barges.org

 

There is a small cost associated with joining the DBA it would be a worthwhile investment in order to get access to their forum which I would say would be more overall use to you than this one which predominantly focuses on the inland waterways of the UK.

Edited January 13, 2015 by The Dog House

[Tam & Di]

I am just testing the water here...... If I am successful in finding the right boat in Holland, would there be any members interested in joining & helping me to bring it from Holland over to France?

 

You were recommended to look at or better to join the DBA when you first posted on here, and Martin has just repeated the suggestion. I believe you said you did not think the cost was worthwhile, but if you need assistance on continental matters you really should look to the DBA. I appreciate that this is speculative at the moment, but "France" is fairly large - depending upon where you want to go it could be a trip of a few days or a few weeks, so you need to tighten up your request a bit.

 

A small craft like you mention can easily be handled by two people, so presumably what you and your partner are looking for is actually someone with (ideally continental) canal cruising experience rather than just an extra body looking for a cheap holiday. There are some here on CWDF who have had hire boats on canals such as the Midi, but again if you are coming from Netherlands through Belgium and into northern France you will be meeting serious commercial traffic and you'd really need someone capable. At least one person on board must have the proper qualifications - an ICC with inland endorsement and VHF user's certificate - but the ICC is so ridiculously easy to get that it is fairly meaningless and you do need someone with practical experience.

 

Tam

Edited January 13, 2015 by Tam & Di

[Vanessa Barns]

Yes originally I did say that it was more cost effective for me if I could buy a boat in situ in France & a lot easier However when a boat crosses your path sometimes you have to change your original plan hence why I was asking. I have already had some responses from members who have seen this thread & have messaged me privately to say they would be interested in helping to crew the boat if it came to be & they do have the licences you mentioned which is reassuring As to where in France, we do not have to be at any particular place or part of France so we can decide on that as & when. I will also look at the DBA, I was not aware that there was a charge involved to join but I was referring in my original thread, I think more about buying outside of France & the cost of getting it to France being "not worthwhile" if I could buy in situ instead. Thank you Dog House & Tam both for your kindly given advice