Forum - HERON

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21 entries.

Peter Brinch wrote on 18. December 2019 at 9: 22:

Hi Heron!

We are a family of 4 sailing in the Mediterranean for the 3rd year. Right now we are in Spain. In the spring we will sail back to Italy and on to Greece. When autumn sets in, the plan is to land the boat (Hallberg Rassy Monsun 31). I have followed along a bit in your journey and can see you standing on land on Corfu.

Was it a good and safe experience for your boat, and what prices do they work with at the yard?

Looking forward to hearing from you.
Greet the entire crew at S / Y Libra

Hey Peter,

We are on land at Cara Yachts in the small town of Plataria. It is located on the mainland a few and twenty miles southeast of Gouvia Marina. We are four Danish boats standing on land there this winter. The yard leases a crane for pick-up and handles transport from the dock to the boatyard (about 200 meters) and storage on the boatyard. A Parklev trailer is used for transport and PARKUP EVO (steel racks) for storage. The seats (there are two) are monitored. We pay DKK 12.500 all inclusive (ie picking up, launching and space rent) until October 2020. The yard is owned and operated by an Irishman (Mike), who is assisted in the administration by his daughter Niahm.

We were very pleased with the Gouvia Marina in Corfu. But overwintering here cost $ 10.000 more than at Cara Yachts. On the other hand, getting to and from Plataria is a little more difficult and there are not as good service and repair workshops as at Gouvia Marina. (It's really good here)

... all in all, we feel comfortable having left our home at Cara Yachts in Plataria

Christian wrote on 1. November 2019 at 17: 48:

Hi, enjoy reading their report on sailing from Sicily to Corfu. From the Messina Strait to Corfu about the same route as we walked ours.
We have now put our boat Bijou in stock at Action Marina at Preveza and came home yesterday. I will be starring next season in late April and will spend a few weeks at the Ionian Islands before heading back to Italy. We have sailed in the Cyclades this fall, but I must say that Ionian Islands are more appealing. When are you going back to the boat?

Hi Christian.

We came home last Thursday, Heron is on land in Plataria. It is located on the mainland well 20sm southeast of Corfu. We are already looking forward to next season (it is cold wet and foggy here in Denmark).

In 2020 we stay in Greece and sail slowly around the Peloponnese.

We don't yet know when to start, but shouldn't we be able to meet?

Does your AIS work?

Thomas Rønnow wrote on 28. September 2019 at 20: 56:

Hey. We met in the pool in Gouvia last week.

Hope you are well here. Are you still down there? If so, then I could use your help. Will you call / write to me at 22943318.

Sincerely. Thomas

Hey Thomas,

Yes, we are still ashamed.

Calling you a little later today

Else Lyhne wrote on 7. August 2019 at 14: 14:

Hi there.

We sail in the boat Thistle and are on our way to the Mediterranean, which we reach before September. We saw your suggestions on winter ports from last year and found on your website - lovely stories to be sure to read.

Well, but we are in search of a winter harbor and can see that you have been to Menton. We live aboard and are therefore interested in the life of other boats (preferably long-distance sailors like us but not necessarily). Is it the case in Menton or do you have other / better bids.

Our own blog can be found here should you be interested 😄
https://www.lyhne-viesmose.dk/category/rejser-og-ture/mar-middel/

We wintered in the new port of Menton in the winter 2017 / 18, but did not even live on the boat. The 'live-aboard community' was not large according to the port office around 50 people distributed on an unknown number of boats. However, it did not appear that all 50 were there at one time. There wasn't much life at the long concrete pier we lay on. It seemed as if there was a little more life on the boats by the jetty. Therefore, insist on getting a place there if you want to overwinter in Menton.

The new harbor where we were located has nice facilities, but is troubled by southwesterly winds. We got a lump out of the hull as the city was hit by an 10 year storm from the southwest for the second year in a row. Watch our video [url Watch our video ....

We liked the city very much. Here is life all year round. Christmas was very atmospheric and not far to Nice, from where there are many and cheap departures to Copenhagen.

We were also very happy with Cannes (the old port) but here we were too late to apply for a winter location.

Loano in Italy could also be a possible wintering haven for you. The harbor is almost brand new, is much better protected than Menton and has some of the nicest toilet and bath facilities we've seen. (They were also fine in Menton now)

In Lavandou and Sanary-sur-Mer, the residents themselves complained that too much shut down in the winter. These are now otherwise nice towns.

You can also download the Navily app. You can reserve space and read reviews of most ports in the Mediterranean.

Heikel's pilot books and the French port pilots we also enjoyed

Cato wrote on 29. July 2019 at 21: 37:

Hey
I follow their journey but can't find a letter to read since Corsica.

Nice that you want to follow us. There are several ways to find the next stories. The easiest is probably to click in the "next" in the bottom right corner of the individual report.

You can also go to the "Stories" page. Here is an overview of all the reports. The stories from Corsica can be found under the tab "Menton to Porto Rotondo"

Let me know if it solves your problem

Lars Klüver wrote on 18. May 2019 at 17: 13:

Hi Pia and Carl. Then I saw 13. section and now understand that the boat has wintered in Sardinia. It was some beautiful pictures - both from the sea side, but also from all the small cozy towns where you have sat and been able to enjoy the good Italian food and their equally good wines. You must still have a good trip, with some great experiences.
And then I have to say you are scared to edit your video recordings. They are really very professional.
Many greetings to both of you
Lars

Camilla Holm wrote on 2. August 2018 at 22: 56:

Hi Pia and Carl.
Yes, then we got off ourselves. Thanks for the info on mast transport, it went like lubricated? We are now at Cassis, with plans to sail to Italy to find a winter harbor. We hope you get good wind and many good experiences. If you would like, please visit our website https://holmlauritzen.wordpress.com/. Best regards Camilla

Hello Camilla,

Nice blog you made and where do you look like having fun.

Have a great trip.

Do you have an idea of where you will winter ?

We are located in Corsica and expect to winter in Olbia, Sardinia.

Greeting

Carl & Pia

niels larsen wrote on 19. March 2018 at 8: 11:

Have read your report with great pleasure, have even sailed the channel, both in my own boat and with friends since 1975. Have a good trip.

Hi Niels,

Thank you for your kind comments.

Greeting

Carl & Pia

Camilla wrote on 11. December 2017 at 12: 39:

Hi Pia and Carl.
Thank you for your prompt and good response, you have been very helpful.
I have called and talked to Rainer, a very kind man, we await an offer from him, he should just wonder it, because he will also need a diver compressor delivered. He has recommended that we also investigate Baltica marina in Travemünde, where he also collects.
Nice to hear that it is a beautiful trip that awaits us.
Once again thank you very much.
We will follow you on your exciting trip.
vh camilla

Hello Camilla.

Nice to help you with the planning of the trip.

Now we do not know your planned route, but think our logbook might be of interest to you.

You'll find it here...

greeting

Carl and Pia

Camilla wrote on 8. December 2017 at 9: 48:

Hi Pia and Carl.
Nice to read about your trip.
We are leavin May 2018, with our 2 children.
I can read that you got your mast transported down there, we have also thought that we think the mast takes too much space on the boat.
Who did you get hold of and how did you organise it ?
Enjoy the amazing trip, we are looking forward to our trip.
The best regards from the cold Denmark.
Camilla

Hello Camilla,

We obtained several offers for the transport of the mast from Travemünde to Port Napoleon in the Mediterranean. We decided to use the firm Fastmast (they were the cheapest or should we not say least expensive)

Fastmast has an excellent website - www.fastmast.com. The proprietor is Rainer Petras. He speaks good English. You can reach him on the phone 00 49 171 486 1820. It's a good idea to call him already. He is trying to collect the transports.

The mast was unstepped at Boeb's yard in Travemünde, packed together and lay there until Fastmast picked it up and drove it to Port Napoleon.

Very simple; but also a little nerve wrecking to leave the rig to a transport company without any documentation other than a few SMSs and phone calls. But Rainer is a good and honest man. So no problems. Mast and rig lay waiting for us in Port Napoleon. Nicely packed after the transport.

Boeb's yard is skilled (also to write pretty large bills for unstepping the mast). We have heard there should be a boat builder in Lübeck. It should be good and significantly cheaper. (Fastmast may also pick up the mast there).

Enjoy your journey. It's a great nice trip. (We were especially excited about the route from Namur in Belgium to the Mediterranean).

Greeting

Carl & Pia

Kaja Uggerby wrote on 8. November 2017 at 17: 21:

Hello Heron
Thank you very much for an exciting story, we also dream a trip through Europe, this year we have been a trip through the Göta Canal. It was absolutely fantastic and will be expecting to take the trip again in 2 years, next year will be spent on arranging the boat that we bought 3 months before departure, so we found out on the trip what we would like to have done about ... .. looking forward to following your continued journey etc. Kaja

Hi Kaja,

Thank you for the nice words about our blog.

We sailed through the Göta Canal in 2013. It was a nice trip. Looking forward to the trip through Europe.

// Carl & Pia

Ole Larsen wrote on 14. September 2017 at 16: 18:

Hi and thank you for the awesome stories and films.We are getting ready for the trip, starting in the middle of 2018. However, we have a small (big) problem, 175 in draft does not mean there is a problem in Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium, but in some of the French channels. Do you have any idea of which might be a problem.
Mvh Ole

Thank you for the nice words about our blog.

On our trip to the Mediterranean the "critical" stretch was from Givet at Meuse to Corre at the end of the Canal des Vosges.

The guaranteed water depth is here 180 cm. Same as guaranteed on most other channels in France.

When we went through May, the warranty was fine and we met a couple of the same depths as you.

Later in the season this year it counted less than normal. Therefore, there was a lack of water in the channels. I think the route closed a couple of weeks for that reason. But thinking it has not been a problem in the last few weeks.

Keep an eye out for the messages at www.vnf.fr and look forward to a great trip from Statte in Belgium to Port Saint Louis, in our opinion, was very nice.

// Carl & Pia

Jørn wrote on 13. August 2017 at 22: 09:

Can I find your videos on youtube?
Link?

You can find them in the video tab on this website.

They are also located on Youtube at the address

https://youtu.be/S0uUayrZWjs

// Carl & Pia

Pia Irene Rose. wrote on 13. August 2017 at 21: 15:

So nice to follow you. Have you been to many of the places in the car yourself? My journey now goes to Sydney, to visit my daughter and son-in-law. I look forward to seeing them again. Going to Blue Mountain on an extended weekend. Hope you still get a good trip. A big greeting from me to you. Watch out for yourselves.

Claus Jepsen wrote on 2. May 2017 at 7: 29:

Hi
Have read with great interest your blog as we are heading in the opposite direction in an Oceanis 361 that we bought down here in 2015. We are in Gruissan and in one or two weeks, when the weather has gotten a little warmer, we will sail to Port San Louis and start the trip north, so we may see you along the way. You can read about our tour on facebook: S / Y Inuk (writes in English for family and friends abroad). Do you have the mast on board? How are you? Like a few pictures of how you fixed it. Sincerely. Claus and Chui Ping.

Hi Claus,

We chose to transport the mast, boom and rich by car from Travemünde to Port Napoleon

We have been pleased with that.

A) We can sail in small waves on the Rhine and Rhone without worrying about 'scaffolding'.

B) We do not have to worry that the rig hits something when we sail

C) There is plenty of space

D) A minor repair was required on the mast bearing at the top requiring the mast to be removed.

The transport is not cheap. We paid 8.500 kr. We think it's worth the money and then drinks a few bottles of red wine less.

From Meuse we enter the Canal des Vosges, Petit Saône, Basse Saône and finally Rhone.

We update our position on our blog in the "Here we are" field.

It's really nice and interesting to meet you on the road

Carl & Pia

Lars Klüver wrote on 25. January 2017 at 21: 57:

Have sent an email to your g-mail account.

It's done. Thanks for the help

Morgan Olsson wrote on 19. November 2016 at 17: 25:

Hi
We are also in Maastricht (with SARA IV Yellow Bridge No. 211) and visit the 1 boat a week in December.
Greetings
Kerstin & Morgan Olsson

Hi Kerstin and Morgan,

Not how funny

We are at the first bridge south of the harbor office a couple of places out. (Do not remember the number on the bridge)

Could be fun to exchange experiences. Do you have a website?

Greeting

Carl and Pia

Lars Klüver wrote on 24. October 2016 at 18: 08:

Hi Pia and Carl - yes, I have said before, but it can not be said too often: Very good trip - both what the cruise is about and the year to spend in the Mediterranean. Interesting to see your pictures - and also the video. There is no doubt that it is an interesting trip too, as you see a lot of people you do not see. I do not have the sail, but in 2001 I had to ride a motorcycle to Lyon and there was probably a bit of the same freedom, although yours is a much better way. Looking forward to following your trip and maybe we'll see you next year. There was a great atmosphere to repeat the arrangements with the "old" schoolmates. If you cut to the Facebook group, then you can see what happened. Remember to get some paella and sangria when you are in Spain !!

Thanks for the nice words and warm greetings.

Hasta Luengo

Carl wrote on 29. August 2016 at 8: 16:

Hi Dennis,

Thank you for your greeting.

The master plan is to sail on the European river and canal system for the Mediterranean.

We "stand on" the system at Lübeck, sail through Germany, Holland, Belgium France and reach the Mediterranean Sea at Port St. Louis, located a little west of Marseilles.

The trip can be done on the 1 month, but we expect to spend more because we would like to stay if we find some nice places along the way.

We still do not quite know what we do when we reach the Mediterranean.

The possibilities are many.

Maybe we win on the boat or sail further south to Spain or rent a house in southern Spain and spend the winter there or go home.

Time will show

Dennis wrote on 27. August 2016 at 9: 02:

Hi Pia & Carl. I wish you a wonderful trip. Take care of yourself and write about all the superb experiences you get now on the book. Where are you going?

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