RioMar Yachts - Travel possibilities

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			The ancient canals of France have been "discovered" by pleasure-boaters for over twenty years now, but they are still a quiet avenue to the most pleasant regions of France. The speed-limit on these canals is generally only 8 km/hr (5 mph). The dozens of canals and navigable rivers meander through a large portion of France, in five regions as shown in the diagram below.

No other means of exploration, short of hiking, can bring you so close to nature. The French canals meander through the most pleasant bucolic countryside, usually far from noisy highways. As you drift down the canal, take in the scents in the air and the calls of the birds. When you get hungry, a village may be coming up with a surprisingly good restaurant! A motorscooter and bicycles can be stowed aft for use on land excursions.

The low bridges and narrow tunnels often pose a serious impediment for ordinary boats larger than about 35 feet. The most well-known restrictive geometries are found at the Tunnel de Pouilly-en-Auxois at the summit of the very scenic Canal de Bourgogne, and the old Roman era Pont de Capestang near the eastern entrance of the ancient Canal du Midi. Both of these can easily be passed through by our 78-foot yachts! On a few lesser canals, such as Ille-et-Rance, boats must be even lower. With a simple hour-long procedure, the pontoons of our yacht can be partially flooded so that its height above water is under 2.4 meters. After passing under the low bridge, the bilges can be completely pumped out with the flip of a switch.

The old French canals are somewhat narrower than the main canals in the rest of continental Europe. A trip through the heart of Europe down the Danube to the Black Sea, to the Ukraine, and back via Istanbul and the Greek isles is possible.
You may well stick to the beauty and excitement of France, Spain, and the western Mediterranean. But if you are adventurous, please note the routes marked with red lines below. These are some possible routes for owners of our yachts to over thirty countries at minimal fuel consumption. Many summer vacations and winter retreats! Of course dozens of canals are not shown here, especially in the coastal plain between Paris and Hamburg.

We recommend that the yacht undertake sea-crossings in fairly calm conditions, less than Beaufort 5 (20 mph wind) with swells under 5 feet, since waves will significantly reduce speed and comfort. The Mediterranean is normally this calm throughout the summer, but any sea-travel days should be chosen according to the meteorological forecast.
The Atlantic is significantly more perilous than the Mediterranean and requires one of the larger motors to overcome strong local currents and winds. Atlantic coasting and Channel crossings should be made on particularly calm days with excellent visibility.
Note that our yachts are too wide for most English canals, although they can ascend the Thames to Oxford, and the Severn River to Stourport near Birmingham.
While the routes shown here avoid most natural hazards and high seas, care must be taken near major ports and sea-lanes to avoid large ships. Study the local regulations carefully before undertaking any of these passages.