Royal Canadian Navy Fairmiles

Message Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic Printable Version Translate Topic

   Hello Nicholas
The 71'6" MTBs are about a metre too beamy for the French canals I'm afraid.
Regards, Christian.

Author	Message Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic Printable Version Translate Topic
Christian Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 17 June 2005 Location: Gibraltar Status: Offline Points: 775	Post Options Post Reply Quote Christian Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 10 February 2007 at 9:30pm
	Hello Nicholas The 71'6" MTBs are about a metre too beamy for the French canals I'm afraid. Regards, Christian.

northeastuser Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 10 June 2006 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 446	Post Options Post Reply Quote northeastuser Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 10 February 2007 at 10:24pm
	THE CANAL DU MIDI. Biggest problems Draft - 1.6 metres (5ft 2 inches) MAX! Less in high summer - Width 5.5 metres - (18ft.) Is there any detailed information as to the real condition of the Ambra and what engines she has for calculating fuel consumption etc?

dgray Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 24 November 2005 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 580	Post Options Post Reply Quote dgray Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 10 February 2007 at 11:10pm
	Hi Details of most canal routes are at: http://www.michaelbriant.com/sn2.htm I've dug this out. It may be of interest... The 1st Flotilla shipped out to the Med on 22nd June 1937 in company with their depot ship HMS Vulcan. They made the journey under their own power and they made stops in Brest, Corunna and Lisbon, arriving in Malta on 17th July. On the outbreak of war, the orders came for the flotilla to return back to Britain. The older boats were not up to the journey back by sea so some were shipped home by freighter and the rest returned home via the French canals. They entering near Marselilles on 24th November and travelled up the Rhone towards Lyon then northward up the Saone to the start of the Burgandy canal system at St Jean de Losne. Then they went through Dijon, Ivingy and joined the Saone and through Paris onto Le Harve. Edited by dgray
	Don Only a number, not even a name. How shall posterity hear of thy fame?

Christian Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 17 June 2005 Location: Gibraltar Status: Offline Points: 775	Post Options Post Reply Quote Christian Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 10 February 2007 at 11:32pm
	Hi Don The 60ft boats of the 1st flotilla were a good 6ft narrower than the 71ft6" boats unfortunately.

northeastuser Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 10 June 2006 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 446	Post Options Post Reply Quote northeastuser Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 10 February 2007 at 11:53pm
	Even ignoring the max width of vessels you have to consider air height. Even reducing the height to the max of 3.5 meters could still cause you problems as this is the height at the centre of a bridge arch. At the extremes of the arch height may have to be much lower. E.G like trying to get a square peg in to a round hole. Nasty on the paint work lol. To get the Ambra threw some of the bridge archways would mean taking a saw to everything above deck and reducing the vessel to deck height. All things conceded I think the best bet is by sea. Assuming she is going to be scuttled anyway then a 50/50 chance of her making the 2k miles via Gibraltar and the bay of Biscay may be her best hope. Thats asuming that the cost of transporting her is too much to consider. . Christian what safety and structural regulations would apply for a vessels wishing to make the trip?

Christian Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 17 June 2005 Location: Gibraltar Status: Offline Points: 775	Post Options Post Reply Quote Christian Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 11 February 2007 at 12:20am
	Hi NE user Presuming she is Maltese flagged, and knowing she was in commercial service up until the end of 2005, I suppose it is safe to say that she should meet Maltese regulations whatever these may be. It is also safe to say that any competent delivery skipper will insist upon the installation of suitable safety and navigational equipment comensurate to any offshore voyage undertaken, regardless of regulations. I personally wouldn't care to do this job, I've done a Med delivery and have seen how quickly it can turn very nasty indeed, with steep, short seas (it was a little late in the season). Luckily the yacht was a big Swan, they'd sail through pretty much anything. I accidentally drove it straight over the top of the combined crests of 3 big ones all coming from different directions in the dead of night in Bonifacio (George on the blink, diesel blockage had stopped the engine, fully reefed main only, and only one other non-seasick crew, we were exhausted!). The subsequent drop into the ensuing trough had to be felt to be believed, and the yacht just shrugged it off. A 60+ year old hard-chine wooden boat would not have done so well (I dread to think...). I would however think there would be takers in Malta who would jump at the chance, I'd recommend August as a calm month to do it if Capt Morgan can hold onto her this long.

clive Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 11 December 2006 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 379	Post Options Post Reply Quote clive Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 11 February 2007 at 12:32am
	Why not get your chainsaw out? the top is not the bit you want to save. Is he giving the boat away with engine(s)?
	masbie something in the water. www.freewebs.com/masb32/

northeastuser Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 10 June 2006 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 446	Post Options Post Reply Quote northeastuser Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 11 February 2007 at 12:50am
	She’s still a few feet too wide to go via canals. Worse iv ever had at see was in a fishing boat off the Shetland islands. Bad, but not bad enough to stop me getting to sleep! As a kid I could sleep anywhere. But that was rather a long time ago. Anyone considering taking a unfit boat to sea without the necessary precautions to survive a worst case scenario with the minimal of help deserves a good slap anyway. Given the right circumstances I would still be interested in giving it a go if anyone wants to do it and is looking for company. Is there any info on her current engine set up and hull condition?

dgray Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 24 November 2005 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 580	Post Options Post Reply Quote dgray Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 11 February 2007 at 1:40am
	Hi Christian, Sorry, didn't mean to imply that the Malta boat could use the canals. The link I send showed pretty much all the canals for any other ventures. Mind you the MA/SB would fit I guess!! A thought I had was that places like Port Leucate have cheap hard standing for boats ( 45 ton lift) . I was paying about £150 a month for a 65'. If she hugged the coast to France, why not put her on the hard and buy time. The same must be possible in Malta or somewhere nearer.... I'll pay the first £150...... Has anyone been to see the boat. Flights from Stansted from £150....
	Don Only a number, not even a name. How shall posterity hear of thy fame?

northeastuser Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 10 June 2006 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 446	Post Options Post Reply Quote northeastuser Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 11 February 2007 at 11:35am
	!50 pounds! I found one way flight for 79..or am I being a bit optimistic? Re my above post. I need to correct that statement about people being unprepared. Personally I don’t care if anyone goes anywhere in anything in any condition. However to then expect others to put there life at risk in an attempt to rescue them (when they know the condition of the vessel they travel in)is nothing short of selfish. But that aside if someone were to examine the boat and have professional advice to back them up then I would ,with the correct precautions have no problem with anyone attempting to bring Ambra to the UK. But I would seriously question if she could make headwind with all that top-hamper! Chainsaw time and time in a boatyard first. Is there a quick and cheep way to temporary strengthen an old DD hull? Perhaps bonding & screwing two thin layers of WBP ply to her hull??