Newbie on French Riviera

Hello,

Newcomer on the forum here, based on the French Riviera, near Cannes. I like scuba diving, wake boarding, paddle board and whatever else can be done on the water. I have owned a 4m (12 feet) inflatable. Then upgraded to a 20 footer central console outboard, which I’ve used as often as possible for the last 10 years. Have sailed a bit on various OPBs (Other People’ Boats …).
Now at a turn of my life where I’m seriously considering dumping the fast planing hull, getting a trawler, downsizing the dirt dwelling and moving aboard. Have spent countless hours on Yachtworld, walking around on docks, and then stumbled on this forum which brought me very valuable information.
What I envision is finding a GB 42 Motoryacht - and I know it’s going to take a lot of time to find the right one, with a proper deck, non-leaking windows, rust-free or replaced tanks, at the right price point. With my job, I can remote-work a good chunk of the time. Yet, I would probably leave the boat at the dock for the majority of the time, keeping a local social life and some days at the local office, but cruise on (extended) week-ends locally. A few times a year, I would cruise for longer periods on the Mediterrannean, with a mix of working days and cruise days. I would also keep a small apartment for when I need be land-based (Eg: boats being hauled out), that would be AirBnb’d the rest of the time.
I’ve read everything I could about budget, finance and what to expect regarding the cost of maintaining of a 30 year old trawler, no illusion here. I would perform the maintenance I feel comfortable with (filters, oil change, varnish, electricity and water systems) and yard out the heavy stuff. I also know the first step is to secure a slip - working on this. What else should I be thinking of?
Happy to join the board!

Greetings,
Welcome aboard. "What else should I be thinking of?" Sitting on the back deck with a glass of wine....

Welcome aboard, mon ami (name of my Dad's first boat). I had a 1972 Grand Banks Classic, but always thought the Europa had a very appealing layout. My original steel tanks were still there when I sold it in 2015. If they aren't leaking when you find the right boat, chances are they won't leak any time soon.

Welcome aboard.

Guilhem said:

Hello,

Newcomer on the forum here, based on the French Riviera, near Cannes...Now at a turn of my life where I’m seriously considering dumping the fast planing hull, getting a trawler, downsizing the dirt dwelling and moving aboard...

What I envision is finding a GB 42 Motoryacht - and I know it’s going to take a lot of time to find the right one, with a proper deck, non-leaking windows, rust-free or replaced tanks, at the right price point...

I’ve read everything I could about budget, finance and what to expect regarding the cost of maintaining of a 30 year old trawler, no illusion here. I would perform the maintenance I feel comfortable with (filters, oil change, varnish, electricity and water systems) and yard out the heavy stuff. I also know the first step is to secure a slip - working on this. What else should I be thinking of?
Happy to join the board!

Click to expand...

Welcome to Tf Guilhem. A couple who are friends of mine, and live not far from you have the same sort of vessel you are thinking of, which they moor at Antibes. Contacting Pilou via the search, then sensing PM could perhaps put you onto some helpful information, including the possibility they may know of a similar vessel for sale in the general area, and the availability of berths.

It is indeed a lovely part of the world where you live. An experience we enjoyed immensely while being hosted by those same friends.

In fact Pilou has several posts about the very type of vessel you are interested in over on here...

https://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/s15/think-you-know-grand-banks-what-about-chantyman-57072.html

Best of luck in your search.

Thanks all for the warm welcome.
Rich, I'm not interested in the Europa. As I understand it, that model features a cockpit level with the saloon. Instead the one I'm leaning towards is the Motoryacht, which comes with a full-width aft deck. I've seen a lot of Classic on which the aft-deck is used as storage for various pieces of equipments (dinghy, bikes, etc), and consequently is not usable as living space. On the MY, with a wider deck, I figure it's easier to setup a table and chairs for the evening cocktail...
Thanks for pointing me to Pilou, indeed she seem to have extensive knowledge about those boats. Antibes is definitely within my search radius, I've already spotted two GBs there.
Will keep you posted.

Thank you Pierre (Peter B) for your very kind introduction. It was awesome to host you and Doralle and to show you our area. You know, we miss the time with you.

Salut Guilhem et bienvenue à bord.

It's a pleasure to have a compatriot here more over in my close neighborhood. Congratulations for your great project, Grand Banks 42' Motor Yacht is a very good, seaworthy, comfortable, and very roomy vessel.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions but there are very knowledgeable members with amazing experience better than myself to discuss the right topics and potentially to identify the very important points which must be scrutinized before buying a boat. Among them, Rgano, Giggitoni and Frosty are skilled GB's gurus as well as being friendly people. You should contact them too.

Let us to be clear. As you and I both know, with glamorous sailing resorts like Antibes, Cannes, Nice or Monaco, the French Riviera is the world's most luxurious sailing destination. But you should consider subjecting your purchase to finding a suitable berth. Indeed let us face the reality : It's well known to world-wide yacht owners that it's very difficult to secure a berth or mooring to rent on a long term basis, whether it’s for the summer season or for winter storing your boat on the French Riviera. Find a berth to rent in Mandelieu La Napoule, Cannes Port Canto, Golfe Juan, Antibes Port Vauban, Marina Baie des Anges, Saint Laurent du Var, Nice, Beaulieu-sur-Mer, Cap d'Ail and Villefranche-sur-Mer is almost unobtainable.

The most reliable way to be guaranteed a berth is to “buy a berth”. Antibes is the highest cost harbor, Cannes and Nice are same magnitude.

In fact, I do not advise you to purchase a boat until you’ve secured a suitable berth for her.

Bonne chance mon ami, please keep in touch.

Attached : GB dealers’ brochure of 42 Motor Yacht in 1990.

PS. Rgano, sweet name of your father's first boat

Guilhem,

I replied to your PM also included a link to some photos of my boat.

Bonne journée !

Sorry for the noise on the forum, Pilou I've tried both PM and email, neither goes through for whatever reason, and I can see your name got changed here to "yahoo 1", maybe there's something wrong with your account. Anyway, if you don't mind, check your junk mail. Thanks.

And to update the thread: I'm on my search for a berth, have some clues about places where it's doable in a reasonable amount of time, while I'm also refining my target boat and budget, with a plan to hopefully make it happen over the next winter. Will keep you all posted.

Welcome Aboard, you sound like you you have a great plan.

pete

Guilhem said:

And to update the thread: I'm on my search for a berth... while I'm also refining my target boat and budget, with a plan to hopefully make it happen over the next winter. Will keep you all posted.

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Hi, Guilhem, might I suggest you don't dismiss the idea of a Europa style from your list. When we were looking, I was convinced we needed an aft cabin style, but my wife held out for the aft cockpit, Europa, or sedan style, precisely because the cockpit then becomes more useable, as it lends itself to the indoor/outdoor lifestyle somewhat better. Those sedans, (now called Europa) designs were rare in the vintage we were looking at, but now seem to be the norm in many designs.

In the end we found one, and - you know - she was right. We found that you actually only rarely take non-close-family away overnighting, where the separate aft cabin is handy, but the larger, saloon-level cockpit is so user-friendly for day sail entertaining.

As you point out the cabin top of the classic aft cabin type is rather cramped, and also difficult to cover from the sun and rain without the need to crouch. It also effectively reduces the enclosed cockpit area, so often just ends up as a storage area, as you mentioned. Especially in the smaller 34-40ft vessels.

While yes, the full width type of aft cabin is more useable it has to be a large vessel for that to be covered and not look cramped, and then you really have what we call the sundeck style, (which is what I think you are referring to as a motoryacht), which then has the issue of height above the transom for boarding, dinghy access, etc, although does provide for a generous aft master stateroom. But that equals a larger and more expensive vessel, to own, run, and moor. Just a few thoughts worth considering.

Welcome Aboard Guilhem! There is another member in France, as well as Yahoo1,with a GB42. A popular choice!
I`m with PeterB above on a preference for a Europa style boat. Perhaps it depends whether a GB42 can provide a good size owners cabin without going to an aft cabin.
But, it`s a personal preference, especially being where you sleep. I hope you find a good GB42, it`s an excellent choice.

I don`t know if GB 42s get wave slap noise in the bow cabin. Probably not, I`ve never heard it mentioned, but some boats do and it can be annoying. It is a reason, with some boats, for preferring an aft cabin.

Thank you both of you, there are quite a few Europa style around for sale, I hadn't considered them so far, but I guess I will schedule a visit on one to get a feeling. It's hard to anticipate if a boat will fit. For my previous boat, I had some experience sailing on other people's boat to know what I wanted or didn't want, and even though there are things I don't like about it, the general layout and lifestyle it yields to is not one of them. But for a liveaboard, I have no experience, so I will have to check out a few before making my mind a hundred percent. Hence this kind of feedback from you is very valuable, thanks.

oh, and yes, the "motoryacht" style is a sundeck. One thing I'm wondering: being higher on the water, do you feel more the roll of the boat when at anchor than in the cockpit?

Guilhem said:

oh, and yes, the "motoryacht" style is a sundeck. One thing I'm wondering: being higher on the water, do you feel more the roll of the boat when at anchor than in the cockpit?

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Definitely. Actually, one reason I'm personally not a fan of flybridges either. Same reason, but even more exaggerated roll effect.

Re the aft cockpit. Yes, not only way less roll, but you are never feeling precarious in it, whatever the weather or sea-state. No fear of stuff going overboard either.

Story re the cockpit. When Clipper Yachts decided to go up above the Clipper 34, which is what we had, they developed what they called "the Heritage' series. They first came out with a new Clipper 34, which quickly became a roomier 36, and an even larger and roomier Clipper 38. It was way roomier inside than the 34/36, had two separate staterooms for'd, and each effectively had an ensuite. To me it was the near perfect family cruiser...but for one negative...the cockpit was about 2 feet shorter than what one would consider ideal.

They soon realised that and stretched the hull, adding an extra 2 feet to the cockpit, and with that an extra length of hardtop above, which gave good weather protection, and became great for perching the dinghy on, with suitable davit, leaving the rest of the boat the same.

Et voila..! The Clipper 40 emerged, which was the perfect family cruiser. Amazing what that extra covered cockpit area made to the overall usability of the boat.

Here's the 38...
https://www.boatsales.com.au/editorial/details/clipper-38-sedan-9431/

and here's an example of the 40...
https://www.boatsonline.com.au/boats-for-sale/used/power-boats/clipper-heritage-40-fly-bridge/239398

Cheers, Pierre

Guilhem said:

oh, and yes, the "motoryacht" style is a sundeck. One thing I'm wondering: being higher on the water, do you feel more the roll of the boat when at anchor than in the cockpit?

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Can`t answer that, but you may have more difficulty docking with handling/passing lines and difficulty boarding the dock from the aft end of the boat.

Ok, thanks for the valuable information. I wasn't really set for a Cockpit style, but given what you said, I will go inspect a few to make my mind from wandering around on them. Another thing to consider for me is what exists here in Europe, sometimes I check boats that you guys use, and when I add the "in Europe" parameter to a Yachtworld query, all of a sudden nothing shows up.
Regarding docking, you have a good point Bruce. Most decks here are relatively high over the water (and fixed, not floating), so in fact with an aft cabin, you end up at deck level. Currently I have a ladder and I need to go down 4 steps to board my small boat. But you have a. point regarding line handling, since I would still be further from the dock to reach out to cleats. Will have to practice my lasso skills !

Welcome on board Guilhem from another Frenchy.


Smilingly moniker «Pilou» no longer exists: «The following errors occurred with your submission: The following users were not found: Pilou »


Member’s account of «Yahoo 1» seems frozen or subject to restriction in use: «The following errors occurred with your submission: Yahoo 1 has chosen not to receive private messages or may not be allowed to receive private messages. Therefore you may not send your message to him/her.»


I live in Languedoc-Roussillon province, currently in U.K. for 3 weeks of work purpose. My GB is a 42 Classic with twin Cat 3208TA ranked 375 HP at WOT 2750 RPM, a special order from GB shipyard by the previous owner; allowing a top speed of 18 knots in calm sea; cruising speed is 15.5 knots at 2400 RPM 85% of WOT. I was not looking to cruise that fast, it was not the right boat that I was considering to buy. I was more likely interested in a more handy GB 36 with twin Lehman or John Deere. But it was a «love at first-sight» purchase, a turn-key boat like new in witch wife and I were already feeling very well at the first visit.


I mentioned all of this to say that even if you have a clear picture of your needs, keep an open mind, your next boat may not be always your first choice. As posted above GB 42 Europa well match with the Med live-aboard style.


The «coup-de-cœur» feeling means certainly a lot too. A boat might be bought with passion and kept with reason.


Enlarge your radius of search with Spain including Balearic Islands, and Italy.


Happy hunting

Yahoo 1 said:

Guilhem,

I replied to your PM also included a link to some photos of my boat.

Bonne journée !

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Hi Yahoo1,
Is there a way to PM you? I have a question I would like to ask you that is relevant to western Med, but not this thread.


Perhaps you could PM me and then I could reply??


Thank you!


ScottC

ScottC said:

Hi Yahoo1,
Is there a way to PM you? I have a question I would like to ask you that is relevant to western Med, but not this thread.

Perhaps you could PM me and then I could reply??

Thank you!

ScottC

Click to expand...

No mystery there Scott. Just click on her avatar, select send private message to member, and follow the prompts, as is the usual way.

Peter B said:

No mystery there Scott. Just click on her avatar, select send private message to member, and follow the prompts, as is the usual way.

Click to expand...

Hi PeterB,


Yes - there is a mystery there -- for me, at least.


That's the first thing I tried for sending a PM to Yahoo1, but the "Send a PM..." is not among the few options shown for Yahoo1. The "Send a PM..." options is there, as usual, for any other user I try clicking on. I also tried going into Yahoo1's public profile page, and there is no possibility to PM there either...at least that I can find.

Wifey B: Question to the OP.....

What boating can now be done in your area? What are the restrictions?

« Following the Government announcements on March 30th and May 3th, 2021 and as reminded by the Ministry of the Sea, please find below the current rules applying:


There is no distance limit anymore between your home and your boat. Once on board, there is no distance limit at sea too.


Sailing from harbor to harbor is forbidden between 7pm and 6am, unless you have a derogation with proof. However, anchoring at sea remains authorized.


These measures apply on the whole French territory.


For any particular case, please contact your local port authority. »

La Mer said:

« Following the Government announcements on March 30th and May 3th, 2021 and as reminded by the Ministry of the Sea, please find below the current rules applying:


There is no distance limit anymore between your home and your boat. Once on board, there is no distance limit at sea too.


Sailing from harbor to harbor is forbidden between 7pm and 6am, unless you have a derogation with proof. However, anchoring at sea remains authorized.


These measures apply on the whole French territory.


For any particular case, please contact your local port authority. »

Click to expand...

Wifey B: The EU pass for visiting and cruising is scheduled tentatively for sometime in June and we keep hoping so we can visit France and Spain and elsewhere. We did just receive great word regarding Italy that in Mid May it will open for all those fully vaccinated. We were already scheduled to fly to Italy on the 17th, arriving on the 18th and they did just announce a pass will be available mid May so sounds like good timing and instead of just anchoring and returning to dock we'll be able to visit some different cities. We'll be there for about two weeks, then our hope is to return and spend most of the summer cruising in Europe, up to our 90 days in Schengen countries and some additional time in non-Schengen.

Just hoping.

It sounds a great plan, you will enjoy cruising the Italian riviera(s). Adriatic Sea between Cattolica and Venezia, Aeolian islands, islands of Ischia and Capri, the Med between Viareggio and Portofino, are my favorite places and passages in Italy.

"La Mer", where are you from exactly? I grew up in Béziers, probably close to where you have your boat.
Went to see a GB42 MY today, with the Galley Up. I was really set on Galley Down, for a larger salon, yet sitting, moving, pretending to cook in this one still seemed like there was plenty of living space, and the added bonus of a 3rd cabin. So, yes, keeping an open mind .


As to current regulations, up to a couple of weeks, we were restricted to 10 km (6 miles) around home, but luckily I live within that radius to the boat. Once onboard, no restriction. Now all of this has been lifted and we can cruise to where we see fit.

Guilhem said:

As to current regulations, up to a couple of weeks, we were restricted to 10 km (6 miles) around home, but luckily I live within that radius to the boat. Once onboard, no restriction. Now all of this has been lifted and we can cruise to where we see fit.

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Wifey B: A month ago for a sea trial they were not allowed to go to land anywhere else. Could dock for fuel and stay aboard, but otherwise anchor or return to original port.

The big difference now is that all of us going will be considered "fully vaccinated" by the time we leave on the 17th of May. Previously the best anyone had were negative tests.

ScottC said:

Hi PeterB,


Yes - there is a mystery there -- for me, at least.


That's the first thing I tried for sending a PM to Yahoo1, but the "Send a PM..." is not among the few options shown for Yahoo1. The "Send a PM..." options is there, as usual, for any other user I try clicking on. I also tried going into Yahoo1's public profile page, and there is no possibility to PM there either...at least that I can find.

Click to expand...

Ok, then one assumes this member has elected to remove that option in her user CP set-up. Sorry. Unable to help further on that.

Peter B said:

Ok, then one assumes this member has elected to remove that option in her user CP set-up. Sorry. Unable to help further on that.

Click to expand...

Thank you, PeterB.
I now see that the "issue" was already encountered and explained in an earlier post by La Mer. Apologies that i didn't notice this earlier.