The schedule from Beneteau indicated that Missy Bear (MB) was due to leave the factory at Challans on Mon 21 June, arriving at Canet-en-Roussillon on Wed 23 June. At this stage, the boat is transported by lorry, all wrapped up what looks like cling-film. The mast has obviously not been put in place, but is also wrapped and transported as well.
We are the proud parents from the moment the lorry leaves the factory gates, and therefore we have to have our insurance to cover her. All parties concerned will have insurance for this important stage, and, heaven forbid, if anything did happen to her, then their insurance would cover it. However, we have had to include legal cover in case there is a dispute. We will be glad to know that MB has arrived safely sometime this afternoon! (Chris did tell us of a time when a larger yacht on a lorry had hit a low bridge trying to get under it!!)
These boats are not an uncommon sight in France. They are not allowed to travel on the autoroutes, but we have seen them at the dockside in Ouistreham a few times (see the photo), and they have a strange code on them. MB will be something like OC40 095 – Oceanis 40.1, hull number 95. If it says SO40 nnn, then we have had somebody’s Sun Odyssey by mistake.
It’s getting very real. We have brought a few things with us; some duvets, pillows etc., but the car isn’t really big enough to take much more. And of course, the dreaded B-word import/export values hung over us as well. We had seen some stacking pans in the UK with removable handles made by Tefal (Ingenio range) but had decided to look over here, and were delighted to find them in Intermarche in Riberac. We’ve been able to buy duvet covers and pillowcases from UK stores and have them shipped to France, as of course bedding sizes are different in France and Spain.
I would love to be allowed a shopping spree in El Cortes Ingles in Barcelona, but suspect it will be shops and chandlers in Canet.
Once MB arrives in Canet this afternoon, then the local company SAS will start fitting her out; mast, electrics, solar panels etc. It’s very tempting to go and watch, but I suspect we’ll be in the way. MB is looking forward to getting her kit on!
A xx
Update Jun 24: Chris called this morning to confirm that MB had arrived at SAS, who were busy unwrapping her. Their task today is to fit the stanchions. He also asked what colour we would like the anti-fouling. Normally I would consult Alix, but she was off in the Audi shopping in Chalais, so I made the executive decision to choose blue (and not black nor white).
That was the good news over. He went on to relate how our solar panels would be late. They had been ordered three weeks ago, but there is a known problem with the supply chain, yada, yada. My unasked question was, “If there is a known problem with the supply chain, why had they not been ordered earlier?” To be fair, Chris, as always, never calls with a problem without having a couple of solutions: we could build a structure and mount solid panels on the quarters, or on the side deck. Or we could have some fitted on the coachroof. He said that it seemed that the Bimini mounted flexible panels were all the rage and great, hence the problem. I said, I know, that’s why I specified them. Silence.
Anyway, he came back to me a few hours later to inform me that he had found a great Swedish supplier called Sunbeam who had a great flexible panel called Carbon Tough++ that could be delivered and are light and quick to install, using a sort of press-stud system.
When Alix returned, we looked through the product details and videos and were quite impressed, and so we told Chris to go for it. We needed 2 no. 116W panels on the Bimini, and a third 116W that could be laid in front of the spray hood when at anchor. He came back to say he would order them now and Sunbeam had confirmed they could deliver to Canet within 72 hours. So another delay averted.
p.s. The more we see the news, the more relieved we are that we escaped Colditz just in the nick of time…