There was a sweet fusion of nerves, exhilaration and freedom as we left the marina in Homps. For the first time in our lives we were motorboaters. Wispy clouds floated in the summer skies above us and the Canal du Midi rippled gently under the hull of our boat, a five-cabin Horizon 5 we had chartered from Le Boat that would be home for the next four nights.
I was on holiday with my parents, who are in their eighties, my husband and three children: Hugo, 7, Clotilde, 5, and Sidonie, who would be celebrating her fourth birthday during the trip. We were all on the sundeck keeping a lookout ahead with slight apprehension, as you might expect from people who had not even spent time in a motorboat before, let alone helmed one.
The famous blue bridge of Homps harbour was the first obstacle we had to tackle on our journey east towards Argens-Minervois. “I can’t wait to go under the bridge,” said Hugo excitedly. “If it’s too low don’t forget to duck.”
The 49ft Horizon 5 is a vast and spacious vessel for newcomers and the top deck feels unusually high for something designed for inland waterways. From where we were sitting the bridge looked alarmingly low but with the sun canopy folded down, we sneaked underneath it, relieved not to encounter any problems, and headed towards our first lock.
BEGINNERS’ LUCK
Denne historien er fra February 2021-utgaven av Motor Boat & Yachting.
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Denne historien er fra February 2021-utgaven av Motor Boat & Yachting.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Lofoten or Bust- Part 4- Grandezza owner Per Harrtoft heads back to Sweden after an epic 3500nm adventure deep into the Arctic Circle to visit the mythical Lofoten islands
After ten memorable days in the Lofoten Islands in the far north of Norway, we are on our way back south towards Sweden. We have already made it as far as Trondheim, a charming place even if it was raining so hard we had to cycle round the city centre clutching umbrellas. But now we are back on board Deamare, our Grandezza 40 Fly, eating up the miles at a steady 31 knots.
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT YACHT TRANSPORT
As the name suggests it's a means of having your boat moved professionally from one location to another. It might be as simple as hiring someone to tow your RIB a few miles down the road or as complex as shipping a superyacht halfway around the world.
HANDLE A SINGLE SHAFTDRIVE BOAT PART 1
Single shaftdrive boats are relatively rare these days but the reduced costs of buying, servicing and fuelling such a simple but reliable drivetrain does mean they are making a bit of a comeback.
COCKWELLS MOTOR LAUNCH
There can be very few boats that have appeared three times at the Southampton Boat Show and been sold off the stand each time.
INSTALLING AN AUTOPILOT
Rick Channon makes solo boating simple with a Raymarine Evolution Autopilot
GOOD AS NEW
Why fit a brand new engine when Volvo Penta's remanufacturing service can rebuild you an old one to the same standard for a fraction of the price?
BENETEAU SWIFT TRAWLER 54
Alex Smith heads to France's Beneteau HQ for a UK exclusive on what might just be the best Swift Trawler yet
ΧΟ EXPLR 44
Can XO's all-new aluminium flagship really make it big in the Med?
BUYING OUR FIRST CLASSIC
Instead of whiling away their retirement playing bowls, Rob and Shona Adams decided to invest their time and money in a classic Silver gentleman's yacht. Would the gamble pay off?
PRINCESS S65
Torn between the V and F Class flagships? The new S65 might be the boat you've been waiting for...
