PRACTICAL

THIS MONTH OPEN 60 AAL • INSIDE THE AMERICA’S CUP • MID-OCEAN REPAIRS • MOB RESPONSE • LIGHT WINDS AND TIDES

SPECIAL REPORT

For many skippers wishing to sail between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, it’s necessary to go via the Strait of Gibraltar. However, for shallow draught yachts, an attractive alternative awaits: a cruise through the French canals.

This isn’t necessarily a quicker option; while there are fewer miles to travel, the canals are a slower affair due to the 8km/h speed limit, numerous locks and time spent at either end unstepping and stepping the mast. However, it’s a rewarding and enriching journey, unlike any other type of boating. My partner Nick and I recently took our Southerly 38 through the Canal de Deux Mers and found it to be a truly unique cruising experience.

While there is an entire network of European waterways waiting to be explored, there are two main routes that British sailors might be interested in: one is the