Coastal cruising, or a cheap way to have fun!

Coastal sailing, a new-found pleasure

Preparing your sail, discovering the good spots to stop, planning strategic breaks according to weather developments, and above all playing with tide tables – coastal cruising isn’t something you do just like that. But this is actually one of the great pleasures it offers: you have to earn it!

Coastal cruising – or camping – is, as its name suggests, a cruise which takes you along a coastline aboard your little multihull (it can also be done in a monohull, but it’s not as good…). Your boat’s shallow draft allows you to stop in creeks which are inaccessible to cruising boats, and thus enjoy some little corners of paradise, alone. As its liveability often hardly merits the term, the only solution at stopovers is to pitch a tent, either on the beach or on the boat's trampoline. And this way of cruising has (very) many advantages: you can change cruising areas as you please, as these boats are easily transportable, they are not expensive either to buy or maintain, and cruises are really economical, as neither marinas nor excessive provisioning can be allowed. In short, a leisure sailor’s delight!

Where and when to leave?

The advantage of this way of cruising is that no destination is excluded... With the boat on the trailer, you can go where you want, from your ‘home port’, which is more often than not your garage! And even on the other side of the ocean, if you organize the movement of your boat early enough. Once you have arrived at your destination, all you have to do is leave the car and trailer parked up, and the best nautical adventures are yours for the taking.

Amongst the favorite destinations for coastal raid enthusiasts we find Corsica, Brittany (with the superb Golfe du Morbihan), as well as Scandinavia, Scotland and its canals, the Adriatic and its numerous deserted anchorages, Greece, and of course the Caribbean or Polynesia’s lagoons… And then there are the cruises on fresh water; we often forget them, yet with a transportable boat, the lakes become a destination which is not only very pleasant, but often unforgettable. In fact sailing at the foot of snowy summits remains a memory engraved for ever in our minds. Over to you, to discover the gems that fresh waters can hold… And then there are the rivers, destinations which are not reserved for barges. Even though a motor is strongly recommended. :)))

Finally, the only limit to this way of cruising will be your imagination.

The cruising period is much more easily found: coastal raids demand a real commitment from the crew. With little or no room to live inside, coastal camping multihulls are more tiring and offer comfort and protection which is relative. Unless you are looking for the ultimate excitement of an extreme raid, you would be well advised to choose the summer period, to enjoy your cruise, and above all your stops, to the full. 

Rally-raid: instructions for use

You have chosen to spend your holidays on a raid… Excellent ...