28 Ecluses in 8 km - A very tough day

Sans Peur
Grete & Fred Vithen
Tue 7 Oct 2014 18:54
49 28 78 N 04 34 55 E - Attighny

Today was, for us, the ultimate Ecluse challenge

Canal des Ardennes, Ecluse 1 to 27

27 locks in 8 km:s. down stream.
Sorry to say it, but it feels that Sans Peur is not made for this, to wide and heavy.
22 ton 4,6 m has to fit in locks 5:05 m:s. 4,6 m means without fenders, with fenders theres is about 5 cm left on both sides.
We managed to blow 3 fenders today and put the first really bad scars to Sans Peur. Sorry lady not your fault. It still hurts.
Upsteram is fine, more work. But downstream, not so funny. Anyway we learned to fit in our home into a very very close bay today.
So far:
Two cut lines (stuck(, 3 three fenders, bimini at bit scratched (in the tunnel) and scars to the beautiful hull of Sans Peur.
“Sailing is the fine art of slowly getting somewhere at a great expense.” Today we had that feeling.

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Attighny is just around the corner. We just have to turn around that thing dangling to our right. Peace of cake compared with our challenges today.

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Yes we understand that you wonder what kind of idiots are coming down the stream.

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Moored. Suddenly the sun comes out. No cooking today. Pizza time a la France.