Yacht gives holidaymakers green ferry option in france

SAILCOOP TRIALLED THE SAILING YACHT PASSENGER FERRY BETWEEN CORSICA AND THE FRENCH MAINLAND IN 2022 AND IS RETURNING FOR A SECOND YEAR A cooperative that trialled a sailing yacht passenger

ferry between Corsica and the French mainland in 2022 is returning for a second year – but plans for a similar service across the Channel have been delayed. By mid-April, when the Corsica

ferry started, half of the 20,000 places available for the 2023 season had been taken. Aimed at holidaymakers who want to minimise their carbon footprint, Sailcoop operates yachts

accommodating eight passengers and two crew. DOUBLE PRICE OF FERRY Prices are roughly double that of an ordinary ferry to Corsica – €240 per person in a double cabin for a Sunday crossing

(€216 reduced rate). The journey can take much longer too, with estimates of between 16 and 24 hours, depending on wind and sea conditions. The service operates between the mainland port of

Saint-Raphaël, near Fréjus, and Calvi, Corsica, with one boat scheduled per day until the end of the season in September. Sailcoop is also planning a cross-Atlantic voyage between

Saint-Raphaël and the Caribbean island of Martinique, departing on November 5 with a return pencilled in for March 2024. However, founder Maxime de Rostolan told _The Connexion_ that he is

not yet certain it will take place: “There was a lot of demand for the crossing and it seemed a good idea to use the boat. However, this year we found we could not sell enough tickets for

the MartiniqueGuadeloupe service we wanted to run while we were there. Obviously, the yacht has to earn its keep, so we are considering our options.” OTHER ROUTES Other medium-distance

routes the company is looking at are between France and Ireland and France and the Balearic Islands, but nothing has been confirmed. For shorter distances, such as between the French

mainland and the Breton and Vendée islands, Sailcoop has commissioned a new catamaran. Work on it is due to start in June, with the expectation it will enter service in 2024. The

co-operative hopes to sell the construction plans for this craft to other operators around the world for similar shortferry work. It will have an all-electric engine as back-up and for

manoeuvres in port. BATTLE WITH AUTHORITIES Sailcoop is currently locked in battle with French authorities over the rules and regulations of the service. It has been opposed by other ferry

companies, which say the law does not permit yachts to be used commercially on regular lines unless they are fully registered as passenger ships. At the moment, Sailcoop is operating only

after being given special dispensation to do so until 2024, because the initiative contributes to France’s goal of using less fossil fuel. “By sailing on our boat, passengers cut their

carbon footprint for the trip by 95%,” said Mr de Rostolan. “We are a niche, and ferry boats take 2,500 passengers at a time, but we have to show that alternatives are available. ‘WONDERFUL

EXPERIENCE’ “Plus, travelling under sail is a wonderful experience for most of our passengers, 80% of whom have never been on a yacht before.” It is selling shares in the co-operative for

€10. In related news, the company that tested a sail crossing between Dover and Boulognesur-Mer last year also hopes to operate again this year, but admits there have been delays. SailLink

is in the process of buying a new boat capable of carrying up to 10 passengers and two crew, which should be faster than the catamaran used last year. READ MORE: SAILING FIRM OFFERS GREENER

CHANNEL CROSSING BY CATAMARAN It expects to cross the Channel in three-and-a-half hours, for just over €100. “Some of the crossings last year were longer than we would have liked,” said

Andrew Simons, one of the firm’s founders. “We realised we needed a bigger, faster boat but getting one, paying for it, and getting it up to scratch is all taking longer than hoped. “We aim

to start the service in the summer, but do not have a date yet.” RELATED ARTICLES FRENCH FIRM’S SOLAR PANEL SAILS LET YACHTS PRODUCE THEIR OWN POWER ‘ZERO PARTICULATE’ FERRY BEGINS SAILING

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