The small townJoigny on the lower reaches of the navigableYonne welcomes us on Saturday evening withPersistent rain and raised pavements. Our plane was delayed, the procedure for handing over the hire car in Paris took an unexpectedly long time and so it is already 9.30 p.m. when we arrive at the charter base.
We want to buy a few little things because we are expecting an empty fridge on board. Fortunately, a small Arab supermarket on the waterfront in Joigny is still open, where we can buy a few things.Baguette, cheese, water and wine to buy. I ask the owner if there is a restaurant in town that is still open at this time of day.
"Non, monsieur, no restaurants, seulement kebab," replies the shopkeeper, walking with me onto the rain-soaked street and pointing to the other side of the bridge.
We run in the pouring rain over the beautiful stone bridgeunder which the Yonne flows, into the suburb with its simple, low houses. There's still light in the kebab shop. A friendly Tunisian conjures up two delicious pizzas for us.
When I ask him for two glasses of wine, he replies: "Non, monsieur, no vin, sommes musulmans." I pull the Bordeaux out of the shopping bag and ask if we can drink it here. We are given two glasses of red wine andthe man even owns - thank Allah! - even a corkscrew. We enjoy the much-praised French cuisine on the very first evening.
It rains so hard all Sunday that you can barely see your hand in front of your eyes. The friendly base employee Cyril has plenty of time to familiarise us with the special features of our brand newCharter boat Linssen Penichette Evolution 31to familiarise yourself with our products.
The boat was built jointly byLocaboat and Linssen to gradually replace the smaller traditional Penichettes with a more modern boat. We are sailing the prototype of a new generation of charter boats, so to speak, which is full of technical innovations.
The special feature is the Diesel-electric drivewhich moves the boat sensationally quietly. The diesel engine does not drive the propeller and a 12-volt alternator, as is usually the case, but only a 400-volt generator. This supplies the electricity for the drive.
The generator also feeds the on-board power supply, which has been transformed down to 220 volts. This means there is always 220 volts on the boat, even for "power guzzlers" such as the electric cooker or oven. The generously dimensioned on-board power supply also provides the energy for theJoystick controlwith which the boat can be manoeuvred in any direction - even sideways. Parking is therefore child's play, even for inexperienced charter customers.
You can read the full journey in the November issue from BOOTE, which will be available at newsstands from 17.10.18 - Subscribers sooner, of course. Or you can download the PDF for the test below.
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