The post Testimony – Crossing the Atlantic on a NEEL 43 ? A child’s play! appeared first on NEEL-TRIMARANS.
]]>Last July, the SAIL AND SURF WITH THE PLANET family had just taken delivery of their NEEL 43 in La Rochelle. Audrey, Christophe and their 4 children had taken the time to welcome us on board their trimaran decorated with pink flowers, to present us their project: a family trip around the world to “discover other cultures, get closer to nature and learn to live better with less”. It was then time to prepare for the big departure.
Just arrived in the West Indies, after a few months of sailing off the Iberian Peninsula, the Canary Islands and Cape Verde, the SAIL AND SURF family was pleased to tell us about their transatlantic journey and to give us an overview of their first six months of sailing.
Only a few months after the delivery of your NEEL 43, you have already sailed dozens of days and above all a transatlantic crossing to your credit! You told us last July that your first impressions, especially on the speed and performance of your NEEL 43, were very good. What about today with more hindsight ?
“This transatlantic has only confirmed these first impressions. We didn’t cross the Atlantic in a racing spirit and for good reason, we were 8 on board, with 4 children. Moreover, we had not chosen a weather window with a lot of wind.
We had only used the spinnaker a few times before the transatlantic crossing, twice to be exact. When we sent it into the trade winds, we were surprised to see how easy it was to use and how well the boat performed at that speed! Most of the time we only had about 10 knots of real wind, yet our NEEL 43 was making 6 knots. We even averaged over 9 knots during our last 24 hours under spinnaker! Thanks to the good performance of the NEEL 43, we were able to complete the transatlantic race in 15 days, without forcing ourselves and having drifted for a day and a half without wind.”
Picture : SAIL AND SURF WITH THE PLANET©
How was life on board during these two weeks ? Did the layout and functionality of the NEEL 43 help you to live together ?
“We were numerous on board for a boat of this size: eight to be precise, because we had two crew members we met last summer. It’s true that with four young children (10, 8, 6 and 4 years old, editor’s note) during a whole transatlantic race, it was the maximum (laughs) but we never had the impression of stepping on each other. Especially since our two older daughters have installed their bedrooms in the forepeaks fitted out at anchor, which now allows everyone to have their own cabin and living space.”
Picture : SAIL AND SURF WITH THE PLANET©
Even if you arrived in the West Indies only a few weeks ago, would you be ready to set sail for another transatlantic crossing aboard your NEEL 43? And if so, what would you do differently?
“We had prepared our boat well. And we really enjoyed the sailing. The only thing that broke during the crossing was the reel of my fishing rod (laughs).
So if we had to do it again tomorrow, we would do it strictly the same from a boat and equipment point of view. I would just choose a bigger diameter fishing line!”
What are your best memories of this transatlantic race?
“Collectively, I would say without hesitation that our most beautiful memory is swimming in the middle of the Atlantic. Indeed, during our 36 hours without wind, we could not resist the urge to jump into the water. And what an experience! The water was so deep blue; it was really incredible.
The departure was also a very emotional moment, as was the arrival where we were greeted by dolphins for several miles… it’s also a magical memory that deserves to be experienced!“
With your experience, what advice would you give to a family wishing to buy a NEEL trimaran and live on board ?
“Simply follow your desires.
It’s a great adventure to live with your family. As for us, after a year of training and despite our very little sailing experience (apart from a few weeks of charter on a monohull, Audrey and Christophe had never sailed before embarking on their project to buy a NEEL trimaran), we went for it and we really don’t regret it.
The choice of boat is also important because since we have been in the West Indies, we have seen families sailing on boats of other brands abandon their round the world project because they were afraid and their boat moved a lot during their transatlantic crossing.
From a more technical point of view, I realized that we pay a lot more attention to the weather when we are sailing as a family. We had chosen to have a router on land who followed us and with whom we exchanged throughout our transatlantic race. It’s very reassuring and I would recommend it to all families who would like to live a similar adventure. Beyond the advice on routing, having a professional who knows exactly where you are and who can, if necessary, be part of the rescue chain with the CROSS, allows you to sail with more serenity.”
Picture : SAIL AND SURF WITH THE PLANET©
And finally, what is the program for the SAIL AND SURF FAMILY?
“We had our family coming to vacation aboard our NEEL 43 after we arrived in the Caribbean. We then went to the Grenadines and Martinique, and now we are going to sail up the Caribbean arc to the Bahamas.”
You can follow their adventures on their instagram account, their blog.
You can also read : SAIL AND SURF WITH THE PLANET family’s testimonial following the delivery of their NEEL 43.
The post Testimony – Crossing the Atlantic on a NEEL 43 ? A child’s play! appeared first on NEEL-TRIMARANS.
]]>The post Around the world with 4 children aboard a NEEL 43 : the testimony of the SAIL AND SURF family appeared first on NEEL-TRIMARANS.
]]>You have owned a NEEL 43 for a few weeks now. Why did you choose a NEEL trimaran and more precisely the NEEL 43 ?
At the beginning of our project to sail around the world with our four children, we wanted to buy a second-hand catamaran. But we found it really expensive. So we fell back on large monohulls, but the heel was bothering us, especially for such a project. We then met Maxime [Maxime Védrenne, MV YACHTING, NEEL-TRIMARANS dealer in the region from La Rochelle to Hendaye, editor’s note] who presented us the NEEL-TRIMARANS concept. We liked the fact that NEEL trimarans are built in France and that they combine habitability and performance. We went to visit the shipyard and immediately fell in love. One month later we signed our NEEL 43.
We chose this model because we were really seduced by the idea of living all together on the same level and in a common space, with a permanent view on our children; it’s a real guarantee of safety. We also liked the “minimalist” aspect of the NEEL 43 because it is synonymous with simplicity and less maintenance, without losing any comfort.
We were really well supported throughout our purchasing process by NEEL-TRIMARANS and by Maxime Védrenne, who was a trusted advisor who reassured us with his experience. It was important for us because we had never sailed before.
The NEEL 43 SAIL AND SURF can be spotted from afar with its decorated hulls and, when the wind is right, its pink spinnaker
What are your first impressions after several weeks of sailing and what are the strong points of the NEEL 43 that you have appreciated the most so far ?
Our first impressions are really good. The real strong point that jumped out at us was the speed and performance of the boat. We’re overtaking all the other boats when we don’t even know how to trim the sails yet; I can’t imagine what it will be like when we fully master our NEEL 43 [laughs]. This is really the big difference with catamarans: we have the comfort of a catamaran but at the same time real performances; we really don’t regret our choice!
And I must say that the NEEL 43 is very functional; life on a single-story boat is really pleasant and we made some modifications to make the boat completely fit our needs… the result exceeds our expectations.
What is your project and your sailing program?
Like Romy, everyone has taken their bearings on board the NEEL 43 and the distribution of spaces on board allows everyone to keep some privacy to read, work… or draw.
We have a project to sail around the world in several stages. We know that in sailing you don’t need to have too precise plans. But the objective is to leave for Spain and Portugal at first. Then we’ll head for the Mediterranean with a passage through Morocco if the conditions allow it. And then, towards the Canaries and Cape Verde before the big crossing to the West Indies for at least a year there. And then, in the broad lines, transpacific and New Zealand.
Through this project, we would like above all to make our children discover the different ways of life around the world. We also wanted to spend time with them because they grow up fast, to get closer to nature and to learn to live better with less. It is also an ecological project because we will make surveys at sea, in partnership with associations.
What improvements have you made on your boat and what would you like to do in the future?
For the children, we had higher nets installed. We also removed the front cabin door and replaced it with a curtain to save more space in the kitchen. We are very happy with that. We also put fargues everywhere, a washing machine, nets for fruits and vegetables and of course we took the options AIS, radar and Iridium.
Audrey turns to Maxime Vedrenne who adds:
Aside from the nets, there is no specific equipment for children. It’s just that the NEEL 43 is well made and allows you to keep an eye on the children wherever you are on board. The NEEL 43 has been designed with this loft spirit in mind, and this has been complemented by the installation of a cockpit tent. A few chainplates have also been added for the lifelines.
Audrey adds:
It’s true that this cockpit tent enlarges the space, allowing if we wish to keep the children in a delimited area while having two distinct living spaces.
The SAIL AND SURF family will share their adventures with the NEEL OWNERS COMMUNITY and on the digital platform dedicated to NEEL trimaran owners. You can follow them on Instagram and on their blog.
The post Around the world with 4 children aboard a NEEL 43 : the testimony of the SAIL AND SURF family appeared first on NEEL-TRIMARANS.
]]>The post First months of sailing with a NEEL 43 appeared first on NEEL-TRIMARANS.
]]>You have owned a NEEL 43 for a few months now. Why did you choose a NEEL trimaran and more precisely the NEEL 43 ?
I have known and visited the shipyard for many years, the technical part interests me a lot. I have followed the evolution of the shipyard and the design of its trimarans (they have evolved a lot). They have always attracted me, they are seaworthy boats and the living space remains friendly. Until now, they did not correspond to my needs (still a little far from retirement and out of my budget for use). The release of this new model seduced me immediately, it came at the right time (I was on a well advanced project) and Gérald Bailly, NEEL-TRIMARANS dealer who has been following me for many years, was able to convince me. A new site for an optimized production, controlled costs, a launching offer, an acceptable light weight, a contemporary and friendly layout and here we are: that’s all it took to make me happy, thanks again Gérald.
What are your first impressions after a few months of sailing and what are the strong points of the NEEL 43 that you liked the most ?
She is a nice boat to steer, I find good sensations. She goes upwind well and 10 knots are quickly reached, it’s a real pleasure. Her look is very appealing, she is pleasant to look at. Life on board is well organized, the friends quickly find their marks, it’s very friendly. Above all, I wanted a fast boat to have fun at the helm and with the marine comfort to embark the happy family and finally travel together: the NEEL solution was found.
What is your sailing program and your possible projects with Mustic?
My program is of course to enjoy it as much as possible now and the ARC 2022 is a good and challenging project. We will be able to check our choices and test the boat, I think it will be up to the task. The reward will be to spend a month in the West Indies with a return in May 2023 to finish with a small family trip in the Mediterranean. For the moment, the sails remain in place and the trips continue on weekends.
Do you plan to make any modifications to your boat?
The boat was already well prepared by NEEL-TRIMARANS and by Pochon for our program:
the ARC 2022. Carbon mast, NKE electronics, lithium power, watermaker, set of DCX sails (which
I complete with gennaker and heavy symmetrical spinnaker). The main thing was to contain the
weight of the boat so that it remains performing. I complete the interior equipment as well as
some fittings adapted to her more sportive program.
Is joining the NEEL OWNERS COMMUNITY as soon as you receive your trimaran a plus in your ownership experience?
Yes, it’s always nice to be able to exchange with other owners. We help each other and we exchange good tips.
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