LESSONS LEARNT
It was a pretty place but being a Sunday, the sole restaurant was closed and there was no sign of any shops, not even a bakery. On the positive side we had covered 45km, more than half the distance to Besançon and learned a few lessons about lock operation and the importance of arriving early enough to find moorings. We had been on the move for almost 10 hours and the crew (Marjorie) was getting distinctly mutinous!
With these good resolutions in mind, we made another early start the next day, aiming to reach the first lock at 9am, when we believed it was due to open. We later discovered that these automated locks operate from 7am to 7pm. The only problem is that éclusiers only work between 9am and 6pm, so if you get into trouble out of hours you are on your own!
The river took us through a beautiful wooded valley with some long straight sections that enabled us to make good progress. Around midday we reached our first tunnel, only 200m long but cutting out a big loop and saving quite a few kilometres. It was a relief to find that all the tunnels on this navigation are well lit and wide enough to include a tow path, making it a lot easier to maintain a straight course without bumping the walls or roof!
The downside of these shortcuts is that they are always accompanied by locks and generally, the more distance saved, the deeper the lock. Some are over four metres deep, making it impossible to throw ropes onto bollards from the deck. Fortunately there’s normally a vertical mooring pole recessed into the lock wall, within reach of the blue and red trigger poles. Controlling the boat on a single point against the surge of water filling the lock could be pretty challenging and if sharing with another boat, you had to send someone up the ladder to get ropes on bollards. But the consolation was that between locks we were able to enjoy the idyllic surroundings. The river was broad and deep with the occasional glimpse of ancient castles, a reminder of the war torn history of the region. In places the steep valley sides plunged down to the water’s edge, while in others they were low and wide enough to allow grazing cattle to drink.
By early afternoon we were waiting for the final lock approaching Besançon. The town sits on a virtual island surrounded by a great loop of river, and is dominated by a spectacular 17th century citadel, built by Vauban, the French military engineer. Emerging from this lock we were faced with a choice – a tunnel through the rock to bypass the 3km loop of river or the scenic route round the loop, which leads into an attractive marina just below an old water mill. We chose the latter and once safely moored, we climbed the bank to a lovely park where people were sunbathing and eating ice creams.
Now we felt the holiday had truly started.
Later on we scaled the long flight of steps up to the citadel to enjoy the view from the battlements. It was one of those gloriously warm summer evenings and tired after our long walk, we settled down with a bottle of Cotes du Rhone from La Strega’s ‘cellar’ to enjoy the setting sun and plan the next day’s journey. ]NEXT MONTH: On to Montbéllard and Mulhouse
he changes Beneteau has made to the new Flyer 7 over the outgoing 6.6 seem measured and incremental. However, when you look more closely, it’s clear that their combined impact is very significant. For instance, despite an unchanged hull length of 21ft 0in (6.41m), the broader centre console brings a fresh level of versatility to the boat. With an increased internal beam of 7ft 2in (2.18m), the redesigned helm console has been shifted to the centre of the deck, creating space for a pair of symmetrical walkaround side decks and an easier flow of traffic between cockpit and bow.
To help make best use of that, there are also changes to the deck furniture. At the aft end, the stern bench features a new backrest that can be folded flat to create an extra sunpad to supplement the one on the foredeck; and up at the bow, a walk-through pulpit provides another embarkation point in addition to the two stern bathing platforms.
The general approach to fixtures and fittings also seems to have taken a step forward.
While in the past, the 6.6 tended to come across as slightly insubstantial and toy-like, the new Flyer 7 feels just that bit more grown up and sophisticated. The relocated console, for instance, replaces the frameless tinted screen of the old model with a far more substantial wraparound version that does a much better job of sheltering two people from the elements.
It also boasts a peripheral steel rail to hang onto as you move around the boat. And in a similar nod to practicality over stylistic indulgence, the distinctive grey plastic columns that used to decorate the aft end of the grab rails are gone, giving the Flyer 7 a significantly cleaner and more classical profile.
PERFORMANCE
The helming experience feels equally well judged. Certainly, a planing time of 6.5 seconds from rest and a top end of 37 knots might appear fairly modest for a focused sportsboat, but on a platform of this scale with such balanced and game handling, it feels much faster and more engaging than the figures suggest. You could of course save a little money by opting for the standard 150hp outboard, but Suzuki’s top-rated four-cylinder DF200 seems to bring out the best in the new Flyer 7. With plenty of trim sensitivity at the helm, plus ample throttle response from 14 to 32 knots, this cabinequipped 21-foot runabout delivers a surprising degree of entertainment. And with that 200hp engine, it also retains a useful margin for extra passengers, weighty