To keep its fleet up to date, Locaboat regularly sells some of its self-drive boats. Fans of all-year-round boating holidays, here’s what you need to know!
But why does Locaboat sell its boats? The answer given by Christophe Buisson, head of boat sales, is very simple: you have to update your fleet of self-drive boats regularly. Every year, about 10 Pénichettes® are offered for sale, which is great news for fans of boating holidays. Generally speaking, these boats date from the late 1980s to the mid-1990s. So, are they still in good condition? “They certainly are,” says Christophe Buisson. Even though they’re around 25 years old, they’re still working and are thoroughly serviced when they go into winter storage. Admittedly, they are not renovated prior to the sale (unless there are repairs that need to be carried out), but, when it comes to giving them a new lease of life, we’ve thought of everything: “Lots of people hope to turn their Pénichette® into a full-time residence, even though you have to consider that it can be a bit tough in winter. As a general rule, you can live aboard from April to November, unless of course you head for the south,” explains Christophe Buisson.
So why buy? So that you cruise freely and at any time. Most buyers are couples of 40 plus whose aim is to take it easy, give up a life of stress and explore France and Europe all year round. It’s a pretty good deal, because prices are more than reasonable. Nothing like the cost of living on a traditional barge! To buy a Pénichette®, you need to think in terms of 30,000 to 40,000 euros depending on model, ranging from nine to eleven metres and with berths for from five to seven people. Of course, you have to reckon with other costs as well: rental for a home mooring if you don’t want to be cruising all year round (from 1,000 to 1,500 a year, depending on the port) and insurance (from 200 to 500 euros per month, with compulsory cover for refloating, pollution and civil liability). But, once you’ve taken care of those, you can cruise just as you like, from the north to the south and right across Europe, without any limitations and in complete freedom – now, you can’t put a price on that, can you?
