Brancaleon

Our friend Giacomo De Stefano, most recently known as the Man on the River is preparing to continue his journey to the Black Sea, on the Danube River, after a seasonal hiatus. It's a good thing he took a break, I hear the weather was most severe on the Danube this winter.
He has plans for a new project already in the works, of which we will hear more, anon.








In the meantime, he is selling his home on the water, the fine old ketch, Brancaleon. This classic Alan Buchanan design, built in 1965, has been lovingly maintained and has a royal pedigree. She currently lies in the Mediterranean on a secure transferable mooring in Mallorca. Does it get better than that?!









She has recently undergone a thorough professional haul-out. Someone (it might be you...) is going to get a beautiful classic for a very reasonable price.








Interested parties should contact Giacomo:

Giacomo De Stefano
gi.des@me.com
www.manontheriver.com
























Some specifications and particulars:

Length overall: 43'
Length waterline: 38'
Beam: 12'
Draught: 6'

Iroko below the WL
Honduras Mahogany above the WL
Slavonian Oak frames
Teak deck 1" 2 (32 mm)

Motor: BMC Commodore 3400 cc, 56HP, Hydraulic gearbox Borg Velvet, 1964 (original engine and perfectly running) Approx. 2000 hours. Cruise speed 6 kt at 900 rpm.

Lying Mallorca, Puerto Pollenca, Spain, available with free buoy in a very protected and wonderful bay, surrounded by mountains and all facilities for yacht care (a very rare thing in the Med, with a local mariner who lives aboard 50 yards away and who can take care of her).

More photos can be found here.

A video of Brancaleon underway, made by Mario Di Filippo on a passage from Kos, Greece to Siracuse in Sicily.
Skipper; the esteemed Stefano Cordova, AKA Stefano Leon Rodrigues.

The Pirate's Apprentice from Mario Di Filippo on Vimeo.

The Man on the River and the Riqueval Tunnel

The Riqueval Tunnel (5670 meters) is located near the town of Bellicourt, passing under the villages of Bony and Bellicourt.
Built on the Canal Saint-Quentin between 1801 and 1810 by order of Napoleon it is, along with the tunnel at Mauvages on the Canal de la Marne au Rhin, the only place where the system of towing barges with a chain still exists.






The length of the underground Riqueval does not allow enough air exchange to evacuate exhaust from combustion engines on transport barges. They are required to be towed by a towboat that pulls a string of barges and/or other boats with a winch and chain.






Rougaillou, the first towboat in the Riqueval used horses arranged in a carousel on its deck to drive a winch and the succeeding towboat was propelled by steam.
From 1906, the problem of smoke in the vault has been solved with an electric towboat. Its hourly average speed is 2.5 mph, so the trip takes just over two hours. The towboat hauls on a chain 8km long, which lies at the bottom of the channel.


Fortunately for the Man on the River, the towing at Riqueval is still in service. Traffic on the Canal Saint-Quentin has declined from 100 boats per day to ten, due to the opening of the Canal du Nord. The Waterways of France have considered installing mechanical ventilation that would allow boats to use their engines in the tunnel.





We must ask Giacomo and Friends if they would prefer to row the 5670 meters in darkness amid the rumble of cargo barges, or be towed silently by an electric towboat.

What an adventure on a man-made underground river in France!
Be sure to follow the links above for a more comprehensive story.






Tunnels aren’t the only obstacles on the Canal Saint-Quentin. The main mast on Clodia must be struck often to clear overhead bridges. Fortunately for the Man on the River, this is a simple task.









Ciao, Bruno and Giacomo!

Spring in the Italian Alps

It's been a wet, chilly winter here on the Oregon coast and signs of spring are imminent and welcome. Nine time zones to the east.....







...with more photos from Giacomo, about a recent trip up into the Alps from the Venice lagoon, evidence a very different story!
























The first views are of the Alps in the near distance, over the lagoon, and then from a more intimate perspective.

Brrrrr!!

Many thanks to Giacomo for his fine photos!
.