Raid Zeeland - dinghy cruising in the Netherlands

Avel Dro joins a cruise in company on the waterways of the southern Netherlands.
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MUSIC
The Beginning - Gavin Luke
Lafayette Street - Wendy Marcini
- from Epidemic Sound
www.epidemicsound.com
AVEL DRO
Do you want a boat like mine?
Avel Dro is an Ilur designed by François Vivier, and built of clinker plywood by Les Charpentiers Reunis of Cancale in 1994. I bought her in France in 2003 to import her into the UK, and more recently returned her to France again.* The design is based closely on the traditional inshore fishing boats of Brittany in the early years of the twentieth century - hence her simple boom-less lugsail rig and lack of a mainsheet horse, (sometimes controversial among my viewers). Although rare in Britain, Ilurs are relatively common in France. Modern Ilurs are however slightly different internally from mine, as they have more built in buoyancy. The name Avel Dro is Breton, and basically means a whirlwind.
Length 4.44 m
Sail area 12.2 m²
Beam 1.70 m
Draught 0.25 / 0.86 m
Design category C3
François Vivier's website (in English):
www.vivierboats.com/en/
Similar dinghies can often be found for sale on the website of the French magazine Le Chasse-Marée:
www.chasse-maree.com/revue/
Or try Le Bon Coin, (where you can buy anything in France):
www.leboncoin.fr
*Sadly, since January 2021, when Great Britain (but not Northern Ireland) left the European Single Market, if you buy a boat in France or elsewhere in the EU with the intention of importing it into the UK, you will be liable to pay VAT and other duties on the import. This is true even if it is second hand, and similar charges will be due if you take a British boat the other way. This does not apply to a boat taken to another country for a brief holiday, however.

[@philipwright7186]

There's something intrinsically right about sailing on a small boat, and you bring it to life in your videos. A thoroughly enjoyable watch. And yes, great to see some shared camaraderie with our European neighbours and friends.

[@Alsatiagent]

"One Life" is one great name for a boat.

[@MrLindegger]

Ever stop Rodger. You give me life.

[@markbennett9787]

I , like many other sailors I’m sure, was inspired by reading Arthur Ransome and I detect more than a hint of his influence in your approach to boating. I very much like the concept of the loose footed sail, so comfortable and convenient. I’m also pleased to see from this video that the Dutch Swing College Band, albeit rudimentary, is still around !

[@geraldhenrickson7472]

Absolutely beautiful adventure Roger. Thanks for taking us along.

[@paulroberts5677]

Thank you. I had a lovely time sailing whilst my laundry was doing.

[@robstevens5503]

I am getting over the flu and facing a big pile of ironing so this was just the tonic until I get my dinghy refinished and can get out there again. Entertaining as always! Many thanks!

[@MikeS-hk6eg]

Thanks for another great video. I love vicariously sailing with you! Westmalle is, indeed, excellent beer - but I think you all chose very wisely with the Orval!

[@naosoudessemundo5322]

CHEGUEI AQUI ATRAVÉS DO SAIILING KATE LOUISE. PARABÉNS. MUITA SAÚDE ( AQUI BRASIL🇧🇷 - 03/08/2023)

[@prof.heinous191]

Living in the New World, having grown up near by, and sailed in these waters makes my heart bleed - thank you!

[@rsb62rsb]

Most excellent and interesting… such a contrast to the waters around Brittany, but no less wonderful. Thank you for another splendid film

[@soupedujour]

So enjoyable to virtually follow you along…..good times….thank you for sharing.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[@_Michiel_]

Welcome to Zeeland! I hope you enjoyed your trip though our province! Always great to watch your videos, so keep 'em coming please! Greetings from Dreischor in Zeeland.

[@chrisclarke7828]

I used to run a 70 metre barge in Zeeland, love the place and was sorry when l sold it, l had a long association with Zeeland and met lots of lovely people. A Dutch guy l met in Portugal said he never liked it because it was so industrial, maybe it is but industry does not interfere with the views of the area and its wildlife. I found absolute peace when slowly moving about, to stop at will, make coffee and a sandwich, sleep in silence.

[@RogerRoving]

I find it very admirable the way that the Dutch manage to make busy industrial places also attractive.

[@larryrumbol5086]

I have always thought that too, rather like a train set! @@RogerRoving

[@larswetterstrom7209]

Fantastic contrasts between the classic small sailboats and the gigantic commercial vessels. Good music too I must say .

[@mikeu5380]

Thank you for sharing your Zeeland trip with us. Whenever watching scenes of sailing through such canals, including the Norfolk Broads, I am put in the mind of the GK Chesterton story, "The Sins of Prince Saradine," especially the opening paragraphs.

[@gregoryfletcher6198]

Once again , chicken soup for the sailer. Great adventure.

[@garrickmartin7707]

Tres civilized the Netherlands. I enjoyed that. I would have put butter beans in the stew,........mmmmm. Great tune to finish on. Cheers.

[@RogerRoving]

Yes. Butter beans would have been good too. But it was late in the week and food stocks were running low.

[@Vince-ml9gw]

Hi Roger, me again. Hey another author you need to check out is James Krenov. He was a cabinet maker in the 50s thru the 80s. His books are treasures.

[@TruckerOak]

Thank you Roger! Fantastic video! Wonderful to see another beautiful place in the world and the terrific people that are there!

[@hakkiketenci3263]

Awesome ı watching and folw you all the best thanks so much

[@ww6156]

As a red blooded Australian, the sight of a man walking through town bare foot brings my great joy 👍

[@RickMunday]

That satisfied nod after the first bite of the Chorizo stew said it all. That bread looks fantastic too.

[@RickMunday]

Maybe I'm weird, but my favorite part of your videos are when you anchor up, pull out the tent cover and just relax (dinner/tea/etc.). It just seems so peaceful.

[@johnmcphillimy1056]

Hi Roger, love the videos, the low-key, insightful commentaries, the music... Thankyou for taking the time to share your adventures with us. Long may you continue.

[@ruyzapiola5965]

Ohh nice! I live very near by the Krabbenkreek, island Tholen, also, my boat is docked in Neeltje Jans, a very small manmade island that supports part of the massive storm surge barrier, northernmost Oosterschelde. I've followed your channel for a while, it has been funny to see you sailing around these parts, certainly not anywhere as charming as the coast of Bretagne or the Venice archipielago, but very familiar. Keep the great work up, love what you do. :)

[@trinitytoo]

Lovely editing, and thanks for including the boat design names!

[@curronhill2744]

Great sail! Thanks for taking us along!

[@johnerickson6704]

Thank you Rodger, after a day like I have had ( told off by a boat owner because his boat hadn't been launched and transferred to the handstand, ) although he said don't launch till I fix the hole in the transom which was not done . Patch the hole, launched Hooray a disconnected skin fitting , sinking boat, on to the crane , all good . Just another day as a yardman. But you made me smile, Thank you.

[@richardaber4299]

Very well done Roger. Thank you for your hard work in making these videos.

[@roxyknight4909]

Ordered your book !! When are you doing a video with Sailing Kate Louise .... or Tony Smith - Creek Sailor? Love your channel

[@robinmorgan1149]

Those withies, those silent creeks so much ‘Magic of the Swatchways’ and Maurice Griffiths as you mentioned. Great video ~ always enjoyable.

[@davidharris4062]

Cracking film, loved the furniture makers house

[@michaelbradley-yorath9682]

thanks, loved the journey as always.,

[@ugy10]

Living the dream

[@maxboonkittypoison]

Hope next time i know in advange you are coming to Holland. I wil welcome you then. We are very proud on our waterways. And land inwards it is even better. Many friendly folks. Thank you for taking us along with you on your adventure Raiding Zeeland :D I guess you guys won this time, big time. Clearly you guys had great fun and everyone got home safe. Cheers,, Kitty.

[@RogerRoving]

The Netherlands is a very admirable country in many ways

[@maxboonkittypoison]

@@RogerRoving Thank you ;)

[@Vince-ml9gw]

Enjoying this video installment whilst drinking my morning coffee in northern Montana. Thanks Roger!

[@RogerRoving]

Sounds great!

[@user-id1zv7dl7g]

I feel a growing affection and gratitude for Roger, who has become a kind of guru for me. In particular, I admire the pugnacious phlegm with which he overcomes his frequent morning hangovers.

[@RogerRoving]

I did record a lot longer PTC. But most of it was incoherent rubbish!

[@user-id1zv7dl7g]

​@@RogerRoving It's not your fault. It's obviously your fellow raiders who force you into endless, festive drinking sessions every night. But you face it with exemplary dignity. Apart from that, and more seriously, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for everything, Sir Roger ;-)

[@DavidD6969]

Beautiful place 👍

[@whippoorwill1124]

Couldn't put my finger on why, Roger, but to me this is your masterpiece. Pitch-perfect.

[@nickrose1778]

Always a pleasure to see the places you visit. Cheers

[@Burvedys]

That's not that Zeeland we all thought about initially but still great. Cheers!

[@stevec-b6214]

excellent trip! great music also, very enjoyable ;)

[@AndyPidsleyAPi]

Sublime video thank you. Beautiful framing, sound, commentary, what a great atmosphere…..

[@paulthew2]

Excellent, as always

[@gpk7683]

You just keep getting better and better. Many thanks

[@RogerRoving]

Thank you too!

[@DrUpstartCrow]

Best yet Roger! From a catspaw sailor in Manly NZ 🙌

[@travelbywater9378]

Awesome. I think I have been watching your videos for almost 10 years. This is the best one yet.

[@NauticalNightmareDeep]

Amazing Roger! Something very special about what you are doing. The slow pace and tranquility of actually taking your time in life. Marvellous videos 🙏

[@configuremakeinstall]

Thank you for including the types of boats you’re sailing with. I’m deciding which boat to build and this is helpful.

[@TheTom1905]

Really enjoy your adventures! Thanks for sharing Rodger 👍🏻

[@caferratti]

Thank you!

[@on4mgy_radioamateur]

Once again a great video. Really love it !

[@ewoutvan-manen3583]

Delightful! I lived in Veere in one of the houses along from the Scottish merchants houses, on the quay. In those days it was a sea port with a good fishing fleet. I have been back many times since in sailing yachts.

[@RogerRoving]

I was the only Red Ensign boat I saw all week, which surprised me. The locals say this has happened in the last 5 years.

[@ewoutvan-manen3583]

@@RogerRoving interesting. I wonder why. There used to be regular yachts from the UK. I met my first girlfriend there (age 13) when I was on a Dutch yacht, moored next to an English one!

[@tegucigalpa2]

Love your videos!

[@chrisclarke5040]

Really like this format with the captions and music.

[@astrorad2000]

So wonderful! Thank you for sharing.

[@woodencanoes9362]

Excellent fun!

[@jacksalisbury5218]

Always love your videos! Thanks for taking the time and effort.

[@tonychorley4936]

Another treat bon voyage

[@Ramenscooter]

The best, thank you!

[@redjacc7581]

lovely episode RB

[@Vince-ml9gw]

And great music!

[@estarriol4710]

Wonderful as always. The idea of cruising in this end of the Europe puts me in mind of the Riddle of the Sands. I wonder what those islands are like now?

[@JakobEngl]

Great video

[@romantiachristiana5147]

Sorry to hear about your mattress puncture. Apart from that, you seemed to have had a wonderful moment with some great guys.

[@HKoel]

Nice video of our home waters. One little remark: the Veerse Meer is not a fresh water lake. They even made a special water inlet a few years ago to keep it salt.

[@RogerRoving]

I was told it was fresh water, and I trusted my informer!

[@larryrumbol5086]

Having done almost the same trip in my Scaffie - I can vouch for the beer and the lovely people in Veere. Every harbour we went to refused payment as we (self and two grown sons) were in such a small boat. Cannot understand why more Red Ensigns don't go hereabouts with a small boat on a trailer, such easy sailing, as is Freisland. If you don't like boat camping ask the local sailing cub about accommodation. Easy peasy and many have clubs have cabins too. Roger you mentioned MG (Maurice Griffiths)- bless you. I grew up sailing the River Blackwater and surrounding estuaries and MG (and Charles Stock) were our mentors that we actually talked to and saw often. RIP both. RIP River Blackwater too (especially Maylandsea) , as it is but a shadow of its 1960's self. @@RogerRoving

[@Gary-wb8qt]

Electric skulling on ' Testing the Tempo outboard' on Rodger Barnes

[@patrickhay8079]

As always, a most enjoyable and entertaining video. Now I want to go there! I’m not a fan of Belgian “Tripel” style beer, but it does give very good flavour to a Carbonnade Flamande.

[@andydavidson]

Another wonderful video Rodger. Holland is a wonderful country and I have found the people there very friendly when I worked in Germany and Holland in the 90's. Never tried Westmalle beer, I have had a pint or two of Jennings Sneck Lifter (sadly no longer brewed) and found it most pleasant 👍

[@RogerRoving]

Jennings is not the beer it was, certainly

[@hedleyjackson5131]

Great video, interesting having just found you the evolution of your film craft. Love the in shot notes especially on dinghy types really helps research this type of sailing.

[@alvee264]

Thank you Rodger.

[@harleyjune1233]

awesome raid

[@user-ti9ef7fv1v]

Thank you, Roger, very...very interestin !!! 😊👍

[@RogerRoving]

You are very welcome

[@bloodyfluffybunny7411]

lol dint knew you visited the netherlands my home country awesome video btw de schelde is the waters i grew up on in and at the waters glad to see you liked it ooh and those broom kinda contraptions are usualy weather fishing spots where they have put branches on the bottom to trap fish when the tide is low they are v shaped traps of sticks in dutch its called weervisserij look it up its how it was done in the old days

[@brianwatkins2974]

Following in the footsteps of E. F. Knight and Erskine Childers!

[@PIEROPIEROU]

very good vidéo..thank you=)

[@PIEROPIEROU]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/gYfRf5KgpZd-eNU

[@chriswilliams6568]

Did you go to Marken there. A lovely little port. We went in a tiny museum and went inside an old fisher persons’ home. Interesting. They slept in a cupboard type place. Enjoy all your vids. Thx. From Chris in Vancouver (ex pat from Isle of Wight).

[@loloaqici82qb4ipp]

I bet you never did get to that restaurant! The Dutch eat early as is my experience on camp sites. The Spanish eat last. I was in Ireland with French friends and would have loved to take them out for an Irish pub music experience but the "appero" always got in the way.

[@RogerRoving]

I agree - appero has become a bit of a bind.

[@nilsherloff-petersen249]

Westmalle Tripel, it’s very good!

[@jhogan1960]

I used to do this on the Chesapeake Bay in our family's cat rigged Bahamian dinghy. Up and down the Pax River back in the 70s around Solomon's Island. Great video.

[@vincentscannell5027]

a man with a vosation rodgerlove your channel

[@beaconbus]

@18:00 that little anchorage up the creek was beautiful, but would likely be full of mosquitos here.

[@quarlow1215]

I pray my health returns because this i think is my next endeavor of adventure. I'm getting to the point in life where im too old for tent camping or hiking. And though ive never sailed a minute in my life I believe i could manage this. Although our main obstacles us a large and nasty strait, it can be very calm abd easy at times. All the place I'd like to sail are on the other side in our gulf islands.

[@redjacc7581]

i want to live in Veere :P what a lovely place.

[@RogerRoving]

Dutch towns are very lovable and liveable places

[@katej3z715]

This really deserves to be a full, longer length video. Searching freezer urgently for suitable sausages. I am on the east coast of England and just for a moment it looked like you would be mooring here. Because of a lifetime near a port, and boating holidays near to another, I have been used to European ships and crew for decades. It seems a lot of people are fearful of losing their culture in a more together Europe. The reality is quite different. Britain's menus tell the same success story as your own. Lovely to hear 'Masham' of which I have great memories. You may know Harome. Just one thing, please, it is tiresome but my vision is a little blurred. Please feel free to say where you are at notable locations, I got a bit lost. Apart from the creek 😅. Fabulous videos, just fabulous.

[@barryconway]

…any dish is improved by the addition of alcohol… aye that. and/or a splash of the Worcestershire sauce (o;

[@aaronsellers1372]

Roger I love your videos! I only wish you had a little footage of the pathfinders under sail! (I am building one right now)

[@RogerRoving]

They were too fast for me and kept leaving me behind. That was the problem!

[@machielhoogenes3158]

Welcome to Holland, love following youre adventures. Sometimes i wanna trade oure Contest 38 for a nice dingy . I build my first boat "v d stadt 22 juno" Wish i had it still Best regards machiel

[@markwoodward7195]

Good to sea you back out on the water, but where was the little engine we have seen earlier in the year. Just right for the occasion, I would have thought. Oh the hair was a mess as usual haha great fun was seen by all.

[@RogerRoving]

The engine is about to have its moment…

[@torstenbehrendt870]

The sound of your coffee maker reminds me on our sailing trip two weeks ago. Thanks for that moment. Were these remote mooring places also provided by Marekrite, just like up in Friesland?

[@RogerRoving]

I don’t know who provides them. They were just “there”. Such a civilised country, the Netherlands. I cut out from the final video my observation that I was on the only Red Ensign boat I saw all week. The locals blame Brexit, of course.

[@damoog5985]

Finally got to see a gybe with those thumb cleats!

[@spijkerpoes]

Briefing with Orval oh my

[@spijkerpoes]

and on to westmall tripple oooh mehn

[@RogerRoving]

No one warned me!

[@kenstephens2955]

Hi Roger! Having seen your test of the Silmaril XL, would you please comment on her performance on this raid? With love, Ken

[@changurr2705]

snorkers good -oh

[@vempronordeste2841]

Bom dia capitão Roger.

[@Gary-wb8qt]

Not sailing but I used Bridger's words, "No, you say". Forward acceleration on an road bicycle ? ! "No no!" you say: ' the road bicycle will never seem to pull your arms forward on acceleration, as a motorcycle may on acceleration. You are right, but consider the racer is powered by JUST your legs. I am mindful though of my times past while moving on UP from racers with heavy, chrome, iron rims, moving on to my first pair of light, alloy rims with the flat, vertical sides; mounted with my very first pair of Walmart Streetster, V-shaped, 80-psi, road tires, sold more or less for riding on sidewalks! WA, LA! For the 1st time ever on a bicycle, when I hit the pedals, I felt a SMALL BIT of acceleration pushing me back towards the back of an, old, iron, Prince, 10-speed, road bicycle! Today though, acceleration on a bicycle is only generally ' implied', such as, 'sprint to the Finnish' 🤔 For me, exciting excelleration on a road bicycle is quickly running thru the gears, DOWNHILL! Generally though, most places I've lived in the middle eastern USA,m this is strongly frowned upon, and one particular street near downtown St.Louis often left me walking a couple blocks home, with my bicycle chain in one long piecein my hand, past the terminal of the city bus ! glk

[@ianseddon9347]

Fabulous to hear praise for Jennings! Reminds me of being a student 50 years ago and disreputable nights in the Bank Tavern in Keswick ( do I remember correctly?)

[@RogerRoving]

Not the beer it was though, since the move from cockermouth.

[@ianseddon9347]

@@RogerRoving - indeed - had some a while back and it wasn’t - is it Greene King now?

[@petrusipetrus]

best belgium beer is "Cage" im my opinion ;)

[@pietersmet6233]

Nice trip, as almost a local I was wonderdering where the port graauw is located. But it is "paal" in the local language.

[@RogerRoving]

Everything seems to have about 3 names. And my prononciation is dodgy!

[@sipkediepbrink1810]

Hello Roger, lovely vid as always, interested in the simmering plate for the Origo. Do you have a link? Kind regards Sipke

[@paulincumbria]

Ooh yes, I have an Origo too, in a galley box that's a shameless rip-off of Roger's design, even down to the heat-resistant lining - and I'd LOVE to know more about that simmering plate. Please, Roger?