Velaraid 2016

[Anthony Huggett]

Velaraid 2016 will be 17-21 May. Their website is updated with details.
http://www.velaraid.it/eng/index.php?lang=en

Sadly there is a clash with Ullswater (unless one has enough drivers to get there without an overnight break).

[michaeln]

Hi Anthony  I originally posted this on the Ullswater thread in response to your query about driving to Calais in one day. Then I spotted your Velaraid post so better to move it here.

Re Velaraid journey time - I towed my BR20 from Belfast to Lake Garda in September. I drove from Cherbourg to Salo in 3 days with two overnights. In terms of hours driving: Four hours from Cherbourg to Tours. Eight hours to Mont Blanc and five hours to Salo. Remember speed limit in Italy with a trailer is only 80kmh on the autostrada - that feels slow! I normally add on 30% to Satnav estimated journey time to allow for lower tailer speed limit, toll booths, road works and regular stops to check tie down straps, check bearings, refueling - car and people!

[Graham W]

I've done Venice in less than 36 hours trailing the boat from Kent.  An early start on Eurotunnel then through the east side of France to Basle, stopping overnight in Airolo, which is on the south side of the Gotthard tunnel in Switzerland.  About 13 or 14 hours with short breaks. From there a longish (6 hour) hop across the top of Italy.  This was back when there was a direct car ferry from Venice to Corfu.

It's quite relaxing doing it on the motorways with a co-driver, listening to audiobooks to wile away the time.  You're usually driving much more slowly than everyone else, so rarely have to overtake anything.

[Anthony Huggett]

Thanks for the advice, Graham and Michael.
Does the 50 mph speed limit in Italy mean that it is actually faster to tow in Switzerland?

Anthony

[Anthony Huggett]

Is anyone else thinking of going?

[Richard Walkerley]

Yes I am intending to go! Not sure about son/crew just yet.

I have towed our children's towed dinghies to Lake Garda via Germany/Austria a couple of times for the Topper World Championships so tempted to make a stop over there.

Richard

BR20 Ula

[Graham W]

Does the 50 mph speed limit in Italy mean that it is actually faster to tow in Switzerland?

The Swiss speed limit with a trailer on a motorway is 80kph.  On the other hand, the minimum motorway speed limit is also 80kph.  So if you stray either side of these two limits, you could end up doing hard labour in the Gruyère cheese mines.  So it isn't faster (or slower) than Italy.  The annual Swiss motorway permit is CHF40 for each of the car and its trailer - about £55 in all, so not cheap either.