boat hire in Auray · Catalac — Catalac 9m (1980)

We had an enjoyable few days on Hippo Ilya was an excellent captain and made sure we knew everything about Hippo before we set sail

Great Boat, Great trip & Ilya is a very nice and caring person, always available on the phone when questions or tips concerning the sailing area are necessary.

We had the boat for one week in Morbihan and also went to Belle Ile. The boat is old but very confortable for a family trip. The boat owner, Illya, is punctual, very helpful & accommodating. Lots of equipments like diving, snorkeling, bicycles etc... We will rent again.

First, we had excellent support from Ilya; far beyond "welcome and reception". We nominated a bareboat charter, but agreed to his suggestion that he come aboard for the first day, and it was a good decision. He helped us get acquainted with the boat. From then on, he provided constant support by phone. The big positive feature for me was the battery power management system on Hippo. Although in our week (early August 2019), the max temp was not much above 20, so not an extreme test), we had no problems keeping the fridge (a good size) cold. In my experience of bare-boating, the fridge is a problem more often than not. As well as battery isolation (not so unusual), Hippo has solar panels and a wind generator. Navigation and trip planning in the Gulf of Morbihan is a challenge, due to the tidal range. This is why we chose Hippo, a catamaran with a draft of only 0.8m. Having two motors adds an extra dimension to potential manoeuvrability, but in retrospect, I should have sought an opportunity to add to cat twin-motor experience before starting our holiday. Of course, the alternative would be to have Ilya aboard as captain. Hippo is equipped with all necessary navigation equipment. The Navionics chart plotter was particularly useful, especially since Ilya had retained recent track history. These "purple tracks" provided an invaluable back-up for our conventional navigation. The 4/5 score for compliance largely relates to fumes from the starboard motor, but Ilya plans to rectify this. Our 4/5 score for comfort accommodates the conventional marine toilet on Hippo, but my recall of energy-draining modern head systems (and consequent problems with refrigeration), not to mention the imperative "call-out" help with head systems get clogged with toilet paper, implies the big advantage of simple, old technology! Similarly, a battery-powered anchor winch would be nice, but it's even better not to risk draining the battery. Given the availability of berths on pontoons and moorings in the area, we only had to anchor once in our solo period. Likewise, we learned how to accommodate for the lack of hot water; not really an issue in summer! Most of all, any inconveniences were more than compensated by the price of renting Hippo. Given the opportunity, we would take Hippo again.

We had a fantastic time aboard Hippo and our host was very helpful and available to speak to every day

We stayed on Hippo for 5 days and sailed the area of Brittany. Ilya stayed on board with us and lend a hand where it was required. In general he is a very caring host and tried to fullfil all our wishes. He also is an excellent cook and nice person to spend time with. The gulf of Morbihan is a beautiful area but can be quite challenging due to ride and currents. Hippo is a nice boat that can easily accommodate 5 people. We are already thinking about renting hippo again (in a warmer time of the year).

Our 3-day trip with Ilya on the catamaran Hippo has been one of highlights in the 3-weeks we have toured France so far. Our cruise was really unforgettable, made so by Ilya's expert planning and the sterling level of service he provided. The unique sailing vessel, and its amazing seaworthiness, supported this cruise excellently. Hippo's amenities (galley, "lounge", berthing, deck) were well suited to our needs. Ilya's professionalism and friendliness qualities are amongst the best we've seen in chartering. We chose an early season sail with chill temperatures, and with some unpredictable weather and our demanding tour schedule, Ilya made our trip work flawlessly. His flexibility on the schedule ensured we would enjoy the experience immensely. Highly recommend Ilya and his Hippo for experiencing the French coast in a way most cannot.