Italy to England trailer-sailer tow

Alice Driscoll recalls driving and towing a 10m-long car and trailer combo carrying a J24 keelboat, 1,000 miles home from Lake Garda

- Alice Driscoll

The J24 World Championships in Italy were coming to an end and talk turned to the journey home. We'd originally flown in while another of the team towed the boat to Italy, and now it was our turn to tow the boat back to Britain. It was time to make my confession. "If I don't have my driver's licence with me, then I can't help with the driving, can I?" I said.

My husband looked astounded. "But," he spluttered, "you researched everything we needed to tow through Europe, and sorted the paperwork out, what do you mean you don't have your licence?"

Grudgingly he accepted that amid all the event preparations I'd forgotten it and now he was the only person qualified to drive.

I've been towing dinghies for years but my boat is just 13ft long and I can unhitch the trailer and move the boat by hand if necessary. And there's always a reliable rescue service at the end of the phone. So driving 1,000 miles towing a J24 keelboat, which weighs 1500kg and sits 4m high- is an entirely different challenge.

We had to drive the J24 back from Riva del Garda, a beautiful Italian town located at the most north-western point of Lake Garda. Famous for its regattas, the location had attracted a massive 89-strong fleet from all over the world.

Route deliberations

It's clear that route planning was high on the 'what to get right' list. On the way to the event, several teams had struggled. One team travelled through France and into Italy via the Mont Blanc tunnel. Unable to turn back, they were stung by a massive toll.