Sail away in the ultra-exclusive Caillou boat

Posted by David Walker on Thu 31 Jul 2008

Life in the slow lane for £5,000

If you are up a creek without a paddle, you'll be glad you invested next year's fuel budget in a Caillou boat.

Why? Well this is wind-powered, a sail variation on a vintage canoe that was popular in the US in the 1800s and with a reassuring slowness that offers plenty of time to mess about on your river of choice. And if you care about the environment, this is as green as travel gets.

Did I mention it's exclusive? Just five of these high-end fibreglass boats are available to buy, all with a solid mahogany trim, moulded fibreglass seats, emergency kayak-style paddles (should the wind forget to blow) and a mast with ivory-coloured sail. There's enough room for two adults (if you want to go halves on one) and the Caillou is 'virtually unsinkable' - but that probably applies to a river rather than a jaunt on the North Sea.

With a strong wind behind you, the Caillou could be yours before the summer's out - if you have £5,460 spare.