Advice wanted - delivery trip from Marseille to Corfu

[GeorgeP]

Having ordered up this boat to be kept in the Ionian, I now have to deliver it. It will be handed over mid March 2010 in Marseille. I haven't measured the journey on a chart but it looks about 700 miles.

Any tips on the best route/ports to call etc? I could go via Nice, Corsica, Rome, Naples, Sicily. I heard the Italian ports are extremely expensive. Is this true?

Thanks
George

 

[footsoldier]

Well, for a starter, I wouldn't go via Nice. Doubt if you would find room and like anywhere on the Cote d'Azure it'll be horrendously expensive.

I've done a few deliveries S.France - Greece and, subject to the weather have usually gone between Corica and Sardinia, via Straight of Bonifacio, - lot of traffic but quite interesting. Ajaccio is a good stopover if you want a breather en route to there. Nice town with good restaurants and bars. Then on via the Straight of Messina, between Italy and Sicily, again a lot of traffic and ferries, but nothing too problematical. Messina has a very good marina for a stopover, staff very friendly and helpful and very handy for the town, which I like a lot. Can recommend the so-called Irish bar about 400m up the main street from the marina. Never stopped on the Italian side, as everyone says that Reggio de Cabria is a ****e-hole. Then a straight run out to your destination.

You have to be wary of the weather around Corsica at that time of year. The forecasts always warn of thunderstorms, but they often don't materialise. Think they leave them in as a permanent fixture in the script, just to be on the safe side.

 

[GeorgeP]

Trip to Greece

Thanks Footsoldier

Roughly how long do you normally take?

I would like to look at a few places on the way.

G

 

[footsoldier]

Piece of string, really, and obviously depends on weather, the capabilities of the boat/crew and whether you want to get on with it or if you're content to bimble along.

Going for it, and given no major setbacks, the norm is to aim for 120 miles/day, - overs and unders will tend to average out. Clearly to achieve a 5kn VMG you will need to use the motor on occasions, so an adequate reserve of fuel is essential. On this basis, it would be six days on the water plus however long you chose to tarry in the two stopovers.

 

[jimbaerselman]

That time of year your most likely holdups will occur if there's a session of Mistral having a blast. Can be really vicious, and can extend to (and through) the straits of Bonifacio.

Sicily east coast offers some really good spots to tarry awhile; see the detail on my web site. South coast of Italy is very limited - over winter some of the marinas block up with sand bars, sometimes not dredged til June.

 

[bobupanddown]

I can recommend Tropea for a stopover enroute. Not too expensive! Also Marina Di Camerota smaller town midway down Italy

www.portoditropea.it
www.portodicamerota.it


If you are interested I brought my boat up the other way from Preveza. As I was single handed I only sailed by day.

Preveza to Corfu(paleokastritsa)
Corfu to Marina St Lucia (heel of Italy)
Maria St Lucia to Crotone
Crotone to Reggio di Calabria
Reggio di calabria to Tropea
Tropea to Cetraro
Cetraro to Marina di Camerota
Marina di Camerota to Agripoli
Agripoli to Ponza
Ponza to Rome
Rome to Pisa(3 days)
Pisa to Imperia
Imperia to San Remo
San Remo to St Raphael
St Raphael to Toulon or Marseille?

As you can see this was 17 day legs but there were a few extra days taken as stopovers en route. Some days were very long (16hrs) some were short 4/6 hours.
Most Italian harbours have a "transit" area of the quay which is free for yacht on passage. But of course they dont tell you where it is unless you ask and even then may just pretend not to understand!

 

[GeorgeP]

Thanks guys.

I guess if I aim for about 2-3 weeks then that should work out OK.