matm
Well-Known Member
I know you're all probably sick of the "Moved to the Med" threads but just thought I'd share our personal experience having just completed the move.
As a quick background, we've had a boat for about the last 7 years - 1 year on the Thames, then an upgrade and a move to Port Solent and then an upgrade in Port Solent where we've been happy since 2009. Current boat is an '11 Fairline Targa 44 which we've been very happy with. Only thing that hasn't been great is the weather as we all know.
For the last few years, we've taken advantage of the extended cruise (or whatever it is) with Premier that allows us credit on renewal. During that 6-8 week period we've put the boat in CYH, taken the RedJet backwards and forwards and have been very happy. Suited our lifestyle (travel a lot on biz) and big circle of friends.
This is Humu Humu with sail-boat friends in Cowes:
Anyway, having had a conversation about the lack of sunlight with SWMBO, we decided to explore some other places. Lots of forum momentum and other friends in the Med meant we had to go explore. Like a few others, we ventured to Cala D'Or last year and chartered one of the BCU boats. Fatal... Best sales job they ever did
After a millisecond of deliberating, we were at the boatshow in Southampton buying a new tender and various other bits in our vague bid to move. That was the easy bit. Post our usual Jan holiday, a bit of holiday "cheer" and a "let's do it", I tried to put this all together before renewal at PS in April. I thought a few months to sort this would be easy. I ended up failing miserably due to lack of time to get it sorted and a general "we're busy, can we do it in a couple of months" type stuff from various suppliers. Don't get me wrong, it's not that they weren't professional - it's just that everyone is very very busy apparently. I had to get out before renewal in the UK.
My spec was Dinghy Chocks and tie-downs for the new Dinghy, Aircon and some anchor chain. Erm and some underwater lights [ducks]. Oh, and lifting and shifting it on a truck. Latter was easy as the forum recommendation is C2C so just went forward with that. Anyway, after a few bits of messing about and some very helpful people (BCU and many people on this forum either posting or via PM), the deal was done and we were off. To be clear, BCU and C2C made this whole thing happen after I'd had enough and shouted "help!!"
The boat arrived c. 2 weeks ago. We flew out over a long Easter Weekend and can say we haven't looked back. I know the weather was crappy that weekend for everyone here and I did P a few people off with the "swimming pool" pics on facebook. If it helps, I had a big sunburn.. Soon got over it with very cold beer and sangria. Hope that makes it better.
Pics below:
Lift from Swanwick:
Now going backwards without any covers for a week (going to cry as she was clean)
c. 6 days later via a couple of ferries and lots of zig-zag route due to bridges and roads, off the truck, in Palma... Lot's of big boats there - you can just see her in the background! En route to Cala D'Or
One day later after we arrived (and a lot of scrubbing a very dirty boat from the transit), we nipped out to Cala Mondrago for a bit of a float and food. Lovely weather for March but not brave enough to swim. We're standing on the bow having a "erm, is the anchor holding" moment. I'm saying "of course", SWMBO saying "Reaaaaly???". Cue from me "look around you, who cares?". Normal life then resumed.
Finally, asleep in the Marina. They're dredging it and generally messing around so I don't yet have a fixed berth - although I know where I will be if you get the drift.. Anyway, this pic is taken from a very crafty angle as we are basically the tender to everything around us in this area. Originally, we were rafted up against a T65 and neighbours with a 80+ jobby. Now I think we're going to be next to a T50 and Squaddie. Like I said, best sales job they ever did
The pictures after this are not for the forum as they generally involve a few celebratory drinks once we'd got her back to her berth safely...
To summarise:
All in all, we're very pleased. The boat is well suited to the climate (big speedboat), we've vaguely got a berth sorted and the tender (passerelle inbound) will work for us.
Not to mention the fact that we turned up on "opening weekend" for a lot of the bars and restos, nice to meet a few forumites and locals alike. Will try not to post any more "swimming pool" pics...
Once again, thanks for the huge contribution from the forum and a big "thanks" to BCU and C2C who continue to provide excellent service.
Mat
As a quick background, we've had a boat for about the last 7 years - 1 year on the Thames, then an upgrade and a move to Port Solent and then an upgrade in Port Solent where we've been happy since 2009. Current boat is an '11 Fairline Targa 44 which we've been very happy with. Only thing that hasn't been great is the weather as we all know.
For the last few years, we've taken advantage of the extended cruise (or whatever it is) with Premier that allows us credit on renewal. During that 6-8 week period we've put the boat in CYH, taken the RedJet backwards and forwards and have been very happy. Suited our lifestyle (travel a lot on biz) and big circle of friends.
This is Humu Humu with sail-boat friends in Cowes:
Anyway, having had a conversation about the lack of sunlight with SWMBO, we decided to explore some other places. Lots of forum momentum and other friends in the Med meant we had to go explore. Like a few others, we ventured to Cala D'Or last year and chartered one of the BCU boats. Fatal... Best sales job they ever did
After a millisecond of deliberating, we were at the boatshow in Southampton buying a new tender and various other bits in our vague bid to move. That was the easy bit. Post our usual Jan holiday, a bit of holiday "cheer" and a "let's do it", I tried to put this all together before renewal at PS in April. I thought a few months to sort this would be easy. I ended up failing miserably due to lack of time to get it sorted and a general "we're busy, can we do it in a couple of months" type stuff from various suppliers. Don't get me wrong, it's not that they weren't professional - it's just that everyone is very very busy apparently. I had to get out before renewal in the UK.
My spec was Dinghy Chocks and tie-downs for the new Dinghy, Aircon and some anchor chain. Erm and some underwater lights [ducks]. Oh, and lifting and shifting it on a truck. Latter was easy as the forum recommendation is C2C so just went forward with that. Anyway, after a few bits of messing about and some very helpful people (BCU and many people on this forum either posting or via PM), the deal was done and we were off. To be clear, BCU and C2C made this whole thing happen after I'd had enough and shouted "help!!"
The boat arrived c. 2 weeks ago. We flew out over a long Easter Weekend and can say we haven't looked back. I know the weather was crappy that weekend for everyone here and I did P a few people off with the "swimming pool" pics on facebook. If it helps, I had a big sunburn..
Soon got over it with very cold beer and sangria. Hope that makes it better.Pics below:
Lift from Swanwick:
Now going backwards without any covers for a week (going to cry as she was clean)
c. 6 days later via a couple of ferries and lots of zig-zag route due to bridges and roads, off the truck, in Palma... Lot's of big boats there - you can just see her in the background! En route to Cala D'Or
One day later after we arrived (and a lot of scrubbing a very dirty boat from the transit), we nipped out to Cala Mondrago for a bit of a float and food. Lovely weather for March but not brave enough to swim. We're standing on the bow having a "erm, is the anchor holding" moment. I'm saying "of course", SWMBO saying "Reaaaaly???". Cue from me "look around you, who cares?". Normal life then resumed.
Finally, asleep in the Marina. They're dredging it and generally messing around so I don't yet have a fixed berth - although I know where I will be if you get the drift.. Anyway, this pic is taken from a very crafty angle as we are basically the tender to everything around us in this area. Originally, we were rafted up against a T65 and neighbours with a 80+ jobby. Now I think we're going to be next to a T50 and Squaddie. Like I said, best sales job they ever did
The pictures after this are not for the forum as they generally involve a few celebratory drinks once we'd got her back to her berth safely...
To summarise:
All in all, we're very pleased. The boat is well suited to the climate (big speedboat), we've vaguely got a berth sorted and the tender (passerelle inbound) will work for us.
Not to mention the fact that we turned up on "opening weekend" for a lot of the bars and restos, nice to meet a few forumites and locals alike. Will try not to post any more "swimming pool" pics...
Once again, thanks for the huge contribution from the forum and a big "thanks" to BCU and C2C who continue to provide excellent service.
Mat
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