Any suggestions on where to keep a boat in the Western med?

jordanbasset said:
Almerimar hits most of those but not sure about good local cruising to give sufficient variety for 2 years, as it is a little limited along this coast. However if you want could get to the Balearics in 2 long day sails and an overnight, where you have plenty.
If you wanted it just as a base for overwintering could not fault it.
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If you are okay with the above then there are not may places cheaper than Almerimar - prices here

http://www.almerimarpuerto.com/alquiler2011.pdf

Web page for the Marina here
http://www.almerimarpuerto.com/en/#

Some do not like it, we did, but if you are only using it as a base it should not matter too much. It has an airport at Almeria about 20 miles away. It is very secure re weather. There were reported to be a couple of problems of theft a few years ago, when we were there we had no problems and the only theft we heard of was of a bike left outside a bar.
The weather is great, a good chandlery where you can get pretty much anything. Can also now work on your boat in the yard if you wish. Also a good place to get any stainless steel work done or upholstery/fabric work.
Some good engineers/electricians also are there if you need work doing.
 
Reverend Ludd said:
My choice would be Empuriabrava
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I'm in Empuriabrava and it's great but it has to be one of the most expensive places on that part of the coast. I managed to get a private mooring off the main marina at half the price. The next town up the coast, Santa Margarita, is quite reasonable but fairly shallow so it depends on your draught, about 2 - 2.5 meters. Port Forum in barcelona is not too bad and it's a very modern marina with all the facilities.
 
Twister_Ken said:
With Spain, there can be tax problems depending how long you and the boat are there. I'm not au fait, but I'm sure someone can give chapter and verse.
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It is not keeping the boat there that triggers off the tax issues, but living there (whether on the boat or land). If it is a private boat there are no restrictions on keeping it in Spain.
 
We have wintered in Port Leucate and found it to be as others have said, a good place to stay to do/have done work and very convenient for airport. As a cruising base not ideal as most local destinations suffer from the same onshore wind problems. This is a long, shallow coast.

If you are considering Corsica, Bastia Port Toga is recommended. We wintered there afloat some years ago, at the time there were berths available if you booked early, very convenient for airport or ferry (you could walk to the latter in 10 minutes).

In Sardinia Porto Torres is good, not too expensive when we were there and again, a ferry port. Castelsardo was the cheapest marina in the Med, not sure now.
 
vyv_cox said:
We have wintered in Port Leucate and found it to be as others have said, a good place to stay to do/have done work and very convenient for airport. As a cruising base not ideal as most local destinations suffer from the same onshore wind problems. This is a long, shallow coast.

If you are considering Corsica, Bastia Port Toga is recommended. We wintered there afloat some years ago, at the time there were berths available if you booked early, very convenient for airport or ferry (you could walk to the latter in 10 minutes).

In Sardinia Porto Torres is good, not too expensive when we were there and again, a ferry port. Castelsardo was the cheapest marina in the Med, not sure now.
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We have neighbours with a house in Corsica. Out of the holiday months they find it expensive to fly there as there a few (or no?) direct flights from the UK and they have to transit through Nice.
 
vyv_cox said:
We have wintered in Port Leucate and found it to be as others have said, a good place to stay to do/have done work and very convenient for airport. As a cruising base not ideal as most local destinations suffer from the same onshore wind problems. This is a long, shallow coast.
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Roughly speaking 85-90% of the time the wind is off shore and from the NW.
This results in flat seas. However it is often F7 or more - even in summer.

This is a bit of a pain when coming back from Spain, as the wind is against you 90% of the time - and it can be a bit rough off Cap Bear and Cap Greus. There are however quite a few bays where you can take refuge - even in a F9 at sea you can be in the calm in and in sunshine.

Roughly 10% of the time it is from the S.E. - and this can make port entrances along the coast tricky if it is strong. And 5% of the time there is no wind.
 
michaelchapman said:
Roughly speaking 85-90% of the time the wind is off shore and from the NW.
This results in flat seas. However it is often F7 or more - even in summer.

This is a bit of a pain when coming back from Spain, as the wind is against you 90% of the time - and it can be a bit rough off Cap Bear and Cap Greus. There are however quite a few bays where you can take refuge - even in a F9 at sea you can be in the calm in and in sunshine.

Roughly 10% of the time it is from the S.E. - and this can make port entrances along the coast tricky if it is strong. And 5% of the time there is no wind.
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During the winter we were there it blew old boots from the NW for much of the time. Back afloat we twice had problems getting back in in SE winds, and that was in only two trips. So maybe we were unlucky.
 
NealB said:
I'm trying to evaluate whether it would be viable for us to base our boat in the Mediterranean for a couple of seasons, with year round access by air from London (say 2 hours from Stanstead or City would be perfect).
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For info on the various west med regions, including layup places, see http://www.jimbsail.info/drupal/mediterranean/west-med , and then look up more detail on the right hand menu (Balearics, Corsica etc).

Better still, if you're near London, go to the Cruising Association Mediterranean Seminar on Sunday March 11th, details http://www.cruising.org.uk/node/13092 , where you can discuss the areas with groups of people whose boats are based out there, while they shuttle back and forth!

I'm told there are 4 or 5 places left. £23 for members, £43 for non-members. Includes good buffet lunch.
 
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