Artemisia's maiden voyage - first stop Saturday night in Antibes

MAFWeiss

MAFWeiss

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Subject to getting a berth on the day, we are planning on spending our very first night on the first leg of our maiden voyage of some 550 nm from Port Camargue to Salerno in Port Vauban. If this works out, and of course depending on the weather, any first day technical issues, etc., if there any members of the forum in the marina that evening who would like to come and see Artemisia, they would be more than welcome to join us for a pre dinner drink.
 
Sounds like a nice plan and best wishes for the delivery trip. My plan is to be out on anchor overnight Saturday but if I'm in port I'll take you up on your kind offer and drop by. If you get stuck for a berth text me, but I doubt there will be any problem because there are generally a few empty slots in Port Vauban at the moment, including mine (#412) but the marina doesn't know that yet.

Port Vauban is a very big port - will you be transmitting AIS? I can't see your Artemisia on Marine Traffic.

If you need a car to get provisions let me know as I have a couple of cars in the port at the moment and can lend you one

Good luck for the trip anyway
 
Thank you JFM for your very kind offer. I think I still have your mobile from a PM last January so, if I may, I will call you for assistance if required. Re the AIS, doubt its been switched on yet. We should be visible from sometime tomorrow onwards. Any recco's for somewhere nice - but not too fancy - for dinner Saturday night?
 
... checks price of plane tickets to Niece ;)

On a serious note, have a blast. Must be very exciting times.
 
Port Vauban walk up fuel berth pricing is a bit punchy - so much so that I don't use it and don't know the price. I use a tanker and last week paid 1.19 euros for fully tax paid fuel, for 6000 litres

2000 litres is just about enough for them to bother with a truck and you can ask by email ( s.fossato@thevenin-ducrot.fr - Sylvie) but iirc they don't deliver on weekends except early on Saturday. In any case this requires you to be on a truck accessible berth, and you wont know that till you arrive, so you might have no choice but to use the fuel quay. If Antibes pricing is punchy then I know that last week the fuel berth in Baie des Anges marina was showing €1.28 (It's 1.5 miles past Antibes, so not a significant detour).

Restaurants in Antibes: vieux murs and michaelangelo are nice (both just shy of a mich star). You need to go to Biot or Cannes to get a star. I like Bleu elephant for Asian/Chinese, and les chineurs and le comptoir are very generally nice. All those are very walkable from boat and as you know Antibes is a delightful town

If you need technical supplies text me and I can tell you which shops sell what (same number as before, ends 211, and I have yours ending 696)

Come to think of it, berthing in Antibes might be a bit tricky this weekend because of http://www.voilesdantibes.com/, which will provide a spectacular show of classic racing yachts off the cap d'antibes but makes space in the port (and other nearby ports) pretty tight until Monday. As I say you're welcome to my berth but the port doesn't like "direct arrangements" and insist on you going thru their office and they might give my berth to someone else - if I release it, which I haven't yet
 
I don't think you can book a tanker for a Sunday. We are in Antibes this week, and will be back in port Sat night as we fly out Sun am. Would be nice to say hello and have a quick nose around your lovely new yacht. Its worth asking the port for a berth on the south side of the port, as its a long walk to the town otherwise. We are on Mole Sud, and you may well be directed there so we'll keep an eye out.
 
MAFWeiss I've got to be honest I'de be surprised if you could get got a berth as it is The Voiles d'Antibes and berths looked very full yesterday but I bow to JFM's superior knowledge -- however if he's out take him up on his offer! Not all berths are accessible to tankers but JFM's is . Will give them a call on your behalf in advance as they are not allowed access to the port on market days ( but that isn't Saturday or Sunday). One small warning about Les Voiles -- if you need sleep the music is very loud (until midnight when it stops instantly)

I'd love to look her over and meet up however its SWMBO's birthday on Sunday and I've promised to drive her to Italy for Saturday night but our plans frequently change.

What kind of food do you prefer? Restaurants are plentiful in Antibes so very much your choice. Casual to Fine Dining -- even a few curry houses.

Enjoy the trip ..
 
EME, I have a bit of a recollection that fuel deliveries are only 0700-1200 Saturdays, then banned for rest of weekend. Not 100% sure. I think bottom line is that MAFWeiss has to use the fuel dock because he won't know that he has a truck-accessible berth

Yep the port is very full with the voile d'antibes. Ditto nearby ports. I plan to be out on anchor Saturday night, so the question is whether Artemisia can sneak into my berth unnoticed! Or will I have the full weight of the port office people (which isn't what we call them when talking among ourselves...) complaining at me? Not that their complaining amounts to too much, as I own the berth, but it would be tricky if they "ordered" Artemisia to leave at 2330 hrs.
 
JFM

IF you own the berth, can you not just inform the marina that someone is going to use it? or is it part of the contract that only you can use it? is this normal practice in the med?
 
lionelz said:
JFM

IF you own the berth, can you not just inform the marina that someone is going to use it? or is it part of the contract that only you can use it? is this normal practice in the med?
Click to expand...
Tricky one. The original 50year leases from 1973 (which is what I own, having bought the lease 2nd hand) gave berth owner the right to nominate a friend user. Then about 10yrs ago the port changed the rules, arguably ultra vires, but that's what they did. Their new rule said you surrender your berth and THEY rent it out and choose who uses it. They take 30% of the rental. All a bit questionable, but it's a battle I've chosen not to fight

I think it is broadly similar across the Med but I'm not sure, and other ports like beaulieu use a wholly different legal structure anyway where you have a right to a berth but not any particular berth.
 
JFM
Thanks for that it was out of interest really, I am very unlikely to ever buy a berth but was under the misconception that you could use it how you wanted, I was clearly very wrong
 
lionelz said:
JFM
Thanks for that it was out of interest really, I am very unlikely to ever buy a berth but was under the misconception that you could use it how you wanted, I was clearly very wrong
Click to expand...

Adding further to help folks understand a bit more how it all works .
The state owns the water front and via the local council allow a 3rd party to lease , develope and operate a marina using a template contract more or less .

The Co rules /regs are from a template from Paris with perhaps some local ammendments .
Basically the berth holders buy shares in the Co ,the biger the berth or sq M of sea the more shares ,

A elected committe ( 5 y terms of directors and can only serve two consecutive ) agian Paris defines say 12 to form a board .The board dicided on how many employees the Co needs to run the marina .Ours La Napoule has about 10 .

There is an AGM where motions are posted , are voted on by the share holders either postal or direct .
So issues like what to do with empty berths when the holder is out on an anchorage ,are democratically put at the AGM ,
The finances are all open /transparent ,even the staff salaries are set @ AGM .

Income for us comes from berth rental ,that's the public berths + private was last year in excess of €1m .
Car park charges ( free to berth holders ) was €750 ,00 0 ,we also collect rents from let shop units again a 7 figure sum .

It's up to us what policy we adopt for unoccupied berths .We notify the marina office they collect a % which goes into rhe pot , the balance is offset against your biannual maintenance charge or you can opt for a it to be paid over at the end of the month -we set the rules the berth holders ,it's not a "they" the marina staff .

We have quite a bit of say in how it's all run .
Eg in the 11y since I have been a share holder .
Gone green re recycling , have CVTV -+ infrared , closes barrier only access at night .permanant security ( subed out Co ) with night dog patrols . Lux shower facilities , ship yard + crane , plants green areas etc

Also we have had two EGM,s. about 8 years ago to discuss developing the esplanade cost €2M to be funded by small increase in maintenance charge + rental income .-this was via the local mayors office to attract tourists to a small trader markets in the summer to draw folks into the marina waterfront in the summer .
In exchange the mayor via Paris -extended the end of the lease to 2024 .

Then recently again to boost tourism the mayor has asked for is to create 5 berths for rental catamarans ,so AGM motion put up -voted on - carried - ,yes and we got another 5 years , now lease runs to 2029 -no brainier vote really .
Mayor is needed to infuenced Paris to extend the lease -that became official Dec15 .

Another project on the cards - still being finalised before being put to shareholders is this
Two 35 Meter berth holders want to donate there berths to the Co -the rent over £100'000 pa each will accrue to Co
In exchange they will both fund extending the outer sea wall to accommodate 4 x 45 M berths of which they will take one each ,for there new yachts - donating the other two back to the Co .for further rental revenue . This will cost the share holders and Co nothing .
Needs consent of the mayor office and Paris as grabbing more sea .
Work in progress but the Co has kept the shareholders -informed .The revenue generated then be used to offset the maintance charge etc .
Recently we have been renewing /replacing each quay ( over the winter months ) as well as with more modem leccy/ water /lifhting / bins -main reason is to raise the hieght to future prof against rising seawater levels -agian budgets /timming all agreed ,voted on @ AGM
There are over 900 share holders .
So you kinda have a vested interest and feel involved .

Sorry for the thread drift Mark ,hope del trip goes well
If you end up in Antibes try here , as a celibratory 1st night meal - my appartment is on the same rue -but we are out of town at the mo.
http://www.viamichelin.co.uk/web/Restaurant/Antibes-06600-Le_Figuier_de_St_Esprit-204250-41102
 
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That is how it is done in la napoule and la rague, and also camille rayon, but it is far from universal. In Antibes you own a personal leaseholder right (acte d'amodiation) and you don't own any shares, for example.
 
jfm said:
The original 50year leases from 1973 (which is what I own, having bought the lease 2nd hand) gave berth owner the right to nominate a friend user. Then about 10yrs ago the port changed the rules, arguably ultra vires, but that's what they did.
Click to expand...
Blimey, that's an ultra vires action indeed, by the sound of it.
Just curious, did you but the berth before or after that change?
If the latter, I can understand why it's a battle you choose not to fight.
But if the first, I don't think I'm wrong in guessing that you won much harder battles...?
...though of course, whether it was worth or not, that's another matter altogether.
 
MapisM said:
Blimey, that's an ultra vires action indeed, by the sound of it.
Just curious, did you but the berth before or after that change?
If the latter, I can understand why it's a battle you choose not to fight.
But if the first, I don't think I'm wrong in guessing that you won much harder battles...?
...though of course, whether it was worth or not, that's another matter altogether.
Click to expand...
Was after I bought my first Antibes berth in 2003, and before I bought my second berth in 2010. I checked which way the gun was pointing before pulling the trigger. There are many many folks who own berths as investments (these days to earn yield, not make capital gain) and the "ultra vires change" meant they lose ~30% of their rental income each year (as commission to the port). I only surrender my berth for say 25 days per year so I suffer less than most. Now, the port needs money big time and is increasing annual service charges substantially, but those increases are logically kept smaller if the port earns more from the 30% commissions from other people.
 
jfm said:
Port Vauban walk up fuel berth pricing is a bit punchy - so much so that I don't use it and don't know the price. I use a tanker and last week paid 1.19 euros for fully tax paid fuel, for 6000 litres
Click to expand...
Considering I paid €1.85/litre in Italy 2 years ago and €1.55 or thereabouts last year and this year, that's a very attractive price. Is this a reason to be on Mole Sud ie it being the only quay you can drive a tanker on to?

Any sign of the refinery strikes affecting marine diesel deliveries yet?
 
Portofino
Thanks for that. Very interesting. As I said I am very unlikely to purchase a lease on a berth especially overseas but your explanation has been very informative. Maybe when I win a 100 million on the euro lottery I could buy my own marina, until late then I will continue to get ripped off by the uk companies for my drystack at 4k a year. No wonder I don't have any money anymore.?
 
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