Balearic Sea

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slimmy123

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Hi there i'm new to this forum so hello all and thank you for looking at my thread.

I'm currently doing the dayskipper theory and have dayskipper practical next month with a plan to gain ICC. I would like some advice on travelling inbetween mallorca and ibiza please. The boat i plan on purchasing is a 2002 Searay 190 Sundeck powered by a Mercruiser 4.3L MPI 220Hp inboard petrol engine and driving it down to mallorca where my mom and dad have a villa, from there i plan on doing a couple of day trips from Palma to Eivissa beach to beach no marinas, i have a few questions i would answered if any one has the knowledge please,

1) How long does this trip take? i believe a ferry does it in 2 hoursish
2) Roughly how much petrol would a return trip cost?
3) Would it be ok doing it from beach to beach?
4) is this trip feesable on this kind of boat or would i need something bigger?
5) Any rules and regulations i should know?

I will probably learn alot of this while doing my courses and doing alot of trips on the english seas taking my boat out but mainly i dont want to purchase a boat that isn't upto the job.

Thank you in advance and any other information would be greatly recieved
 
4. this sort of trip requires a relatively large boat to plan, but can be completed by most craft in appropriate conditions.

put another way, I would not turn up expecting to be able to make the trip on a particular day with that, or similar boats.

I would make absolutely certain about where I was launching and mooring before I set off to tow down. I towed a 6.5m cuddy down to the mainland a couple of times and had good fun but booked berths 8 months in advance and paid to be craned in/out (no choice not allowed to use the slipway).

Just done some sums and you simply aren't going to have enough fuel to do this trip safely even one way in ideal conditions.

Reviewing what I said earlier I think I have given the impression that this might be on - realistically you might have 10 days in a year that would provide the sort of conditions that such a craft, in company and with fuel issues resolved, might make the trip. The real point I was trying to get over (badly) was that it's not a simple matter of getting a 2, 5 or even 10ft longer boat. Unless I have completely the wrong trip in mind I can't see any ferry making it in 2 hours (berth to berth)

Without doubt the best thing would be for you to discuss all the factors with your instructors as you learn both theory and practice.
 
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I for one would not be undertaking that trip in a 190 Sundeck - apart from anything else its around about 80 miles in distance - what is the fuel capacity of your boat? At 20 knots it would take you 4 hours, assuming the sea remains flat enough to keep up 20 knots and at a guess 80+ litres of fuel.

If you have got a trailer, take it over to Ibiza on the ferry, launch the boat somewhere, then go from Ibiza town over to Formentera and hope the sea is still calm enough to get back later on.
 
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lovezoo said:
I for one would not be undertaking that trip in a 190 Sundeck - apart from anything else its around about 80 miles in distance - what is the fuel capacity of your boat? At 20 knots it would take you 4 hours, assuming the sea remains flat enough to keep up 20 knots and at a guess 80+ litres of fuel.

If you have got a trailer, take it over to Ibiza on the ferry, launch the boat somewhere, then go from Ibiza town over to Formentera and hope the sea is still calm enough to get back later on.
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I have done this trip - most recently last week. I dont wish to rain on your parade but I agree the above. 19feet is way too small. It can be done of course but to do it safely needs an experienced crew, unusually good weahter, and proper fuel planning. In addition you can rarely do it beach to beach becuase most beaches are sealed off to motorboats by a line of yellow buoys to protect swimmers. You'd be much better just going round the coast in that boat, eg round from Palma to santa ponsa and andraitx, or down to es trenc if you fancy a long run. Or better still tow it to Cala D'Or and launch it there, then go to (and anchor off the beach in) anchor in places like Mondrago, Cala Mitjana and Cala Gran.

But don't do 80 mile trips. Be very aware that it is windy out there, nothing like it appears in boat brochures, and you can get into serious trouble with big waves in a 19 footer.
 
I would concur with JFM.

There are more than enough bays to explore on Mallorca to last you 5 seasons with that size of boat.

On average I cross that stretch of water 6 times a year and have done for the past 7 years. I have seen it like a mill pond but I have also seen it show its teeth a little.

The ferries do cross in quick time, quite often I have been overtaken by them going at 35+ knots.

My advice is learn how to pilot your boat before taking on an exercise like this.
 
Ibiza to Mallorca

I did this trip last week and it was very flat for the first 30 or so miles but agree we what has been said, you need a bigger boat form sure as the sea conditions are not as good as what you might assume from the coast and can get up at any time my advice get a bigger boat or trailer via the ferry,
 
Agree with other comments. You have so many nice bays and anchorages within 20nm of Palma that you have no need to risk an open sea passage in a boat as small as this. I have recently spent 5 seasons in Majorca and the wind/sea conditions can be unpredictable and often unforecasted so best not to risk it
 
I agree with the others, I did this trip Port Colon Mallorca to Botofoch Ibiza approx 85nm

We left early as the forcast was for west 4 which would be on our nose,(bearing was 240 from memory) first 20nm (at 20 knots) fine, then it started confused head seas, the computer showed our eta going from about midday to 5-6 pm as we were banging along off the plane, was'nt till we got in the relative shelter of Ibiza that we were able to get up speed again for the last few miles.

As others have said the sea state started off fine but once your 40 plus miles out your stuck with whatever its throwing at you
 
I concur with everyone else.

I have a 21 foot sea ray in mallorca and theres no way I would contemplate this trip without significant support from a more capable boat, and even then it would be an endurance event and not much fun, and still a lot of risk.

I've done the journey myself in a 34 foot sealine, and it was fine,but still took about 3.5 hours. Its not the sort of trip to do there and back in a day.

Just stick to the calas along the soyth west coast of mallorca, they're pretty good
 
julians said:
I concur with everyone else.

I have a 21 foot sea ray in mallorca and theres no way I would contemplate this trip without significant support from a more capable boat, and even then it would be an endurance event and not much fun, and still a lot of risk.

I've done the journey myself in a 34 foot sealine, and it was fine,but still took about 3.5 hours. Its not the sort of trip to do there and back in a day.

Just stick to the calas along the soyth west coast of mallorca, they're pretty good
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Ok,

I have done a similar trip in a slightly Larger Boat. I did Barcelona (Port Olympique) to Ciutadella (Menorca) in a Maxum 21ft Cuddy witha 4.3litre Merc. Firstly, it is a cuddy not a Bow Rider. Bow riders, however well driven, will ship water over the bow in large seas. A cuddy will shed it. If using an open bow boat buy a Centre Console with a self draining hull like a white shark 21.

Planning, waiting for the weather, brimming the tanks with fuel and having extra Jerry cans is key. We did it on one tank...just but it was flat calm. We just cruised at 21knts all the way and were very lucky. We set off in August at first light (about 7am) and got there just as the seas were blowing up. The key was patience.....waiting in the Marina for a slot. Also with one engine you will have no back up so we cruised with another slightly larger (26ft) cruiser. Just be aware that getting rope/nets wrapped around the prop in the middle of the Med and having to go over the side with a knife is a very scary thing to do!

In short, I would reconsider the boat, or re-appraise your cruising to Coastal only.

If you are going to do the trip, plan, plan some more, test out fuel consumption, take your boat out in big seas and see how she handles then go for it!

The year later we took a 24ft Chaparral Cruiser. Better hull, more weight, more room for equipment and it was a lot easier.

Now we have a fun 19ft Centre Console that we have put in big seas around Gibraltar and the Solent so know she is built for it. I would still not do it in her! However our 43ft Yacht I would do it....at 6kts.

Decide what you want the boat for (mainly) then buy a boat for that. All boats are compromises and just realise that.

Cheers

Paul
 
thanks all for the replys these were just what i was after. as i said its only a distant dream really so didnt even know if possible or not. i still plan on taking a boat down there but will take advise and stick to mallorca cruising for the time being to goin experiance and money for a bigger boat;)
 
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