Berth Swap

[BGS]

I have a 15 meter boat at Mallorca and after three seasons would love to spend the summer in South of France or Sardinia/Corsica.

One of the problems in peak season is accessing moorings in these popular areas.

It seems to me that there must be lots of people in the same situation that don't want a permanent change but would love to have temporary home bases in other parts of the Med fir maybe a season or part season. Having spoken to my marina staff, it also seems possible that by prior arrangement, boat owners could agree with their marinas a temporary mooring swap albeit probably with a cost attached.

Does anyone have experience of this type of berth swap arrangement? Is it a possibility? Is there a wide level of interest if it was a possibility?

 

[MRC]

Following on from the above

I have a UK Southcoast 26M berth and would swap with a 20M Med berth for a season or two..... More chance of winning the Lotto I know...

 

[jfm]

I have a 15 meter boat at Mallorca and after three seasons would love to spend the summer in South of France or Sardinia/Corsica.

One of the problems in peak season is accessing moorings in these popular areas.

It seems to me that there must be lots of people in the same situation that don't want a permanent change but would love to have temporary home bases in other parts of the Med fir maybe a season or part season. Having spoken to my marina staff, it also seems possible that by prior arrangement, boat owners could agree with their marinas a temporary mooring swap albeit probably with a cost attached.

Does anyone have experience of this type of berth swap arrangement? Is it a possibility? Is there a wide level of interest if it was a possibility?

It's a good idea BGS. Id be interested (in principle I mean: our berth sizes don't work). I think some websites have tried to arrange this, including maybe the berthfinder section on this site, but I'm not sure. It definitely needs a website, or a bit of luck and a forum like this one

You say your boat is 15m but what is the absolute max boat LxW allowed on your berth?

 

[MRC]

Berth swapping

Does not work for the above boats but what about making a topic 'sticky' on a forum such as here?

 

[BGS]

Max on my mooring would be 16m. Still the principal seems to be of interest. As you say there seems to be a need. A website or forum group would be ideal. It would be interesting to know if anyone has actually swapped and what the marinas policies are. If many marinas were open to the idea it would be a fantastic way of securing a season in a new area and would take cost and Hadley out of setting off to explore new areas - and that is surely what boating is all about!

 

[Hurricane]

You'd have to take care with charter boats - Mat tax / VAT etc.

I dont think there is a problem going from Spain to France but the other way round might have problems.

Maybe they've learnt their lessons though - who knows.

 

[Nick_H]

BGS

I also might have been interested, but my boat is over 16m, although i'll pm you with a possible idea. Incidentally, there's a web site covering SoF called "resaports", which you can use to confirm that you can't get a berth anywhere you want to go for the next three nights. They sent me a survey a while back, and I suggested that they modify the site to allow berth swaps so that it could actually be of some use, but even if they were interested in doing so, I don't think the ports would allow it. They seem quite happy with the current system of drawing breath and shaking their heads.

The only reliable way we've found to get a berth is to have a baby on board and wave them in the air as you approach the port, but that's working out even more expensive than bribing the capitainerie staff, and i've no idea what we'll do with them if we sell the boat.

 

[Reds]

BGS

Incidentally, there's a web site covering SoF called "resaports", which you can use to confirm that you can't get a berth anywhere you want to go for the next three nights..

So true ! Sticking a bandage on one of the family works ( sometimes) .

 

[Andrew38]

I have a UK Southcoast 26M berth and would swap with a 20M Med berth for a season or two..... More chance of winning the Lotto I know...

I have a 50 foot mooring at MDL Sant Carles which I'd consider swapping if you could get on it! PM me if interested