Berthing in Mallorca

[Guest]

Thinking of buying a boat in Mallorca. Concerned about finding a berth there.

Has anyone any experience of berth availability there? Boat is 13.09 x 4.01m. What kind of cost?

Is it any easier on Spanish coast?

Might bring it back to the UK. Anyone else done that? Any suggestions? Take it to Spain or France and then overland? Or all the way by sea?

 

[jfm]

Re: put it on a ship

Dunno about berths. Others hereabouts do.

Re transport, again others on this BB have done it so can advise better. But transport by road means dismantle radar arch etc and possibly some bumps and damage. Sailing it is a big trip. Have a look at www.sevenstar.nl, they will ship transport it so no dismantle of radar arch. Costs nearly same as lorry, about £4500 ish for your boat I believe

 

[Guest]

Re: STOP and get a berth

If a broker can possibly sell you (ar anyone) a boat WITHOUT selling a berth, they will, so be careful. You may spend all your time trying to find a berth. Med berths are very much indemand, doubled in price at least over five years. The main term or condition for anyone buying a boat in the Med (and in some place in the UK)is the berth, not the boat, IMHO. Say : "I will buy this boat IF I can keep it in xyz marina".

Most if not all brokers own some berths. Some that they do not own are "controlled" by them: they can't really sell boats without having somewher to put it - except if someone thinks that they can park "anywhere" and that all the empty spaces are "going begging". They aren't and almost no new marina have been built in last ten years in comparison with previous twenty, for example.

You may be able to buy a berth, as we did. The broker didn't own it but he sold to me on the understaning that he could manage the berth, and have the voting rights. This means he gets 12% of the berthing fee if we rent it out - they usually charge the same rate as the marina would, but undercut the marina agency fee of 15-20%.

Berthing demand has meant that berths for sale 12months ago at (say) 80k are now for sale at 108k, a net increase for the seller after comision of 20%. This is for a 20year contract in south of france, plus service charge. I wd epect Mallorca sdo be more expensive, cos they are usually 30 years. A fried was offered a 30-year for £150k a whuile back in Puerto Portals, got on a plane to do the deal but was gazumped to over £250k. These price rises are at the level where you have to "over-pay" to get in, because "a good price" berth will evaporate since it will go up in the time it takees to orghainse the paperwork, as above...

With ownership or control of a boat, the broker can sell a boat (praps a new boat, praps not) to someone who does as I wd do and say "I will buy this boat if I can keep it i this marina". To which the broker will say "yes, I can orgainse a one-year contract". Towards the end of the year he can (and often will) give one months notice during which boatowner flies down to remostrate and drive around other marinas who will put him on the waiting list at number 93, posts on bulletin board complaining, shouts that he was there first, all to no avail. Some cry foul that the lowest-spending berth renters (who use no service, do the antifoul themselevs etc) get chucked out, but simple economics. Who would you chuck out, the guy who buys new every 2-3 years, or the bloke with a 20year old boat?

Marinas in Barcelona, and all along s coast of france are full of boats that were sold without demanding berth, or of poeple who have got chucked out of their first-choice marina.

Naturally, you will be fine to buy the boat now and keep it in the water until new season, often April 1st. But after that the owner may want his boat in there instead of on land. Worst cases, bertholders don't get granted a one- year contract but a more expensive "monthy" contract, have to leave mallorca cos can't find berth and so on.

Before buying a boat is the only time at which you are in a strong position, berth-wise . The broker wil be able to pull favours to get someone a space for the coming season, even if the marina says there is "no space" cos the berth-owners don't care who is in the berth.

The sellers of berths often want lots of sale price to be in cash, to evade tax, and nobody weant to sel now cos they'll get a pile of unhideable pre-euro currency. Also, ensuring that there's loads of cash means that on paper the berths are actually worth half what they actually fetch. Handy in twenty years time, when an extension or renewal from the local authories would be based on the paper price, not the actual eh?

 

[ChrisW]

There are many marinas on Mallorca. The most expensive being funny enough being Pollensa followed closely by Puerto Portals. One of the more affordable ones is Arenal even though this more of a german speaking area this marina has good facilities and all the people I have spoken too who have used it are very happy there. It is close to the airport so thats another plus point.To buy a mooring on Mallorca is always an investment. However many marinas are getting very funny about the beam of a vessel. You also have to enquire about the lenght of the eremaining lease. Andratx for example only has one year left. Also some Marinas charge you a joining fee. Some Marinas will enter you as owner by writing you into the local register others such as Club de Mar give you shares.

For current prices here are some examples:

Alcudia 14 x 4,5 Pts 28.000.000

Adriano 14 x 4,2 Pts 38.000.000

C'an Pastilla 15 x 5 DM 450.000

Club de Mar 15 x 4,3 Pts 39.800.000

Puerto Portals 15 x 5 £ 350.000

If you just want to rent a berth call the Marinas direct and they can advise you.

If you have any more question mail me as I am out here in Mallorca working inthe brokerage business I might be able to pass on relevant numbers.

ChisW