Berthing overnight in the Med any suggestions?

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drtyrttnscndrl

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I’m new to this, but if you don’t ask….

If I can’t find any slots in the marinas should I just anchor in a sheltered area? Or should I go elsewhere. Boat measures 18m x 4.5m.

We are currently berthed in Port Vauban and had planned to visit some friends and berth at St Maxime for a couple of nights. I must have phoned the number on the official port website 20 times, left messages, filled in online forms with all the required information only to eventually find out that they no longer looked after the bookings. They gave me a different number, who told me they were full up. I’ve now tried Cogolin (full) and had a request in at St Tropez and Port Grimaud but haven’t heard anything back. Given the time of year (1st week in August) I suspect they will already be full up.

Any help appreciated.
 
From my experience, asking at the port in st Maxime, they have very few, if any, berths 16m + you can just turn up and use, st tropez don’t pre book berths below 18m, just rock up and call the office on vhf and wait just outside the port.
 
Usual thing in France/Spain is to just turn up and call up on the VHF channel on the big sign outside. Very often Ch 9.
If you don't get an answer, go and park on the fuel berth and wait until some one comes.
And if that does not work either and you don't want to stay next to the fuel pumps, pick a nice space somewhere.
By then usually some one will turn up and direct you to a parking space somewhere.
If not, you have found yourself a free parking space for the night - or longer.
 
The French are poor at replying .That’s normal .
As Chris says just turn up anytime after 3 pm . You can VHF , but muscle your way onto a fuel berth or visitors and get the Mrs to pop into the office with the papers , reg doc , insurance and passport.
Never used St Max , but used St Trop a few times , Cogolin and PG without booking or even VHF with a 14 m requiring a 4.5 beam berth .All high season .

As for anchoring St Max is the wrong side of the bay , it gets windy .The best shelter is St Trop to the S tucked into the headland near the cemetery.

Loadsa shoals and rock at the edges so study the charts and eyes peeled go slow if you don’t know it .

Entrance to Cogolin can be confusing due to slit from the Giselle .Follow some one similar size to you .
 
Planning and booking well in advance doesn't seem to work In most of the marinas in SoF. The reservation systems can work, but often only if the enquiry is made 24-72 hours before arrival and its still a bit hit and miss. The marinas are usually pretty full and so called "visitors" berths are often rented over the summer as well. The capitaineries don't have good visibility of vacancies until the last minute as regular occupants often don't give notice that they will be away. Having said that, my experience of just turning up and asking nicely is the same as others. They are usually helpful and will do what they can to find you a place at short notice. I would be careful about parking on the fuel dock for any length of time ... they're busy places, especially later in the day, and you will make yourself very unpopular ... and I would never enter a marina and just occupy a convenient space without it being allocated. Call ahead on the VHF, be pleasant and patient, and they will usually do their best.

If you have to anchor out, the south side of the Golfe de Saint-Tropez is a much better option than the north ... its far better protected from the prevailing winds and swell and much busier as a result. There are good places to the east and west of Saint-Tropez itself, but it is usually crowded. You may need to arrive, drop where you can and then reposition later once the day boats have left. Also, as mentioned above, in some areas the bottom goes from quite deep (25m), to quite shallow (<5m), to very shallow (<1m) very quickly. There are lots of rocks in the shallower areas so don't assume because there are local boats anchored during the day (usually on short scope) that its safe to put more chain out and stay overnight.
 
DAW said:
Planning and booking well in advance doesn't seem to work In most of the marinas in SoF. The reservation systems can work, but often only if the enquiry is made 24-72 hours before arrival and its still a bit hit and miss. The marinas are usually pretty full and so called "visitors" berths are often rented over the summer as well. The capitaineries don't have good visibility of vacancies until the last minute as regular occupants often don't give notice that they will be away. Having said that, my experience of just turning up and asking nicely is the same as others. They are usually helpful and will do what they can to find you a place at short notice. I would be careful about parking on the fuel dock for any length of time ... they're busy places, especially later in the day, and you will make yourself very unpopular ... and I would never enter a marina and just occupy a convenient space without it being allocated. Call ahead on the VHF, be pleasant and patient, and they will usually do their best.

If you have to anchor out, the south side of the Golfe de Saint-Tropez is a much better option than the north ... its far better protected from the prevailing winds and swell and much busier as a result. There are good places to the east and west of Saint-Tropez itself, but it is usually crowded. You may need to arrive, drop where you can and then reposition later once the day boats have left. Also, as mentioned above, in some areas the bottom goes from quite deep (25m), to quite shallow (<5m), to very shallow (<1m) very quickly. There are lots of rocks in the shallower areas so don't assume because there are local boats anchored during the day (usually on short scope) that its safe to put more chain out and stay overnight.
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What a great response, very useful, much appreciated.
 
markc said:
Another vote for Navily, we always use it - so easy.
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I may give that a go .To be fair In Italy( thread title says “ Med “ ) we thus far have simply emailed various marinas offices and they have efficiency got back with a yes or no .
This is a complete contrast to the CdA where the op was planning to cruise .

It ain’t busyness either .Genoa eg is busy with transiting boats all sizes because of the airport pick up / drop off facilities.

How ever in France as my initial post infered they blank you , e Mail , phone , and even VHF .

Once was in Porqurolle, typical family hols with little kids .Maybe first time in the Porto35 ? Went and booked 3 nights paid up front in the office there and then .Same berth .
Stinking hot so eager to explore by boat ( find a sandy beach ) we left our berth for a day out .I told the office “ is it ok to depart and return etc “ was given the ok .

Got back at tea time to find Fr yachties fighting to reverse into out empty berth .One did .Yes there were lads with radios in ribs etc .Made no difference.
We pulled up on a ferry berth temp empty and wife stormed into the office about 30 m away .Chap came out and put us on a temp visitors berth for 15 m boats , ours was a 12 ……but no shore power .We ran the geny .The other berth had a pedestal.
The next day we returned about 2 pm and found a berth on the jetty with the pedestal s .

Then watched to bun fighting from 4-6 pm .
Any comms “ call first system “ had broken down it was dog eat dog pretty much like French queues = mad rush scrum to the the front .

Now maybe just maybe with the vol of none French more gentrified boaters in and around CdA in some places regarding queues things have changed ?
But in Italy a predominantly Italian boater they are more cultured and gentrified with regards to queues and pushing in and awareness of others etc .
 
The other timing option you might want to consider is a howling up around 12 ish. As most berths are let until 12:00 people tend to get up and go between 10 and 12. So if you are earlier than the 5pm rush hour then you can stand a better chance. We have used this in St Tropez and it has never failed. My boat is 12m x 4m. Also getting in early means you can have a relaxing lunch before get ready for the fender filled fun hours when others arrive and nobody has seen your special berthing techniques. I once ended up sidewards on a berth in St Tropez. My wife thought it was hilarious and still mentions it. Mind you she has a soft spot for the St Tropez berth boys who help you out.
 
I will just add that I have never managed to get a reservation through any of the apps like portbooker.

But I did give up a few years ago, so may be things have changed in the meantime.
 
mcanderson said:
The other timing option you might want to consider is a howling up around 12 ish. As most berths are let until 12:00 people tend to get up and go between 10 and 12. So if you are earlier than the 5pm rush hour then you can stand a better chance. We have used this in St Tropez and it has never failed. My boat is 12m x 4m. Also getting in early means you can have a relaxing lunch before get ready for the fender filled fun hours when others arrive and nobody has seen your special berthing techniques. I once ended up sidewards on a berth in St Tropez. My wife thought it was hilarious and still mentions it. Mind you she has a soft spot for the St Tropez berth boys who help you out.
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St Tropez is the most helpful and efficient port I’ve used to date.
 
We arrived at St Maxime at around 5pm, I called the port about a mile away, gave them my details and a berth was available. I think I got lucky. A port guy in a RIB did his best to help direct us in to a very tight berth and after a few pirouettes around the channel I squeezed in with the help of a couple of dock side port guys managing the fenders of the boats either side. All very helpful.
 
Chris H said:
St Tropez is the most helpful and efficient port I’ve used to date.
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Considering it costs twice as much as Frejus and the guest berths for small boats are basically in the wash at port entry... at least they are efficient.

One tip for you just out of the marina there is a corner with food stalls etc organized all togheter - they sell excellent moules for 14 Euro or such, sorts out the problem of being ripped out in St.Tropez Restaurants very well.
 
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