Berths Mediteranean

[Foxboater]

Hi, I have a 35' motor boat and looking to relocate to the Med permanently, Benalmadena is the marina of interest... question is.. It seems that you need to purchase your berth, is this the case or can you rent a berth on an annual basis? Thanks

 

[julians]

Can't speak specifically for benalmedina, but typically in other Spanish marinas, yes you can rent a berth annually if the marina in question has the berths available.

 

[Foxboater]

Hi, I have a 35' motor boat and looking to relocate to the Med permanently, Benalmadena is the marina of interest... question is.. It seems that you need to purchase your berth, is this the case or can you rent a berth on an annual basis? Thanks

Hi, thank you

 

[Hurricane]

We have been in Sant Carles (between Valencia and Barcelona) since it opened - 14 years ago.
Sant Carles is managed by the MDL (the UK marina chain) and as a result has a good British community.
In my experience, you should be able to rent or buy.
Buying isn't strictly true - think of it as a very long term rent.

In Sant Carles the "concessions" (the term that is used in Spain for the longer rentals) were initially for 30 years.
When that period is finished, the marina will re-negotiate the site with the government or organisation who owns the land and then offer fresh "concessions" to the berth holders.
When Sant Carles was built, we had some very good prices but I'm sure that is common for other marinas with long term leases to offer.
I can't remember exactly but our 20m (floating pontoon) berth was about £75,000 for 30 years.
The marina was a year late opening but that was still very good price.
On top of that, we pay a service charge.
14 years ago, our 20m berth service charge started at just under £2000 pa
Now it is a little under £2500 pa

In most marinas, some long term berth holders don't have boats to put on their berths so they sublet.
Over the last few years, the Spanish have had a really bad recession so these empty berths have been offered as very good prices.
In a lot of cases the long term berth holders just wanted to cover their service charges.
As a result, you can often find really cheap berthing.

So, if you approach the marina directly, you will get one price.
But if you can find one of the long term berth holders who is keen to sublet their berth, you will find some extremely good prices.
Of course, the original contract with the marina has to have the ability to sublet.
In the case of Sant Carles, the main berth holder has to pay the service charge so, in this case, when you are subletting from a long term berth holder you won't be paying any service charges (they will be included in your price).
I am not familiar with the prices for 12m berths but I would expect to be able to pick one up for £2000 to £3000 pa including service charges.
I know of people paying £3500 pa for a 15m berth and under £4000 for a 20m berth - both examples including all the electricity and water that they want.
Prices that would be unheard of in more expensive places like Mallorca or the South of France.

Well, that is my experience in Sant Carles so if you don't get that kind of deal, you know where to come.

 

[KINGFISHER 9]

I bought a 30 year lease on a 12m (waterline length) which costs me the equivalent of 830 euros a year plus service charge. I paid 25000 euros. Port St.Cyprien, Pyrenees-Orientales, France. I've had it for 5 years and the bloke next door has just sold the remaining 22 years of his lease for 23000 euros after being there for 8 years ... all looks good to me!

 

[Foxboater]

We have been in Sant Carles (between Valencia and Barcelona) since it opened - 14 years ago.
Sant Carles is managed by the MDL (the UK marina chain) and as a result has a good British community.
In my experience, you should be able to rent or buy.
Buying isn't strictly true - think of it as a very long term rent.

In Sant Carles the "concessions" (the term that is used in Spain for the longer rentals) were initially for 30 years.
When that period is finished, the marina will re-negotiate the site with the government or organisation who owns the land and then offer fresh "concessions" to the berth holders.
When Sant Carles was built, we had some very good prices but I'm sure that is common for other marinas with long term leases to offer.
I can't remember exactly but our 20m (floating pontoon) berth was about £75,000 for 30 years.
The marina was a year late opening but that was still very good price.
On top of that, we pay a service charge.
14 years ago, our 20m berth service charge started at just under £2000 pa
Now it is a little under £2500 pa

In most marinas, some long term berth holders don't have boats to put on their berths so they sublet.
Over the last few years, the Spanish have had a really bad recession so these empty berths have been offered as very good prices.
In a lot of cases the long term berth holders just wanted to cover their service charges.
As a result, you can often find really cheap berthing.

So, if you approach the marina directly, you will get one price.
But if you can find one of the long term berth holders who is keen to sublet their berth, you will find some extremely good prices.
Of course, the original contract with the marina has to have the ability to sublet.
In the case of Sant Carles, the main berth holder has to pay the service charge so, in this case, when you are subletting from a long term berth holder you won't be paying any service charges (they will be included in your price).
I am not familiar with the prices for 12m berths but I would expect to be able to pick one up for £2000 to £3000 pa including service charges.
I know of people paying £3500 pa for a 15m berth and under £4000 for a 20m berth - both examples including all the electricity and water that they want.
Prices that would be unheard of in more expensive places like Mallorca or the South of France.

Well, that is my experience in Sant Carles so if you don't get that kind of deal, you know where to come.

Hi, Many Thanks for your reply, very informative and I will look into Sant Carles too, I don't really mind where I go, I chose Benalmadena simply because an old friend had a boat there and we visited a few times.
Much appreciated and we'll see how it goes! Thanks again

 

[Foxboater]

I bought a 30 year lease on a 12m (waterline length) which costs me the equivalent of 830 euros a year plus service charge. I paid 25000 euros. Port St.Cyprien, Pyrenees-Orientales, France. I've had it for 5 years and the bloke next door has just sold the remaining 22 years of his lease for 23000 euros after being there for 8 years ... all looks good to me!

Thank you for your reply, it's good to see the price differences in the berths... they certainly vary! Thanks again

 

[Andy Bav]

Hi, Many Thanks for your reply, very informative and I will look into Sant Carles too, I don't really mind where I go, I chose Benalmadena simply because an old friend had a boat there and we visited a few times.
Much appreciated and we'll see how it goes! Thanks again

We had an out of season (non boating) week in Benalmadena and thought the area around the marina was brilliant for restaurants etc.

We looked at the marina outside the main "pool" and thought it looked rather exposed to the elements to the extent that we agreed spending any time on board, when it was blowing, would be pretty uncomfortable at best..

As I say, we were out of season (late March) so may have caught it at a bad time.

Good luck in your search, and I am sure there are many on the forum that can give you good and bad opinions about most med marinas.

 

[mcanderson]

Here is a link to the rates - Rates

 

[Foxboater]

Hi, I have 2 children in their late teens, are there many restaurants etc in the near town or near the marina at Sant Carles, I appreciate there are maybe less than Benalmadena, but just curious if there are many?! Thanks

 

[Hurricane]

Hi, Many Thanks for your reply, very informative and I will look into Sant Carles too, I don't really mind where I go, I chose Benalmadena simply because an old friend had a boat there and we visited a few times.
Much appreciated and we'll see how it goes! Thanks again

Oh - I thought that you were looking particularly that far south.

Here's the MDL promotional video.

In Sant Carles, we have a berth holders forum - run by berth holders for berth holders.
Use it to check Sant Carles out.
You can join it - it is free to all.
I've written the web software but other members help with the forum management.
Just visit www.scmchat.com and register.
One of our team will approve you - usually within a few hours.
And you can see what we all think of the place.
Once into SCMCHAT, there are webcams, virtual tours, AIS maps of our fleet and all the usual discussions you get from a forum.
We recently revamped the software to work responsively so it works as well (but differently) on a mobile as it does on a desktop machine.
And no annoying advertisements - it is funded by voluntary donations.
Think of it as a kind of club where people meet when they aren't in Spain on their boats.

Alternatively, justy PM me and I will help where I can.

 

[Andy Bav]

Hi, I have 2 children in their late teens, are there many restaurants etc in the near town or near the marina at Sant Carles, I appreciate there are maybe less than Benalmadena, but just curious if there are many?! Thanks

There is a vast difference between the two. Benalmadena is an in your face tourist resort catering for many holidaymakers. Sant Carles, is more of a local town catering for Spanish holidaymakers, and now large influx of other nationalities from the marina, but is much more low key.

I am still working, so dont visit for as long as we would like, but it seems we are introduced to another hidden away gem of a restaurant by those that stay for much longer, everytime we visit. We relocated there 5 years (our youngest was 18) and love it but for teenagers the locale may not have the "buzz".

It is worth a road trip down that coast if you are considering the Spanish mainland only - but for this year that may be limited to a Google earth virtual fly by...

 

[Foxboater]

Hi, many thanks for the information, I'll let you know if we decide to go! Thanks again

 

[kashurst]

Hi, I have 2 children in their late teens, are there many restaurants etc in the near town or near the marina at Sant Carles, I appreciate there are maybe less than Benalmadena, but just curious if there are many?! Thanks

If you have teenage children, a partner etc - have a good look at berthing in Alicante or close by. Plenty to keep everyone busy and not stupidly expensive

 

[Clancy Moped]

3 winters in Port Vell BCN, I would definitely go back.

 

[DavidJ]

Have a look at Empuriabrava. Great cruising ground just 10 mins away. £5000 pa rent for my S37 incl water, elec (I have a/c) parking, shower/toilet block.

if you have a spare million you can park your boat outside your villa

 

[Foxboater]

There is a vast difference between the two. Benalmadena is an in your face tourist resort catering for many holidaymakers. Sant Carles, is more of a local town catering for Spanish holidaymakers, and now large influx of other nationalities from the marina, but is much more low key.

I am still working, so dont visit for as long as we would like, but it seems we are introduced to another hidden away gem of a restaurant by those that stay for much longer, everytime we visit. We relocated there 5 years (our youngest was 18) and love it but for teenagers the locale may not have the "buzz".

It is worth a road trip down that coast if you are considering the Spanish mainland only - but for this year that may be limited to a Google earth virtual fly by...

Hi, just out of interest did you lease your berth or rent annually? thanks

 

[Foxboater]

Have a look at Empuriabrava. Great cruising ground just 10 mins away. £5000 pa rent for my S37 incl water, elec (I have a/c) parking, shower/toilet block.

if you have a spare million you can park your boat outside your villa

At the moment I feel like I haven't got a spare £100 !!

 

[Andy Bav]

Hi, just out of interest did you lease your berth or rent annually? thanks

Rent annually from Marina

 

[Hurricane]

Hi, I have 2 children in their late teens, are there many restaurants etc in the near town or near the marina at Sant Carles, I appreciate there are maybe less than Benalmadena, but just curious if there are many?! Thanks

There have been enough restaurants in Sant Carles to keep us happy for the last 14 years.
Even during the lock downs.
I was out there last week having helped deliver a boat from Cala d'Or in Mallorca.
I know it is strange times but there were actually more restaurants open in Sant Carles that in Cala d'Or.
Plenty to choose from as well - SC is located at the mouth of the River Ebro on the Ebro Delta - where all the Spanish rice is grown for their Paellas.
The Delta forms a massive lagoon just outside Sant Carles Marina so lots of fresh seafood - some grown in the lagoon.
The lagoon is about 7 liles long by a mile and a half wide and 6m deep.
Good holding throughout the lagoon.
Inside the lagoon you are protected from the open sea so there aren't many days when you can't just pop out and drop the hook.
For kids, the lagoon is a paradise for water toys - water skiing etc.
There are even a few restaurants (on stilts) in the lagoon.
The marina has its own swimming pool and the scenery is not typically Spanish. The town being located behind a small mountain range (The Montsia).
These pics taken last week in the lagoon - you can see the Montsia and town are in the background.
And notice that there was hardly a ripple.



This is the new boat (to our marina) that we collected last week.



10 secs after that last one we got swamped.
I hope that the new owner doesn't mind me posting the pics.
I was in my tender - just after taking these pics, I returned to the marina - the new owners popped over to a favourite anchorage and had a quick swim before returning the boat to its new home berth.