Boating season is officially starting!

NGM said:
Agree some of the best days are during the quiet season months, sea conditions generally better. The Spanish tend to moth ball from Oct - April.
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My experience is more like Sept to June and they only use their boats in July and August which is such a shame.

There definitely seemed to be way more boat cleaners and menders than owners in evidence last week.

We're going back out in October for a long weekend and will mothball it until May I expect. This year I will be paying for it to be given a run once a month just to try and prevent inactivity issues occurring.
 
petem said:
Speaking to the marineros, they say the season is already completely over.
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Great news.
That means all the anchorages will be empty - and maybe there won't be any weed police.

We are off to Ibiza tomorrow.
Crossing won't be the best we have ever had but it is starting to look good for the next 7 to 10 days.
Unless it is uncomfortable pootling, we will probably take all day to cross.
Plan is to meet up with all the Sant Carles yachties and cruise round the Ibiza Calas over the next week or two.
If it pans out the way I think (hope), I will take some pics - maybe even fly the drone.
And, if successful, post the pics on here - if anyone is interested - that is.

A new Princess S65, based here in Sant Carles, will set off with us but they will be heading to Mallorca.
Might meet with them later.

Quite excited - this could be the end of season weather that we are looking for.
 
Hurricane said:
If it pans out the way I think (hope), I will take some pics - maybe even fly the drone.
And, if successful, post the pics on here - if anyone is interested - that is.
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As if it ever happened that we weren't... :cool:
Fair winds for the crossing! :encouragement:

PS: just a couple of hours ago, we had a great swim in 25 deg crystal clear and jellyfish-free water.
So, I'd expect Ibiza to be similar...
 
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The forecast for today was for high winds all day. So we arranged for the engine service, which went well. However, the entire morning was dead calm with the sea shimmering in the sun light. But the forecast still said strong winds, can’t these people even look out of the window when they make a forecast?
This is the beginning of my season when I have the sea to myself. The mornings are however very soggy which is a real nuisance but can’t complain :p going out tomorrow morning to make sure all went well with the service
 
Hi P! Thanks to you (and others) for posting pics, great to see some sunshine as it's pouring down here in Ireland beginning to get cold in the evenings... I reckon a week or two more and we'll finish for the season.

Oh well, can always dream of Med boating... some day, some day :D :D
 
Bit swelly today in Ibiza but nice here in San Miguel.
Spent the morning fixing our steering system.
It went haywire on the passage yesterday.
Turned out to be a leaking pressure valve.
But for a time we were without a helm.
Managed by balancing the engines and following the plotter manually.
Relaxing now and waiting for the fine weather over the next few days - hopefully!!!
 
Deleted User said:
Nice Rocna youve got on the front there. Is that something new or was it fitted by the boat builder? I'm a big fan of their anchor
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No, I replaced the useless Delta:( and chose the Rocna on the advice of you and others:)
It hasn’t let me down!
 
Bouba said:
No, I replaced the useless Delta:( and chose the Rocna on the advice of you and others:)
It hasn’t let me down!
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Good choice. I have found the Delta and the Bruce to be less than secure in many Med anchorages but I've never had a problem with the Rocna
 
I'm also considering the replacement of my 25Kg Delta, but according to Rocna sizing chart I should go for the 40Kg.
Which got me thinking if it isn't just a matter of size/weight, because even if a 40Kg anchor is likely to fit the bow roller, I'd rather stick to something a bit smaller. I mean, after all the current 25Kg Delta is NOT total rubbish in my experience, as long as I don't skimp on chain.

Hence the key question: did you guys experience an improvement with Rocna vs. Delta at the same size/weight, regardless of what their sizing chart suggested?
If not (or not much), I'm not sure it's worth the hassle, for my typical usage.
Btw, in the Rocna sizing chart they also suggest an 11mm chain for the 40Kg anchor, and I've got 10mm.
And also this makes me wonder if their claims on better performance vs. Delta aren't just size-driven...
 
Just catching up on forum posts.
We are anchored in Pujols Formentera.
Been doing a few days of more extreme than usual anchoring.
Our 55kg Rocna hasn't put a foot wrong - so to say.
This is just a lunchtime stop - moving further south for tonight.
Can't upload any pics at the moment
 
MapisM said:
I'm also considering the replacement of my 25Kg Delta, but according to Rocna sizing chart I should go for the 40Kg.
Which got me thinking if it isn't just a matter of size/weight, because even if a 40Kg anchor is likely to fit the bow roller, I'd rather stick to something a bit smaller. I mean, after all the current 25Kg Delta is NOT total rubbish in my experience, as long as I don't skimp on chain.

Hence the key question: did you guys experience an improvement with Rocna vs. Delta at the same size/weight, regardless of what their sizing chart suggested?
If not (or not much), I'm not sure it's worth the hassle, for my typical usage.
Btw, in the Rocna sizing chart they also suggest an 11mm chain for the 40Kg anchor, and I've got 10mm.
And also this makes me wonder if their claims on better performance vs. Delta aren't just size-driven...
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Rocna only suggest 40kg because that is the correct size for your boat. The vast majority of anchors/chains fitted by motorboat builders are undersized and only suitable for day anchoring in light wind conditions. If you want an anchor suitable for overnight anchoring in marginal wind conditions then the original anchor fitted is not heavy enough and very likely, the builder didnt fit sufficient length of chain or the correct dia either

When I bought my F630, it was fitted with a 40kg Delta. Based on my previous bad experience with Deltas on weedy bottoms in the Med, I dumped that immediately and had SL fit a 60kg Delta. Ferretti had fitted 70m of 12mm chain which I thought was sufficient but I later had Sacirn increase that to 120m just to be on the safe side. Despite that, I had at least 3 dragging experiences in Sardinia, 2 around the Maddalenas and a 3rd instance where the anchor dragged about 50m overnight in Caletta on the other side of S Pietro. That last experience spooked me because I always take care to set the anchor properly if I'm anchoring overnight and put out about 5x scope of chain

Based on good reports here and elsewhere, I decided to change the 60kg Delta for a 55kg Rocna so, yes I was going to a theoretically smaller anchor. Because I was a little unsure about whether that was a wise idea, I had Sacirn construct a cradle in my spoiler compartment to store the 60kg Delta and thats where it still sits today. I have not regretted my decision at all. I have not experienced one dragging situation with the 55kg Rocna despite the fact that it is lighter than my previous 60kg Delta. My only conclusion can be that it is a superior design of anchor at least for W Med conditions
 
petem said:
Is there anything more to say about anchors that hasn't already been said before!
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Absolutely! Anchors is an even more divisive and combustible issue than Brexit on these forums and, like Brexit, the issue of anchors will never go away;)
 
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