Buoys in the Balearics: Boat Size?

[SwedeSkipper]

Planning the routes for the coming summer, our second summer in Mallorca. I would love to do Menorca. Fornells looks great.

Last year we never used any of the buoys that you can reserve via www.balearslifeposidonia.eu. We only did day anchoring, as I never managed to reserve a buoy.

What about boat size? It seems there is a limit to 15 meters length if you look at the maps in the web site. However in other information there are references to allowing larger boats at bouys at winds less than 12 knots. Or, if you're a 15+m boat, you need to rely on your anchor?

Also the reservation systems doesn't seem to work. Surely not all buoys would be taken in mid March, as indicated when I try to make a reservation?

Do any of you have experience from reserving and using these buoys?

 

[Hurricane]

Last summer in Menorca, we picked up a buoy labelled 15m (we are 20m)
It was early in the season and they were laying the buoys all round us.
We expected them to throw us off but they didn't and they didn't charge us either.
Maybe it was too early in the season - mid June

 

[SwedeSkipper]

Last summer in Menorca, we picked up a buoy labelled 15m (we are 20m)
It was early in the season and they were laying the buoys all round us.
We expected them to throw us off but they didn't and they didn't charge us either.
Maybe it was too early in the season - mid June

No need for reservation at that time of the year

 

[pan]

Have just returned from Mallorca, can definitely assure you hardly any mooring buoys were being used, never mind reserved! The reservation system is notoriously unreliable, often we found they were all booked in high season (presumably by the idiots that think it's clever to simply block book anything & everything, just in case) but usually found spare buoys when we got there, the rule is if the booker has not arrived by 18.00hr, you can take it (if they arrive late they will try it on and demand you give it to them, my response was usually a polite s*d off!

As they are islands, a bit of weather watching and you can generally find a suitable sheltered sandy bay (don't anchor in seaweed!) for overnight anchoring anyway, I hate pre-planning too much!

 

[SwedeSkipper]

Thanks Pan,
If that's your boat in the avatar, I assume the 15 m limit is not strictly enforced.

 

[pan]

Yes that's us… no they don't strictly enforce, but they do advise if wind speed passes 17/18kts they accept no responsibility! Wouldn't expect to get anywhere legally with them anyway, personally I would probably shift to a more protected bay & anchor (usually you can find somewhere suitable within 30 mins in a power boat) Although mooring buoys should be more secure than anchor, I use the same principals for either (I know my anchor/chain is maintained, not so sure of the mooring buoys!)