Cartagena for winter?

[Yngmar]

Thinking about next winter. This one is a bit special, as we want to put the boat up for sale (unless we talk ourselves out of it). So proximity to an airport matters, and also security as the boat will likely be left alone for a couple months.

Prices in Portugal aren't that good anymore and we've already wintered there once, so new is always more interesting. Despite the crazy Spanish T5 and lighthouse taxes, we found Cartagena is in the running now (prices somewhere between Albufeira and Lagos). We've visited Cartagena for a few days in 2018 on the way into the Med and the marina seemed okay and the town was to our liking.

So my question is, did anyone winter there recently, as in the last winter? Generally the recent reviews are all positive, but I heard some grumblings about new management from cruisers we met coming from there. What's the situation?

The Ascar boatyard seems to allow DIY and living onboard, is this correct?

Cheers

 

[RO'D]

We spent last winter there and were very satisfied with the marina, the staff are very helpful and friendly and do keep a good eye on your boat. I would be happy to recommend it.
The town was good for us with a 10 and 12 year old but I'm guessing thats not your criteria!
The ascar boatyard do allow living aboard and working, but not applying your own antifoul....
Its a 1.5 hour drive to Alicante airport...

We are also thinking of selling but haven't settled upon a winter port yet, maybe in a wishful part of our minds we are thinking we will just step off the boat in October with a sale completed! Currently in Sardinia..
If I can help with any other queries , please ask

 

[Seastoke]

Why are you both selling

 

[sailaboutvic]

Yngmar , Howard there at the moment if you looking for info re fees.
Just be where hen asking for a price , there other add on .

 

[Yngmar]

RO'd: Thanks, very helpful, just the kind of answer I was hoping for. We have Coppercoat so won't need to antifoul other than maybe patching up a few small spots. Doubt it'll be as easy as stepping off the boat and handing over the keys. At the very least there's a lot of stuff to clear out and somehow haul across the EU!

Brixham Bound: New stupid ideas. We've done the stupid idea of sailing around for a number of years now.

Vic: Thanks, I got a quote as nobody can work out Spanish price lists with all the taxes flying around. Electricity + Water is not included, but it does include the IVA (VAT) and T5 and navigation ai taxes (which drive the price up a LOT, at first it looked like a bargain). You even pay IVA on top of the T5 tax as well, what the frog. Think Howard might have a mysterious steering fault soon where he won't be able to turn to starboard after leaving Gibraltar. Maybe he can blame the Orcas

 

[sailaboutvic]

RO'd: Thanks, very helpful, just the kind of answer I was hoping for. We have Coppercoat so won't need to antifoul other than maybe patching up a few small spots. Doubt it'll be as easy as stepping off the boat and handing over the keys. At the very least there's a lot of stuff to clear out and somehow haul across the EU!

Brixham Bound: New stupid ideas. We've done the stupid idea of sailing around for a number of years now.

Vic: Thanks, I got a quote as nobody can work out Spanish price lists with all the taxes flying around. Electricity + Water is not included, but it does include the IVA (VAT) and T5 and navigation ai taxes (which drive the price up a LOT, at first it looked like a bargain). You even pay IVA on top of the T5 tax as well, what the frog. Think Howard might have a mysterious steering fault soon where he won't be able to turn to starboard after leaving Gibraltar. Maybe he can blame the Orcas

I asked for a price for this coming winter before we sold and couldn't make heads or talls of it , lots of extras didn't tell us about.

The way Howard moving he be back in the UK before you know it .

 

[capnsensible]

My knowledge of the marinas there is rather dated, but the several Pitstone I made there impressed me a lot.

If you can be there for this, awesome!

Carthaginians and Romans Fiesta. 16/09/2022. Fiestas in Cartagena | spain.info in english

 

[RO'D]

Why are you both selling

We're approaching the end of a year off work / taken kids out of school, will be going back to full-time work and family life which really doesn't allow a lot of time for satisfactorily owning a boat. Have done it for the last 10 years so happy to press pause after a great year away and try new things for a spell.

 

[sailaboutvic]

There comes a time when we all have to

Why are you both selling

Everyone
call it a day for different reasons at some point.
We sold up in March with plains to move ashore for the coming year and maybe buy a much smaller boat next year to cruiser Northern Europe only in the summer months ,
We ended within being ashore for six weeks buying another boat and here we are cruising Northern Europe .