cheap marinas golfe de lion

[seatonic]

Does anyone know of a cheap marina between the spanish border and marseilles where we can layup a boat for a few months. We are currently heading there from spain and are looking for either a berth or a cheap haulout. Navy services at the end of the Rhone seem the cheapest so far.

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[charles_reed]

Try SAGA Capitainerie, Port Argelés, but you'll have to bargain. tel No is 0033 4 68 81 63 27. Armelle speaks English but Alao in Bigou is the boss and he'll only negotiate in French.

Winter rates attractive, but summer a no-no.

All the marinas in Languedoc-Roussillon quote the same rates which should be of interest to the EC Competition Commission.

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[Roberto]

I would hurry in booking the place: I heard post Am Cup award has sent spanish mediterr marina prices skyrocketing, and loads of boats heading north..

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[chrisc]

To haul out can recommend Port A Sec in Martigues. It is 2 M from the sea, Golf de Fos down a canal. Very good service, professional and was winter 2002-03 very cheap. (€ 800 for 11m boat for 7 months). They do have some visitors spaces in the marina a bit further in, managed by the same people. Rate does seem to be negotiable afloat, not ashore. Winter storage ashore is very popular and they do tend to fill up. Go there rather than believe what they tell you on the phone.

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[dpupn]

Just BEWARE Port napoleon!

Events which have occurred lead us to strongly recommend that every sailor avoid Port Napoleon until the management there has changed.

In August 2001, we paid in advance for our boat's first year of dry storage. We welcomed a discount Director Marc De Schutter granted us. When we left our sailboat our biggest worry was whether or not we had closed the gas bottle.

Over the last years, and particularly in 2003, we heard other boat owners in the yard complaining about De Schutter. Our first negative incident occurred in October. I walked by Mr. De Schutter and asked how he was, to which he responded, “Fine, except for journalists who want something for nothing.” The implication was that the discount he had given us was somehow contingent upon me writing something about his port. I then wrote the article which was published in the January issue of SSCA’s bulletin. My description of Port Napoleon was relatively favorable, but traces of problems I was intuitively feeling with De Schutter are detectable between the lines. De Schutter read and approved the article, which I sent to SSCA. Then problems really began for us.

First we received a bill for two weeks berth in the water, even though our boat was in dry storage. Then we received a bill for 660 Euros for the one month rental of a container which had cost us only 300 Euros three months earlier. When we asked about these erroneous bills, De Schutter’s altercations with us were offensive, insulting and edging on the criminal.

At this point, our boat was still dry-docked and not yet seaworthy. De Schutter declared in front of others that we weren’t paying our bills, even though we had always paid in advance. We then made the mistake of wanting to show good faith and paid three months in advance, even though we weren’t sure when the boat would be ready. Two days later we received a registered letter from De Schutter threatening to retroactively take away our discount for the last two years, making us suddenly owe over $1000! Angered and frustrated, we nevertheless were obliged to remain cordial, otherwise we risked not having our boat launched. Captured in a cradle on land, the only way we could splash was with the help of De Schutter’s travelift. One of the ways he traps his prey is by offering competitive prices and discounts so that boat owners are at his mercy once in dry storage.
Meanwhile, we discovered that other disgruntled clients had founded an association for the Defense and Protection of Patrons of Port Napoleon (DPUPN). Their primary goal is to oust Marc De Schutter. Over 50 other members were, figuratively, in the same boat and that more were joining ship every week.
Perhaps the most prominent Port Napoleon victim is the team of the French America's Cup yachts "Ville de Paris." In 2002 we felt honored to work next to these famous racing professionals. Thanks to DPUPN, we finally understood the abrupt, panicky departure of both racing yachts those months before: They also received inflated bills which made ours look like a drop in the bucket!
It goes without saying that De Schutter refused to refund the money that we had paid in advance. Other than that, I am glad to announce that we escaped the scene relatively unscathed with the help of fate and friends. If the frightening testimonies we heard from members of the association are even half true, not everyone was so lucky.
DPUPN now has its own website, where you can inform yourself better about the current situation in Port Napoleon.
www.portnapoleon.com


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[charles_reed]

Merci bien, m\'sieu

I have a minute, similar problem with Antibes.

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[kliever]

Disapointing reading, I plan to arrive P. Napoleon in a month or so to raise mast also require a lift for antifoul and scrub off of anodes. Any alternatives?
John R

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[Pandion]

Try www.navyservice.com
I lifted the boat there for a scrub, and recived very good service at a cheaper price than what Port Napoleon could offer.
Unfortunately my mast was delivered (after transport from Travemunde) to Port Napoleon, so that part I had to do there...
PS: Bring mosquito nets....

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