First Steps to Checking the Med

[Deleted User YDKXO]

(mind you, being Easyjet, he looked about 16)

.
Even more scary if they're female and look no older than your stepdaughter

I'm a big fan of Easyjet

Me too. I've done 30+ flights with Easyjet this year and all but one arrived on time and the one was late 'coz it couldn't land due to poor weather. Average age Easyjet fleet 4 yrs, average age BA fleet 13yrs sort of tells its own story. Now that Easyjet have introduced allocated seating, no reason to fly with anyone else IMHO

 

[pan]

+1 easyjet

 

[Hurricane]

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Even more scary if they're female and look no older than your stepdaughter


Me too. I've done 30+ flights with Easyjet this year and all but one arrived on time and the one was late 'coz it couldn't land due to poor weather. Average age Easyjet fleet 4 yrs, average age BA fleet 13yrs sort of tells its own story. Now that Easyjet have introduced allocated seating, no reason to fly with anyone else IMHO

I have to say that Ryanair are good on reliability as well - I know they play their annoying little "ditty" when the land but it is only because THEY CAN
We've used BA a couple of times from Heathrow to Barcelona - every time they have been late leaving - and when I say late - I mean 3 hours late.
The only time Ryanair let us down was during that ash cloud and it was the return flights so it just meant we had to stay there !!

 

[Hurricane]

Sant Carles will be one of the cheapest marinas in the W Med for long term mooring, just don't expect similarly cheap overnight mooring charges in other marinas. You could be paying €100+ per night in many marinas and more in the hotspots such as Ibiza. Some Med marinas are keen to attract long term berthers with low rates but they're happy to shaft you for overnight rates. Also you will definitely need to buy a pasarelle (and aircon) and learn how to stern-to moor because nearly every other marina in the Med only has stern to mooring. Apart from that, just do it. We moved to the Med in 2003 after many years boating in the UK and we wouldn't go back

Sant Carles this year have teamed up with 16 other Catalonia marinas. The deal is that you get one free night in each marina as long as you make your home berth available for rent whilst you are away.
I know a couple of people who have taken up the deal and it, essentially, worked for them.
There is a recent report/post on our marina forum by Pete and Jeanette who used to post here but now have a sailing boat that they keep at Sant Carles. They have just done a late season cruise from SC to Barcelona - calling in at some of the "free nights" ports on the way.

Our late season cruise was down to Denia for about 10 days - called in at Valencia on the way back.

 

[BartW]

I have to say that Ryanair are good on reliability as well

I became a fan myself,
usually they are in a smaller airport, quicker and close to the carpark,
I like their efficient way of boarding, especially as I alway's book first row seats (or emergency exit)
all much quicker than any other low cost company
but then you need the right destination / departure airport, otherwise you don't have the option,
and that's a big advantage for you guys, who can departure from London....(much more options I think)

I'm aware there are not many Ryanair fans on here

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Sant Carles this year have teamed up with 16 other Catalonia marinas. The deal is that you get one free night in each marina as long as you make your home berth available for rent whilst you are away.

Good idea. I would have liked to have seen that in the Balearics

 

[Hurricane]

Good idea. I would have liked to have seen that in the Balearics

I asked our marina manager if he could do something like the Catalonia marinas in the Balearics.
The answer was a definite NO - the island marinas "won't play ball".
He does have some contacts over there but it seems that the mainland marinas and the island ones are in completely different leagues.

However, using his contacts, this year he was able to help us negotiate two great berths.
The one in Alcudia was £1800 for the month of June inc all taxes, water and electricity (22m berth).
The one in Denia that he also helped us get wasn't particularly cheap but it was in a fantastic location.

This is, actually, one of the good points about Sant Carles.
MDL's UK influence I suppose.
Berthing there gives a "kind of" security that there are people around to help - not only with the language barrier but also with genuine problems.

For example, SWMBO seems a little "accident prone" which has involved some hospital trips.
Sant Carles Marina has emergency procedures where it helps where it can.
One such trip to the hospital, the marina manager stayed with us until we were released.
Another example, a well known sailing celebrity fell off his boat and badly broke his leg - again the marina helped him through the hospital process.
These procedures also extend to the boats - we have had examples where boats have become in need of immediate lifting out of the water.
The marina will "turn out" their boatyard staff at any time to lift a stricken boat into the yard.

All this gives us a sense of security whilst we are away in a foreign country.

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

I keep hearing good things about S Carles and not just from you, H. I think if I was in a position to take extended periods on my boat, as you seem to be, I would definitely consider S Carles as a base. Btw, did you ever have a chat to the owner of the Elegance 64 you parked next to in Alcudia?

 

[Hurricane]

I keep hearing good things about S Carles and not just from you, H. I think if I was in a position to take extended periods on my boat, as you seem to be, I would definitely consider S Carles as a base. Btw, did you ever have a chat to the owner of the Elegance 64 you parked next to in Alcudia?

Ahh yes - he turned up for a few days just before we left.
Nice family - have a villa in Mallorca as well - just north of Palma so the boat is one side of the island and the villa the other.
Don't think they go out much and they are in the middle of grand children so their kids use the boat as a holiday retreat.
Looks a comfortable boat - the Elegance.

 

[blueseaboating]

I have kept my boat in the Med for the past 15 years & would be only too happy to give any advice that I may have.
My boat is a Fairline Targa 10 metre,1988.
She is fully coded to MCA category 2 (60 miles offshore) and currently for sale due to my relocation to the Caribbean.
She is for sale with a Website and charter operation based in Murcia.
This is ideal for a boat enthusiast looking to 'live the dream' & work the summer months in the Med.
She is currently being fitted with exchange Duo Prop outdrives and engines overhauled ready for next season.
She is an ideal 'liveaboard'.
Good luck.

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Ahh yes - he turned up for a few days just before we left.
Nice family - have a villa in Mallorca as well - just north of Palma so the boat is one side of the island and the villa the other.
Don't think they go out much and they are in the middle of grand children so their kids use the boat as a holiday retreat.
Looks a comfortable boat - the Elegance.

Thanks