Italy

[jubilate]

Does anyone have any experience of keeping a boat in Italy: in particualarly good marinas near with access to an airport. I would like to know how hard it is to get a berth and what the mooring fees are like.

Thanks

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[masterofnone]

Try mirabriani, I beleive he's in Trieste.

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[boatmike]

I have been researching this a bit for my trip next year. Italy appears to be relatively cheap in comparison while Sardinia and Corsica are less so. I'm not an expert though. ITALIAN WATERS PILOT by Rod Heikell has a lot of good info. Chrissie present?

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[tcm]

Re: metabarca

speaks fluent italian and he is based in trieste. He also has fab links through to relevant italain boating sites as well...

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[hrsailor]

Hi We have been on the South coast of France and northern Italy for the last few years. We planned to go out to the boat over the summer months and move from marina to marina, leaving the boat for 2 - 6 weeks at a time. This has proved very difficult to do, especially in July and August. Generally less difficult over the winter. Altho there are a number of very large marinas they are alway "full" and not as cheap as you might think. We are currently near La Spezia (which we love) but need to move on. Let me know if you want more details. Brian

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[jubilate]

Thanks for your information. What sort of charges do the marinas make? Is it difficult to get a berth? Have you enjoyed a warm welcome?

Thanks



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[Metabarca]

Here I be! The coast between Livorno and Sanremo is going to be very expensive; probably a bit cheaper the further south you go. Some forumites have spoken well of the marina near Ostia, Rome. Adriatic coast: not much till you get to the north but where I live, Trieste, there are a number of marinas at very reasonable rates. Im now with a yacht club and pay only a few 100 euros p.a. for the mooring, but the commercial marinas are still cheap by UK standards. In particular I can recommend Nautec in Monfalcone (see my site for a link), where you can expect to pay 1200 to 2000 euros p.a. depending on size of boat. There are 2 or 3 other small marinas in the same canal (20 mins to the sea), offering usual services and good craftsmanship. Although Monfalcone is no great shakes (on the front line in WW1) Trieste is just 20 mins away and Venice about 1 hour. Lots to see and it's just 10 mins from Trieste airport (Ryanair daily). They speak a little English. The owner is Austrian. Finding a berth should be no problem, I think - I can put in a word for you or show you round. It's a peaceful place with lots of trees, a bar and some picninc tables. Good shower block.There are plenty of other options too in the area.
Usual caveats: satisfied customer, no relation.

<hr width=100% size=1>Adriatic links here: <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.comoy.com/saillinks.html>http://www.comoy.com/saillinks.html</A><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by Metabarca on 22/11/2004 08:16 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[bobd]

We've landed in Alghero,Sardinia this year,originally heading for Rome.Having not cruised some of this island & any of Corsica,we decided to stay the winter here,this being an ideal centre for next year.Alghero is a jewel of a town,lots to see & do all year,excellent anchorages nearby,a small band of Brits to make you welcome.Ryanair daily to Stanstead 10 mins taxi away.6 months winter(14m) 1400e approx,other months reasonable,but as seems usual in Italy,July & August are scary.More info.available if you need it.

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[charles_reed]

Italy, though it has a long coastline is relatively badly off for harbours.

The leisure boating market is far less developed than France or the UK, so surprisingly cheap mooring can occasionally be found, but during the season you have to be prepared to anchor because there are not a lot of spare berths and no compulsion, unlike the French, to keep some clear for transiting yachts.

As has already been suggested, N Sardinia, with regular cheap flights into fertilia airport has to be considered. Alghero is comparitively expensive, but there is quite a pleasant marina at fertilia (but don't fill up with diesel there). Stintino, in summer, has a large, unadopted outer harbour and regular buses to the airport with probably the best cruising in the Med around maddalena archipelago and that NE corner of the island.

The Tuscan coast is desperately short of berthing, but farther south one can usually find a rafted berth alongside in one of the 2 branches of the tevere with cheap flights into Ciampino and more convenient full-price ones into Fiumicino.

The bay of Naples is desperate - all the anchorages are beset with damnable ferries' wakes and most of those in Rod's pilot are very iffy. Only 2 decent marinas both in Procida.

farther S, where virtually no-one goes, you have good berthing in Salerno (fly into naples and catch a train) and that Amalfitana coast is fantastic with lots of pleasant ports like accariola, round the corner.

probably the best run marina in Italy is in Gaeta - not cheap and usually booked to the eyeballs but Gaeta bay always makes for reasonably good sailing and is where the Star championships are held.

Most Italians drive RIBs or powerboats and at weekends favoured anchorages are wall-to-wall anchored parking for these devices. Fortunately they go home at nightfall.

In terms of well-appointed marinas few exist, France is far better provided and they are far cheaper than the few Italian ones, but if you're prepared to rough it in ports with FVs and anchor most nights during the season, Italy makes for quite pleasant cruising.

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[charles_reed]

You have a mirror impression

I can assure U that sardinia is far cheaper, with more decent anchorages than the mainland coast, I've been round the Tyrrehenian for the last 2 years and Rod's pilot is adequate rather than good.
Part of the problem is that things are changing so fast and a number of the entries are based upon out of date information or, frankly, hearsay.

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[Metabarca]

Charles,
Your comment about Italians mainly driving motorboats, and the fact that France has better facilities is undoubtedly true, but luckily in my corner (east of Venice, that is), things are different. Trieste is definitely sail-oriented: indeed, the two main clubs in town (occupying about 3/4 of the water space) are sail only, and you might see one or two ribs a season (and no jet-skis - shhhh!). Since the mooring facilities are small and cater to the local, not passing traffic, they tend to be friendly and keen - they also have to compete with the Slovene and Croatian marinas, which are modern and cheap. We're rather stuck in a backwater up here, but I like it, and Dalmatia is not much more than a day away!

<hr width=100% size=1>Adriatic links here: <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.comoy.com/saillinks.html>http://www.comoy.com/saillinks.html</A>

 

[boatmike]

Re: You have a mirror impression

Thanks for that Charles. I bow to your superior local knowledge of course and am glad to hear its that way round actually. It's difficult to know just how up to date the info is in pilots as you say. The impression I got from Rod's book was that Corsica and Sardinia were not cheap. Some other earlier posts have suggested Northern Corsica was expensive too. I guess it depends on what you compare with. The impression I get is that it gets progressively cheaper as you go south, which would seem logical. You mention Sardinia especially but what about Corsica?
My own plans are to leave the UK fairly early next spring and go through the French canals. My eventual destination is Preveza in the Ionian so I will only have a limited amount of time in the Tyrrhenian but would like to see some of the highlights along the way of course. As I sail a 37 ft catamaran with watermaker etc I don't need sophisticated Marina facilities and really only need refuelling and provisioning stops along the way preferring quiet anchorages to hurly-burly towns. I had therefore provisionally thought to start in North East Corsica but then to go to Elba and Island hop down to the Amalfi coast. I could of course go down to Sardinia and then cross over to the mainland if it is worth doing but it is less direct. What do you think? If you had limited time but wanted to "smell the roses" on the way past where would you recommend we not miss and where would you avoid?

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[cliffb]

Re: You have a mirror impression

Boatmike...
Um...don't want to be rude etc... but the canals in a Cat? I assume you've investigated that...the beam clearance etc?
Sorry if I'm poking proboscis in where not wanted... just thought I'd ask...

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[boatmike]

Re: You have a mirror impression

You bet your sweet bippy I have looked into it! It will be tight but It has actually been done before with an identical boat. In fact the Prout Snowgoose Elite was designed with the maximum beam possible to go through the locks. Minimum lock size is 5.2 metres avoiding certain canals like the Nivernais where they are down to 5.1. The barges are actually built to a max beam of 5.05 metres. PEREGRINE is exactly 5 metres over the Gunwale rubbing strakes leaving 0.1 metres (3 inches!) clear on both sides. The hull shape means that at the waterline I gain another 4 inches at the waterline each side so I can get a foam fender blanket + plank on either side at the widest point. The bow and stern allow conventional fenders to be used as the beam is less at both ends but it is a tight fit indeed and my "driving" will need to be pretty accurate! As I said though it has been done before and those who have done it have in fact said that after the first two or three locks your heart rate returns to normal and it becomes an advantage because only two mooring ropes are necessary! Lets hope I get through without gaining any "go faster" stripes down the sides......

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[cliffb]

Re: You have a mirror impression

I think this might reasonably accurately be termed as, 'living on the edge'!!
Good luck! and no beers the night before!
...on the other hand...
maybe a little libation might steady the nerves a bit.
I've a mind to do this myself...sometime...probably not next year. I expect it'll have to wait until 2006...but you never know.
If I see a Cat with green stripes, and a skipper with a drawn expression.. I'll know it's you!
Take care

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[charles_reed]

I'll be up there in the Adriatic end next season - My only experience has been of the Tyrrehenian so far and I should have included that proviso in my original reply.
As dear old Bill pointed out, "The western med is only there to go through to the e Med".

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[mikewilkes]

Re: You have a mirror impression

We did the canals in ours but she is only 4.09m. There were times when I thought Oh sh** but really enjoyed it. Wish now we had spent longer going through and not rushed so much. Maybe have to go back up the coast and do the Midi one summer.
Enjoy thats the main thing.



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[cliffb]

Re: You have a mirror impression

Mike,
So what Cat do you have? Your profile omits this.
I only ask 'cos I have a mind to move to a cat sometime
Cheers

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[boatmike]

Re: You have a mirror impression

Prout Snowgoose Elite Cliff.

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[bbilly]

Porto di Roma seems a popular choice and there is a liveaboard community, with I believe a "club room" available. Cheap flights from UK into Ciampino and BA does returns from cheap flight LHR to Fiumicino (10 mins taxi to Ostia). A good intinery is Corsica - Capraia, Elba, Giglio, Argentario, Anzio, Ponza, Ventotene, Ischia, Capri and then down to the Amalfi Coast..... For info on Roma http://www.portodiroma.it/ click on "posti barca" (left panel) then on "prezzi affitto". If I can help further contact me.





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