Italy

[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 cheapish returns (€150) from 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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[mikewilkes]

Re: You have a mirror impression

She is a one off steel cat built by a Wigan by the sea boat builder for himself. He sailed her for 7 years in the Irish Sea then she was sold and went up to the Outer Hebrides. Rescued her from the cold in 2000 and now she sits in warmer climates.
Old style / design , low bridge deck , narrow beam in comparison to modern ones - but therefore a wee bit easier on the pocket in a marina.
There was a fair bit on the profile before then I did a google search and it all comes up there too easily.


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[charles_reed]

Italian prices

During season July August, berth availability is low and prices go up by as much as x3.
The NW corner of Sardinia, specifically around Porto Cervo and the 2 marinas either side are expensive - slightly more pricey than UK's S Coast.

Keep out of marinas (in most cases you won't get in) and free anchoring makes it cheap and, unlike the mainland, there are lots of anchorages around the sardinian coast.

More comprehensive than Rod Heikell's pilot is a free chart, giving you all the possible anchorages around the island - I got mine form the Italian tourist office in London.
The NW corner of Sardinia is easily the most attractive cruising ground in the W and Central Med - but then the Porquerolles and Menorca aren't bad and Corsica is quite pleasant, with expensive marinas in season, except for the thunderstorms with gusts of up to F9.

Your itinerary could specifically include many worthwhile stopovers - here are a few:-

Marseille - the old harbour, in use for over 3000 years is fascinating, reasonable, cheap berthing in the CNTL to starboard after the entrance. Brush up your Arabic - I swear there are more Tunisians than Frenchmen in the city.

Just inside the Rade de Toulon, off the entrance to the St Mandrier marina and close to the ecole aeronavale is a good comfortable anchorage.

The Iles d'Hyeres (Porquerolles) - best is the Ile Port Cros, either end in Port Cros itself or Port Man.

Give Calvi a miss - it's congested, uncomfortable and expensive, but just between the old naval jetty and the entrance to Charles Orsano marina, in Ajaccio bay is a good anchorage as is off Propriano in Golfe de Valinco. On the other side of the island Porto Vecchio had a number of good protected anchorages inside its bay.

Elba is worth a call - the anchorage just N of Porto Azzurro is protected and good holding.
I'm afraid I can't recommend any of the Tuscan ports - but close to Rome there's the new Porto Turistico do Ostia - quite comfortable, if utterly synthetic and reasonably priced, tho' I prefer Fiumicino for its genuine workaday atmosphere. Both have good yard facilities. Porto di Roma is rather eclipsed.

Ponza is a wothwhile stopover, but Naples a disaster area - a good small marina in Chaiaolella, a new prohibitively expensive one in Sant' Catt alongside the ferry port on Procida, all the other ports and anchorages are expensive, dangerous or exposed (or all 3). Due to the constant ferries there is nowhere you can escape their wash. There is one anchorage, off Marina Vigiliena 40°49.899N 14°18.019E, (Heikell has totally misplaced it) which has protection (the commercial harbour breakwater) good holding in 6.2m of water. The backdrop is a belching process plant, decaying dockside premises and a sewer outfall, but I can assure you it's the best, most comfortable anchorage in that area, after 5 weeks of increasingly desperate experimentation.

The Amalfi coast deserves an extended visit, but to appreciate the coast you need to take the corniche from salerno to Positano. No anchorages but small harbours at Maiaore, Cetara but by far the best bet is behind Molo manfredi in salerno, either moored to the quay or on the hook, I think Rod refers to it as the Molo Occidentale. From salerno you can vist Posiedonia (Paestum), Ercolanum and Pompei and the mooring all free even if Carlos keeps trying to move one on.

Of course having a soddin' great cat is going to make you more than usually unwelcome in most Med ports and coming thro' the canals is missing the best part of the trip - down the French W coast and round atlantic spain and portugal. That knocks spots off the W Med which, without it's rich history, would be one of the world's least attractive cruising grounds.


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[boatmike]

Re: Italian prices

Thanks for that Charles. Illes Porquerolles were already on the list. The rest is interesting. We particularly wanted to do the French canals as an experience in itself as so many people have enjoyed it. We know most of the western med already and are really now going east to explore new ground. We have charter sailed in the Ionian before and so enjoyed it that we really want to get back there ASAP and see Croatia, Turkey, Black Sea, and the Greek Islands, before heading down to Cyprus where we have half decided to buy property. The plan really is to live there for a while on the boat to be sure before we finally sell up in the UK and take the plunge. Your post is much appreciated and we will look in detail at your suggestions as we proceed. The time we will have in the area will depend largely on how much we dawdle down the canals. As far as dear old Napoli is concerned I know what you mean. I have spent many dismal days there on business. They say see Naples and Die. I nearly did of food poisoning! The only reason I would ever go back there is to catch a ferry to Capri... Wonderful place, but not welcoming to yotties due to the small overcrowded harbour of course. Shame.....
Thanks again for the info and if you see a "sodding great cat" as you put it called PEREGRINE pop over for a drink....
p.s. 11.2metres x 5 metres ain't that enormous.... Just comfy!

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[charles_reed]

9.45 x 3

is more manageable on your tod as well as allowing U to slink in where other boats are too fat!!!

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[boatmike]

Re: 9.45 x 3

More manageable on your tod.......
With roller reefing main and headsails and twin engines I have no problem single handing in any conditions and in rough conditions would rather do so on a bigger boat thanks! It's a common misconception that cats are difficult to handle. Depends on engine and rig.... Granted you can get into gaps I won't but on that basis a 20ft boat is better still. No... you squeeze in where you can and I will stay outside at anchor where I am quite happy cos I don't roll about thanks
If you see me en-route come aboard for a drink and I will show you why people move from monohulls to multis but very rarely ever go back to half a boat ever again...

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[charles_reed]

\'Tis a deal nm

nm

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[Sea Devil]

Re: 9.45 x 3

Mike you make me feel better... I am selling my moody 36 via the web site and Yachts and boats at the moment with the intention of buying a catamaran - the logic is that I can whiz it up and down the Canal du Midi spring and winter and still have the pleasure of doing the maintance near home. Can cruise the Med and Canaries without my wife hating sailing at an angle....

After owning her for 12 years and having only had mono hulls before I get twinges of 'am I doing the right thing?' Still if I do not do it I will never find out if multihulls are for me....

<hr width=100% size=1>If you have time please visit my web site -
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[boatmike]

Re: 9.45 x 3

Michael my boy! Welcome to the realms of common sense! Have you decided what sort of cat you want to buy yet? You are ideally placed al La Rochelle to "commute" via the Canal du Midi although I hear its a bit crowded with pleasure boats these days. I don't know how much you intend to spend (none of my business of course!) but the main disadvantage cats tend to have is that they are a bit expensive. There are a fair number of Prouts around as they are probably the most popular European cats ever built. They are not super-fast but very safe and saaworthy boats. There are also many other good marques and some horrible ones too so don't be afraid to ask if you need advice! The Snowgoose Elite has a beam of 5metres which is a bit tight in the canal locks but OK. The previous Snowgoose had a lesser beam (4.5 metres approx?) which would be much easier to get through canal locks. The old Snowgoose sails faster with light loads but the Elite has far more room and will take more load.
I have not always sailed cats, in fact I sailed old gaffers once and have owned several monohulls including a 45ft steel ketch. I moved to catamarans semi-reluctantly at first when I became an "old gaffer" myself for similar reasons to yourself but now would not have anything else. There are a number of things to be aware of if you are looking at second hand Prouts in particular. There are no perfect boats. If you need any help with detail let me know with a PM. I built my own myself and avoided some of the problems evident in factory built boats but knowing what to look for is half the battle. Good luck in your search.

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[Sea Devil]

Re: 9.45 x 3

I intend to buy a cat for roughly what I get for Bambola possibly plus a little bit - see my web site for the ad -

With the money I have I will probably get a Prout, Aristocat or possibly an Oceanic - I think Catalack are good boats but they just look so ugly - However all that glistens is not gold depends a bit what is on the market when I have the dosh.

With all the sailing I did during the circumnavigation it was obvious that Cats were doing better than mono hulls in terms of comfort and good lifestyle- speaking in pound for pound terms - I am not too worried about performance - so long as I can average 5-1/2 to 6 knots thats fine. The most important thing for me is that Monique my wife feels comfortable and secure - then I may be able to persuade her to leave the med and pop down to the Canaries etc.... Have to wait and see.

Thanks for the offer of help and I will take you up. In the UK on Dec 7th and as soon as I have a free day will hire a car and go to Multihull world at Emsworth to look at a few so Monique can decide what she likes best..... and I make sure I can afford it!


<hr width=100% size=1>If you have time please visit my web site -
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.michaelbriant.com/sailing>http://www.michaelbriant.com/sailing</A>

 

[mikewilkes]

Re: 9.45 x 3

Michael,

Try looking at cats for sale in Aussie. Some dam good bargins.

Trade - a - boat is the mag to look at Either that or you can buy mine and I will get an Aussie one!!



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[Sea Devil]

Re: 9.45 x 3

Long way back from Aussie and pirate land - All New Zealand and Oz boats are signifigently cheaper than here but it is 15000 miles - cross Indian Ocean - round horn of Africa and up Atlantic - long delivery trip! I did think about it when I was there.

I think buying in USA is worth while and OK to get it back buy the yanks do not seem keen on cats except ex charter boats in the virgins.

What is your boat?

<hr width=100% size=1>If you have time please visit my web site -
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.michaelbriant.com/sailing>http://www.michaelbriant.com/sailing</A>

 

[mikewilkes]

Re: 9.45 x 3

9.21 m x 4.09 m one off steel cat. Built 1979 by a boat builder for his own use.



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[Sea Devil]

Re: 9.45 x 3

sounds great but not for me. I had a 40ft steel ketch once - never stopped on the maintance and swore I would never have another steel boat. Still most people do not agree with me so I am sure you will find a buyer easily.


<hr width=100% size=1>If you have time please visit my web site -
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.michaelbriant.com/sailing>http://www.michaelbriant.com/sailing</A>

 

[mikewilkes]

Re: 9.45 x 3

Was that "swore at" /forums/images/icons/smile.gif . Not put her on the market and did toy with the idea of turning her into a power cat.
We - well SWMBO really - has done so much work on her that I would probably be lynched if I sold her.
Just the right size for us - good for the canals - and the occaisional visitors.
Good hunting.
Catfishers are another one to look at. Did want to buy one but the boss decided they were as ugly as sin. Mind you I used to travel about in Series One L / R and loved every minute of it.


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