Keeping a boat in Portugal

[colhel]

Does anyone do this?
We visit about 3-4 times a year so mooring costs could be restrictive, unless someone tells me different?? We are fairy close to The Guadiana and about an hour from Albufeira. I know there are places where you can moor for free but would be worried about leaving a long time between visits. I've read that trailers need to be registered over a certain weight, but don't know what this entails, is it an MOT and tax thing?
I've never hired a car with a towbar but it have seen them advertised, is there good availability?
I'm just trying to see if it's possible at the moment. Probably nothing will come of it.

 

[GrahamM376]

We have a swing mooring off Faro, cost 1500 euro 6 years ago, thereafter free except for my maintenance costs. Occasionally, one comes up for sale. I wouldn't be tempted to leave a boat unattended on the Guadiana for long due to the amount of debris which floats down, particularly after heavy rain up river. If you have a trailer sailer, then think about leaving it in one of the boatyards such as Bruce's which should be cheaper and safer than marinas. Don't know the regs for trailers here but, knowing the Portuguese, there will be lots of them!

 

[DownWest]

Trailers over 400kg GW need to be registered, so any boat trailer other than a small dinghy would need it. You also need to register the boat and have a marinheiro licence to sail it. But if not resident and the boat on SSR, then I imagine you could avoid that, but don't quote me..... I bought a little sailing dinghy and used it frequently without any problem, but registered it under the SSR as an insurance. The fiscal seemed more interested in powerboats. Under 6mtrs is a cut off point, over that the regs are stiffer.

 

[GrahamM376]

Trailers over 400kg GW need to be registered, so any boat trailer other than a small dinghy would need it. You also need to register the boat and have a marinheiro licence to sail it. But if not resident and the boat on SSR, then I imagine you could avoid that, but don't quote me..... I bought a little sailing dinghy and used it frequently without any problem, but registered it under the SSR as an insurance. The fiscal seemed more interested in powerboats. Under 6mtrs is a cut off point, over that the regs are stiffer.

Have spoken to a couple of people about trailers. If you have a UK car and towing a trailer then it appears the Portuguese regs don't apply but, any trailer towed by a Portuguese car has to meet their regs. Boats on the SSR and kept here have to pay light dues and be equipped to Portuguese standards if here for more than 6 months. Bearing in mind the cost of transporting a boat down here and then maybe taking the trailer & car back home, it would most likely be cheaper to buy a small boat here, cancel the Portuguese registration and put it on SSR.

Cheap boats sometimes appear here - http://www.custojusto.pt/Faro?ca=18_s&th=1&q=&cg=2080&w=1

 

[prv]

Just had a message from Colin - he's having some kind of difficulty logging into the forums, but he's reading this thread and wanted to thank you guys for your comments

Pete

 

[25931]

Does anyone do this?
We visit about 3-4 times a year so mooring costs could be restrictive, unless someone tells me different?? We are fairy close to The Guadiana and about an hour from Albufeira. I know there are places where you can moor for free but would be worried about leaving a long time between visits. I've read that trailers need to be registered over a certain weight, but don't know what this entails, is it an MOT and tax thing?
I've never hired a car with a towbar but it have seen them advertised, is there good availability?
I'm just trying to see if it's possible at the moment. Probably nothing will come of it.

You say that you are fairly close - does this mean that you own property here ? If so could you keep a boat on its trailer there ?

 

[colhel]

Apologies for my lack of response here but I had a login issue that need the help of the Admin to sort out for me.

It's looking a bit complicated innit?
I don't think it's worth keeping a car here seeing as we don't come more than 2 or 3 times a year and then normally only for only 1-2 weeks at a time, so it would mean hiring a car with a towbar or paying to store a boat in a boatyard.

You say that you are fairly close - does this mean that you own property here ? If so could you keep a boat on its trailer there ?

Yes we do and there's plenty of room to store a boat on a trailer, but the problem (costs) comes in the registration unless I can keep the boat/trailer combo to less than 400kg. Thanks Graham and Downwest for this info.

All these issues pale into insignificance when you also consider I also have to get it past the regulatory body known as SWMBO

 

[DownWest]

Keeping a UK reg car there will be more problematical than the boat. Best might to be buy a trailer there, so already registered, and get a boat on SSR. Importing/registering a UK trailer might be more fun than you can manage... As for a towcar, while I was there, there were no rentals and not many Portuguese had towhooks, as few used trailers. Local garage might help out for the odd trip at a 'few times a year'. (when we needed a renter to tow a caravan for an advertising shoot, I quickly fabed a hitch up the night before and removed it afterwards, disguising the holes..)
DW

 

[colhel]

Keeping a UK reg car there will be more problematical than the boat.
DW

Yes, we already looked into this before we very quickly dismissed the idea...
Like the idea of fitting a towbar to a rental car though

I think until we're in aposition to spend more time there, the idea is shelved. We sail enough here and there's still plenty of other stuffto do there.

Cheers All

Col