La Corunna Marinas

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Apologies in advance if this has been covered recently. Arriving La Corunna about 24th September after a trip along the coast and down from La Rochelle. 13m aluminium hull twin screw motor yacht. Intending to leave the boat in La Corruna for a month or so or potentially over winter.

Any recommendations as to Marina Coruña, Darsena de Marina or Marina Seca for the stopover in terms of security and cost?

Thanks

Phillip Carr
TSDY TOPIC
 
Marina Coruna is large and with plenty of visitors berths. Security seemed OK when we were there last year. It is amongst the more expensive marinas in that area but has the advantage of the nearby airport. It is a bit prone to swell coming round the large mole. A past commodore of the Real Club Nautico A Coruna told us that the next door marina is also swell prone but is a bit more central to the city - a great one by the way.

A couple of cheaper and very sheltered options are in the Ria de Muros - Muros itself and Real Club Nautico de Portosin. Both are very helpful and welcoming. Security good at both.
 
Topic said:
Apologies in advance if this has been covered recently. Arriving La Corunna about 24th September after a trip along the coast and down from La Rochelle. 13m aluminium hull twin screw motor yacht. Intending to leave the boat in La Corruna for a month or so or potentially over winter.

Any recommendations as to Marina Coruña, Darsena de Marina or Marina Seca for the stopover in terms of security and cost?

Thanks

Phillip Carr
TSDY TOPIC
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Phillip

Marian Coruna is great with easy access - parking and good pontoons with water and power that work - but - you are subject to long periods of swell that seem to defy the sea wall to the north. I wouldn’t leave a boat there unmanned imvho.
Go for the town marina where the Club Nautico is - it has better protection and you are also better placed for the shops and tapas bars near by.
Prices are similar in both.
We did find that the team at Marina Coruña are super helpful but that swell would put me off. Also the Wi-Fi there is awful or at least was - if thats of import....
Curve ball would be to take the boat on a little further and leave it in either Sada to the east, which might be cheaper and is better protected or Muros which is lovely but it is past Cabo Finistere....(sp?)

Hope this is helpful....
 
Nigel

Many thanks for your advice which is just what I needed. Iwould be concerned to leave the yacht where there is a chance of swell to accelerate the chafage, although mooring lines are oversize.

Will headin to the town marina and Club Nautico and where my best yachting blazer!

Time is the constraint which I loathe but planning two weeks in the Rias before Corruna and have had to make advance flight bookings so round the corner will have to wait until late October. Taking my time heading down to Lagos, but something always seems to crop up!

Thanks for your help.

Phillip
 
Nigel

Many thanks for your advice which is just what I needed. I would be concerned to leave the yacht where there is a chance of swell to accelerate the chafage, although mooring lines are oversize.

Will be heading to the town marina and Club Nautico and wearing my best yachting blazer!

Time is the constraint which I loathe but planning two weeks in the Rias before Corruna and have had to make advance flight bookings so "round the corner" will have to wait until late October. Taking my time heading down to Lagos, but something always seems to crop up!

Thanks for your help.

Phillip
 
Sounds like a wonderful trip and one which we thoroughly enjoyed - the Rias are just perfect and deserve the time to be spent out slowly.


The highlight, or at least one of them, for us was Porto and he Douro. If you can get a week or more on the river and get through a few locks you will find it to be a special place, I’m sure - the marina team will organise and book all the locks for you.

It’s a good marina in which to leave the boat, (good flights and great City) - weather permitting but there are plenty of folk around who’s keep an eye on your lines...

Lagos is probably the better of the four main Algarve marinas - and the town is very nice - perhaps we will see you around sometime :)

Safe travels
 
We are in Marina Real at the moment - the central one. Can't give a comparative view as this is the only one we have tried, but the location is great and the swell no more than occasional and irritating (been here 10 days). Don't bank on decent wi-fi though - fitful, and rarely good enough to stream even voice radio. Pricing seems pretty good, especially monthly considering its peak season - not that they will let us pay - just keep saying pay us at the end - hope they aren't planning any nasty surprises! They've said we will get the 25% Cruising Association discount as well, but that seems to be meant to apply only to the daily rates so I'll take that as a nice bonus if it materialises.

We're loving La Coruna - I could happily live here.
 
Nooka said:
We're loving La Coruna - I could happily live here.
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It's really great there isn't it? We loved the restaurants and tapas bars just across from where you are berthed. The cycling and Hiking is just awesome there - if you have bikes and have not yet headed west around to Playa Riazor and beyond then I really recommend that.

We also spent a couple of lovely afternoons anchored over the bay in off Praia de Mera - perfect.

A while back someone on here posted that they didn't see the point of Atlantic boating - they clearly haven't been lucky enough to spend time in A Coruna....or Galicia...or Porto...or the Silver Coast...and then there's the Algarve....
 
Nigelpickin said:
It's really great there isn't it? We loved the restaurants and tapas bars just across from where you are berthed...
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It is great. And for a quieter (and cheaper) time, the civilised bars dotted around the streets and squares in the old town between here and marina La Coruna - actually challenged the bill in one little place that has become a favourite on the basis that €6.20 for two 'pints' of Estella Galicia, three bowls of Ribeiro wine, and of course endless nibbles, must be undercharged - but no. Few nights later we had 5 tapas, and similar drinks, €11 something!
 
Sorry but I am going to intervene again. I don't like to contradict others, especially Nigel, but the Commodores warning (see my post above) should not be ignored. He told us that they mase a big mistake in the design of the marina which allows the swell in which especially affects the visitors' berths. The difference in swell direction and height in some of the marinas makes a massive difference and it can take a while to discover this.. I would not leave my boat unattended in either of the Coruna marinas, nor in Sada, which is very swell prone when it is in the north west. We have recently spent two weeks there and had several very uncomfortable days with north westerly winds. This is especially so if you have a berth near the entrance.

I will add another possibility especially if leaving your boat unattended. We spent about ten days in Punto Lagoa marina ( Vigo) and found it almost completely sheltered. It's not in a particularly attractive place being a long way from restaurants and shops but is well sheltered with all boatyard facilities, etc. All in all a good place to leave your boat for a while. Like Coruna it also has an airport nearby.
 
Life has a habit of interrupting cruising plans! Six months since we arrived in A Corunna. YBW Motor Boat Forum recommendations were correct in that Club Nautico, A Corunna has drawbacks as a layup port. Waves in the marina meant ropes were tested and for the first time with oversize ropes, two parted. However, alert marina staff replaced them and there was no damage to Topic. We refuelled and loaded 1,000 ltrs at €1.30 ltr.

Arrived in Portosin ahead of a deep Atlantic depression. Once again YBW recommendations were spot on and this is an ideal spot to weather a storm. Heavy rain and hail Thursday and Friday with Wly 73.9 knots registered at the clubhouse! On Topic we registered 52 kts in the same gust but despite white horses in the marina we were safe and secure. The club is welcoming, the beer is good and the fresh fish is excellent. A great port. Leaving tomorrow for Cangas before the next front comes through.
 
Just a quick question. Were you in the inner basin? I managed to talk my way into the inner basin and was the sailboat right next to the yacht club on the left of the entrance to the inner basin. I haven’t been down there yet but Marina Seca now have the boat and have not reported any issues.
We really enjoyed La Corunna - best wishes for your ongoing voyage - I am so looking forward to the Rias.
 
MikeH99 thanks for your post. In A Corunna we were half way down the third pier in adjacent to the channel into the inner marina. The first pier, for visitors was completely untenable for any thing other than a night stop imho. We weren't offered the inner basin which would have been ideal for a winter stay. Portosin is great despite the tornado!
 
Great to hear of your continued journey. How far are you planning to go this season? We are heading back up to Lisbon in June and then to the Rias for late June and Early July before we head to Tenerife....
Safe travels and keep up to date, (preferably with photos of the boat).
:)
 
I am heading to Cangas early tomorrow then Viana do Castelo and on this leg finally Leixoes. My destination is the Canaries with stopovers in Lisbon and Lagos.
 
Topic said:
I am heading to Cangas early tomorrow then Viana do Castelo and on this leg finally Leixoes. My destination is the Canaries with stopovers in Lisbon and Lagos.
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We may well see you on the water then, just in case it’s a option, Porto is fantastic and your boat looks ideal for a couple of days on the river. It’s such a wonderful city - we’ll worth your time if you have it.
 
Sorry to hear that my advice re Real Club Nautico A Coruna proved correct but also very pleased that you enjoyed Portosin which we found most congenial. If you have a bit of time to spare you will find Viana do Castelo extremely pleasant. There are numerous restaurants in the old town and a funicular up to a view point. Unfortunately it was closed when we were there because the Rally of Portugal was passing through at the time. If you can't get into the marina itself you will most probably find a berth on the waiting pontoon in the river. This is well sheltered and has electricity and water on hand.

I entirely support Nigel's comments on Porto. Like so many others the marina is a bit prone to swell if there is a big sea running outside but in all normal conditions it's fine. A trip up the River Douro is wii be long remembered and something very few UK boats attempt, perhaps because so many are in too much of a hurry to reach the Med!
 
Within Portosin we were safe and sound despite winds speeds over 40knots, torrential rain and hailstones. Friendly helpful staff and a good restaurant. We left yesterday morning at 08:00 (1st April....I know!). Forecast on two platforms was for 2.0m swell and 8-12knts of wind. We cleared the ria and tuned S towards Ria Vigo. Wind strengthened to a steady 30kts almost immediately with 40kt gusts. It was the worst weather I have experienced on TOPIC and the swell was at least 4m. The slamming was my main concern with occasional green water over the bow. Hand steering and reduced speed to assist the boat. Finally we made Cangas at 15:00hrs. Too tired to worry that the shore power constantly tripped we had tapas ashore and some decent local white wine. The ferries started at dawn and the berth was unprotected so an early start. The forecast for the rest of our stay is very bad and after yesterday, not up to chancing the run down to Viana do Castello and finally Leixoes. Decided to leave the boat in Vigo at Marina Davila. Very helpfull guys but even the 2 mile crosing from Cangas was wet with 30kts of wind. Reversed into a great sheltered berth in among some giant yachts and will stay here until I get back from UK abt 1st May. Can strongly recommend Davila for a winter layover on fixtures fittings and security but very few liveaboards and a good hike to town.
 
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