Liveaboards Northern Spain

[luckybeanz]

Where are all the liveaboards in Northern Spain?

For the past year I have had my boat based in Laredo, between Bilboa and Santander, the marina is great and ticks most of my boxes. I can walk to the beach with waves to surf, I can walk to the shops and it is relatively easy to get to the major cities when needed. Though I have been the only liveaboard in the marina, albeit for a limited time, thanks Brexit.

I am now working on obtaining a non-lucrative visa for Spain and am debating my options for the next year. It depends some on when the visa will be issued as to when I can get back to the boat, which might means staying put, anyone fancy joining me in the marina? Though if early enough I am considering moving on to find a more social spot for winter. Where are there other liveaboards on this beautiful coast? Are they all in Vigo or the main (and costly) marinas of Bilboa, Santander and Gijon?

Aside from community, I would also like to get some boat work done, I've not hauled out in 4 years and would like to do some bigger projects such as building a hard Bimini to add more solar in prep for some bigger sails to the islands and then to do my first crossing. VARADOIRO DO XUFRE · DRY MARINA & BOAT REPAIR has been mentioned as a place for boat work. Any others?

 

[PlanB]

Brexit did for me (aided by Covid and illness) - I'm retired.
Years ago I had some engine work done in La Coruna, town centre marina next to yacht club.
The marina on the Costa del Sol where I ended up had about 20 liveaboards full or part time when I arrived - not one when I visited a couple of years ago.

 

[luckybeanz]

Tell me about it, Brexit completely f*cked me and combined with covid has really put much of my life in turmoil. I was full time liveaboard and don't have a home or anywhere to go back to. Not being able to live on my boat has me feeling displaced. Hence thinking about heading across the pond, Guatemala, Costa Rica and some of the Caribbean have much friendlier cruising options now.

 

[PlanB]

I was lucky to have somewhere in the UK.
Have you thought about Turkey, Morocco (eg Smir), Tunisia or, under certain circumstances, Gib?

 

[AndyDavies]

Where are all the liveaboards in Northern Spain?

For the past year I have had my boat based in Laredo, between Bilboa and Santander, the marina is great and ticks most of my boxes. I can walk to the beach with waves to surf, I can walk to the shops and it is relatively easy to get to the major cities when needed. Though I have been the only liveaboard in the marina, albeit for a limited time, thanks Brexit.

I am now working on obtaining a non-lucrative visa for Spain and am debating my options for the next year. It depends some on when the visa will be issued as to when I can get back to the boat, which might means staying put, anyone fancy joining me in the marina? Though if early enough I am considering moving on to find a more social spot for winter. Where are there other liveaboards on this beautiful coast? Are they all in Vigo or the main (and costly) marinas of Bilboa, Santander and Gijon?

Aside from community, I would also like to get some boat work done, I've not hauled out in 4 years and would like to do some bigger projects such as building a hard Bimini to add more solar in prep for some bigger sails to the islands and then to do my first crossing. VARADOIRO DO XUFRE · DRY MARINA & BOAT REPAIR has been mentioned as a place for boat work. Any others?

I'm thinking of moving the boat back to Iberia next year. Plan would be 3 months cruising northern Spain then 9 months in Albufeira which offers a good deal for the period Oct -June. Not ideal due to Brexit but at least I'll get a winter retreat in sunnyish climes easy to reach from UK, which is not always the case in the north.

 

[Wansworth]

Perfidious Albion

 

[John_Silver]

On the ‘where are the liveaboards’ question, @luckybeanz : There seemed quite a community in Zumaia, when Stargazer came through two years ago. It is a bit less polished than Laredo (and had lower berthing fees). But in a friendly, ‘working port,’ way. It has a shipyard, which was refitting a French wind farm support ship, during our stay. So I’d guess that repair / fabrication skills availability would be good. Certainly there was a hard, between marina and shipyard, with sailing yachts hauled for routine maintenance.