Marina da Povoa de Varzim Spain

[MAURICE]

Hi Im bringing my boat back to the UK from the Med May 2020. im going around the coast and am thinking of lifting and leaving the boat for some months in Marina da Povoa de Varzim Spain. Has anybody left there boat on the hard for a period of time at this marina?
I stopped off here 7 years ago on my way to the Med and saw that it was a cheapish marina. My idea is to let the boat dry out for several months.
Thanks
Maurice

 

[webcraft]

.
It's in Portugal, not Spain.

Not been there since 2006, so can't really comment otherwise.

Better posting this in the Live aboard forum probably.

- W

 

[dgadee]

I left boat afloat there for two months. Had intended to lift out but complex system - you have to pay for lift and cradles from non marina firms. Wasn't worth it from my point of view. However huge crustacean growth on prop and shaft after I left. And maybe corrosion from electric system on pontoons. That was last year.

 

[CJ13]

We wintered our boat ashore 2010-11. Very efficient service from one of the two onsite contractors. Not expensive & we really liked the place. Metro into Porto or to the Airport.
The office will give you contact details for the ashore storage contractors.

 

[dgadee]

Yes, meant I would ring it ashore in future there. I've just remembered there was a problem with my dates and holidays of the firms.

 

[[3889]]

I over-wintered there last year. Be aware that a private company charges for lifts and cradle hire on top of the marina's quoted price. The guy who runs this is well intentioned but over worked and doesn't always meet deadlines. I also had a rat on board for the first time. PdV is good for access from Porto airport and is a reasonably well resourced town. Even on the hard my boat suffered minor damage from Atlantic storms and the harbour can close for weeks at a time which was an issue when I planned to leave in March. With hindsight, I would lift out for winter at Xufre, Ria de Arousa, which is only marginally more expensive but more sheltered and, I believe, better managed with much consideration of owners needs.

 

[youen]

On the hard ok but not in the marina along side a finger pontoon because the swell enter in the harbour and so the marina is not secure if you leave the boat alone

 

[Ningaloo]

I spent 2 winters ashore (2013-15).
No issues and low costs.
I needed to have a crane brought in to drop the mast for a trip up the Douro, but they have good facilities for liftout.

 

[chrisclaydon]

We were there a few days ago. Watch out that a line of huge concrete blocks has been placed through the area of the harbour which the pilot book marks as the anchorage and they are just below surface at high tide! Very dangerous. Marina only now, no anchoring.
Boatyard was big, I guess it must be cheap by the amount of wrecks sitting there. Noted one yacht fallen over with the prop gone through the side of the hull! Maybe worth watching and checking they put the props in suitable place against bulkheads!

 

[youen]

I worked with Tomané on 2010 he was very competent and cheap,but I think now he has sold his shipyard.

 

[emandvee44]

We left Povoa in Spring of 2017 after 7 years there, ashore every Winter.
Unless things have changed, as with many marinas and boat yards, the marina handle the lift out and in.
The 2* local firms provide steel cradles for a negotiable monthly fee, say around €50.

As mentioned above the Tomane company may have left (he has a maintenance company at Douro marina - "Douro Yachts"). During our time in Povoa Tomane looked after our boat and we were very satisfied with his work.

While there are some downsides, their prices, both for in and out of the water are probably unbeatable in Portugal and possible Spain as well.

M.