Hello, l'm thinking of leaving my boat for a short stay in Gibraltar to allow crew change etc. Any ideas on price for a few days for a 12m boat in August/September.
not sure exactly but they they always have been roughly in line with the prices at the nearby Spanish marinas... pretty cheap by UK standards.. And you can anchor for free off the runway...
There is a chronic shortage of space in Gib especially since the anchorage was closed, so I am told. Best to book. Try faxing. In this part of the world faxes seem to work when emails fail. Phone should be fine to Gib, as well, and of course no language problems.
Problem is that if you can't get into a marina you have to go to the anchorage in La Linea where there is a big risk of getting your tender stolen - a BIG risk, like 80%, according to recent reports /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
Marina Bay - http://www.marinabay.gi/fees.html
We're there now - a fair number of boats, but boats arriving seem to get berths without too much trouble. Best to ring beforehand though - Karl Bisset is the berthing master.
Can't find a website for Queensway Quay - last time I walked down there it seemed pretty full. The marina has changed over the last year - a new housing development has been built on an 'island' across where the entrance was - it's now to one side of this.
No anchoring off the runway. Anchoring is possible and popular inside the big breakwater on the Spanish side (La Linea) of the runway. Considering Gibraltar's marina situation there is big opportunity for the Spanish to further develop a marina there.
is there the remotest chance of getting lifted out and stored ashore for about 3 weeks?
Lechwe is currently in the yard at Almerimar, waiting for a ropecutter to be fitted but the obnoxious Italian who is the only one who seems to have the authority to do paid work is claiming to be too busy.
So if (big IF) we move to Gib (or Rota, or Estepona, wherever) next week, i could have her relifted and left ashore, during which time I might find somebody to fit the ropecutter.
I kind of feel the need before progressing up the Portuguese pot-infested coast!
In Gib yesterday and ALL marinas are like a building site , one minor and one fairly major with issues regarding moving boats around to accomodate each stage of construction so it would be advisable to phone direct to check on berthing availability. However the improvements being made are very good and the swell and wind issues should become a thing of the past making this a very attractive marina. The friction between Gib and Spain has eased greatly due to Gib allowing Spain to fly directly into Gib airport. Border crossing only takes a few minutes compared to a couple of hours a few months ago. Facilities in Gib are good compared to most of Spain too
Is this something you could fit yourself? A new thread here and/or on moa should establish that it is either a straightforward exercise, or impossible.
It looks like:
Off with the prop, slide on the cutter, secure, on with the prop, job done! (easier said than done, I'm sure <g>).
I would imagine that most boat trades are busy at this time of year - I asked about having a TV aerial fitted in Pwhllelli last March and felt treated with a bit if disdain - "were so busy, you've no chance" type of thing. Fitted one myself for about £100 rather than the £500 quoted.
I'm sure someone here will fit a rope cutter for you, have you asked around? It would be cheaper, safer and better to Easy Jet over to get it sorted than to lift again elsewhere with, perhaps, the same problems. Have you bought the rope cutter? If you bought it from Spencer, might he have some pull? Have you asked Scott or Gard?
If you can't get down and if you are not getting support from Yes (they are the vendor's agent after all) try contacting Ursa - they can organise work to be done by 'approved' people who are allowed to work in the yard and will carry out a guardiannage service in your absence. Might be what you need as they know everyone?
yes i could do it myself, although not overly keen on drilling into the P bracket - if I didnt have to work for a living !! It costs me more to take time off and fly there, than to pay somebody else /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
And when I am there, I want to be able to use the boat, especially as we have friends coming with us.
I think its sorted now - I have been getting a lot of support from Yes, but even they are at the mercy of the tower and Paulo - he is Italian but Marjan (who is dutch) finds it easier to speak to him in German !! Then there is the japanese man in the tower ..... a whole subset of the United Nations are involved /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Spencer reckoned the best person to pressurise Paulo is Pepe in the tower.
Paulo has reluctantly agreed to do the job tomorrow - he was being awkward because I brought the parts out from the UK (Ropecutter and flexible coupling) instead of buying them through him.
Thanks for all your other suggestions, but as I am liaising through Yes, it is actually easier to stick to Plan A particularly as they got a result (fingers crossed for tomorrow)
Looks like you've had some replies . . but can I add, no-one to lift out (at reasonable cost) in Gib. Sheppards Yard (still going in one sense or another) would charge a fortune at Coaling Island (via hired crane) I think. We went over to Smir to lift out last Sept. Or Sotogrande, or Fuengirola.
As to 'building sites', well both Marina Bay and Queensway are actually ok so far as berthing is concerned - the work is kind of all around, but not actually affecting them - much . . . ;-) see my pics above.
And when I am there, I want to be able to use the boat, especially as we have friends coming with us.
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I can understand all that!
If his issue is that he hasnt made any money from selling you the parts, you could offer to pay him some, or all, of the profit he has lost on the sale, (but only if it sweetens him into action).
Having said that, if he does it tomorrow, no need to bother <g>
Back to the subject header.... I am tending to thing that the more I read about Gibraltar, the more I am inclined to nip into the edge of the bay to see if there are any dolphins etc. then carry on to somewhere like Estepona
For obvious reasons, everyone has been talking about the problems, not the good points. Firstly, the cost of berthing in a marina there is very reasonable (or was until very recently). Then there is the history - really worth a visit. There are some British shops, if you want to stock up on favourites. At least one English dentist. A cinema that looks just like an Odeon circa 1967! A real nostalgia visit and since it is the only cinema, you will find it easily.
Maybe above all, sailing into Gibraltar Bay, with the Rock ahead - one of the ancient Pillars of Hercules, is really quite an experience. Don't miss it even if you don't stay long, and do get up the rock. It's best to share a taxi between three of four of you; the tour taxis congregate down by the cemetery (well worth an hour's quiet perusal).
A night or two in Gib is worth it. If for no other reason than to fill up your fuel tanks(can't remember how much but it's a lot cheaper than Spain), buy a few litres of scotch (1 Lt Bells £4.50p yesterday) and a few fags (200 Marlborough lite £10.95p) Doesn't take much of that to make the marina seem quite cheap if you think about it.
That apart the building work is mostly a nuisance at worst.