cnh
Well-Known Member
I don't think it would be impossible to overwinter in the Baltic. Certainly not in places like Latvia - but the temperature in Stralsund now is 12C - warmer than here!
Mediterranean or Baltic?
- Thread starter peteandthira
- Start date
colvic987
Well-Known Member
the baltic is great place to sail, i learnt to sail there in the early 80's, with the bkyc, enjoyed visiting places like copenhagen, aeroskobing, marstal, sonderberg, fredricia, and many more. Its one area i would like go back to...
maybe when i retire....
maybe when i retire....
peteandthira
Well-Known Member
colvic987
I do get the impression that the Baltic is as you say. You learned to sail there in the '80's, but I still have to consider the winter, living aboard.
At what time of the year did you enjoy learning to sail in the Baltic?
We have no options (at the moment) to escape the cold which, I suspect, would be the final decision maker for me and the missus in a plastic tub!
Pops
I do get the impression that the Baltic is as you say. You learned to sail there in the '80's, but I still have to consider the winter, living aboard.
At what time of the year did you enjoy learning to sail in the Baltic?
We have no options (at the moment) to escape the cold which, I suspect, would be the final decision maker for me and the missus in a plastic tub!
Pops
david_bagshaw
Well-Known Member
love the baltic personally only done denmark & assoc german coast.
you could winter in the netherlands, with all the advantages of good yacht yards etc
quite a good site plus some baltic pics & kiel on my own site
you could winter in the netherlands, with all the advantages of good yacht yards etc
quite a good site plus some baltic pics & kiel on my own site
grumpy_o_g
Well-Known Member
Like Colvic, I used to sail out of Kiel occasionally while I was in the RAF, (brand new Contessas - I'm definitely getting old) and the season ran through October, which was often still shirt-sleeve weather.
Not sure how far south you're allowed to call it the Baltic but Denmark is a lot farther south than most people think. If you look at a map it's about level with the Borders and the weather there is much the same.
We often went to Denmark on exercise including mid-winter and never had anything worse than I've seen in England. I think it gets colder as you go east as well from some of the Poland and Latvia pictures on here.
The sailing's fantastic - bit like the east coast with lots of small channels marked with withies and that's it. It must have taken incredible seamanship to get the clipper ships out to sea from the yards 'cos you'll wait an awful long time for a high tide.
Scandinavia is expensive though - that will be the main thing that gets me heading south in my dotage......
Not sure how far south you're allowed to call it the Baltic but Denmark is a lot farther south than most people think. If you look at a map it's about level with the Borders and the weather there is much the same.
We often went to Denmark on exercise including mid-winter and never had anything worse than I've seen in England. I think it gets colder as you go east as well from some of the Poland and Latvia pictures on here.
The sailing's fantastic - bit like the east coast with lots of small channels marked with withies and that's it. It must have taken incredible seamanship to get the clipper ships out to sea from the yards 'cos you'll wait an awful long time for a high tide.
Scandinavia is expensive though - that will be the main thing that gets me heading south in my dotage......
G
Guest
Guest
[ QUOTE ]
Scandinavia is expensive though - that will be the main thing that gets me heading south in my dotage......
[/ QUOTE ]
Baltic is actually a very cheap place to keep a boat indeed. Scandinavia is expensive for food, but harbour fees are very cheap. Expect to pay £8 - £10 for an overnight mooring fee in a good marina incl electricity etc., much less if you're staying a few weeks. And there are so many places to anchor that you don't have to pay harbour fees very often if you don't want to. Overwintering prices are also very cheap in Scandinavia, but if you want cheap restaurant bills too then go for the southern Baltic.
Scandinavia is expensive though - that will be the main thing that gets me heading south in my dotage......
[/ QUOTE ]
Baltic is actually a very cheap place to keep a boat indeed. Scandinavia is expensive for food, but harbour fees are very cheap. Expect to pay £8 - £10 for an overnight mooring fee in a good marina incl electricity etc., much less if you're staying a few weeks. And there are so many places to anchor that you don't have to pay harbour fees very often if you don't want to. Overwintering prices are also very cheap in Scandinavia, but if you want cheap restaurant bills too then go for the southern Baltic.
wagenaar
Well-Known Member
Pops, I feel it would be a shame not to go to the Baltic. I agree that overwintering there may be a problem, but in the S-part it would not be too much of a problem. As has been suggested already, why not go back to the Netherlands after spending the summer in the Baltic, and spend the winter there.
I am not sure about the depth of the canals in the Netherlands and N-germany, but these canals are used by big ships and I would guess that they have a depth of at least 2,5 meters, and more likely 3. One problem could be that the mast would have to be taken down, but you may want to do that anyhow, to inspect the shrouds etc after some time.
I am not sure about the depth of the canals in the Netherlands and N-germany, but these canals are used by big ships and I would guess that they have a depth of at least 2,5 meters, and more likely 3. One problem could be that the mast would have to be taken down, but you may want to do that anyhow, to inspect the shrouds etc after some time.
peteandthira
Well-Known Member
Wagenaar
"As has been suggested already, why not go back to the Netherlands after spending the summer in the Baltic, and spend the winter there."
Good point. Research is still to be done here, but we haven't ruled the Baltic out yet. I was looking at overwintering in the southern parts. and would still like to hear from anyone who has actually done that.
Many thanks to you and all who has tried to help with this one! All greatly appreciated.
Pops
"As has been suggested already, why not go back to the Netherlands after spending the summer in the Baltic, and spend the winter there."
Good point. Research is still to be done here, but we haven't ruled the Baltic out yet. I was looking at overwintering in the southern parts. and would still like to hear from anyone who has actually done that.
Many thanks to you and all who has tried to help with this one! All greatly appreciated.
Pops
peteandthira
Well-Known Member
David
Thank you for those links. I will pore over them in slow time with a glass of wine later this week.
Pops
Thank you for those links. I will pore over them in slow time with a glass of wine later this week.
Pops
jenku
Well-Known Member
You could not do both? Sail the Baltic for summer and then down the canal route to the Med to spend the winter there? This is what I would do if I did not have to go to work...
roger
Well-Known Member
The Baltic is wonderful in summer but living on a boat in winter would be very hard. In sheltered places towards Stockholm the sea freezes.
OK you could perhaps insulate and heat your boat adequately but this would certainly cost.
One guy we met had a boat in the Med for the winter and another in Sweden for the summer - a reasonable plan.
I guessing that the Med in winter would be reasonably cheap. The West will be much less cold than the east. However the living will not be very easy in a small space over the winter.
What do you plan to do then? You can't get many books on a small boat. Do you like Spanish TV? Would you want to join the Expat community?
OK you could perhaps insulate and heat your boat adequately but this would certainly cost.
One guy we met had a boat in the Med for the winter and another in Sweden for the summer - a reasonable plan.
I guessing that the Med in winter would be reasonably cheap. The West will be much less cold than the east. However the living will not be very easy in a small space over the winter.
What do you plan to do then? You can't get many books on a small boat. Do you like Spanish TV? Would you want to join the Expat community?
peteandthira
Well-Known Member
Jenku
That idea has crossed our mind, but I don't like the idea of permanently having to move such a long distance between seasons.
We are, sadly, rather going off the Baltic idea simply because of the temperature in the winter. Many thanks anyway!
Pops
That idea has crossed our mind, but I don't like the idea of permanently having to move such a long distance between seasons.
We are, sadly, rather going off the Baltic idea simply because of the temperature in the winter. Many thanks anyway!
Pops
jimbaerselman
Well-Known Member
Compromise. Travel slowly to the Med, sampling the en route delights.
When it's too hot in the summer, nip to the Baltic and charter for a week or three.
When it's too hot in the summer, nip to the Baltic and charter for a week or three.
trouville
N/A
Im a bit late to post?? I dident see when for octoberi finaly found an internet connection!
I have lots to say about the baltic which i saw in 2005 the Altlantic coast 2006 and the Med!!
Since im late this connection keeps fadeing?? Just in case you read this what about Irland! I was 7 months in Irland in the earyl 80s the ports were wonderful reall fisher poert great pubs and great fun id go back but im not very good at tides!
There are lost of French liveing there so you can find eatable food the weathers was never cold it did rain but not much in general a wonderful expereance i would have stayed the winter with pleasure but i HAD to be in France for october
Irish men were very stupid smelly and loud but the woman made up by being intelegent clean fresh and wonderful company plus there was always tourists every where I really loved it!
If you do another post about the med or baltic ill reply wi-fi connection permitting!!This is difficult today??Hope this works
I have lots to say about the baltic which i saw in 2005 the Altlantic coast 2006 and the Med!!
Since im late this connection keeps fadeing?? Just in case you read this what about Irland! I was 7 months in Irland in the earyl 80s the ports were wonderful reall fisher poert great pubs and great fun id go back but im not very good at tides!
There are lost of French liveing there so you can find eatable food the weathers was never cold it did rain but not much in general a wonderful expereance i would have stayed the winter with pleasure but i HAD to be in France for october
Irish men were very stupid smelly and loud but the woman made up by being intelegent clean fresh and wonderful company plus there was always tourists every where I really loved it!
If you do another post about the med or baltic ill reply wi-fi connection permitting!!This is difficult today??Hope this works
Venus
New Member
if you go to the Baltic dont miss the Keil festival, the atmosphere is fantastic & the sailing is good as well. Summer weather is generally consistant & can be hot
wagenaar
Well-Known Member
Pops wrote that the depth of his ship is appr. 2,1 meter, which rules out the french canals, but in my opinion not the german and dutch canals.
I sailed in the Baltic in 1990, 1991 and 1992 and afterwards, 1995 to 1999 in the Med, but as far as sailing goes, I would go for the Baltic. Also the variety of the coast is impressive, lots of small islands in front of the swedish and finnsh coasts. The danish islands are wonderful and the big cities, Copenhaguen, Stockholm, Helsinki and Oslo, are more than worth a visit. I also liked Tallinn, but did not visit others towns along the E-coast. The german part is also nice, Rügen with the towns S. of it, Stralsund etc.
The Med in summer is hot, Greece was awfully hot, and the western part is full, most of all in august, when the french and spanish have their annual holidays. Being full means high prices, full anchorages and tourists everywhere. I liked the adriatic, where we visited in 1997, but also there I did not care for the sailing as such. The wind normally is from the NW, which means that going south is easy, but going North means tacking between the islands. The channels are sometimes rather narrow, which means tacking and tacking and tacking, and barely moving. The normal solution in these cases is motoring, but that gets boring rather fast.
OK, that's my two eurocents.
I sailed in the Baltic in 1990, 1991 and 1992 and afterwards, 1995 to 1999 in the Med, but as far as sailing goes, I would go for the Baltic. Also the variety of the coast is impressive, lots of small islands in front of the swedish and finnsh coasts. The danish islands are wonderful and the big cities, Copenhaguen, Stockholm, Helsinki and Oslo, are more than worth a visit. I also liked Tallinn, but did not visit others towns along the E-coast. The german part is also nice, Rügen with the towns S. of it, Stralsund etc.
The Med in summer is hot, Greece was awfully hot, and the western part is full, most of all in august, when the french and spanish have their annual holidays. Being full means high prices, full anchorages and tourists everywhere. I liked the adriatic, where we visited in 1997, but also there I did not care for the sailing as such. The wind normally is from the NW, which means that going south is easy, but going North means tacking between the islands. The channels are sometimes rather narrow, which means tacking and tacking and tacking, and barely moving. The normal solution in these cases is motoring, but that gets boring rather fast.
OK, that's my two eurocents.
kds
Well-Known Member
I am sure you will enjoy reading
"to the Baltic with Bob "
Best book on cruising I have read for years - great fun !
Ken
"to the Baltic with Bob "
Best book on cruising I have read for years - great fun !
Ken
