New user - Mediterannean crusing

No, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes in my case. We're only talking a couple of hours coastal cruising in calm weather to St Trop and back not crossing the Atlantic, Clive
Since the vast majority of private boats dont have anywhere near the equipment proscribed by the MCA Code, are you saying that every one of these boats is unsafe and you would'nt set foot on any of them?

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
I live in Milan and spend most summer weekends on our Piantoni 35 which is moored in Antibes. I went through something similar when I decided to move Aquarius from Italy to SofF 5 years ago. (it is however definitely worth the extra drive time).

Buying a boat is easy - finding a berth is difficult ! I moored at St Jean Cap Ferrat for a couple of years (€6000 sounds about what I paid, similar rates also at Beaulieu). St Laurent du Var was cheaper and had space then but I hear its filled up now with all the cheap flights going into Nice airport. Menton, the first port over the border, may be easier to find something and it is of course nearer. Marina Baie des Anges is also worth trying. I found that the ports at Cannes were just a little too far away from Milan for weekends. I tried (and tried and tried and tried !)to rent a berth at Antibes and in the end bought a 20 year lease - extremely happy there.

It may be worth looking at boats in northern Italy - I found them to be slightly cheaper.

Send me a pm and if you want we can have a beer one of these days.



<hr width=100% size=1>Chris
 
Thanks for the recent replies.

On the topic of moorings the Beaulieu mooring I am looking at (with the Superhawk) is a 12 metre berth. I have asked the broker to contact the owner to see if he will throw in a years mooring with the boat (am I pushing my luck a bit here?).

I have convinced myself after this weekend's visit that I would like to try and stay east of Nice. Menton looked really nice today. The marina area is a bit less glamorous than most, but it is close to monaco, and importantly its just that little bit closer to Milan. Any one with experience in Menton? Villeneuve Loubet was nice and sheltered but perhaps a bit artificial. Fontvielle was dramatic with the sheer cliffs in the background but I guess this is a bit pricey. Cap Ferrat must be the definitive south of france location.

More generally, can anyone advise how to go about finding a mooring in the Sof France. my preferred locations are

Beaulieu Port Plaisance
Bealieu (the other marina towards Cap Ferrat - anyone know what it is called?
St Jean Cap Ferrat
Villefranche
Menton
Fontvielle

I know these are probably the top of everyones list but I would be happy to pay a bit more to get a good mooring - the question is how do i find one. Any suggestions?

thanks again

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
Hi again..

a couple of points you may find useful

a) Price of berths ( and consequently size of boat you can get on them ) - is governed by width of berth not length. The 12m berth you saw was probably 4 or even 4.2m wide . With a s/hawk you do not need one that big

b) Unless the s/hawk owner owns the berth he will have no rights to sublet...

c) even if he owns or has sublet rights , you will have no security over the berth as any berth owner in SoF can throw any tenant off with 2 months notice ... regardless of what is paid or not !!

d) €6000 is not a lot of discount if that is all you asked for !!!

e) Finding a berth ==
ask the broker selling the boat - make it conditional to purchase
In Beaulieu - Bristol Marine 'control' a lot of comings and goings
Advertised in Nice Matin on Fridays (occasionally)
In the Berth section on this site. Place an advert and see what there is. It's free.

Good Luck


<hr width=100% size=1><font color=blue>I am WHAT I say I am</font color=blue>
 
variations in MCA gear

Torches in each cabin? Fire extinguishers in each cabin? You don't need those for MCA. Dunno what a recovery suit is - are they the tinfoil blanket in the solas liferaft kit?

I find with MCA that a lot of inspectors say you need this and that, but if you read the rules you find they are wrong, you don't. We had exactly this with our coding, and we ended up not fitting a load of the stuff that our surveyor initially said was needed, just by holding up the rulebook and prodding the relevant clause with index finger :-)

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
Top