Overwinter in portugal

[richardh10]

Having vague thoughts that I should try and sort out an overwintering marina in Portugal. Would prefer to stay in the water, and will be on board for most of the time. Cost is obviously an issue, but would be prepared to pay a little more to be somewhere "nice". Anyone got any suggestions?

Thanks

 

[GHA]

Having vague thoughts that I should try and sort out an overwintering marina in Portugal. Would prefer to stay in the water, and will be on board for most of the time. Cost is obviously an issue, but would be prepared to pay a little more to be somewhere "nice". Anyone got any suggestions?

Thanks

Lagos is a favourite for many, active social scene,train station right by the marina. Portimao cheaper and also nice but a trek into town. On the hook then up the Rio Guadiana is hard to beat - an option would be to spend time up the river and dump the boat in Vila Real at the mouth of the river if you want to fly back to UK for a bit.

December up the Guadiana

 

[sailaboutvic]

Just need to be a bit careful up the Guadiana , the river can run fast if there lots of rain and if they open the flood gate you have to watch out for any rubbish that may come down ,
Agree with GHA it is lovely up there .
You have to remember the hour different when you go shopping and the church bell can be confusing at times .

 

[Peroo]

Just finished our third winter in Portugal on the Algarve - wonderful people and a great place to stay, with several options available to suit budget and amenities. Highly recommended.

 

[WF36]

Even thought my yacht is not in Portugal, if it was I would go for Lagos...

 

[GrahamM376]

Just need to be a bit careful up the Guadiana , the river can run fast if there lots of rain and if they open the flood gate you have to watch out for any rubbish that may come down

No way would I leave a boat unattended either on anchor or on pontoons up the Guadiana, all hell breaks loose in flood conditions and friends nearly lost their boat one time. Ayamonte marina on the Spanish side of the Guadiana entrance likely to be cheaper than most Algrave marinas and much better sheltered that Vila Real. Vila Moura was/maybe still is cheapest Algarve marina in winter but not somewhere I would want to be. Albufeira is about the safest in bad weather but Lagos is popular with those who like company of ex pats and noisy bars with Skye Sports:ambivalence:

 

[sailaboutvic]

No way would I leave a boat unattended either on anchor or on pontoons up the Guadiana, all hell breaks loose in flood conditions and friends nearly lost their boat one time. Ayamonte marina on the Spanish side of the Guadiana entrance likely to be cheaper than most Algrave marinas and much better sheltered that Vila Real. Vila Moura was/maybe still is cheapest Algarve marina in winter but not somewhere I would want to be. Albufeira is about the safest in bad weather but Lagos is popular with those who like company of ex pats and noisy bars with Skye Sports:ambivalence:

I also wouldn't leave it unattended , it's bad enough when you on it when it running fast Graham .
I think the OP looking for a Marina base when he leaves the boat , or so I understood .

 

[maxi77]

We used Albufeira and it suited us, cheapest at the time and very safe in bad weather. Transfers to the airport are good as the marina letting office counts as a hotel for pick up and drop off. Half hourly bus service into town relatively cheap using their ten ride ticket and takes you direct to the fortnighly ,arket for good fresh veg and all the other usual stuff. Quiet at night with a choice of local bars though many shops close for winter. When we were there it was quiet with a few liveaboards but if you want it is easy to make freinds.

 

[richardh10]

Thanks for that everyone. Definite food for thought. Any reason why none of the marinas on the Atlantic coast were suggested? Does the swell make it uncomfortable over the winter months, or is the algarve just preferable?

 

[GrahamM376]

Swell closes most of the ports quite frequently, even in summer. Leixoes cheap and pretty safe and a bus ride from Porto, New marina in Douro good but rather exposed in bad weather. Povoa is good but out of the water, Nazare OK, a few choices on the Tagus at Lisbon. Although there's lots to see on the west coast within easy reach of marinas, most just hurry down.

 

[Garry & June 'Friendship']

This is our second winter in Lagos... lovely place and despite the comments of ex pats and skysports etc don't let that put you off its nowhere near as bad as some will have you believe..lovely town that does not shut down in the winter and pretty much all services you could need, plus a great winter community. Ridiculously cheap flights home over winter from Faro. Major problem with it though is the Velcro effect but we along with a few others are moving on this year.. Other place I would consider is Ayamonte at the entrance to the Guadiana...another lovely town and well protected although it would be very quiet. You may also consider La Linea Gibraltar as another option.

 

[nortada]

Brought the boat to Lagos in 2002, since then it has become our winter home port.

That said, the Algarve offers numerous winter options to suit all pockets and tastes.

A word of caution, winter on the Algarve is very different to the Silver (West Coast) where the weather can be testing.

Much more detail on the Algarve at http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?338051-The-Truth-About-Sailing-On-The-Algarve.

 

[jimbaerselman]

Having vague thoughts that I should try and sort out an overwintering marina in Portugal. Would prefer to stay in the water, and will be on board for most of the time. Cost is obviously an issue, but would be prepared to pay a little more to be somewhere "nice". Anyone got any suggestions?

It depends on what weight you personally put on "Sunny climate" vs "real Portugal". There's little doubt that real Portugal is best enjoyed near Porto or in Lisbon. They're both wide awake over winter. But you're sacrificing sunny climates . . .

To enjoy Porto, the choice is between staying in Leixoes (great seafood restaurants, frequent buses to Porto) or in the Douro marina, a busy area, about 3nm from Porto centre. I've heard criticism about surge in the Douro river, but I'm not sure whether that was referring to entering and leaving the river (which can be very dodgy in big winds) or conditions in the marina, which others have reported as well sheltered).

Lisbon has more to offer, and Cascais, outside the river entrance, is good for a stay in its own right. More information on those West Portugal spots

The south coast (Algarve) has a much nicer climate, is holiday country, and with the exception of Lagos and the river Guadiana, goes much quieter in winter. Lagos in a bit "Little Britain". Once they arrive, many people settle there for life! More on the Algarve wintering spots here.

If your boat stays in Portugal more than 180 days, the locals are entitled to ask you to "import" your boat to the country. This involves proving your (UK registered) boat has free circulation within the EU, and is kitted to Portuguese standards . . . boring. More about that in the links above.

 

[GrahamM376]

Douro marina, a busy area, about 3nm from Porto centre. I've heard criticism about surge in the Douro river, but I'm not sure whether that was referring to entering and leaving the river (which can be very dodgy in big winds) or conditions in the marina, which others have reported as well sheltered)

Visited the marina by land a couple of years ago, very friendly staff. Their selling point was that the Douro entrance had only been closed 11 times in the previous year which was less than most other ports. They've hung a steel curtain from the outer pontoon which is said to kill much of the swell but one of the locals said he still gets lines snapped and hauls out for winter. Hard standing limited but have heard good reports from Brits who have over wintered there.

 

[jimbaerselman]

Visited the marina by land a couple of years ago, very friendly staff. Their selling point was that the Douro entrance had only been closed 11 times in the previous year which was less than most other ports. They've hung a steel curtain from the outer pontoon which is said to kill much of the swell but one of the locals said he still gets lines snapped and hauls out for winter. Hard standing limited but have heard good reports from Brits who have over wintered there.

Thanks for that. Sounds a bit like living on board over the winter in Kalamata. Quite a bit of surge at times. But ingenious use of light nylon warps allow the boat to wander more, with heavier lines setting limits. So you need to be confident, if you're not living aboard, that the marineros will tend the lines when surge is imminent.

 

[nortada]

Thanks for that. Sounds a bit like living on board over the winter in Kalamata. Quite a bit of surge at times. But ingenious use of light nylon warps allow the boat to wander more, with heavier lines setting limits. So you need to be confident, if you're not living aboard, that the marineros will tend the lines when surge is imminent.

Sounds like it has the potential makings of a exciting winter.

 

[jdc]

Do you consider Madeira or the Azores to be part of Portugal? People live aboard in the Azores, and thus over-winter there (here actually at the moment). Horta is probably the best place in terms of shelter and community.

 

[nortada]

Do you consider Madeira or the Azores to be part of Portugal? People live aboard in the Azores, and thus over-winter there (here actually at the moment). Horta is probably the best place in terms of shelter and community.

Azores very cheap. What are the winter prices like in Madeira?

Again the winter weather can be challenging.

 

[alant]

Thanks for that everyone. Definite food for thought. Any reason why none of the marinas on the Atlantic coast were suggested? Does the swell make it uncomfortable over the winter months, or is the algarve just preferable?

Try Sines, good protected marina inside the main harbour.

 

[KellysEye]

We spent two winters in Lagos, great restaurants and social life including a quiz night at a bar.