Port Cogolin SOF

[volvopaul]

Morning, is there anyone one here that knows the place well , I’ve not been a boat owner now for over 6 years so looking for something and a different cruising ground to spend time probably more as a floating hotel than a big cruising area. There are a couple of boats listed that express an interest.

 

[markc]

It really depends what you're looking for - it's a quiet port with houses etc., rather than a tourist attraction. I'm not a fan of being a tourist attraction, so would suit me well. Close to Grimaud and St Tropez. My only worry is that it can be a crap journey there by car from Nice in the height of the summer. You could of course get a chopper to St Tropez

 

[mcanderson]

We stayed once and are not in a rush to go back. Sleepy, but without actually being nice. No real big stores for walking to get grocery and as Mark pointed out a bugger to get to. Nice Airport now has a train station that is easy to get to, still called Nice St Augustin, but much easier to use. If we were looking again I would want a port that can make use of the train service as it is quite good and beats paying out for a Taxi/Uber.

 

[Portofino]

Stayed there a few times .Found it ok .It’s the little sibling to Port Grimaud next door .That’s not bad as PG does get tourist flocking in from nearby camp sites where as Cogolin less so .
Cogolin had enough bars resultants , etc for you and a huge yard part of the Monaco marine group .You will love watching the goings on etc talking 200 ftr lift etc .

St Tropez is another tourist magnet and full of silly designer shops selling €10 items for €100 .If you like that kinda stuff watching ladies with more filler in there boobs + lips than a 40 year old 70 BL car then fine .

The bay itself is ideally suited , a bit windy at times .Plenty of near by I mean 10-15 min runs for shelter + swimming etc .
About an hr from Cannes in a 30 knot cruise machine or equally 1/1/3 to the Porquerolles Boubas stomping ground .Beyond those beautiful islands more real France like Sanery Sue Mer , + many more better places than the CdA to boat , towards Marseille.

There is a little private airport at Le Mole behind St Trop , other than that it NCE with the usual air carriers or Toulon with the no thrills .I wouldn’t be put off by the 2 hr car trip either it’s a doddle .Unless of course you drive yourself .

If the boats right and you can haggle in a berth then go for it as a starter .

If you or your wife likes body filled people with £2000 hand bags and £.25, K watches, crowds and gwarpers then port Cogolin isn’t for you .
I will find some pics .

There are ferry’s connecting , St Trop , Cogolin , PG , st Maxine etc even Cannes .BTW .

 

[Portofino]

Can’t find pics without my boat .One more thing I forgot it’s a mozzie place !

 

[Bouba]

If you can find a berth in the SoF that is in your budget...then call it home. Everywhere else is just a boat or car ride away

 

[DAW]

I've been to Port Cogolin a few times, although never stayed there overnight, Overall, it seems like a nice marina with reasonable facilities and conveniently located for going everywhere else. Cogolin is not Port Grimaud or St Tropez ... there is much more of a French feel about it and more local people live there all year round. It doesn't have the somewhat unique canal-style/holiday home character of Port Grimaud or the glitz of St Tropez, and this is reflected in its popularity with tourists and also in the marina rates which are lower. Many people with villas near St Tropez keep their boats there because of the lower cost. In terms of things to do off the water, while options in Cogolin itself are a bit limited, Port Grimaud is on the doorstep and has lots to offer, while St Tropez and the beaches of Pampelonne are just a short taxi ride away.

Road traffic can be busy during the summer months, with day-trippers and weekend visitors to St Tropez sometimes creating long delays. The worst of these usually occur after Sainte-Maxime, as there is only one usable route from there to St Tropez. If you can travel outside the peak times its usually OK. Another option is to go to Sainte-Maxime then catch one of the passenger ferries to Port Cogolin so you avoid most of the traffic.

As Bouba says ... in this area, if you can find somewhere that's in your budget and available ... don't let it get away from you.

 

[prinex]

Or go to Frejus which has 3 marinas, easy highway access, and the town is alive all year round (a bit cheap familiy tourism in summer). St. Tropez is a circus all year round and unless you want to buy plastic clothes is not really anything at all.
There is a nice cheap boat there for sale 2000 Princess 52 Fly Flybridge for sale - YachtWorld would be good for living aboard and lets go swim once in a while.

 

[Chris H]

Visited Cogolin a few times before owning a boat, it’s very quiet out of season, nothing is open, if we could get a reasonable priced berth I would definitely stay there.

although we maybe different to other boaters……..love st tropez and if I could persuade my wife to buy cheap £2.5k handbags I’d have a new boat !

 

[markc]

Following on from Bouba's point about availability, beware what security of tenure you might have when buying a boat. I was chatting to a new owner on our quay in the summer who was under the impression that he could remain on the berth permanently. However, after visiting the port office it transpired that the broker was keeping the berth and from Jan 1 the new owner would be 'homeless'.

 

[volvopaul]

Thanks for all your replies , it sounds like it’s a no go for us , it was only a cheap ish Sealine I was interested in , but it sounds like a years mooring would be near a third it’s price , and of course there’s the vat to pay if I was to bring it back to the UK .

 

[Seastoke]

Paul bring it back uk , keep it in Torquey I have a spare berth , you maintain my boat and I maintain your funbox , also that escort would never make it to the SoF.

 

[Bouba]

This conversation is getting interesting...I hope it doesn’t go to private messaging

 

[volvopaul]

This conversation is getting interesting...I hope it doesn’t go to private messaging

I bet BB has had more PMs about his berth .
I need a boat first , watching them drop every day .

 

[volvopaul]

Paul bring it back uk , keep it in Torquey I have a spare berth , you maintain my boat and I maintain your funbox , also that escort would never make it to the SoF.

Had a little bump in the Escort in Radnor Forest on the 3rd so it’s looking a bit sorry .
At the moment I’m away from work while my back heals hence I’ve time on my hands looking at the market , this SOF thing was to look at something in the sunshine as my uk boating days were over 6 years ago .

 

[markc]

At the moment I’m away from work while my back heals hence I’ve time on my hands looking at the market , this SOF thing was to look at something in the sunshine as my uk boating days were over 6 years ago .

We made the move to the sun, (sadly boat only and not house too like Bouba), after 20 years of UK boating. Best move ever, you won't regret it. I also think it doesn't need to cost mega money either, just lots of research and a little bit of luck.

 

[Adrian]

I asked about a mooring last year and was told there was a 2 year waiting list, getting a mooring anywhere in the SOF is pretty difficult.

 

[marcochi76]

I asked about a mooring last year and was told there was a 2 year waiting list, getting a mooring anywhere in the SOF is pretty difficult.

If I can give a suggestion based on my personal experience:

if you just put yourself on a wait list, you can wait forever...

What worked for me was to get acquainted with the manager of the port of your choice, show that you are an easy person to deal with (i.e. do not stress him too much with requests...)
and eventually ask him for a temporary berth of 1 month.

Once you are in, they are usually very collaborative to find you another berth in the port.
You should be flexible to quickly move the boat within the port if requested.

And at the end you will find yourself with a permanent berth...

I suggested a friend to act like this...and he thus bypassed the wait list...

 

[DavidJ]

We made the move to the sun, (sadly boat only and not house too like Bouba), after 20 years of UK boating. Best move ever, you won't regret it. I also think it doesn't need to cost mega money either, just lots of research and a little bit of luck.

Agree
Got sent this today from my marina group in the Costa Brava.
Still in shirt sleeves I notice.
Why not come here Paul, rental berths available.

 

[DAW]

If I can give a suggestion based on my personal experience:

if you just put yourself on a wait list, you can wait forever...

What worked for me was to get acquainted with the manager of the port of your choice, show that you are an easy person to deal with (i.e. do not stress him too much with requests...)
and eventually ask him for a temporary berth of 1 month.

Once you are in, they are usually very collaborative to find you another berth in the port.
You should be flexible to quickly move the boat within the port if requested.

And at the end you will find yourself with a permanent berth...

I suggested a friend to act like this...and he thus bypassed the wait list...

Totally consistent with my understanding of how the system works in practice in many of the popular marinas in the SoF. The port manager(s) are the key to allocation of berths and have considerable influence over who gets put forward for an annual contract and who has to wait.

Its not ideal, but the best way to get to know them (and for them to get to know you) is to start as a temporary visitor. People with annual contracts go cruising in the summer ... sometimes for a few days at a time, sometimes for a few weeks ... and so the capitainerie usually has spaces available on a temporary basis. Provided you can be a little flexible and are able to move the boat quickly (or have someone else move it for you) its a good way to start. Once they know you are "low maintenance", have a well presented boat, don't cause them any hassle and don't upset your neighbours, they will usually do what they can for you.

My current neighbour in the marina has been there most of the summer. He started with a commitment of a few days, then a week or two and now goes month to month. He asked about an annual contract and was told there was nothing available, but he's now in discussion about staying through the winter.