Povoa de Varzim

[Ningaloo]

Spending a couple of days here and interested to see that a new marina has been built in the north of the harbour. It was opened on 1/5/21 but there are no toilet facilities and visitors are still being directed to the old marina. Both marinas are operated by the same organisation.
The pontoons look substantially better than the old marina and the hope is that they will not be affected by swell.
Might be of interest to anyone planning to leave a boat afloat in the region.
PdV continues to offer a friendly and good value service. (I spent two winters ashore here (2013-15).

 

[Bilge Rat]

Spending a couple of days here and interested to see that a new marina has been built in the north of the harbour. It was opened on 1/5/21 but there are no toilet facilities and visitors are still being directed to the old marina. Both marinas are operated by the same organisation.
The pontoons look substantially better than the old marina and the hope is that they will not be affected by swell.
Might be of interest to anyone planning to leave a boat afloat in the region.
PdV continues to offer a friendly and good value service. (I spent two winters ashore here (2013-15).

That's really interesting. We are currently in Galicia contemplating where to leave the boat ashore over winter and half of next year. We contacted Povoa but were confused by the pricing. Do you have to pay the marina for a berth as well as Nautica Vaga for the time spent ashore? It seems really cheap to leave the boat afloat but ashore seems expensive if you have to continue paying for the marina berth on top of the boatyard space. Any experience or alternative recommendations for this part of the world welcome.

 

[dgadee]

My keel received holes on one side only when it was left afloat for a couple of months there. I presume some kind of electrolysis. The prop was a mess of crustaceans, too. Only found that out after I left.

I had thought about a lift out, but it was so complicated. You pay for lift out and storage but then you have to pay a different firm for a cradle. One cradle firm was expensive and the other was really expensive. Unfortunately the expensive one was not going to be there when we wanted the cradle.

 

[Ningaloo]

It is a few years since I overwintered there but it was good value at the time. I don't think you would need to pay for the marina berth in addition to shore storage.
You do need to rent the cradle/props from one of the two maintenance companies. I am not sure if they deal with the lift out also...
I had my mast removed there so I could go up the Douro river. They needed to bring in a mobile crane to do this.
The marina site used to be surrounded by waste land but this is now being developed.

 

[Bilge Rat]

It is a few years since I overwintered there but it was good value at the time. I don't think you would need to pay for the marina berth in addition to shore storage.
You do need to rent the cradle/props from one of the two maintenance companies. I am not sure if they deal with the lift out also...
I had my mast removed there so I could go up the Douro river. They needed to bring in a mobile crane to do this.
The marina site used to be surrounded by waste land but this is now being developed.

Thanks very much. We're going to head on down and see what we can arrange in person with the cradle companies as only one of them seems to respond to email!

 

[Solo_Sailor]

Hi, I have been in this harbor for some years on shore and in the water. To tell, they always like to take out the bigger yachts at the end of september due to the swell in the older part.
A stay on the hard is actually a little cheaper as i as in the water and have to be paid to the harbor, if you take several months it will substantionally reduce the price. The (very solid and good) cradles can be rented by Natica Vage (Mr Brito) who is a very caple man and will treat your boot well.
The Travel Lift is capable to about 30 tonnes and have to be seperatly by the harbor (for my 42ft about 160 per lift.
The village is very nice, small but have some nice restaurants.
The travel to the airport (Porto) is reasonable to be done by public transport (1 overstep) for about 2,50 pp and takes about 45 minutes to 1 hour
A taxi to the airport is about 40 euro (very reasonable)

How the new pontoons are working is not know as this was placed after my leave.
One major setback is the constand swell in the harbor and will make you loose some of your moorings if you not use some shock snubbers or springs.
By Nautica Vaga also can be agreed to some work on your boat or dinghy motor.

The people in the harbor are very helpful and friendly.
Povoa de Varzim is a good place to leave your boat for a winter stay with very suitable prices... Not a harbor to stay long in summer time due to the constand movement of the water inside the harbor
Again, I do not know how the situation is now with the new potoons.

 

[[3889]]

Hmm, over wintered in PdV in 2018. Got a rat on board within two days of arrival whilst afloat and I wasn't the only boat with that problem. Promised to be lifted out 2 days after I flew home ( the lift out/ cradle business is entirely seperate to the marina). I wasn't lifted and Hurricane Leslie made landfall, causing surprisingly little, but nevertheless some damage. To be fair this was repaired by the Nautica Vega but it was unnecessary stress. NV's owner seemed well intentioned but hugely overworked and I witnessed several shouting matches between him and customers whilst there. Having seen conditions in the harbour in any sort of lively weather, plus the fact that the harbour is closed more often than not from October to April, I wouldn't be in a rush to go back. For storage ashore in the area I would head to Xufre. Not used it but heard nothing but positive comments about the place.

 

[emandvee44]

Our yacht was based in Marina de Povoa for over 6 years, from 2010 to 2016.
As has been said above, larger yachts (38-40+) are required to lift out for the Winter months. The lifting is carried out by the marina staff, but the chocking, (always in steel cradles) is done by one of the two on site firms. (I believe that this may now be only one as the other transferred to Douro Marina some years ago but would still attend at Povoa on request – this may have changed).
The steel cradles are hired from the firms and I recall that we paid around €50 per month.
The onshore ‘parking’ charges of the marina are slightly less than in water, and you do not pay for the berth if your yacht is ashore.
Outside contractors are allowed in, and living and working on your boat is allowed.
Showers are good, and there are also laundry facilities.
SS in #6 above has covered the travel options.
On the downside, the entrance to the harbour is subject to silting which can cause a significant decrease in depth, particularly during a gale. With a swell of 2m+ and low water, the entrance can then be very dangerous. We were always ashore during the Winter, but even in Summer the Atlantic swell can be large and thus breakers occur in the entrance.
We were moored on the second line (from the North), first berth at the bottom of the ramp. Our permanent moorings were 16mm nylon, all with stainless springs and we never broke a rope or suffered any damage despite some occasions in the Summer when a strong swell surge penetrated the harbour.
The staff were all friendly and extremely helpful, and will even arrange a special rate at one of the hotels close by, if required.
Plenty of bars, cafeterias and more formal restaurants, nearby, all within easy walking distance; also small supermarkets, and larger ones a longer walk or a bike ride.
Never had a rat on board, despite our convenient berth
The 'New' marina area in the North side of the harbour I know nothing about, except that when it was mooted, 'elephant' and 'white' came to mind.
I hope the above will be helpful.
M.