Recommendations Boatyards in Denmark or southern Sweden?

[Colvic Watson]

A dream that may become a reality. SWMBO is up for a job that will give us both 8 weeks off each summer, we've long fancied the Baltic as a summer cruising ground. The journey there and back each summer isn't one I relish having done the North Sea crossing to Norway - fun, but not with two young children. So we thought about leaving the Kipper in the Baltic at the end of the cruise. Has anyone here done that before? What are the costs like and what's it like dealing with a yard in another country? We'd have to get stuff like a/f and engine servicing done locally but I think the Scandinavian countries are high wage high tax economies? We have lots of family in Denmark so we prefer that country, sadly they know nothing of boats so they couldn't advise.

Thanks.

 

[Joker]

Join the Baltic section of the Cruising Association. One of their publications is a lay up guide to the Baltic.

 

[Colvic Watson]

Any specific experience or recommendations from someone who's sailed there?

 

[BabaYaga]

Any specific experience or recommendations from someone who's sailed there?

I haven't got much advice regarding yards etc, but one thing to be aware of is the new law in Sweden banning toilet discharge at sea (with in 12 miles from the coast). So if you want to use your sea toilet during your visit, a holding tank and a deck fitting for pump out will be necessary.

 

[st599]

I went to a CA talk about it last year. The guy kept it in Germany for about 1/3 what you'd pay in UK.

Had to give 1 weeks notice to refloat.

45 mins from a Ryanair airport.

 

[ANDY_W]

Why not try Holland. A good cruising ground in its own right and only a relatively short distance to the Baltic.

I winter my Westerly Longbow ( 9.5 metres ) for about 900 euros, October to May outside ashore.
I could have undercover for about 1500 euros.

Chief advantage, other than cost, is convenient car ferry to carry bits to and from, which can't be done
if you have to fly.

Andy

 

[johnalison]

A couple of friends have used a yard which I think is called Burgstaaken on Fehmann and have been very happy. This is an easy day sail from Kiel and is convenient for visiting Denmark, West Sweden, or exploring the rest of the Baltic. Fehmann is German and has rail connections with Germany and Copenhagen. The costs are likely to be lower than UK and in many places you can get storage under cover for very modest fees. I agree that the CA could be your best source of information.

 

[Joker]

I leave mine near Stralsund for the winter. 740 euros for 30 ft boat, lift, scrub and relaunch. Stored outside with mast up.

 

[AliM]

The costs for boats are much less than in the UK.
We haven't laid up in Denmark, but have sailed there quite a bit. Several people we met used Burgestaken (I can't remember the spelling either) that Johnalison mentioned. it seems to be a big favourite with the CA folks. Others (both danes and brits) used Augustinburg. I second the suggestion that you ask the CA Baltic section.

Several years ago, we had a pleasant 4 months based at Egaa (just a bit north of Aarhus). the advantage of that one is that it is on the bus route between Aarhus airport (used by Ryanair) and Aarhus itself. The people were friendly and helpful and spoke perfect english. It was very cheap, compared to East Coast UK prices, and would be unbelievable compared to Solent prices! It is a large modern marina with a good chandler and facilities, and there were some resident brits, although we didn't see much of them. It's a nice sheltered sailing area, too - I particularly like the islands such as Samso, Tuno and Ebeltoft on the mainland, all easy day sails from Egaa. (Aarhus itself is a lovely town, but the harbour was less salubrious, in my opinion.)

We found Sweden more expensive, but if you need anything done to your boat electronics, engine etc, there is an excellent guy in Karlshamn. Guess why I know that! Brits (or germans) we met laid up in Kalmar, Oskarshamn or Stockholm, but I am sure the CA would advise.

PM if you have more questions - we strongly recommend the Baltic, and will be back again this summer, with luck!

 

[Gargleblaster]

I had a friend who left his boat for the winter in Estonia mainly because he wanted his deck relaid and the labour prices were very attractive.

I have spent time in a number of marinas in Denmark and generally found the further north you go the more expensive they are. I was impressed with Dragor Marina on Zealand right under the flight path of Copenhagen Airport and a quick train ride to the airport. It is a major fishing port so has every service possible for boat repair and maintenance.
http://www.marina-guide.net/index.php?id=16&hafen=249

 

[mihtjel]

The costs for boats are much less than in the UK.
Several years ago, we had a pleasant 4 months based at Egaa (just a bit north of Aarhus).

I was going to suggest that one! My own boat is one marina further into the bay, but Egaa would probably be my suggestion for a "full-service" overwinter marina.

For the OP: If you want, I can get you a price, for comparison purposes. And if you - or anyone else - does come by Aarhus, feel free to send me a PM and we can meet up.

Edit: Someone mentioned Augustenborg. They have pricing on their webpage: http://augustenborg-eng.subdomæne.dk/node/65 - Don't forget that Danish VAT is at 25%.

 

[Colvic Watson]

Thanks, pm sent.

 

[Pye_End]

I left mine in Fredericia for a few weeks (not over winter or on the side. Very helpful yard, and useful transport links.

Flensburg has a good size marina, and they presumably have overwinter facility. Again, good transport links for getting home.

Plenty more good size harbours to choose from, but don't know what they all do with the boats over winter!

 

[AliM]

They put many of them into sheds over winter. In Egaa, some were under covers in tha carpark, and a few uncovered.
We were in Neustadt in Germany for the launch of our boat in April 4 years ago, and the boats were just being towed out of their sheds (big aircraft-hangar sized sheds) and launched in a well organised queue - 15 mins per boat, then taken round the corner to the crane, where the mast was put on, then round to their berths.
Neustadt (im-Holstein) is another huge, well organised marina, with a train to Hamburg or Lubeck (Ryanair's version of Hamburg). When we looked at prices, it was still a lot cheaper than the UK East Coast, despite the very posh marina, and excellent organisation. (We only stayed there a couple of months in the end though, and that was paid for by our boat builder, so we have no direct experience.) We were told by a german friend that the Burgestaken one Johnalison mentioned was cheaper, though.

 

[Melleman]

I haven't got much advice regarding yards etc, but one thing to be aware of is the new law in Sweden banning toilet discharge at sea (with in 12 miles from the coast). So if you want to use your sea toilet during your visit, a holding tank and a deck fitting for pump out will be necessary.

No not really,you are not permitted to use it with out a black water tank though.
But you can still sail their and use a "bucket and chuck it"system when under sail.

It's still legal.


Here are some marinas in Goteborg Sweden(in Swedish I'm afraid,but try the mail or phone,swedes speak OK English)
a bit like me I'm a swede
http://www.grefab.se/
Malmo
http://www.smabatshamnen.nu/english/welcome-to-limhamns-smabatshamn/

Maybe sail it to The Netherlands for the winter,and then you can have her afloat.It's a bit cheaper.
Just saying....

 

[BabaYaga]

No not really,you are not permitted to use it with out a black water tank though.
But you can still sail their and use a "bucket and chuck it"system when under sail.

It's still legal.


Here are some marinas in Goteborg Sweden(in Swedish I'm afraid,but try the mail or phone,swedes speak OK English)
a bit like me I'm a swede
http://www.grefab.se/
Malmo
http://www.smabatshamnen.nu/english/welcome-to-limhamns-smabatshamn/

Maybe sail it to The Netherlands for the winter,and then you can have her afloat.It's a bit cheaper.
Just saying....

Neither of those two operations linked to are commercial marinas. The first one is run by municipalities in the area and provides services to residents only. The second one is run by three local boat clubs. There is a waiting list at both locations.
Don't want to sound too negative though, there are several commercial marinas around that would welcome foreign boat owners, but the OP said Denmark wound be his first choice.

Regarding the toilet discharge issue: Discharge from a sea toilet, porta potti or holding tank will be illegal in Swedish waters (12 miles out) following the new law
from April 1st.
The fact that "bucket and chuck it" is not covered by the new law does not make it a legal practice, as it is already considered illegal by existing law.
How visiting yachties from abroad chooses to deal with this is another thing.

 

[alteredoutlook]

I would not get worried about which choice of yard to go to - there are hundreds available. The first thing to do is to choose your airport that you wish to fly to/from! And then choose which yard.

Depending on how you want to store your boat over the winter may restrict the yard choices you have e.g. if you intend storing it inside then a lot of the yards do not have availability or it gets booked quick. If on the other hand you keep it outside then you can probably leave it to a couple of weeks before you haul out (you can choose which yard when you actually get in the vicinity). I have used this latter method twice now. The first time at Oxelosund (50 m south of Stockholm - ideal for Skavsta airport) and the 2nd at a yard in Kappeln in N Germany near the border with Denmark) (ok-ish for Hamburg airport).

Prices were/are on a par with(or slightly less than) UK. I have been very impressed with German efficiency and have had no worries leaving it there!
if you want specific details - please pm me

 

[Colvic Watson]

Thanks for the replies so far. Interesting that the only quote I've had so far is from a relatively expensive Danish yard recommended on this thread - 5 months in a heated shed, mast on and off, jet wash, haul and later launch and 7 months afloat with leccy. All for the same as my East Coast marina who charge extra for haul and launch and jet wash. I think there's mileage here for further investigation. The more I look at the Baltic cruising locations the better it seems.

 

[xyachtdave]

Thanks for the replies so far. Interesting that the only quote I've had so far is from a relatively expensive Danish yard recommended on this thread - 5 months in a heated shed, mast on and off, jet wash, haul and later launch and 7 months afloat with leccy. All for the same as my East Coast marina who charge extra for haul and launch and jet wash. I think there's mileage here for further investigation. The more I look at the Baltic cruising locations the better it seems.

I spent a few days around Haderslev during the spring last year and from what I saw looked an excellent sailing ground, the people I chatted too were amazed (shocked) at the prices we pay for services.

Someone told me you can buy a berth (I believe 'council' run) and then you pay 1% of the boats value a year for up keep and shower blocks etc. He reckoned a berth cost about £1500 somewhere 1/2 decent.

For the £££'s you're referring to that sounds like a bargain and I might be joining you...

 

[Bi111ion]

This is a very interesting thread to me having spent the summer in Denmark including living on the boat in a friendly little harbour called Taarbaek while I worked at the Danish Technical University and leaving the boat for a month at Fjordparken Marina at Aalborg. I must say they were incredibly friendly and helpful at both these sailing club operated marinas. I am hoping to go back and explore the Baltic some more and I wondered about laying up there. They seem to take it very seriously taking all the boats out quite early and cocooning them in plastic (is that true everywhere in Denmark?)

My Brother lives half of the time in Estonia and suggested if I get that far it is a good place to spend the winter with good boat yard services at economical prices. I would be interested if anyone else has opinions on that.

As one poster says another criterion for the best place for your boat is near an airport with budget flights.

If anyone is interested in our summer in Denmark (and the passage from N Wales and back to Hull) there is a log on my blog
http://tuioyster.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/operation-inverse-viking-conwy.html