Recommendations for a Med marina please

[madabouttheboat]

I am toying with the idea of putting our sub 30ft sportscruiser on the Med for a season or two.

What I am looking for is a marina that is reasonable value, one that is not too far from an airport, say an hour or so's drive, and one that has an intersting cruising ground. The local airport needs to be served by a budget airline with regular all year flights taking off from any London airport.

Number one criteria is to keep the overall cost, (both of keeping the boat there and visiting), down as low as possible, so I am guessing that Monaco is out

Sant Carlos looks like it might fit the bill although Barcelona and Valencia airports look some distance away.

Any other suggestions?

Cheers

 

[devondancer]

Puerto de Mazarron? We have been here for 15 months with a Leader 805. One and 1/4 hours drive south from Alicante. Small port but plenty of bars, restaurants & not too expensive.

 

[jfm]

I am toying with the idea of putting our sub 30ft sportscruiser on the Med for a season or two.

What I am looking for is a marina that is reasonable value, one that is not too far from an airport, say an hour or so's drive, and one that has an intersting cruising ground. The local airport needs to be served by a budget airline with regular all year flights taking off from any London airport.

Number one criteria is to keep the overall cost, (both of keeping the boat there and visiting), down as low as possible, so I am guessing that Monaco is out

Sant Carlos looks like it might fit the bill although Barcelona and Valencia airports look some distance away.

Any other suggestions?

Cheers

For a sub-30 you need good nearby anchorages and cruising becuase you wont have long enough legs to do the 100nm from SCt o say Balearics, at least not often. Hence, I'd suggest SC is not suitable

I suggest you look at St Laurent du Var marina or La Rague, in S France, v close to Nice airport (17 flights a day from London incl easyjet). Great sheltered cruising and anchorages within 10 miles, so ideal for a 30er

 

[malc60]

med boating

I went through this last year, bought a boat and got a berth with it in benalmadena, 20mins from malaga,love it, best thing i have done.

 

[Nautorius]

Costa Del Sol is not the most exciting cruising ground, but you can have fun in a different Marina every night! Cheapest is Alcaidesa at La Linea. 5 mins walk from Gibraltar Airport. Then La Duquesa, 30 mins from Gib, 55 from Malaga. Then Estepona, 40 mins Gib, 45 from Estepona. Also Fuengirola and Benalmadena are good.

Cheers

Paul

 

[Reverend Ludd]

I would recommend Empuriabrava or Ampuriabrava.
It's one of the largest marinas in the world.

It's near Roses.
The local station is Figures and that goes to Barcelona and Girona.
There is a Eurostar train starting this year from Perpignan. (the other way)

 

[runner911]

Try La Caleta, 20 miles from Malaga Airport. Gives you access to the whole of the Costa del Sol.

Excellent Marina and services.

See here

www.sail-the-net.com/marinas/europe.../puerto_caleta_de_velez_malaga_andalucia.html

 

[taz]

Cabopino(ask ACE).C del S 30 mins from Malaga Airport.

 

[Hurricane]

We are based in Sant Carles.
If you like the idea of a Spanish area (i.e. not an English resort) but need to have the security of an English marina (MDL), then Sant Carles would be a good option.
Reus airport is the closest to Sant Carles - just under an hour's run and is served by Rynair so cheap flights from Bristol, Luton, Stanstead and East Midlands etc.

However, as jfm says cruising on the mainland Spain is a bit limited for a sub 30 footer.
It depends what you want to do thoiugh - we do have a huge lagoon just outside the marina so water skiing etc is excellent but cruising isnt as good as the islands of Mallorca/Menorca/Ibiza etc.

If you can trail your boat, there is a good ferry service from the UK down to Santander/Bilbao and then Sant Carles is about 450 miles further by road (all motorway).

If you woukld like any more info just PM me - or sign up (for free) on our Sant Carles berth holders forum at



EDIT: typo in the web address - correct now www.scmchat.com

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

To consider only areas with year round availability of budget airline flights is a good idea but those areas are by definition popular and therefore possibly expensive. For a good selection of flights, you're really looking at Nice, Palma, Malaga and maybe Alicante in the W Med and possibly, Venice, in the Adriatic. I would discount the latter because the immediate cruising area is boring and the weather is cold in winter although you can find relatively cheap marinas nearby. Personally, I would also discount Alicante and Malaga areas because again, the local cruising areas are not that interesting. That leaves Nice and Palma. The French Riviera is about the most expensive place in the W Med you could keep a boat which leaves Palma and the Balearics. Having cruised both areas, I think the Balearics is a more interesting cruising area, especially for a 30 footer as being islands you can usually find some anchorage sheltered from any wind and its a bit cheaper than the Riviera in all respects. I dont know what you consider cheap but a 10m mooring in one of the Palma marinas might cost around €7000 pa and there should be available spaces now as many boats have left the islands due to the matriculation tax fiasco. You might find cheaper moorings in the marinas on the N and E sides of the islands. We liked Majorca because its a beautiful island and because there's plenty to do on non boating days. Things like eating out, taxis and car rental are also reasonable

 

[EME]

That leaves Nice and Palma. The French Riviera is about the most expensive place in the W Med you could keep a boat which leaves Palma and the Balearics......... 10m mooring in one of the Palma marinas might cost around €7000 pa and there should be available spaces now as many boats have left the islands due to the matriculation tax fiasco.

A couple of points on the decision - making. The French Riviera is expensive but annual rentals for a 30-footer can be less than that ( dependent upon beam of course).

Perhaps more interestingly, for a 9m boat, the Inland Marina on the Siagne (metres from the sea) might be a possibility and would be about €3000pa plus TVA. ( I'm not sure how much launch and recovery is or even if included)

 

[Victoria Sponge]

Costa Del Sol is not the most exciting cruising ground, but you can have fun in a different Marina every night! Cheapest is Alcaidesa at La Linea. 5 mins walk from Gibraltar Airport. Then La Duquesa, 30 mins from Gib, 55 from Malaga. Then Estepona, 40 mins Gib, 45 from Estepona. Also Fuengirola and Benalmadena are good.

Cheers

Paul

I actually really like the Costa Del Sol!

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

A couple of points on the decision - making. The French Riviera is expensive but annual rentals for a 30-footer can be less than that ( dependent upon beam of course).

Perhaps more interestingly, for a 9m boat, the Inland Marina on the Siagne (metres from the sea) might be a possibility and would be about €3000pa plus TVA. ( I'm not sure how much launch and recovery is or even if included)

EME, thats a guesstimate for one of the swish marinas in Palma. There are other cheaper moorings around Majorca, run by clubs and councils but IMHO if you're going to be away from your boat for months you need good security and regular checking of lines etc. Good point about the inland marina. How low is the bridge under which you have to go to get there?
We found the SoF an expensive place to keep a boat when we were there in 2003 and again in 2005. Even in 2003, the taxi fare from the airport to LaNap was €90 and that was a 'special' rate; heaven knows what it costs now. And SWMBO and I used to have a joke between us about maintenance costs; every job, however small, seemed to cost €1000. Yeah, maybe they saw us coming but costs were definitely lower for us in the Balearics.
Dont get me wrong. We loved being in SoF and we'll go back one day but cheap it ain't.

 

[EME]

Deleted User How high is the bridge? Not sure ... but given there are some (smaller) FBs and the big Cannes/Mandelieu Marina upstream of the bridge then it can not be a problem.

Special Rate --€90 .. rip-off merchants! .... but tariffs do vary considerably based upon time of day. BTW .. you can take the train ... 400m walk to the station and stops in La nap. ( but boaters dont use public transport do they? )

Yes .. the French Riviera is expensive and some of the costs amazing, but you do learn over time who is reliable; but you are right, expect the worst.

 

[DavidJ]

I would recommend Empuriabrava or Ampuriabrava.
It's one of the largest marinas in the world.

It's near Roses.
The local station is Figures and that goes to Barcelona and Girona.
There is a Eurostar train starting this year from Perpignan. (the other way)

I'd second that. (not to be confused with Rosas marina)
There are several of us forumites there.
3/4hr drive from Gerona (Ryanair)
Great cruising ground within 10 minutes, have a look on google earth. It's big, no it's huge, but because it's on a canal system you only see, say, 50 boats.
Being huge, it's got dozens of restaurants, chandlers, boat fixing places, supermarkets and even a Lidls. Also sky diving (best in Europe I've been told), go karting etc
Most boats there, I'd say, are sub 30ft and owned by folk ether owning or renting properties there.
Many people have their boats kept in a hanger and put in the water when they visit.

Because of a resident population, it never dies like some marinas in the winter.
Also great driving up in the mountains, you can get to ski resorts within 2 hrs.

Yes there is a downside, it get windy quite often so you will be constrained now and again.
My guess for a 30ft boat is €4000 pa perhaps a bit more, incl water and elec
Hope this helps

 

[BartW]

the last 3 day's I was in Hyére marina in SOF,
one of the cheapest public marina's in the area,
at "walking" distance from Toulon Hyère airport
(not sure about flights from UK)

very interesting cruising area,

Famous Porkerolles islands just in front
to the east: ao St Tropez at 30nm (never in my live I saw so many boats in one spot as there today (last week of july )
to the west: Callegues de Cassis at 20nm
and many coastal bay's,....
or famous SOF destinations...

Hyere harbour is big, but very full with 30ft boats I believe

 

[Renegade_Master]

Costa Del Sol is not the most exciting cruising ground, but you can have fun in a different Marina every night! Cheapest is Alcaidesa at La Linea. 5 mins walk from Gibraltar Airport. Then La Duquesa, 30 mins from Gib, 55 from Malaga. Then Estepona, 40 mins Gib, 45 from Estepona. Also Fuengirola and Benalmadena are good.

Cheers

Paul

duquesa 30 mins from gib what are you driving paul? its 20nm door to door

 

[kashurst]

have a look at torrevieja marinas, there are three here. Marina internarional (nice atmosphere very helpful) the new marina salinas (all new and trendy, good work shops and cheap boat lift -130euros to lift my 13m boat;-) ) and theroyal yoacht club (very spanish and a bit posh), all 40 mins from alicante, 25 mins from Murcia (san javier) airport. moorings good value,.massive harbour you can go out by the sea wall and anchor , swim etc if too windy for you but you want to have a play, lots of little anchorages and lots of little marinas. (going south towards cartagena theres one every 7 miles) Mar menor 14 miles away which is great for children and water toys with even more marinas in there.

 

[ACE]

Cabopino(ask ACE).C del S 30 mins from Malaga Airport.

I love Cabopino but quiet honestly I wouldn't recommend it at present.. It's expensive and lacking investment... Ok for a few nights stop etc, as there are some nice bars and restaurants but honestly I'd take Cabopino off your radar to be honest lots more nicer and easier ports along the costa del sol.......

 

[taz]

I love Cabopino but quiet honestly I wouldn't recommend it at present.. It's expensive and lacking investment... Ok for a few nights stop etc, as there are some nice bars and restaurants but honestly I'd take Cabopino off your radar to be honest lots more nicer and easier ports along the costa del sol.......

That has suprised me..................what has happened over there? I loved the peace and quiet and remote feel to it and the beaches were far better than the cattle markets of it's neighbours.