Relocate to Eastern Med

[CharlleBrown]

Long story, but were thinking of relocating our 11m motorboat from the UK to the Med, and probably the Eastern Med (North Italy to Greece to start with)

Anyone done this and got any useful hints / tips or even better - things to avoid.

Thanks

CB

 

[Tranona]

Welcome to the forum.

Big subject. Moving a boat from the UK to that area is either longwinded or expensive or both. You also need to consider VAT issues, time that you can stay in the EU and cost of berthing which can be equally or more expensive than the UK.

Many come to the conclusion it is better to buy a boat there for all sorts of practical and financial reasons.

 

[Sticky Fingers]

Hi Charlie,

Plenty of people have done this, Tranona is right about selling up and buying locally.

There are some other factors you need to consider if you want to pursue moving your own boat ...

1. Berth availability - probably the biggest single thing you have to solve before you start - where will you keep the boat and is there a berth available?
2. Travel - assuming you live in the UK, how easy is it to get to your chosen Med home port? Many Med airports only operate in season with few or no off-season flights;
3. You don't say what model / age of boat, but you need to consider whether its design is suitable for Med use - boats with large cockpit and / or flybridge areas both with shade are far more suitable than boats designed for northern hemisphere cold/wet weather.
4. Does the boat have air conditioning? You're going to need it. If not, retrofitting it is very costly.
5. Does the boat have a generator? You'e going to need it unless you never leave the marina.
6. What make / model / age of engines do you have, and how do you propose to have them maintained? You need to consider availability of spares and competent service agents.

Just a few things.

 

[petem]

Hi Charlie,

Plenty of people have done this, Tranona is right about selling up and buying locally.

There are some other factors you need to consider if you want to pursue moving your own boat ...

1. Berth availability - probably the biggest single thing you have to solve before you start - where will you keep the boat and is there a berth available?
2. Travel - assuming you live in the UK, how easy is it to get to your chosen Med home port? Many Med airports only operate in season with few or no off-season flights;
3. You don't say what model / age of boat, but you need to consider whether its design is suitable for Med use - boats with large cockpit and / or flybridge areas both with shade are far more suitable than boats designed for northern hemisphere cold/wet weather.
4. Does the boat have air conditioning? You're going to need it. If not, retrofitting it is very costly.
5. Does the boat have a generator? You'e going to need it unless you never leave the marina.
6. What make / model / age of engines do you have, and how do you propose to have them maintained? You need to consider availability of spares and competent service agents.

Just a few things.

I wouldn't worry about a generator unless you plan on frequent nights at anchor.

 

[Sticky Fingers]

I wouldn't worry about a generator unless you plan on frequent nights at anchor.

You need it to run the aircon. Or a big Lithium domestic bank plus solar, might be an alternative.

 

[PlanB]

In 2005, we motored our Princess 435 from London to the western Med, coast hopping round Biscay.. It was our retirement trip, so we took it gently, stopping when and where we fancied. It took five fantastic months, I know someone who did it as a delivery trip in 20 days.
The major thing was the fuel cost - just under £10,000, and that was then.
We then lived aboard for 12 years.
Couldn't do it now, with Brexit etc.

We had a genny and aircon, but never used the latter as the noise bothered us more that the heat.

 

[petem]

You need it to run the aircon. Or a big Lithium domestic bank plus solar, might be an alternative.

I know that but not many 11m boats spend much time anchoring overnight IMO.

 

[Irish Rover]

We live and keep our boat in Türkiye. We never use the air conditioning on the boat or in the house. All our socialising is done outdoors - we have both a large flybridge and a large aft cockpit- and we leave doors and windows open a night, all with mozzie nets. If you use gas for cooking, and have decent solar, a generator is not necessary for extended anchoring.

 

[Sticky Fingers]

I know that but not many 11m boats spend much time anchoring overnight IMO.

That’s a fair point. It’s a small boat in Med terms.