Sailing the Med

[delandh]

We are looking to take six months to a year sailing the Med in a 32 foot Bavaria.

Can anyone help us in estimating living expenses, marina cost etc? Pitfalls and helpful tip on how to get started.

Many thanks


Del and H

 

[BrendanS]

also interested in this question, for 40'. Worldwide not just med

Suggestion on scuttlebutt was 10k a year, nearer 20k a year if staying at lots of marinas, eating out in restuarants etc. Is this close to the mark? Does this include running repairs, lift outs etc?

 

[lindsay]

Think in yearly modules of Pnds 5,000. This is based on my own experience of five years in the Med as a singlehander on a 29 footer and many meetings/talks with others. A ten metre boat would add 20 per cent or so. A couple? Its up to you.

Up to Pnds 5,000. Few marinas, except very cheap winter berths, eat beans on toast and shop in local markets. DIY all maintenance and repairs. You become very good at anchoring and sail with three or four anchors.Never eat out. No, or very limited, travel "home"

Pnds 5,000 to 10,000. Marinas either on 12 month rate or casual 8 to9 months per year. Anchoring the rest. Regular coffees and newspapers, watching the beautiful people or fascinating locals (sic) Some eating out but not going haywire. Get someone else to do some of the maintenance.Little travel home or elsewhere.

Pnds 10,000 to 15,000. More of the same, more meals out plus economy air travel around Europe several times a year occasional car hire etc

nds 15,000 to 20,000. More of the same plus opportunity to leave boat in a congenial marina for the winter and go and spend 2 to 3 months in Australia, South America, Polyenesia just to take the edge of the Med winter before returning to your boat and preparing the Spring cruise. Based on air fare Pnds 500 to 800 and Pnds 50 a day all in

 

[tcm]

excellent info.

Not sure how familar the originator is with the med pricing - not that it's high, just its variation between areas, and variation across the seasons. For example, most marinas hike prices A LOT during june july and august, so it's imprtant to anchor off - but you can nip in for supplies as all the boats rush out during the day ; it's often free to stay for a long lunchstop to buy supplies. Out of season these months some places we found in greece don't even bother to charge for overnight stays, elsewhere it can be halfprice of top rate - and becomes more necessary with more winds. You need a decent dinghy, with outboard really - a rowboat is pretty grim. Safety wise you need a mobile phone primed with tenumbers for hospitals and emergency services which are great - but not at listening on vhf.

 

[colvic]

Depends where you expect/intend to go in 6 to 12 months....not very far in reality. Truth is if doing long distances your fuel bill will be a major consideration as without fail everyone you talk to about "sailing in the Med" will tell you its either too much or too little wind.


Phil

 

[lindsay]

You are right about marina cost differences and bargains. eg most Corsican marinas give you ten months for HALF the yearly price as long as you leave it free during July and August. This could be a good solution for UK "yotties" since access from Corsica to Nice (and its airport and EasyJet) by plane or ferry is good.

Porquerolles and Port Cros cost only five pounds a day on a buoy in September. Even good old St Tropez, whose prices are astronomical during the trendy summer months, slash prices in the winter- I stayed there for five and half months (after the Nioulargue or its successor) for under Pounds 500.

Never found such differences in Spain or Italy but perhaps did not look hard enough

 

[RichardPerou]

Finally made it to the Ionian this year. Spent most of the time in anchorages but the only time I was asked to pay in a harbour was in Fiskardo. 4.21 euro for a 10m. Learn to cook on board and only eat and drink what they make locally. Buy a bike. Get a local SIM for the mobile. In Greece the prepaids last for twelve months.


<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by RichardPerou on 11/10/2002 10:23 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[gunnarsilins]

A couple?

I would be nice to know how much of the 5 k 'modules' are spent on food, travelling etc.
This is quite essential for beeing able to do a calculation for a couple.

 

[lindsay]

As a single handler who dislikes shopping and cooking I reckon on Pnds30 to 40 per week for basic food and moderate wine consumption ON BOARD. Many do it on less. Couples seem to do it for Pnds 40 to 50.

Note that a shoreside beer, coffee and newspaper would cost Pnds 5 or 6 a day, ie as much as you spend on basic provisions.

Reckoning this way makes you think twice about eating in a restaurant which costs a half or one third of the basic weekly provisions budget.