Dolly2
New Member
After chat at MDL's stand at London boat show, considering a trip to Sant Carles Marina in Spain, understand quite a few Brits there! Wondered if anyone can give me some advise. My boat is a Prestige 34HT. Thanks.
Sant Carles de la Rapita
- Thread starter Dolly2
- Start date
Ya Fohi
New Member
we are here at the moment. Nice modern Marina with a very Spanish town. So almost the best of both worlds. The club house is good and they all speak English. Then the town has some great (and cheap) Spanish restaurants. Nice place to explore the Balearic's from.
Elessar
Well-Known Member
they have their own forum. Drop hurricane a pm if he doesn't get to this thread first he'll sort access for you.
Incredibly friendly marina, I was there briefly earlier in the year. You'll find some tales of it in the "my project sealine" thread.
It's cheap compared with the solent too. All immaculately kept and has an infinity pool next to the club house.
Medskipper
Well-Known Member
Sant Carles
Hi, been there 4 years now, good marina, has its problems like any other. Don't bring your boat to Spain though unless you can visit it at least six times a year.
Happy to give more info, pm Me if you have any more questions.
Barry
Hi, been there 4 years now, good marina, has its problems like any other. Don't bring your boat to Spain though unless you can visit it at least six times a year.
Happy to give more info, pm Me if you have any more questions.
Barry
John100156
Well-Known Member
Hi,
Like Barry, I have been in MDL SCM for some time, we arrived Sept-2008 having our Targa 34 delivered by road (Coast2Coast).
It's an excellent marina, run by MDL, all of its staff are really helpful and in the office speak good English. it does not have the hustle bustle of the marinas further North/South, it's located in a quaint little Catalonian town. The marinero's are good and will always follow you in, if they see you coming in, ready to take your lines without holding out their hands!
The boatyard and fuel berth are new so the facilities could not be better.
It has a private open-air swimming pool, air conditioned berth-holders lounge, excellent toilet and shower block facilities and a relaxed marina bar and restaurant. The staff there are very friendly and some have been there since the marina opened.
Berths are conventional Walcon pontoons as you get in most MDL marinas, these are finger berths but you can if you wish elect to go onto a Mediterranean berth which are a cheaper of course. Lots of Cat's take advantage of these.
Water, electricity and WiFi are all free, we also get one free lift and scrub each year.
There is a large lagoon directly outside the marina which you can play in, often seeing flocks of Flamingo's flying overhead, the adjacent Ebre Delta is a nature reserve with flocks of rare birds close by.
In the lagoon there is muscle beds and Xiriguitos a restaurant on stilts only accessible by a visitors ferry boat or via your tender, the holding is very good in the lagoon so we frequently go out, drop the hook then take the tender over for a meal - their paella is excellent.
Well over 1/3 of the boats in the marina are UK residents, very friendly lot, with several UK live-aboards that keep an eye on the boat all year around - we also have our own Forum (www.scmchat.com) that we encourage people to join even if they are just thinking of visiting the marina, a lot more information can be found on it. As said it is hosted by Hurricane of this parish, he has his Princess 67 (Jenny Wren) out there.
There is a very nice and clean blue flag beach adjacent to the marina which is shallow and very good if you have children or land-lubbing guests!
There are numerous chandleries close by and a well known set of marine maintenance engineers which I have found very competitive. For instance one time out I needed an alternator repaired - took it to a local garage, they cleaned it, repaired the brushes and I collected next day at a cost of €38 I nearly fell on the chair! Earlier this year they replaced a seized tilt tube on my tender equally cheaply and very fast indeed. I dropped it off with Hurricane at 4.30pm and collected it the next day at 11am!
During the summer we fly to Reus airport using Ryanair, the flights are very cheap indeed and since 2008, we have only experienced one short delay. It's motorway almost door-to-door from airport to the marina A7 (or AP7 toll), they are the same size and run parallel to eachother so it's always easy to get to the marina, takes about 45 mins from the airport.
There are lots of hotels and restaurants in town and of course local tapas bars. The town is quiet most of the time but they have lots of festivals, a two week long one in July/Aug where there are many activities all day long and every day from dawn to 2am at night! Bulls running through the streets several times, the locals love it and welcome visitors.
There are lots of UK boats both new and old berthed there with a very friendly spirit between raggies and MoBo's. We even have some Canadians, Americans and Kiwi's out there that travel all they way from NZ! The former round people up most Thursdays to play Boules outside the marina offices. Recently we all went out in our boats, dropped the hook in the lagoon and took our tenders to a remote beach in the lagoon to play a game, Raggies against MoBo's, sadly they won, thought I should give you the negatives too!
There are lots of marinas local to visit and of course we are only 100nm from Mallorca, or you can hop down the coast to Denia then under 50nm across to Ibiza.
The boating season is pretty much 11 months long, a few years ago we were out in December sitting outside a restaurant in short sleeves, the same this year, you can take the boat out pretty much whenever you like, you decide, not the weather, which is why we went out in 2008, I loved Torquay but sat in the marina most of the time, it would have been cheaper to have a caravan!
There are mainly three negatives IMO: 1) Cant just pop down to the boat when you feel like it. 2) Heavier fouling but with cheap lifts and scrubs this can easily be managed and 3) The mozzies at night can be a pain from time-to-time in the summer, but it is the Med!
Very safe and secure marina.
Some selected images:-
The lagoon I'm taking picture SWMBO top left
Local beach
Miles of beaches like this within 10 mins
Marina offices and restaurant
The pool
Boatyard and fuel berth
Pontoons
Peniscola - 18nm South
Xiringuitos restaurant on stilts in lagoon with some friends
Rafted up with others water skiing in the lagoon when I had my Targa 34 there
You can find a lot more images on SCM Chat oh and did I mention the weather!
So there you have it!
John
Like Barry, I have been in MDL SCM for some time, we arrived Sept-2008 having our Targa 34 delivered by road (Coast2Coast).
It's an excellent marina, run by MDL, all of its staff are really helpful and in the office speak good English. it does not have the hustle bustle of the marinas further North/South, it's located in a quaint little Catalonian town. The marinero's are good and will always follow you in, if they see you coming in, ready to take your lines without holding out their hands!
The boatyard and fuel berth are new so the facilities could not be better.
It has a private open-air swimming pool, air conditioned berth-holders lounge, excellent toilet and shower block facilities and a relaxed marina bar and restaurant. The staff there are very friendly and some have been there since the marina opened.
Berths are conventional Walcon pontoons as you get in most MDL marinas, these are finger berths but you can if you wish elect to go onto a Mediterranean berth which are a cheaper of course. Lots of Cat's take advantage of these.
Water, electricity and WiFi are all free, we also get one free lift and scrub each year.
There is a large lagoon directly outside the marina which you can play in, often seeing flocks of Flamingo's flying overhead, the adjacent Ebre Delta is a nature reserve with flocks of rare birds close by.
In the lagoon there is muscle beds and Xiriguitos a restaurant on stilts only accessible by a visitors ferry boat or via your tender, the holding is very good in the lagoon so we frequently go out, drop the hook then take the tender over for a meal - their paella is excellent.
Well over 1/3 of the boats in the marina are UK residents, very friendly lot, with several UK live-aboards that keep an eye on the boat all year around - we also have our own Forum (www.scmchat.com) that we encourage people to join even if they are just thinking of visiting the marina, a lot more information can be found on it. As said it is hosted by Hurricane of this parish, he has his Princess 67 (Jenny Wren) out there.
There is a very nice and clean blue flag beach adjacent to the marina which is shallow and very good if you have children or land-lubbing guests!
There are numerous chandleries close by and a well known set of marine maintenance engineers which I have found very competitive. For instance one time out I needed an alternator repaired - took it to a local garage, they cleaned it, repaired the brushes and I collected next day at a cost of €38 I nearly fell on the chair! Earlier this year they replaced a seized tilt tube on my tender equally cheaply and very fast indeed. I dropped it off with Hurricane at 4.30pm and collected it the next day at 11am!
During the summer we fly to Reus airport using Ryanair, the flights are very cheap indeed and since 2008, we have only experienced one short delay. It's motorway almost door-to-door from airport to the marina A7 (or AP7 toll), they are the same size and run parallel to eachother so it's always easy to get to the marina, takes about 45 mins from the airport.
There are lots of hotels and restaurants in town and of course local tapas bars. The town is quiet most of the time but they have lots of festivals, a two week long one in July/Aug where there are many activities all day long and every day from dawn to 2am at night! Bulls running through the streets several times, the locals love it and welcome visitors.
There are lots of UK boats both new and old berthed there with a very friendly spirit between raggies and MoBo's. We even have some Canadians, Americans and Kiwi's out there that travel all they way from NZ! The former round people up most Thursdays to play Boules outside the marina offices. Recently we all went out in our boats, dropped the hook in the lagoon and took our tenders to a remote beach in the lagoon to play a game, Raggies against MoBo's, sadly they won, thought I should give you the negatives too!
There are lots of marinas local to visit and of course we are only 100nm from Mallorca, or you can hop down the coast to Denia then under 50nm across to Ibiza.
The boating season is pretty much 11 months long, a few years ago we were out in December sitting outside a restaurant in short sleeves, the same this year, you can take the boat out pretty much whenever you like, you decide, not the weather, which is why we went out in 2008, I loved Torquay but sat in the marina most of the time, it would have been cheaper to have a caravan!
There are mainly three negatives IMO: 1) Cant just pop down to the boat when you feel like it. 2) Heavier fouling but with cheap lifts and scrubs this can easily be managed and 3) The mozzies at night can be a pain from time-to-time in the summer, but it is the Med!
Very safe and secure marina.
Some selected images:-
The lagoon I'm taking picture SWMBO top left
Local beach
Miles of beaches like this within 10 mins
Marina offices and restaurant
The pool
Boatyard and fuel berth
Pontoons
Peniscola - 18nm South
Xiringuitos restaurant on stilts in lagoon with some friends
Rafted up with others water skiing in the lagoon when I had my Targa 34 there
You can find a lot more images on SCM Chat oh and did I mention the weather!
So there you have it!
John
peterandjeanette
Well-Known Member
What more can anyone say.
We sailed our yacht out from Southampton in April, arriving in Sant Carles in June. Already been to Espalmador, Ibiza, Mallorca and Menorca..
Fantastic change after years on the Solent with a mobo. Just wish we had done it sooner.
We sailed our yacht out from Southampton in April, arriving in Sant Carles in June. Already been to Espalmador, Ibiza, Mallorca and Menorca..
Fantastic change after years on the Solent with a mobo. Just wish we had done it sooner.
Hurricane
Well-Known Member
Thanks Mark but I beat you to it again - Dolly2 and I have been exchanging PMs for about a week.
Dolly2
You can see from John's post that it's as I said in my PMs - a friendly lot.
No distinction between yachties and mobos either - just a friendly place to be - I spend most of the summer there - sometimes even when SWMBO comes home!!
John100156
Well-Known Member
Yep, thats when most of the big parties are held on Jenny Wren, but dont tell Mary......
Hurricane
Well-Known Member
Yep, thats when most of the big parties are held on Jenny Wren, but dont tell Mary......
Watch out John, I'm working on the Map Software so there will soon be some work for you to do as well!!!
Andrew38
Well-Known Member
My boat arrives in SCM in April after an inspection visit last year. Just had enough of the weather in the UK. I've had great advice from many sources on how to organise it all so use these forums and SCMChat if you decide to go
volvopaul
Well-Known Member
Sc looks great and reasonable price too, ill be boating shomewhere like that in 4 years.
John100156
Well-Known Member
Happy to help, you know that.
For those that don't quite understand what we are talking about; Mike (with some support from James and Phil) has put in a considerable amount of work setting-up and hosting the www.SCMCHAT.com forum, which has been an invaluable resource to all of us berthed in the marina.
He continually adds features, the latest development an on-line map resource to enable berth holders to find up-to-date info/locations on local facilities.
He has managed all this avoiding selling space for adverts and the like - thanks Mike! Mind you his SWMBO also arranges swimming events from the local beach on New Years Day, I must have been quite mad, still the mulled-wine was good......
John100156
Well-Known Member
Plenty of Volvo engines out there to service and maintain Paul - now I wonder why I would say that! No rest for the wicked
John100156
Well-Known Member
Inflated the Avon Rover 3.4m and with some soapy water found a small leak on the port tube around an old patch but it was tiny so fitted the motor anyway and it started first time, so all was good.
After a few minutes, an insubordinate crew, to include pirates from the berth behind us (Lester and Gale) and some of Lorraine's cousins, threatened mutiny if I didn't take them out in the lagoon to play - so in very quick succession, hoping Wind Guru would come to my aid (it didnt, as I was quite tired by now), a few standard checks and off we all went, only to pass Hurricane working on Jenny Wren who promptly called us up on 16 reminding me that although I had my VHF on 16 at the lower helm, I had forgotten to plug in my remote handset on the FB - quickly rectified shortly thereafter.....! Oh how I hate rushing a departure, so serves me blooming right - sack the skipper that's what I say...!
Out in the lagoon, opened the throttles up only to find the port engine very sluggish indeed sat at 1500 for quite ome time and the starboard not much better, once again it felt like very heavy fouling on the metalwork below, which received Trilux last time out. Could not get anywhere close to wot running* a maximum of 2200 on both (TAMD63Ps) after the port engine recovered instead of 2600 revs (wot usually around 2800)...
So it seems that we may still have a long way to go before we can say that we have cracked the heavy fouling problems to the metalwork in Sant Carles. I was hoping to run down to Valencia next week, but I will now need to get a lift and scrub first I think, just to see how bad it has got since October - some cold months, so I didn't expect that!
Anyway, we were the only boat out in the lagoon, it was flat, so we launched the dinghy and was able to exercise it without worrying about rocking other boats which was great fun, 25hp 2T Mariner got the dinghy onto the plane even with me on the bow...... Compulsary drinks on the back and a good fun day (except for the stowaways on the props, p-bracket and shafts!) was had by all.....! Will get some pictures when the boat is lifted soon.
After a few minutes, an insubordinate crew, to include pirates from the berth behind us (Lester and Gale) and some of Lorraine's cousins, threatened mutiny if I didn't take them out in the lagoon to play - so in very quick succession, hoping Wind Guru would come to my aid (it didnt, as I was quite tired by now), a few standard checks and off we all went, only to pass Hurricane working on Jenny Wren who promptly called us up on 16 reminding me that although I had my VHF on 16 at the lower helm, I had forgotten to plug in my remote handset on the FB - quickly rectified shortly thereafter.....! Oh how I hate rushing a departure, so serves me blooming right - sack the skipper that's what I say...!
Out in the lagoon, opened the throttles up only to find the port engine very sluggish indeed sat at 1500 for quite ome time and the starboard not much better, once again it felt like very heavy fouling on the metalwork below, which received Trilux last time out. Could not get anywhere close to wot running* a maximum of 2200 on both (TAMD63Ps) after the port engine recovered instead of 2600 revs (wot usually around 2800)...
So it seems that we may still have a long way to go before we can say that we have cracked the heavy fouling problems to the metalwork in Sant Carles. I was hoping to run down to Valencia next week, but I will now need to get a lift and scrub first I think, just to see how bad it has got since October - some cold months, so I didn't expect that!
Anyway, we were the only boat out in the lagoon, it was flat, so we launched the dinghy and was able to exercise it without worrying about rocking other boats which was great fun, 25hp 2T Mariner got the dinghy onto the plane even with me on the bow...... Compulsary drinks on the back and a good fun day (except for the stowaways on the props, p-bracket and shafts!) was had by all.....! Will get some pictures when the boat is lifted soon.
Cardo
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the story. Can't wait to get out there! Though I doubt we'll do much planing with the 2.5hp lump on our dinghy! 
John100156
Well-Known Member
The weather was OK this morning but later this afternoon we had a very nasty storm with some thunder and lightening. This was not good, as we had had our free annual lift and scrub booked for 5pm, which I promptly cancelled at 4pm.
Then, just as it can in the Med, the storm cleared and the MDL boatyard manager who had already phoned to say they could fit me back in at 11am tomorrow, called me back to ask if I wanted to proceed as they knew I wanted to run down (80nm) to Valencia on Sunday! Of course I said 'yes please' so the boat was lifted, scrubbed and back in the water in double quick time - I must say the service from the MDL team here at SCM was excellent as usual.
Micron-77 is holding-up very well indeed on the hull but we may need to find a better solution (if there is one) than Trilux on the metalwork which was heavilly fouled as usual. Still this can all be managed with the continued support of MDL, who are certainly doing their bit, long may it continue.
A quick 875 litre re-fuel then out in the lagoon to find the boat performing really well once again, thank goodness.
It never ceases to amaze me how fouled metalwork can have such a drastic effect on performance! If I get a chance I will post some pictures up of our trip to Valenia shortly......!
Then, just as it can in the Med, the storm cleared and the MDL boatyard manager who had already phoned to say they could fit me back in at 11am tomorrow, called me back to ask if I wanted to proceed as they knew I wanted to run down (80nm) to Valencia on Sunday! Of course I said 'yes please' so the boat was lifted, scrubbed and back in the water in double quick time - I must say the service from the MDL team here at SCM was excellent as usual.
Micron-77 is holding-up very well indeed on the hull but we may need to find a better solution (if there is one) than Trilux on the metalwork which was heavilly fouled as usual. Still this can all be managed with the continued support of MDL, who are certainly doing their bit, long may it continue.
A quick 875 litre re-fuel then out in the lagoon to find the boat performing really well once again, thank goodness.
It never ceases to amaze me how fouled metalwork can have such a drastic effect on performance! If I get a chance I will post some pictures up of our trip to Valenia shortly......!
Hurricane
Well-Known Member
No pics of your neighbour's anchoring technique then.! 
John100156
Well-Known Member
Mike DON'T - We were invited onto his Targa 40 to escort a raggie who is enroute to the Windies through Mallorca, which was fun. The weather was fine, so the skipper of the T40 decided to drop the hook in our favourite bay by Xiringuito's.
Now as you know, we have both done that MANY times, so when the skipper was ready he asked me to go to the bow to drop the hook but before I did, I asked him if he thought he had allowed enough depth for his boat to swing, it seemed very close to me! Yes he says, no problem, we have been here a few times before. OK says I, as long as you are sure (as you know I had a T34 which could beach it's legs and get in quite close.)
Well, we had some drinks and nibbles on the back, he left his instruments on (which I thought was odd) but I assumed he had a depth alarm set I thought well OK, he knows his boat. During this time I think I was the only one to notice that we had swung but then stopped swinging all together!
OK time to go, skipper says John can you do the honours, so oft I go to the bow to lift the anchor, it came up with a little difficulty but all OK. Then he tries to motor out, clouds of sand and muck even with his legs up high, he then winds up the throttles, hold it I shout stop the engines, or he would have dredged the lagoon.
No option, says I, I will have to go in to take a closer look. I think the waterline came up to my knees! I then walk 10m out from the boat and circle it to find the best way out. Not much help, but at least waist height in just one spot abaft the port beam. Fortunately, the wind was on the starboard beam, so having first had all six crew on the bow to see if we could lift the stern a little (no help) I get all three men on board to rock the boat to break the suction then try, with the wind, to push the STB quarter around to slightly deeper water, boy those T40's are heavy little buggers!
We did get it to move just enough, then with a long rope on the STB quarter cleat we heaved as the skipper throttled back, it was back-breaking stuff but I had my eye on a transit ashore and could just see us inching back, it took about half an hour but then off she came.
Fortunately for the skipper it was a cheap lesson learned, he had only a few months earlier fitted some course raw water filters before his Volvo raw water filters which where full of sand and almost entirely blocked, some fine silt may have passed but overall it was a very lucky escape for him indeed IMO.
Not one of my best days in the lagoon!
I just hope his hull is OK and there's not too much silt in his engines, the Volvo strainers had some fine sand in them but I think the primary ones certainly saved him!
Now as you know, we have both done that MANY times, so when the skipper was ready he asked me to go to the bow to drop the hook but before I did, I asked him if he thought he had allowed enough depth for his boat to swing, it seemed very close to me! Yes he says, no problem, we have been here a few times before. OK says I, as long as you are sure (as you know I had a T34 which could beach it's legs and get in quite close.)
Well, we had some drinks and nibbles on the back, he left his instruments on (which I thought was odd) but I assumed he had a depth alarm set I thought well OK, he knows his boat. During this time I think I was the only one to notice that we had swung but then stopped swinging all together!
OK time to go, skipper says John can you do the honours, so oft I go to the bow to lift the anchor, it came up with a little difficulty but all OK. Then he tries to motor out, clouds of sand and muck even with his legs up high, he then winds up the throttles, hold it I shout stop the engines, or he would have dredged the lagoon.
No option, says I, I will have to go in to take a closer look. I think the waterline came up to my knees! I then walk 10m out from the boat and circle it to find the best way out. Not much help, but at least waist height in just one spot abaft the port beam. Fortunately, the wind was on the starboard beam, so having first had all six crew on the bow to see if we could lift the stern a little (no help) I get all three men on board to rock the boat to break the suction then try, with the wind, to push the STB quarter around to slightly deeper water, boy those T40's are heavy little buggers!
We did get it to move just enough, then with a long rope on the STB quarter cleat we heaved as the skipper throttled back, it was back-breaking stuff but I had my eye on a transit ashore and could just see us inching back, it took about half an hour but then off she came.
Fortunately for the skipper it was a cheap lesson learned, he had only a few months earlier fitted some course raw water filters before his Volvo raw water filters which where full of sand and almost entirely blocked, some fine silt may have passed but overall it was a very lucky escape for him indeed IMO.
Not one of my best days in the lagoon!
I just hope his hull is OK and there's not too much silt in his engines, the Volvo strainers had some fine sand in them but I think the primary ones certainly saved him!
Cardo
Well-Known Member
Who doesn't like a bit of heaving on a sunny day out??