So where is the best place to put the boat.

this is certainly true in the S of F (and also Italy.) The constant battle to book berths ahead is not what it is all about for me. Enough so to prompt us to move south this season to the Ionian islands where so far this has not been an issue, even though we arrived in late July. Admittedly marinas are few and far between, but harbours and anchorages abound, including the sort of anchorages where the wind can blow all it likes.
 
Fancy popping down to the boat next weekend................
EasyJet
23 Aug EZY3103 (STN-NCE)

25 Aug EZY3108 (NCE-STN)
£627.78
800.77 €

Plus £40 quid for the airport carpark + 50 euro by taxi from Nice to the marina.

Or

23 Aug FCA5684 (STN-PMI)
£159.00
202.81 €

easyJet
25 Aug EZY3216 (PMI-STN)
+ £418.62
533.97 €


Total price inc. estimated tax*

= £577.62
 
Having had a couple of years in the UK, then 3 in the med and back to the UK, I can give you my view of why I came back to the UK.

First it depends on the type of boating you want, how much time you have and how much you like to travel, as this influenced my choice.

The Med dream was absolutely spot on and for the first year we couldnt get enough of it - in fact we spent every spare day we had over in Majorca, with long weekends and week or so breaks. Its great, warm and the anchorages were just so inviting. Fuel was around 1€ a litre and the € was 1.4 to the £.

The first little things were for me not being there to sort out problems, little things here and there, an odd pump, a throttle sticking, the holding tank not emptying, not anything to worry about in the UK as they are easy jobs, but in the Med unless you have lots of time, you get someone else to fix them, so that when you arrive, you can go boating. You need to take care of cleaning inside and out, laundry, repairs and maintenance and there is a whole industry in the Med designed to take money from you, sometimes for good value, and sometimes not.

The first set of people we had probably overcharged us, as everything seems to be a problem and require more time, so our expenses in the first year with moorings, flights, car hire and running costs were quite high.

But we were in the Med and the times we had were great, and the people nice. We got introduced to a good engineer, who was british, and did what he said at the price he quoted, so that was much better, or was until he moved onto a new business last year. There were some highlights - BHI Fairline Majorca were great, we made some good friends, and we got to know most of the boats around us.

The second year we struggled to get moorings, and at one point I thought we would have to move, but by chance we found a very rare 12m mooring, so that settled things down, and the cost went from 11,500€ mooring fees to €7,500 pa.

We took a 6 week break in June last year and cruised all of the Balearics, and then came the only downside of Balearics cruising - getting a berth in other marinas. I found it very difficult to always find someone that spoke English, and more than once had the phone put down on me. So I found the spanish words I needed, but it still didnt mean we could always find a berth.

It can be quite stressful (well ok its all relative!) to go from marina to marina after a day out, to wait at the fuel station to see if they have a berth, and if they do, most of them will only do one night at a time. During our 6 weeks there was some pretty strong winds, so we couldnt anchor out, or even venture out for 2 to 3 days at a time. We got turned away a couple of times, but being the Balearics, there was usually another marina further down, or you just stayed put on the fuel berth until morning. You try getting a mooring in Mahon in June to September for even one night pre-booked.

Most anchorages are OK, but during June onwards to September they are absolutely full, and even when you get there first, and later it gets full, someone still manages to anchor over your chain, missing you by feet as they swing past.

Also whilst it may be 32c in the Marina, there can be a F5 to F6 blowing out there, so we have often spent time, sometimes a whole break, stuck in the marina, unable to get out, and the last couple of years have been very unsettled in Majorca particularly.

This year bad weather on our breaks, plus some electrical problems that we felt were overcharged for, the Euro moving to 1.2 to the £, flights getting more expensive (and I am talking the whole flight inluding Check-in costs, seat costs, luggage costs, taxes etc), it didnt seem so much fun.

So - It is expensive to keep your boat in the Med (main areas like Majorca certainly), unless you are lucky to have time to do any repairs, or have a boat that actually never seems to need anything doing to it (you know who I mean! or of course you have people that do that thing for you :-) ).

If you are also lucky enough to be retired and can take large chunks of time off, then its fantastic, like some forumites who spend a month in the Med or all summer - I cant think of a nicer place to be.

But for me commuting through airports, fitting it around work commitments, costs and expenses, fixed boating times (ie pre-booked flights), didnt work after the third year, I miss travelling to places other than Majorca, and I miss instant boating. Even if it is in the UK and I have to wait till the perfect day, I am happier here. (Well actually, ask me that again in 2009, after the rest of the UK year!).

Also on a final note take most of this as a general comment, because actually the last 3 years were great, and I wouldnt have changed it, and I am glad that I spent that time in the Med, but things move on.

PS We also decided to charter in the coming years to try other areas out, so Sardinia is next on our list for a charter in June next year, and Croatia maybe later, or the Greek islands, so who knows where we will be in 2010.
 
a [ QUOTE ]
Fancy popping down to the boat next weekend................
EasyJet
23 Aug EZY3103 (STN-NCE)

25 Aug EZY3108 (NCE-STN)
£627.78
800.77 €


[/ QUOTE ]

Thats the other problem, if you can book your whole year ahead when the flights are released, then its OK, but if like me you just decide to go, then my average flights are around £150 to £250 per person each, and thats travelling off peak mid week. The best option is to just take the whole summer off and do one flight!
 
That is if you don't mind me saying so a meaningless argument. Of course you can pay those prices ( if you are daft enough), but with a little bit of internet persistence you can get far better deals than that.
I flew back from Corfu 3 days ago for 75euros all in. 20 euro taxi to airport one end and £21.00 train ride home. ( and we live along way from any airport)
In the last 2 seasons of numerous flights to Marseille, Nice, Rome and now Corfu, I have never paid more than £100 all in, and most were under £50.00
Prior to that I had a £100 + petrol bill to drive to the boat and back

If you have been paying the sort of prices you quote no wonder you gave up on the med!
 
OK flights have never been cheap when you book them at short notice and I did agree with you that not being able to pop down to the boat on a whim was the major negative.

However, the facts are that when we started Med boating in 2004 we paid an average of £90 per flight. I have just booked several visits for next year at an average of £110 per flight.
 
Well Martyn, I don't recognise half of what you say as being the same place I boat!

I still maintain that like for like Med boating is not expensive. You were in a first class marina in Alcudia and a similar marina in the UK would be at least as expensive. You may make a comparison with North Wales marina's but thats comparing apples with pears - Holyhead is no Port Solent. There were cheaper moorings available in other marinas in Mallorca that would have been a fairer comparison to North Wales.

I have NEVER struggled to get in an anchorage in the high season and this Summer arranged a berth in Mahon with one text message! Yes you could get a mooring at anytime in the Solent - providing you are prepared to raft 6 deep. Is that really anyones idea of easy mooring? I accept that 10m moorings for my boat is easier to find than the 12m that you needed.

You got fed up of the travelling, fair enough I'll give you that and the desire to go other places than Mallorca is also something I can associate with (in fact if there is any reason for us to stop Med boating its that).

You make the point about cost of maintenance, it's still the case for me that I would pay a professional to do my servicing and antifouling wherever I was - I don't service my own car - and as far as I am concerned, from a safety point of view I like to know that work has been carried out by someone who knows what they are doing (OK I'm lucky in that I've got an excellent Engineer looking after).

Every job I have paid to have done on the boat I would have paid for in the UK and everything I can do myself (change batteries, service toilet, fit new shower etc) I have done.

Cleaning and laundry we do ourselves just as we would in the UK. Again you're not fairly comparing the two situations. You wouldn't dream of using a laundry or cleaning service in the UK but chose to do so in the Med, that was choice not a neccessity.

Weather! So while its been Hot and windy in the Med its been bloody miserable and windy here!

Posts such as these always result in Med boaters having to defend their decisions but it would be interesting to put the question the other way. Other than the ability to pop down to your boat at any time, what is better about UK rather than Med boating?

BTW, anyone reading this thinking I'm being a bit confrontational pleas be aware that Mr & Mrs MartynK are the close friends we made in Mallorca who I refered to above so none of this is personal. Martyn knows i fundamentally disagree with his view on certain aspects of Med boating. I stil maintain if comparisons are fairly made Med boating wins every time.
 
The question is whether there are places to go, not whether you are not able, for personal reasons, to go there. Granted I have time and don't have a two year old.

I have found the Channel as bad as the Med for full marinas. I would anchor out more than use marinas - up to two weeks at a time without going into a marina except for fuel and water. I find anchoring out easier in the Med.

If the weather turns, it can be a problem, but one can usually find shelter. I admit, I have had a few difficult and chaotic nights.

The bottom line is that places to go are plentiful and varied. The only restriction is your personal circumstances and they follow you wherever you are.
 
Actually having put all the negative points down, I would be very surprised if we dont have a boat in the Med some stage in the future, just probably somewhere different. The days when we sat at lazy anchorages in the sun far outweighed the points I raised - but there are two sides to every view!

PS Yes Mr Medreamer and I often have this conversation, but then if we didnt it wouldnt be any fun /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Those prices were the horrid crack of dawn out and redeye landing at 1am cheapies,better flights (ie therefore more expensive )were available at more civilised hours of the day.
Basically its all down to time maybe,if you can go for fairly long periods and work does not dictate when you have to go,then the travelling/prices are not to bad,also if your choice of boat,has ensured that it is only useable when the sun is out and the weather is calm,then maybe you have to pick an location where the weather allows you to use your your boat to the full.
 
I think most peoples dream of boating is warm weather and calm sea's. Invariably when you see a post on here entitled something like "Fantastic day on the water" it is accompanied by pictures of blue skies, flat water and a nice still anchorage. I can't recollect one that raved about being out in F6-F8 and soaking wet!

Other than the fact that you can pop down to the boat any time without flying and all that entails, can you please illuminate me on the areas where UK boating is better than the Med?
 
[ QUOTE ]
I can't recollect one that raved about being out in F6-F8 and soaking wet!



[/ QUOTE ]
You haven't read my posts then? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

I was actually going to put the rider "unless its from Brendan" but thought better of it.

There's always one I suppose...................................................
 
[ QUOTE ]
Those prices were the horrid crack of dawn out and redeye landing at 1am cheapies,better flights (ie therefore more expensive )were available at more civilised hours of the day.
Basically its all down to time maybe,if you can go for fairly long periods and work does not dictate when you have to go,then the travelling/prices are not to bad,also if your choice of boat,has ensured that it is only useable when the sun is out and the weather is calm,then maybe you have to pick an location where the weather allows you to use your your boat to the full.

[/ QUOTE ]
I wasn't going to rise to this at first, but I feel I have to give a degree of balance to this debate here...

We booked flights in June to go out to Spain in early July....4 weeks before we needed them, at a price of £75 return for both of us....not each. When we got back, we booked again for early September....5 weeks before we needed then, at a price of £78 return for both of us....not each.

The flight times???
OUTWARD - DEP 19:30UK - ARR 22:30CET (we can travel the night before, after work and be on the boat and sorted by midnight)
INBOUND DEP 17:45CET - ARR 19:00UK (home by 20:30)
The Airport????
Birmingham or Stansted - take your pick - to Girona...each less than an hour from home.

Hardly the red-eye, I would suggest.

We have never, in three years of owning a boat in the Med, had to pay more than £120 return for 2 people, and this was when we went out for Christmas and New Year in 2007/8

OK, so we hire a car at Girona, but we use it whilst we are out there and I have negotiated an advantageous rate with a local hire company...I've worked it out and we spend no more on car/fuel/food/entertainment per week when we are on the boat than we do on an average week at home.

Berthing fees are totally comparable to the UK, and so our only incremental costs of boating abroad are the flights. Booked sensibly, these are hardly the deal-breaker suggested in other posts.

As for the weather??????????
/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
I think the key to succesful med boating is having the right bods on the ground which is a lot easier said than done.

We have been very lucky and not just for ourseves but the Co a brilliant young guy with about six staff that look after us and our customers. Nothing is to much trouble and he is so well connected in the South of France we can get things done even ahead of the majors.

He looks after the boat when we are not there, she is washed every second week and not just a skim over but a proper top to bottom, anything he see's not right is done and if there are niggles etc we just leave a list and it is all sorted next time. We can phone the night before we are on our way, boat is prep'd, canvas's offf, fridges on, aircon on, milk and basics in the fridge, beds aired and nice and fresh, we just step on and off we go.

If we had to do all this oursleves , forget it, would spend half our time fiddling and fettling, as it is we can leave Southampton 6pm Friday and be on the boat but 21.30 enjoying a few drinks.

Weather wise, well even despite this year it is worlds apart from UK boaty weather, we have had only one day the weather as really poo down there, 90% of the time you are in sunshine and nice sea conditions.

Biggest problem is berthing as others have said, but again there are so many nice places to chuck the hook that for us anyway we would rather be self sufficient and wake up to a fabulous view than be in a marina.

My only suggestion if it is a serious consideration get the right bod on the ground, pay the extra and have a brilliant time. It doesn't suit everyone especially if you like chatting away to neighbours and meeting new people, most med boaters do so to get away from hassles and the weeks work and like to be left alone, but when you wake up to this nearly every morning who cares ????
















IMG_0647-1.jpg



Lowe45April07019.jpg




56joddieAngie.jpg


Forgive the boat but it is near to where we have stayed.
 
"can you please illuminate me on the areas where UK boating is better than the Med? "

The entire British Coast,every last inch of it from isolated muddy creek in the east to the wonderful Cornish Cliffs and interesting little ports in the in the west.
Go one way for open water or the other for fascinating trips up such rivers as the Thames,with actual tides and constantly changing weather to enhance the satisfaction of learning some new skill.

Hopping from identikit marina to indentikit marina along a distant dull brown coast, while calling in at a secluded inlet with an expensive beach bar
CAB4SECLUDED.jpg
known only to you and the other 20 boats moored there,does have its attractions.

A secluded cove on a quiet part of the coast and at one with nature. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
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