The Credit Crunch Trip: Malta to Glasson Dock

Richard10002

Richard10002

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Now that I cant liveaboard in foreign climes, there is no way I can afford to keep coming and going, and nor can I do enough of the DIY needed to keep costs down, in the time available. Part of the reason I cant liveaboard is that I might need to get a job to supplement the rental income. There will also be a better chance of selling her if she is in the UK.

So I've decided to bring Rogue back to a cheap marina in the UK. Glasson Dock will cost around £2k per annum, it's an hours drive from our house, and we'll probably get as much sailing in the summer as we would in The Med., although we wont be able to leave the marina at a moments notice /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif . I'll have all the time in the world to DIY, and I quite like just being on a boat in a marina, even if I dont go sailing.

Looks like Malta to Lagos, (Portugal), will be a 2 week trip in the second half of July, then Lagos to Falmouth, a 2 week trip in mid August, with Falmouth to Glasson in early September.

I've enlisted the help of 1 experienced crew member for each of the 2 week trips, but it would be good to have 3 or 4 on board so I may be posting in Crew Wanted some time soon.

I guess I'm posting to see if anyone can see a downside to the plan..... given that it's primary goal is to minimise costs over the next few years, with a secondary goal to give her a chance of selling.

If things get better at some point, we can either dawdle back to Malta, or dash to Greece in 5 weeks or so at the time, so all wouldnt be lost by bringing her home.

Cheers for now

Richard
 
Re. the £££ Malta yard quotation. If you did not proceed could you get a diver to scrub the hull before departure? An extra 1/2kt would be a real bonus on such a long passage.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Re. the £££ Malta yard quotation. If you did not proceed could you get a diver to scrub the hull before departure? An extra 1/2kt would be a real bonus on such a long passage.

[/ QUOTE ]

I need to have her lifted scrubbed and fouled, so no real choice in that matter.

Last time she was out was Aug. 2006!! Last trip was Porto Palo to Malta in Sept 2007, and I could only get 4 knots out of her at full throttel on a flat sea... so I'm guessing that she will have been covered with Syracusa barnacles at the time, and wont have got any better over the last 17 months. In addition, I'm not absolutely convinced that an anode was changed last April, so there may be some issues in that area that need looking at.

I probably wont have her polished, and I'll do the deliveries myself, which should get it down to around £2k - still ouch!! but hopefully worth it if we get back the 3 knots that she had lost /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
I probably wont have her polished, and I'll do the deliveries myself, which should get it down to around £2k - still ouch!! but hopefully worth it if we get back the 3 knots that she had lost /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

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In view of the recent underwater history, it sounds like a good plan.

I just raised the idea of a diver because last year I saved a few £ hundred by skipping a Spring liftout. For £90 someone free dived, scrubbed the hull and changed an anode. It made sense because I had 3 prior seasons of hard antifouling applied so a mechanical scrub seemed to rejuvenate the anti fouling for 3 months.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Now that I cant liveaboard in foreign climes, there is no way I can afford to keep coming and going, and nor can I do enough of the DIY needed to keep costs down, in the time available. Part of the reason I cant liveaboard is that I might need to get a job to supplement the rental income. There will also be a better chance of selling her if she is in the UK.

So I've decided to bring Rogue back to a cheap marina in the UK.

[/ QUOTE ]

You see, that's where you whole plan falls down! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
I have looked at Malta marinas, specifically Portomaso and they seemed fairly cheap (circa 2,900 euros for 13 M). Can't believe you reckon you would get the same amount of sailing in Glasson (or if so tell me more! I might up sticks and see you there as well) Still the same £/€ issue in Ireland though. What was Malta like cost of living wise? I have been mulling over a move to the Med.


P.S. Glasson Ireland or Glasson Lancs?

/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]

I guess I'm posting to see if anyone can see a downside to the plan.....

[/ QUOTE ] Errr......Lancashire coast? Weather?
 
Out of interest, what sort of rental income wasn't covering your expenses? I ask cos I have a similar plan (well maybe not Malta particularly) - and want to know what my chances are.
 
Downsides:
1/ Essentially its a retreat and will depress you
2/ selling the boat in the UK wont be easy at the present time
3/ you could easily find mooring / marina costs at the same level as in the med
4/ pound will recover somewhat as inflation comes in and the b of e raises interest rates
5/ you've clearly forgotten how cr*p the uk climate is. we did less than 2 weeks of sailing last summer with the boat 40 mins away at most - and we're not that timid!

Why not do the reverse - sell up in the UK and live aboard in the eastern med? Cuts out the plane flights which are likely to be the big cost difference anyway.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Downsides:
5/ you've clearly forgotten how cr*p the uk climate is. we did less than 2 weeks of sailing last summer with the boat 40 mins away at most - and we're not that timid!

[/ QUOTE ]
2008 was not a good season but even living 3 hours away from my boat I managed:

1 week Dorset coast May
4 weeks Solent to West Country July/August
2 weeks Solent to Ireland September/October
4 days Yarmouth over new Year

Plus long weekends.
 
Richard, I am predicting fabulous weather this summer so you are making the right decision! I base this purely on scientific observations over the past couple of years, mainly - the weather has been cr*p for so long i cant remember a decent period of fine weather. El nino is doing something different this year and it is bloody cold and snowing at the moment, much colder than it has been for years - therefore it stands to reason that this summer is going to be great.
 
[ QUOTE ]

2008 was not a good season but even living 3 hours away from my boat I managed:

1 week Dorset coast May
4 weeks Solent to West Country July/August
2 weeks Solent to Ireland September/October
4 days Yarmouth over new Year

Plus long weekends.

[/ QUOTE ]

My Hero /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif You're clearly a lot more rufty tufty than we are. Well ard!
 
Well, since you are going that way anyway, ie west and north, may I suggest that you consider sailing from the Algarve to the Azores and then Southwest Ireland-or even westabout round the top ?, if necessary leaving the boat in someone's care at suitable staging posts ? That way you turn a delivery trip into something a bit more special..
I would think that your boat is quite desirable for crap northern european sailing , don't be too put off by the presumed state of the boat market ?
 
richard, All things considered, this sounds like an eminently strategy to me. I would love to come along and help you, but simply won't be able to spare the time. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif Too busy trying to earn a bob or two to keep our own boat afloat !!
 
[ QUOTE ]
I have looked at Malta marinas, specifically Portomaso and they seemed fairly cheap (circa 2,900 euros for 13 M). Can't believe you reckon you would get the same amount of sailing in Glasson (or if so tell me more! I might up sticks and see you there as well) Still the same £/€ issue in Ireland though. What was Malta like cost of living wise? I have been mulling over a move to the Med.


P.S. Glasson Ireland or Glasson Lancs?

/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Glasson Lancs - definitely wont be able to sail as much from Glasson as from Portomaso. However, the aim is to get costs down, and have a better chance of selling.

My marina fees for Nov 08-Nov09 were €3600/£3000 at the time. Glasson fees will be around £2,000. I also have the boat washed twice a month, and looked after, (guardage), which adds quite a lot.

Travelling to Malta costs £400 return each time for 2 of us... Janet doesnt like it much, and the stern to mooring is a bit iffy, particularly when it is a bit choppy in the marina. DIY is difficult, and will be much easier in Glasson, therefore cheaper. All in all, Glasson will chop my costs dramatically, and I will spend more time on the boat, even if not sailing.

Cost of living in Malta is not much different to England at the moment. As a general rule, I find most things are €1 compared to £1 in England.... so when the rate was 1.45/£, things were CHEAP!!, but now they are much of a muchness.

Neither of us are overenamoured with Malta, but I guess it hasnt had a good chance to impress us yet. I get the impression that people love it or hate it. If we were able to stay in the Med. I would be heading for Turkey, or at least Greece.

Cheers for now,

Richard
 
[ QUOTE ]
Out of interest, what sort of rental income wasn't covering your expenses? I ask cos I have a similar plan (well maybe not Malta particularly) - and want to know what my chances are.

[/ QUOTE ]

PM sent
 
I would praps be ready to leave gib early August rather than "mid" august? Also check insurance re Biscay crossing - some don't cover it after 15th August...a good reason to be ready to go earlier rather than later i spose.
 
Thanks for that. I'm pretty sure we'll be passing Gib on the way to Lagos in mid July. Then leaving Lagos mid August. Why do you suggest leaving Gib in early August? Take your point on Biscay and insurance. Pretty sure I'm covered, but makes sense to check.
 
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