Winter in Spain

Z

zia

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Joined
25 Jul 2006
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www.zialater.com
Hello Cruisers,

we are an American family of 4 on a 50 foot Switch catamaran. We have been living aboard for a year and have sailed from the US to the Caribbean, Bahamas, Bermuda, Azores and now Espana. Currently we are in Baiona on our way south.

We are hoping to winter in Spain and check our 2 little girls (ages 7 and 8) into a Spanish public school so they can really learn the language. We are undecided if we should find a marina and stay on the boat or if we should put the boat on the hard and rent a flat somewhere.

We thought about Barcelona but they speak Catalan in the schools and we are looking for Castillano spanish.

If anyone has a recommendation for us we would very much appreciate it.

We are leaving Bayonna tomorrow and heading South to Sao Martinho near Lisbon.

If it's not too much trouble, please send along any thoughts by email as well as by this forum since our web browsing is limited to when we can find bandwidth. joe@zialater.com

our website is www.zialater.com

thanks a million

Joe Boyle
SV "ZIA"
 
OK, You are going to find it extremely difficult to fuind a berth for your cat in medditerean Spain. Sorry about that. Forget barcelona all the main marinas are now full and the other ones are not really suitable for over wintering.
Almerimar might be able to accomodate you, but you will have to check. Other places I dont know about, but I know you will find it difficult.
Have you considered staying in portugal, Lagos, Portimao etc. Might be a better bet. Also maybe some of the marinas on the atlantic side of Spain might be available to you.
Again you will have to check with some of the Marina websites, find an internet cafe/bar and while away an hour or two with a glass of wine and google. Sorry to rain on your parade, but you are leaving it a little late to be trying for berths in Meddy Spain, for the winter. Few will let you book anyway.
 
HI,

we met an American family in Sevilla in 2001 doing just that. Overwintered in the Yacht Club in a 55ft Amel with 4 kids. They all had a great time. Kids went to local school and Mum & Dad had the city to enjoy. Last time we heard from them they were in Thailand though.

Finding space in the Med part of Spain in a location where you would could send your kids to school and have something interesting nearby is going to be difficult. Barcelona may still be possable, I know everybody says it's full but paying cash upfront always seems to get you in. So it might be worht a try. Almeria and Cartegena migh also be worth trying.

Good luck,
 
I doubt Port Vell would have room for a 50' catamaran. But you could try. Not sure seville would be available to a 50' cat either, but again you could try.
 
I don't recall there being a school in Almerimar. I was there in 1999 to 2001 and then there were only tourists. There may be room for the ship, but doubt about a place for the kids to go to school. The town to which Almerimar belongs, El Ejido, is about ten kilometers inland.
 
"All the marinas in barcelona are already full for the winter" Is this really true? It's still July!! I'm asking because I'm off next year (retiring finally) and hoped i could just cruise around the Med for 6 months each year (Spain to start with) and find a lay up marina for the Winter without much trouble. Am I going to be dissapointed? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 
You will eventually find somewhere every winter to lay up, everyone does! but be prepared to go into panic mode around September time when you are working down (or up) the coast chalking up refusals. Re Barcelona Port Vell I've been on the winter waiting list for the last two years including mooring up there for 2 months and asking regularly. I've given up now.
Best of luck though, you will have some stress but loads of fun.
 
Sorry ALL the marinas in barcelona are not full, forum will have berths and there's another marina up there as well, cant remember the name, I wouldnt go there, unless desperate, but Port Vell and Olympic are full, you may be lucky to find a berth in one of those, due to a cancellation, but they book their berths in may! I am booked in Port Vell for the winter. You will not find a lay up berth without trouble and should think well in advance for a winter berth, I'm sure theres folk here will diagree with me, but...............
 
I'd strongly recommend Sevilla - the kids won't get a particularly Castillano accent but the parents will have a great time.
Gelves is probably your best bet, get a berth out in the river, no problem with your vast beam.

I certainly enjoyed my winter there, tho' the partying gets a bit excessive.

Only problem is when the river floods, U get quite big trees wandering down the river.
 
Can't advise on schools, but Marina Duquesa is smallish, pretty with a small, friendly liveaboard community and is only a short walk from a fairly Spanish village with schools for all ages. We've been here since last October and love it.
 
Do they have room for a 50' catamaran? For the winter? Don't forget in Duquesa, they will need two berths, big cat, big beam. When I went there with Englander, they said yes we have room for 57', until they saw the size of her, then it was Oh! No! we thought you were a narrow sailboat! Funny really we are only 15' beam!
 
Regarding a winter berth around Barcelona, we manged to secure our winter berth at Torredembarra in mid July (Approx 60 miles south of Barcelona for our 36' yacht for a cost of 1950 euros, this includes water / elec & Wifi on the pontoons. Plus really nice but quiet place with excellent modern facilities. Not bad i thought!!! If anyone is interested drop me line, as there's a way to do it if you want a winter berth!
 
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