winter lay up in Gib.

[mocruising]

Can anybody give me advise wrt winter lay up in Gib. Safety/Security/Facilities. I would like to get further into the Med but people keep telling me my distance planning is too ambitious. Slow down slow down I am being advised enjoy the view. The boat is still in Southampton and I have 4 weeks off from 14 July and another 4 weeks off from 9 September. I will probably sail right past France as I have been cruising French water for the past 7 years.

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[tcm]

Cripes, i wdn't havethort gib a good winter hole. Try sotogrande, duquesa, or others praps vilamoura. Gib is sheltered for a big ship, but shaky for a smal boat tho admittedly ded cheap...

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[jerryat]

Hi!

Unlike many sailors I've met, I actually like Gib! Been there several times enroute to various places, but never over-wintered. We have berthed in all three marinas at one time or another, and they each have their pros and cons.

Sheppard's marina is the oldest, and looks it, though it has pontoons and is handy to the town and. of course, Sheppards Chandlery, the best in Gib by far. But it is now looking very dowdy and the showers/facilities are pretty down market. It is also completely over-looked by the block of flats on the south side and is home to many of the permanent liveaboards, some of whom give the place a gypsy appearance at best unfortunately. Can't remember the rates, but they were cheap compared to the Spanish marinas nearby like Duquesa. Big plus is that it's well protected during the inevitable blows that winter (and summer too) bring. About a 7-10 minute walk from the big Safeway store.

Next door is Marina Bay Marina. Big downside for us in a 'little' boat, is that the piers are fixed. Fine above half tide when your passarelle (plank in our terms!) will work to get on/off the boat, but much more difficult from half tide down. But the facilities are much better than Sheppards (tons of hot water etc) and the people are super IMHO. Just as easy access to town, the border to La Linea and Sheppards, and cheap too.
Biggest problem is when it blows, when the surge can be quite vicious and you ideally need to be aboard to check the lines from time to time, or arrange to have someone do it for you. Pretty good overall though.

Finally there's Queensway Quay. More twee, but excellent facilities and extremely friendly staff with whom we still keep in contact. Same probs re the surge, though it happens here when the wind is in the opposite direction for some reason. It can be very bad (friends of ours in a Vancouver 34 had a fordeck cleat pulled out!) but properly sized lines, i.e. not too large a diameter to allow the stretch characteristics to work, will almost always deal with the problem. Alternatively you could add those in-line rubber shock absorbers; can't remember the name. Queensway's not as close to the town, but is a similar distance from the Safeway store, where most do their shopping. Very nice marina (if you like marinas!) and only slightly dearer than Marina Bay when we were last in Gib, about 2 years ago.

Overall, and bearing in mind we like the easier access to La Linea with it's very fresh fruit and veg. in the market and extremely cheap internet cafes, we would probably choose Marina Bay. Queensway though, might just pip it to first place!!

As tcm implies, many would prefer going round the corner into the Med. and o/wintering in one of the Spanish marinas, however SWMBO prefers Gib with it's British shops (Boots, Safeway, M and S etc) even though it does feel a bit 'cramped' at times compared to Spain.

As always, it's a matter of personal preference, and I should stress that we have not spent more than 3-4 weeks there at a stretch, so our views after several months might well change!

Hope this helps a bit!

Good sailing and enjoy your stay wherever it is!







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[mocruising]

Thanks for the time and your indepth reply. Do you know much about the lift out wintering ashore facilities at any of the three Marinas you mentioned. The reason why I am thinking of Gib is the VAT angle as the boat has not paid any. I need to keep it out of the UK for 6 months and then apply for an exsemption as I am non res. in the UK.

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[SimonJ]

Ver little space seems available in Gib with more development due to make further in roads into space, I heard. Friends visiting a few weeks ago could not get ashore from marina at time of gales for 3 days
Why Gib anyway? Expensive to fly to/from and not that attractive.
Suggest Algarve coast which is only a little further away but has huge choice of marinas within reach of airport which itself is served by numerous airlines from a choice of UK airports with easy onward transport.
Marinas include
Lagos - expensive and getting tatty, close to town and overlooked. Noisy and maybe dusty. Can haul out but expensive. Train station close.
Portimao - excellent marina, although close to awful Praia de Rocha you are not aware of it. Good price for winter stays. Choice of 3 haulout yards. Convenient for Portimao which is a real town and not very touristy. Train station.
Albufeira - new, way out from town. Still being developed. Say they can haul out but hoist had not arrived 2 months ago. Long way from transport.
Villamoura - noisy, never gets dark, smelly,tourist trap - no real shops near by. Some obviously like it. Can haul out but expensive.
Faro - cheapish shore storage but more challenging to reach.
Olhau - new marina opening shortly has been free up till last week. Good for train. No haul out yet.
Villa Real - few spaces usuallyavailable in marina which is a little exposed. Attractive town at end of railway.
Spanish marinas on SW coast - mostly run by same junta with matching prices. Little used by Brits. Do not allow prebooking and mostly awkward to get to.
Seville - long way up river in attractive city. Copice of several marinas, can be xpensive.
Conclusion:
Portimao is deservedly becoming increasingly popular. Nice marina people, good prices, attractive outlook, sheltered altho prone to swell occasionally,easy to get to, good facilities and have plenty of space.
ps Farragudo opposite is to get a marina maybe inext 18 months but do not hold your breath!
Good luck. And they are right, do not rush!


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[cynthia]

We were in Gib a few short weeks ago, and yes we loved it - but wouldn't leave the boat there unattended. The weather was dreadful compared to marinas a short distance on either side, and several boats had suffered recent damage.

Would endorse SimonJ's comments, particularly about Portimao, which is relatively cheap and very sheltered with helpful staff both at the marina and in the yard. Otherwise if you can push on even further would recommend Almerimar - but only the marina, as we have heard (admittedly unsubstantiated) horror stories about the yard.

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[jerryat]

Hi mocruising!

Only Sheppards have liftout facilities to my knowledge, but you don't have to stay in their marina to use them. Simonj's point re the gales is probably valid as I implied in my previous post, but that is very much the exception and there is always plenty of warning. It is advisable to tend your lines though if it does get that bad, though I reckon a better, more relaxed solution is simply to head out the few hundred yards to the anchorage off the runway. Much more restful!!

With regard to airport facilities/costs, I tend to agree with Simon, however, the cost of getting to Malaga is not that much and you then have cheap(ish) access to anywhere in Europe.

Personally I wouldn't get to paranoid about the VAT certification. Two lots of my cruising friends worried hugely about this as well, but ended up spending around two years cruising Spain, Southern France and further into the Med. They were never asked for that documentation anywhere. That's not to say of course, that you might be so blessed, but from our experiences there, providing your passport, SSR (or Part 1) and, VERY occasionally your insurance, are in order, I don't think anyone cares!

Hope this helps

Good sailing!



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[pjohnson]

Hello,

I have a boat moored in Marina Bay and we leave her there all year round, loads of friendly people and the staff in the pier office appear to check your lines frequently. Sheppards has the only lift out facility and are always busy, although I did have a little emergency earlier this year and they lifted her out straight away. I agree with what was said about the flights being expensive but you could walk to the marina from the airport so it saves the transport costs, taxi is about £4. The weather last winter was a bit poor though and its not nice coming out of the shower when its cold, (no heating and door wide open).

Hope this is some help.


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