Hauling out in Venezuela

[SYQi]

Hi Cruisers,
I am currently thinking about going home for a month and want to leave my boat on the dry for that period of time. After coming back I have some work to do on the dry. I am currently looking at Venezuela because of potentially affordable boatyards, cheap airfares to Germany and because I think the country is worth exploring on land and by sea. I was wondering if anybody is willing to share recent experiences with cruising venezuela and boatyards around Cumana or Puerto la Cruz. Currently I am looking at the Navimco Boatyard near Cumana. I am specially interested in the quality and price of services delivered and the security of the boat while stored.

Kind Regards
Thomas

[MarkJ]

Weird things happening there!

Here is my page on hauling out at near Cumana at Medregal Village

Our Life At Sea - Sailing Yacht 'Sea Life'- Medregal Village, Venezuela
and the Medregal website Pagina nueva 1

You need to take EVERYTHING for your haulout, paint, brushes even sandpaper. You might be able to buy sandpaper in the hardware store 2 hours drive away but it won't be what you are used to.

I dont think their equipment is up to scratch for a catamaran.

Ring Jon-Marc and discuss the situation and if you can clear in directly at Medregal.

Remember the securiity situation conmbined with their quite bizzare comunist (yes, not socialist) government means you need to be quite adventurous to go there...

BTW you can not now get fuel in V, so you have to go in with enough to get out.


Mark

[SYQi]

Thanks Mark for your reply. That does not sound exactly good.I am usually not very well organized with boat repairs and having to bring in everything sounds like a nightmare.
Also I want to leave the boat for four weeks and I am also a bit concerned about security. I don't want to have to worry about the boat while I am away. So maybe I will rather go to Curacao..
Cheers Thomas

[coqui811]

Thomas, I have visited Venezuela 2 times in my sailboat. Once for 9 months in 2002 and loved it. A nother time in 2008 and could not get out fast enough. The new government is very unsteady with internal strife. There are major shortages of everything in food and personal items. Getting money is a pain in the ass with their monetary controls. My advice, go to Curacao and you will not regret it. I was there in 2009 and loved it/ Lots of flights out to europe too.
Luis

PS. I have been in the Caribbean since 1998. Am now in Colombia and heading for Panama in a few months.