Rhodes New Marina

[multihullsailor6]

I’ve now spent the time from the beginning of October 2016 as a liveaboard in the Rhodes New Marina (RNM) in Greece.

This was the second winter period for the RNM (in reality the first fully operational one), in the first year they had 5 boats over the winter period, this time around there were approx. 35-40 yachts staying for the winter of which 3 were with liveaboards . The marina office staff as well as the mooring / berthing staff are extremely friendly and helpful yet on a steep learning curve which they accomplished very well. I like the marina, its top-class facilities and its location - much prefer it to Mandraki harbour for a prolonged winter stay. The winter weather in Rhodes helps of course, Rhodes consistently being among the warmest place in Greece.

In my view the RNM is a safe place to leave your yacht unattended at any time.

As a current liveaboard at RNM the swell within the harbour however is an issue and makes life quite uncomfortable sometimes: when winds F4+ blow from the N to NE a swell enters the harbours and does need attention with more and longer mooring lines and mooring dampers. That said, in the approx. 155 days I’ve spent here so far “swell days” amounted to maybe 8 - 10 days with each “swell period" lasting approx. 24 - 36 hrs. . Winds from other directions (even storm winds from the South with 50 kts ) are not an issue.

The answer to the swell problem is a northern harbour wall which has already being planned for by Rhodes Marinas S.A. . I have been informed by the marina manager that land based work in the area where the northern harbour wall will jut out into the sea is to start in March 2017. Then in September 2017 work on building the harbour wall itself should be commencing.

Once this has been built and completed in my view the RNM should quickly turn into one of the excellent marinas in the Eastern Med and become a commercially successful operation and a place where you can securely and comfortably stay on your boat and enjoy the island for the winter period.

To clarify, I have no commercial interest in Rhodes Marinas S.A. except as a yachtsman and potential customer.

[De.windhoos]

Do they now have haul-out facilities and are the commercial shop/office spaces being filled?

I was there summer 2015 when they just had opened and only the office was open. Really nice staff but the manager had the commercial instincts of a warrior ant. We tried to negotiate a price for a year but he wouldn't budge. That for a marina that didn't even have a working toilet/shower building yet!

[yeloya]

I just want to remind that two boats were sunken in this marina in December2016 because of the swells. Most of the utilities were not ready yet when I was there 2-3 months ago. As far as I know there is no space for hard docking neither have I seen any crane.
The technical services were poor but I am told they are improving now. For short stays, Mandrake is the best; you step out of yr boat and you are in the heart of old city. The new one is not far either but you need to take a short taxi ride..


Cheers


Yeloya