Boat choice for cruising med

[Prairie Chicken]

As others have mentioned, it's a buyers market now. Enjoy!

Think large comfortable cockpit as you'll be living in it for much of the year. Think good ventilation, as it can be very hot in summer without AC, or wet with spring/fall rains. You want a good bimini and dodger, engine & anchor.

In Spain at least, mooring costs change at 12 m, 14 m, 15 m and so on. In other words, a 13.9 m boat will cost a lot less for moorage than a 14.1 m boat.

Last year a friend in a 12 m boat was going to pay about 65 Euro/night all in for short term mooring in Palma de Mallorca in summer. Rates are all over the place for short vs longer term, and time of year. You pay about 2 x more in June, July, August vs other times of year. Shoulder months not as bad but more than winter. Winter storage for a 12 m boat, minimum 600-650 Euros/month.

Great wx in summer, great food, culture, stuff to do. Very busy in summer. The Gran Soleil looks like a nice boat but I've no experience with them.

Have fun ....

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by AndreBruijntjes

I'am cruising the med now for the last 3 years with a Wauquiez Centurion 48. Location Golfe de Lyon, .......
The abilities and the dependability of the French wharfs did so far not impress me. They speak hardly any english and I find them difficult to deal with.
I did most of the refitting myself, an observation that you have to be aware of is that a lot of the boats that I see lying for sale have not been looked after for a long time.
Prices along the Spanish coast are a bit cheaper than along the English South coast. Fot example in Barcelona I pay about €90/ nigth in the Marina, Port Bou about €75 and €50/night for a mooring in Cadaques. French marina's are about the same. Of course the Riviera is more expensive.

well blow me away , The French dont speak english. funnily having crusied the med for years and especially the French Med coast as SWMBO loves France, I can say that an odd Bonjour here and there works wonders and most French in the marine business speak english , much better then my french

Your comments reminds me of a Brit Yacht off Menton, a plummy voice ( female ) comes on the radio and asks in her best posh accent, "Menton harbour" , " this is the British Yacht xxxx, seeking a berth ".. She called repeatedly , in increasing strident English ( a lot of Brits think a foreign language is english spoken loudly ),

We knew the Harbour master has perfect english, buts he's French . Eventually he replied to the Yacht is perfect english ." Madame your are in France ", " and no we are full"

We called him up later in our best school french, he answered us immediately, said yes he had a berth and switched to English for the details


Its all in the way you do it.


DAve

[Polux]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

...
Its all in the way you do it.
DAve

Some may think you are exaggerating but an arrogant attitude is in fact a no no on the med. It happens something similar to me in Barcelona: I has on an Hotel lobby waiting to see if I could get a room, not an easy thing on high season. Ahead of me was an Englishman that was in an harsh exchange of words with the Hotel clerk. The conversation ended with a brisk "No Sir we don't have a room".

I had heard that but I did not liked the tone of Hotel clerk and said it to him in Spanish, something like "that's no way to treat a client". The guy apologize to me, sad that arrogant Englishmen just drove him mad. I turned around but the guy called me asking what I wanted. I said a room but I see that you don't have any. Well, he replied with a smile, for you I just may find something.

So I can confirm what you said, it is much in the way you do it. I believe this type of temperamental Latin behavior may seem odd to Anglo-Saxons but that's how things are on these parts.

[Jollyrower]

That's a lot of helpful replies and useful ideas - thanks to everyone. It is true that condition of boat is key, whatever the year, and our starting point is browsing ads from here, in the UK, narrowing the search a bit and then taking a flight to go and look at some. Obviously I don't want to make wasted trips so your advice does help. At least we have given ourselves plenty of time for this and don't need to be rushed in to buying. On the other hand the £/euro is in our favour right now!!

[EST128]

Originally Posted by Jollyrower

Obviously I don't want to make wasted trips so your advice does help. At least we have given ourselves plenty of time for this and don't need to be rushed in to buying. On the other hand the £/euro is in our favour right now!!

One very important thing: STIX index and AVS, Angle on Vanishing Stability!!! It's show, how safe and seaworthy yacht is. Long thread in boatdesing forum: Sailing boats' Stability, STIX and Old Ratios - Boat Design Forums

Second: price and size range.
Third: my personal absolute favorit for cruising and live-abord - Southerly. Model 115 is big enough, pricerange variable. From Mk.I - Southerly 115 for sale - Yachtsnet Ltd. online UK yacht brokers - yacht brokerage and boat sales to latest models - Southerly 115 series IV Used Boat for Sale 2006 | TheYachtMarket
OK, bigger models maybe better but price is so high, i even don't think abuot them And 115 is in size range what is is much cheaper in marinas. My voyages are made on very different size (and price-range!) boats, 40 to 55 foot and "asking price" in marinas is so distinct in your wallet Up to 12 meters is very OK, Bermuda 555 (Sant Carles -Tallinn) or Amel 55 prices ... and somewhere middle was 13-meter 10 000 euro in Bilbao priced IOR-racer. I think, same thing on Med: +2 meter increase berthing and dry-docking price almost twice!

[Eleuthera 2014]

A few opinions... No need for a retractable keel in the med. You pay quite a premium for a Southerly.

Winds are fickle; if I sailed only the Med, I would have bought either a Beneteau First 45.5 or a First 47.7. Both do well in light airs and can stand some weather abuse. If settled on 42 footer, a Beneteau First 41.7 or Bavaria Match would please you.

Consider the following advice I received from a broker: German or Dutch owners = excellent care. British owner = good care. French owner = correct care. Spanish owner = indifferent care but they must pay a 20% tax when selling so their prices are always out of the normal range.