Winter berthing in Sardinia and Corsica ?

[saltyskippers]

Hi there !

Thank you for the welcome !

We are brand new to your forum, we are recently early retired and have a 10.2m x 4.2m sailing catamaran ( Gemini 105 Mc ), heading off from Sete in France in May 2014. Planning to head along the coast to Genoa and to Elba then Corsica and Sardinia areas.

As we are cruising on a tight budget can anyone suggest a sheltered winter berth from October to April 2014/15. Preferably on a secure marina ? In and around Corsica/Sardinia areas .

Looking forward to your replies ?

Eric and Gill ( DUET )

[HappyMdRSailor]

Eric and Gill,

Welcome to CF!

This particular post is one of the two extremes I am capable of... Absolutely no useful information whatsoever... Just a welcome...

Genoa, Elba, Corsica and Sardinia you say??? Sounds absolutely horrid.... Somebody will be along shortly to give you just a tad bit more help...

[chuckr]

wecome aboard - you may want to take a look at the weather over the winter in the area - we had one cruiser come in to tunisia this fall after overwintering last year in sardinia and said it was fairly unpleasant as once a week or so a front moved through --

you may want to take a look at Tunisia -- prices are reasonable, provisioning great, it is safe - very safe, great country to travel through, easy and inexpensive to get to the uk by air
there are basically 3 marinas here -- we are in port yasmine and have already made our booking for next year --we are a 40' monohull and will pay about 2200usd for 01-10 to 30-04 --

just some alternatives

[goboatingnow]

As we are cruising on a tight budget can anyone suggest a sheltered winter berth from October to April 2014/15. Preferably on a secure marina ? In and around Corsica/Sardinia areas .

Give the marinas at Calvi and Bonefaccio on Corscia a ring and see what the winter berths are. often french rates fall quite dramatically off season. Also the marinas in Olbia ( everywhere else is too dear in northern sardinia

As others have said, Northern Med winters can be cool. But only for about 3-4 months.

Im not a fan of Tunisia , Morocco might be better, but Ive never stayed long term in any of them


Personally Id winter in mainland france, like Nice, cause you have the culture , food and Alps to carry you through the cool and blustery winter.

Of course coming from 54N, these med people have NO idea what dreary winter is like, to me, most of the time its like summer in the middle of the meds winters.

horses for courses

dave

[Katiusha]

When enquiring at Bonifaccio, ask about moorings in the creek - it's much cheaper than marina berths. Just be sure to ask whether the shuttle boat to the port still runs in the winter.

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by Katiusha

When enquiring at Bonifaccio, ask about moorings in the creek - it's much cheaper than marina berths. Just be sure to ask whether the shuttle boat to the port still runs in the winter.

Wheres the creek moorings ( are you talking about what is known as the Alpha moorings, past the shipyard.?


Ive been there about 6 times, never saw creek moorings ( do you mean the mooring buoy area,?)

dave

[Katiusha]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

Wheres the creek moorings ( are you talking about what is known as the Alpha moorings, past the shipyard.?





Ive been there about 6 times, never saw creek moorings ( do you mean the mooring buoy area,?)



dave

Yes, the mooring buoys (med moor to rings on the cliff) in the creek on the port side when coming in right across from the ferry terminal before the marina. The marina quoted us something over 100-120 EUR. The mooring buoys for a cat were 40 EUR per night when they remembered to collect the money, not sure about long term rates.

I do have to say that Sete had the cheapest mooring we've seen so far in the Med. And staying there at the end of winter wasn't bad at all: an extensive farmers market with succulent prepared foods and large seafood market, quaint old town and the canals, shops that have pretty much everything, a rail terminal, friendly people. Excellent base for land travel around France, Spain, and Italy. Car rentals for $20 per day for a station wagon.... If not for Schengen, would gladly spend a winter there.

[goboatingnow]

Yes, the mooring buoys (med moor to rings on the cliff) in the creek on the port side when coming in right across from the ferry terminal before the marina.

My mate got mugged and his camera stolen over that side, near the yard, dodgy area with a few lowlifes around there.

PS The Irish pub in Bonnefacio does the cheapest breakfast and the best wifi when i was there last,

Its a place I really like, The village is pure medieval , moats, big gates, portcullis , the lot, Theres even hooded monks doing some catholic procession thing from time to time. !


PS while not nearby, I gather Ventemillia, has a new marina and is good value, anyone been in!. Thats a great town, handy to france, good markets

dave

[Katiusha]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

My mate got mugged and his camera stolen over that side, near the yard, dodgy area with a few lowlifes around there.

Yes, further inside didn't look inviting, but we stayed there a week being the first boat in and that was fine. We did take our own dinghy instead of going further into the creek for the shuttle. Plus, being in that spot allowed for great pictures of the boat from the top

[Polux]

That is an expensive zone, I mean Corsica and Sardinia.
Try Arbatax Marina. If the boat is to be leaved out of water try Paolo Mulas small shipyard (he is good). I leaved there my boat one year.

MARINA DI ARBATAX Tortolì-Arbatax - Ogliastra

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha and welcome aboard!
It's good to have you here posting on the forum.
kind regards,