General:

weather forecast, forecasting, reports, software, weather, long range, local, 10, 7, 14 day, world weather reports, news, free trial
Local weather forecasts - Moving Weather - weather forecasting software that is so advanced the best way for you to find out how good it is would be to try it for yourself - FREE!

Sea Space Solutions Canvas Bags
Sea Space make stylish, hardwearing canvas rail and railing bags, storage bags, laundry bags, peg bags, mini bags, document bags and cases, shower bags, washbags, perfect for yachts, boats, motor boats and all outdoor activities. Moshe and Claudia also do wonderful canvas work - see under Turkey.

Forward looking sonar. Echopilot Platinum
Really useful bit of kit and first class backup service. www.echopilot.com

LED navigation lights. Lopo Light are people I have to recommend, not only because they make excellent low wattage LED lights, but their customer service is outstanding and when they give a 5 year guarantee, that is exactly what they mean. www.lopolight.com

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UK:

Hamble Point Marina

Yachting Sports can do just about everything you want. Very good at coming up with ideas to solve problems - and everything on a boat is a compromise anyway. Ask for Derek Moreland and insist on Nick doing the work! 023 8045 6050 derek@yachtingsports.co.uk

Aztec Marine are the boys for anything electrical or electronic. Dave Freeman who is something of a legend around these parts is the man you need to speak to and try overlook that he is Cornish and you will have no problems. 023 8045 5112 davef@aztecmarine.co.uk

Gas Systems - Marine Systems Engineering who are really David Stopard and his van are first class when it comes to anything at all to do with gas systems. Your biggest problem will be getting him to talk to you in the first place and then do the job in the second place! Lovely bloke but far too busy because he bloody good at his job. Frustrating but worth trying. 02380 83941. Mobile (best option) 07971 624 295

Drinking Water Filters - Seagul IV. There is only one place to go for this General Ecology. Call Harald Charters on 01293 400 644 or email charters416@aol.com or visit www.purewateronline.co.uk. Forget ever buying bottled water again. makes the big gin palace crews look so stupid as they struggle to carry the cases of water! This filter cleans up all potable water and will save you a fortune and so much grief as you cruise anywhere in the world.

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Greece:

Athens/Piraeus
Adonis is a marine engineer (Yanmar, Volvo and Mastervolt) who speaks pretty good English, is very competent and is extremely pleasant and diligent.
Phone +30 6977 233 161

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Turkey:

Istanbul - Marinturk City Port Istanbul (Pendik Marina to you and me) Still under construction whilst we were there, but nearing completion (July 2009) and very pleasant and helpful staff and just a 3 TR train ride from the city attractions. Also just a few minutes from Sabiha Godek airport (Easyjet). 0090 5327422 381

Kusidasi Marina Restaurant on the quay. You need to folow the quay round from the reception heading past the tennis courts and hardstanding area. Brilliant food and great service and not too busy as it is so hard to find!

Yacht marine - Marmaris

This is the place to leave your boat for the winter. Huge and sometimes a bit impersonable perhaps, but the marina is well run and has every facility for yachtsmen doing what we do. Excellent on site restaurant as well as a staff canteen you can use which is very basic but sound food at a fixed price, 7 YTL (3 euro) per head in 2010) which is just the job if you are trying to live on the boat whilst it is out of the water at the end or start of the season. On the social front there are so many boats based here throughout the winter that there is a thriving community and all sorts going on with frequent social events. The bar has a happy hour to rival any we have seen!

There are also any number of very good companies based here and in Marmaris itself who can do just about any job you can name.

We can fully recommend Demir Marine here. They are a large and well run outfit and whilst you need to keep on their case all the time (never make the mistake of letting these companies work on your boat when you are not there) they do very good work. not the cheapest but out here you tend to get what you pay for! Stainless steel work, rigging, carpentry and electrics etc. Pretty much the full range. Ask for Ilhan or John.
DEMIR Marine 0090 252 422 0055 ilhandemir@demirmarine.com or visit www.demirmarine.com

Boat Electrics. We bought cable and bits from Aydin Marine (ask for Mesut Silin) who were really helpful and full of advice and suggestions.

Raymarine have an agent at yacht marine who are first class (but very busy).

Sailmakers: Moby marine who are agents for Elvstrom Sails are very prompt and effecient. They laundered and looked after our sails for the winter and made us a new gennaker of which we are very proud. www.mobymarine.com.tr 0090 252 419 2351. Ask for Yelin but they mostly speak good English.

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Malta:

Great place and some first class engineers etc. (and they all speak proper English!)

Computers:

Brilliant little shop and more importantly a workshop where they can repair and recover most problems!
Link 2000,bate Rigord Street, Ta' Xbiex, XBX 1128
Phone: 356 21 - 339165
Email: info@link2000.com.mt

Raymarine:

RLR Yachting are the agents in Malta and at the time of writing this, Matthew Gusman is the operations manager. They are your first port of call for anything to do with Raymarine and they on the front near the bridge to Manoile (pronounced Manuel) Island.
156 Ta' Xbiex Seafront, Gizra GZR 102o
'Phone:00356 2133 1192
Email: matthew@rlryachting.com
www.rlryachting.com

But you really need to know that the man they then call out to your boat is called Kurt Casapinta and his mobile is 00356 9942 9584. Kurt is an electronics wizard and appears to be trained by Raymarine, Mastervolt and a host of others, so for most electrical and electronic faults he is the man you need, but getting hold of him is another thing.
I recommend using email first kurt.marinetech@maltanet.net

Marine Electronics:

See Kurt Casapinta above, but also we had fantastic service in fixing our Icom SSB unit from:
Medcomms Ltd. Their best engineer for such things was Stephan and I cannot praise him highly enough. These people are agents for Garmin etc. so between them and Kurt you have pretty much everything covered!
4 Msida Road, Gzira,
00356 2133 5521 or 00356 2133 0147
admin@medcomms.com.mt
www.medcomms.com.mt

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Gibraltar

Queensway Quay Marina
PO Box 19, Ragged Staff Wharf, Gibraltar.
Phone: (00 350) 20044700
Fax: (00 350) 20044699
qqmarina@gibraltar.gi
www.queenswayquay.com

By far and away the better of the two marinas in Gibraltar so you do need to call or email them in advance to secure a mooring. Very handy for all the shopping, although the town is small enough that nothing is too far away. If having stuff sent out, remeber that you can get stuff sent duty free here, which is very worthwhile. more to the point the courier firms are very helpful, but most stuff sent by ordinary service will come via Spain and other points in Europe which means plenty of unreasonable delays! Worth paying extra for express.

Stainless Steel

You can get work done here, but it can be a bit dear and the quality varies. The marina can give you details as our info is out of date.

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Porto Santo

The most wonderful small island, north east of Madeira and one we would recommend everyone visits on their way south.

Big safe harbour with a small rather home-made marina in the corner, but secure and the island is a delight to see. (Open top bus ride covers the entire island in 2 hours with stops!)

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Madeira

Quinta Do Lorde Marina
A bit 'out of town' this marina, but very reasonable and well protected. Fuel and gas available.

Well worth hiring a car for the day (you can do this at a god rate through the marina office) and touring the island which is just wonderful. We had a great day out and if you combine it with some shopping in the main city of Funchal it becomes very good value too.
Phone: 291 9602000
Fax: 291 9602002
info@quintadolorde.com

Green Storm: Dufour 38.5 for charter and a house to rent
www.greenstorm.com and www.lugarinho.com
email: info@greenstorm.pt

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Canary Islands

Lanzarote

Puerto Calero
We really took to this marina and our friends on Scott-Free liked it so much they stayed for 8 weeks.
We also were happy to leave Serafina here for 4 weeks while we flew home. There are plenty of boats waiting here for the trade winds to settle in for their Atlantic crossings, so there is no shortage of folks that will keep an eye on your boat if you too want to leave it somewhere for a while and there is a proper guardianage service available as well.

Good all round protection and a great selection of shops, bars and restaurants. here is a small supermarket, but for a big shop, it is no distance in a taxi to a superstore.

Only a 15 euro taxi ride from the airport and another good place to enjoy a days car hire although nothing like as varied as Madeira.
Also a boatyard, chandlery, fishing tackle shop, Raymarine and other electronics, sailmaker - just about a full house!
Phone: 928 511285
Fax: 928 514568
reservas@puertocalero.com

Fuerteventura

Not much going for this island we felt, but we did sort of enjoy the little 'marina' at Puerto del Castillo.
Phone: 928 163514
Email: marcan@abaforum.es (don't hold your breath for a reply)

However be advised that the Atlantic Islands Pilot book has got this place all wrong! There are just 3 or four visitors moorings here and the bulk of the berths are sports fishing boats. Good protection from the North in a blow, but we assume that it would be dreadful in here if a southerly was forecast. Noisy.

Part of the marina is given over to a water zoo with several sea lions, lots of varieties of fish all of which is a bit tacky and seedy.

Good cheap bus service to the main town (Rosario) where there is a hypermarket.

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Gran Canaria

Las Palmas

We only visited Las Palmas by car during the ARC preparations and it was a real bun fight. However I expect once the ARC has left, this would be a good place to prepare. Good supermarkets that understand what you are trying to do and several chandleries, but they might well be cleaned out in late November by the ARC! The marina is sound and looks to have excellent protection from all wind directions. Very few others anywhere in the Canaries seem to protect against a southerly blow.

Pasito Blanco

This is a yacht club/marina in the south of the island and we enjoyed a few days here although there are NO shops nearby (tiny mini market onsite) and there is a strange and strong surge that gets up at high tides. Doubt it would be nice in a southerly either.

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Tenerife

Santa Cruz

Marina Santa Cruz
This is an excellent place to provision prior to an Atlantic crossing as the marina is central to this very large city which has several superb hypermarkets (Carrefour, hyperdino etc.) as well as an El Corte Ingles.

BUT it is no place to be if there is a southerly blow. If southerly winds are forecast, then get out and head for Las Palmas in Gran Canaria fast! The swell sweeps into this marina and is very dangerous with boats and pontoons being damaged in quite moderate conditions.

Chandleries:
There are at least three good chandleries here and they specialise in different things so you will need to visit all three!
Nautica Nordest, Calle San Francisco, Phone 922 24 00 64 were outstandingly helpful to us in several ways and we cannot praise them enough.

Blanco (I do not have the address, but the marina will give you their leaflet) were very helpful too and stock a lot more than you can see.

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Cape Verde Islands

Sao Vincente Island

Marina Midelo:
Full marina set up here with power and water and internet. Good tax free fuel.
Food shopping is minimal and fresh fruit and veg is dire.
www.marinamindelo.com (They never replied to any of our emails, but apart from when the ARC swings by, they seem to have plenty of room!)

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Caribbean Sea

Barbados
St Lucia
Martinique
Dominique
Iles des Saintes
Guadeloupe
Antigua
St Vincent
Grenadines
Grenada

Barbados

Medical Emergency Clinic: 3rd Avenue, Belleville, St Michaels, Bridgetown, Barbados.
Phone: (246) 220 6121.

Port St Charles:
Very easy to check into Barbados here and we recommend you do so, however the visitors berths (Superyacht berths actually) are very expensive and pretty bouncy from the non-stop swell. Not the relief you might want after several weeks at sea.

Carlisle Bay:
The only real anchorage which is just off Bridgetown. Noisy disco until 4.00 am every night. Pretty rolly so you need to get close to the beach if possible. You can at least take your dinghy right into the town centre.

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St Lucia

Rodney Bay Marina:
First Class marina which is also a port of entry. Very reasonable rates and a plethora of bars and restaurants. Several chandleries and pretty much all the services you could want, including gas refils.

Vision Lewis: Vision is a freelance worker who is very good at washing and polishing boats, varnishing and general boat care. He and Meshana did a first class job on Serafina whilst we were in Rodney Bay Marina and they are hard working and reliable. He also can act as an unofficial island tour guide.
email: koolmeshana@hotmail.com
Phone Vision on : St Lucia 5190278

Elvis Ambrose is a very friendly helpful chap who also has a wealth of talents. In our case he fixed our outboard engine, but he came recommended as being able to do all manner of jobs and is very reliable.
(local phone: 284 3989) Claims to be good at varnishing, gel coat repairs and underwater repairs as well as an agent for ourboard and diesel engines. (I suspect he has a friend who actually does this bit!)

Matinique

Le Marin

Stainless steel welding/fabrication I can wholly recommend Tony Crater, Usine du Marin, 97290, Le Marin, Tel 0596 74 66 60 / 0696 25 65 49.
Scruffy workshop close to the boatyard area and near 'Leader Price' Supermarket which has its own dinghy dock.

Canvas work we used Didier and his wife Maria at Voiles & Assistance who are based in the boatyard at Le Marin, beneath the (closed) restaurant. 33 (0) 596 74 88 32

St Pierre

Seemingly exposed bay, but for the most part we have always found it very pleasant. You can anchor close to the pier and just row ashore.

Customs They are based as such in the Tourish Info Office halfway up the hill (one road back from the front) on the left as you face the town from the sea. Hours seem to be just 0900 hrs to 1500 hours, but this varies. They are no longer based in the internet cafe on the sea front.

Dominique

Prince Rupert Bay

Customs are in a modern building tucked away behind what appers to be a scrap yard on the right hand end of the town frontage. there is a pier you can use.

No rubbish can be taken ashore, just ask your boat boy to deal with it, but better still take it with you to your next stop.

Indian River trip This is probably worth while, but not brilliant value! It helps if you have an enthusiastic boat boy which we were lucky enough to have, but we saw some who were very lack lustre.

We have not done any other trips on this lovely island yet, but plan to do a lot more when we next visit.

Isles Des Saintes

Wonderful set of islands and the town of Bourg Des saintes is an absolute must for a visit. Just a stroll around the houses and shops is fun enough. But touristy of course, but still worth the time.

Napoleon's Fort this is not as big a walk as it seems at first although quite a steep road. Well worth the effort as you get superb views and the fort itself has been very well restored and is an interesting museum as well.

Guadeloupe

Antigua

St Vincent & The Grenadines

Bequia

Caribbean Schooner. Friendship Rose is a wooden schooner built locally and it runs day trips to Mustique and Tobago Cays amonst other places. Very well run and although not cheap, it makes a great day out and a visit to Mustique is one of the things you have to do one way or another! www.friendshiprose.com

Grenada

Le Phare Bleu Marina We really enjoyed our stay at this wonderful little resort. Pontoon moorings with lazy lines and you need to be aware than in any sort of southerly it gets fairly unpleasant in here with a fair old swell, however the place is still worth the visit. Very helpful staff, Quirky converted Swedish Lightship is the marina office and shower/toilet block. Great beach bar and restaurant with a fresh water swimming pool on site as well free use of sailing dingies on the beach. Small but more than adequate mini market and various other services such as engineering ((Palm Tree Marine. lucy@palmtreemarine.com ), sailmaking and car hire etc. Fuel available at all berths. Probably the cheapest marina fees we have found anywhere in the Caribbean. www.lepharebleu.com contact@lepharebleu

Port Louis Marina Situated in the lovely harbour of St George's this is a modern concrete marina with the finest showers and loos in the western world! Safe moorings and good supermarket and Island Waterworld Chandlery on the doorstep. A very cheap and FAST bus ride to the capital itself.

Hog Island Anchorage Great and secure anchorage used for hurricane hiding. Beach bar operates, but only just! Noisy fun Sunday evening BBQ and band by the bar.

Spice Island Marine First rate boatyard and storage yard. Good security and very helpful friendly staff. There are a few things that you need to know if you are planning to haul out there, so feel free to email me.

We were very lucky as we had Lesley keeping an eye on Serafina all the way through the summer. She went on board and opened her up to keep her well aired every week and this made all the difference. Lesley can be contacted by email, but you will need to email me to obtain this for security/spam reasons.

Budget Marine This is next door to Spice Island Marine and is a well stocked chandlery, but in addition I have to make mention of the very well informed and fantastically helpful staff. The best we have seen for a VERY long time, if ever!

De Big Fish This restaurant and bar is right next to Spice Island marine as well. Run by Rikky and Kim this bar is a great blend of social setting, good eating and fun.Very much the focal point for all the local yachties, either moored in the bay or ashore in the yard. Frequent live music is varied and good, but not intrusive. Rikky is also very helpful if you are hauling out and you might want to make yourself known to him as soon as you can.........

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