Moored in Estepona there is a 21.8-metre yacht for up to 10 passengers, with a full crew.
Moored in Estepona is a 21.8-metre yacht for up to 10 passengers, with a full crew. It is booked by the half day, the full day or several days.
From Estepona you sail west with Gibraltar and the coast of Cádiz within a long day, and east past Puerto Banús and Marbella.
The price depends on the season and the number of days; the crew is included, and fuel, catering and berthing in other marinas are agreed separately because they depend on the route.
It is the stretch of coast with the best mountain backdrop in the whole province: the Sierra Bermeja drops almost into the sea and, on clear days, you can make out the African coast on the horizon from the water.
Westwards the coast empties out as you get closer to Sotogrande and the Strait. It is the part of the Costa del Sol with the least boat traffic, particularly outside August.
Sotogrande is a short passage, the sort that fits into a half day with time to anchor on the way. Gibraltar is another matter: it is a full day there and back, and it only makes sense if you leave early.
If what you want is to cross towards the Strait without rushing, the reasonable thing is to plan two or three days on board rather than force it into one. The Strait has its own currents and its own winds, and it is not a place to be in a hurry.
Three things settled in advance that never come up on a day trip: where you sleep each night, how you eat, and how much fuel goes into the reckoning. Berths in destination marinas are booked separately and in August that has to be done well ahead.
The yacht comes with a crew, so navigation and handling are not the customer's problem. What is worth deciding beforehand is the route, because the fuel bill and the berthing both depend on it, and those are the two items that move the final figure most.
May to October on temperature, but the genuinely good months are June and September. You sail in the same weather as August, the sea tends to be flatter in the morning, and the anchorages are not taken by other boats.
In the depths of winter you sail perfectly well on the calm days, which on this coast are many more than people assume. What changes is that you choose the day by the forecast, rather than choosing the date and hoping it works out.
The skipper decides, and his decision is not up for debate. If the wind comes in earlier than expected or the sea gets up, the route is shortened, shelter is found, or you return to port. That is not a whim: it is the part of the job he is on board for.
On a passage of several days that can mean sleeping in a different marina from the planned one. It is worth accepting before you leave. A route planned to the minute is a route that will change; a route with margin is a route that gets done.
On crewed day trips, the expected consumption for the agreed route is allowed for in the price. What is settled separately is whatever depends on decisions taken as you go: changing course, extending the day, or going considerably further than was discussed.
On multi-day bookings fuel is always handled separately, because the difference between a short route and a passage to the Strait is enormous. It is the item that moves the final figure most, which is why it is discussed before leaving and not afterwards.
The passport or ID of whoever signs the booking, yes. On crewed trips no nautical licence is needed from the customer, because it is the skipper who handles the boat, but the boat's clearance requires knowing who is on board.
On multi-day bookings or with stops in other marinas, it is worth having every passenger's documents to hand. It is not paperwork to be done on the pontoon: it is sorted beforehand by phone, so on the day you only have to step aboard.
If it is not here, call us: two minutes on the phone and it is sorted.
A 21.8-metre yacht for up to 10 passengers, with a full crew.
West, Gibraltar and the coast of Cádiz are within a long day; east, Puerto Banús and Marbella.
The crew. Fuel, catering and berthing in other marinas are agreed separately because they depend on the route.
Yes, and that is where a boat this size makes most sense.
Leave us your number and we will call you. In July and August it is worth booking ahead.
Puerto Deportivo de Fuengirola, local 367. You can drop in and see the boats before you book.
At no charge. Going out to see what happens is never worth it.
Life jackets for everyone on board, included in the price.
