Before our first sailing season in the Mediterranean, I had no idea thousands of people selected a marina for the winter months and lived aboard. I assumed that people sailed around the Mediterranean all winter or left their boats and flew home. Let’s explore the idea of living aboard a boat in the Mediterranean for the winter.
Some sailors live on land during the winter and only use their boats in the Mediterranean for holidays or summer. I’ve met several consultants who work during the winter and save up so they can sail during the summer months. These seasonal sailors almost always have their boats pulled out of the water, winterized, and stored on the hard over the winter season.
Living aboard a boat in the Mediterranean – And then there are the ‘liveaboards’
These people live on their boats full-time. Most liveaboards I’ve met do not have homes in their native land. They’ve taken to the sea full-time and live a somewhat nomadic life, moving slowly or quickly from one destination to another. Some travel far – perhaps worldwide and some have spent 15 years sailing in the same area.
In the Mediterranean, most liveaboards find a ‘home’ marina to live in over the winter months. The weather becomes treacherous with high winds, torrential rainfall, cold temperatures, and turbulent seas. Furthermore, all the areas that cater to sailors shut up for the winter.
Facilities and services would be lacking even if you wanted to sail around.
Side note: Sailing should be about enjoying the journey, not stressing over what you might have missed. Checklists for Sailors takes the guesswork out of boat prep and on-the-water tasks. Save countless hours and avoid unnecessary headaches with these streamlined, ready-to-use resources. Focus on the joy of sailing, not the to-do list – get your checklists here!
The entrance of Marina di Ragusa, Sicily
Taking the boat out for a sail once in a while is fine, but overall, most liveaboards in the Mediterranean dock are up for winter.
Many marinas offer a special deal from October to April. When I wrote this article, Greece and Turkey seemed to be the least expensive at around €2,500, Sicily came in at €3,200, Spain was around €5,000, and we were quoted €9,000 for Malta. These prices are for a 56’, including the full six months, but do not include water and electricity. Smaller boats pay a lot less as the cost is based on the boat’s length.
I have also met several Americans who winter in Algeria or Tunisia because the EU will not let them enjoy Europe for more than 3 – 6 months at a time.
During our stay in Rethymno Marina, Crete, I discovered that our neighbors lived aboard their boat in Egypt for the winter months! So, living aboard a boat in the Mediterranean is very common.
Whenever I talk with liveaboards, the world seems to open up more and more. My first question is, ‘Is it safe to winter in Northern Africa?’ or ‘Is it safe to winter in Egypt?’ The answers are always the same—‘yes, it’s very safe.’
Apparently, in a marina, you’re not part of the country you’re in. You’re surrounded by other Brits, Americans, Kiwis, etc., and the host country wants you there because you’re spending money to keep the local livelihoods going. It’s a win-win for everyone.
When you think of it, it’s a special situation: foreigners and locals mixing at the sea to live together for six months.
Our daughter, Sienna, with our new marina door fob and marina hat
We called Marina di Ragusa, Sicily, ‘home’ for winter and made the right choice! Read my review: Marina di Ragusa Sicily Marina Review Winter Season.
Every day, we fell more in love with the people and our surroundings. Living aboard a boat in the Mediterranean was awesome!
One liveaboard invites others to do Tai chi on the beach. Not only do other liveaboards join in, but so do the locals.
When I took our daughter to see if I could get her into a preschool, I found success. Although I couldn’t speak Italian, I sputtered out ‘Barca’ (boat) and did my six fingers for months added with an ‘Auito’ (help). I received a welcome smile, some English, and an iPhone translation app where the teacher and I discussed options.
Welcoming children into local schools from the marina is an everyday occurrence.
To describe the fantastic people we were surrounded by, we stopped by the marina office after hubby, and I dropped off my daughter on her first day. Everyone around the marina speaks perfect English, so we asked a staff member to call the preschool. We wanted to ensure our daughter was okay and that we understood everything correctly.
The staff member gave us an excellent report, and the marina office offered to be a point of contact for any issues.
Later that day, the marina rang me to request my email address. A few minutes later, I received photos that the preschool sent to the marina, and then the marina forwarded them to me. The photos were of our daughter, Sienna, having fun, smiling, and laughing.
Let me return to the world of living aboard a boat in the Mediterranean.
Generally, liveaboards keep their boats in the water for most of the winter only to have them hauled out for necessary out-of-water work. Every year, the hull needs new antifouling painted on, anodes must be changed, and the shaft, rudder, and prop areas must be checked. If you don’t already have a checklist for hauling out or other routine boat maintenance jobs, get my guide, Checklists for Sailors.
During out-of-water work, a boater might fly off to see relatives, find a hotel, or remain on the boat using a ladder to get aboard.
Getting help taking our sails off for the winter months.
Within the first couple weeks of arriving in their designated marina, liveaboards prepare their boat for the winter.
Instead of winterizing or shutting down the boat, they shut down bits of it and do various tasks to ensure the winter is as comfortable as possible. For example, most boaters remove their sails, halyards, and sheets (all the ropes). By removing your sails, you reduce the resistance to the wind you get so that the boat won’t blow around as much. You also protect the sails from the damaging UV rays.
Furthermore, the ropes usually need a good wash with fresh water to be stowed away for next season. Small ropes, called mousing lines, replace the ropes that go up the mast and through all the fittings. When the next season starts, you tie the halyard or sheet (ropes) onto the mousing lines and pull them back into place.
As far as winterizing goes, we ‘wintered’ our water maker as there was no need for it. With an excellent water supply from the jetty, we’ll fill up our tanks with a hose whenever needed.
We also tackled our most significant issues—repairing leaks, changing faulty pumps/switches, and starting our long list of to-dos.
After all the preparation tasks are taken care of, it’s time to create a weekly/bi-weekly/monthly routine to ensure the boat stays in good condition. You can get a copy of our routines in my guide, Checklists for Sailors. For example, every pump needed to run every week. That means running your air conditioning and freezer is important even if you’re not using them. Pumps cease to function if they’re not used regularly.
I unravel the knots holding the reefing lines to the boom
Furthermore, it’s imperative to run the engine. You need to do this in neutral. Also, have the engine tick forward to ensure the shaft moves. This moves the saltwater through the engine and splashes the oil around. It also moves the grease along the shaft and propulsion unit. The generator must also be turned on and loaded up (turn lots of things on) for a few minutes.
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So…we’re paying around €533/month to live in paradise.
That’s how I felt about ‘wintering’ in the Mediterranean. We had our home with us, access to excellent facilities, and much more. A beach to the east stretches as far as the eye can see. In October, it’s in the 90’s F/High 30’s C. We were spoiled for choice with a range of excellent restaurants. We had three grocery stores, a butcher, a few bakeries, and quite a few shops nearby.
Our daughter had a preschool to attend, and there was even a child drop-off indoor play gym. We were surrounded by about 50 other like-minded boaties spending the winter there, too. Furthermore, the locals were amazingly kind and eager to get to know us.
Another one of me – this time enjoying the views!
There are boats with other children too!
As we walked to and from the boat, we were always met with smiles and something to discuss. It wasn’t uncommon to have a lovely conversation with some other boaters and then get invited over for sundowners.
Additionally, announcements were made every morning at 9 a.m. about excursions from the marina. The radio net operators also discussed goods for sale or wanted items, medical issues, lost and found, and upcoming social events. Every Tuesday and Friday, the boaties met at one of two bars/restaurants for a drink and nibbles. They also had a once-a-month dinner event. Living aboard a boat in the Mediterranean worked out great for us.
Living aboard a boat in the Mediterranean – I almost feel like I did when I went to summer camp!
There is so much to do and many great new people to meet. I honestly couldn’t imagine ever returning to how I used to live. Because of this experience, I’m genuinely a nomad and love it.
If you want the full scoop about living in Marina di Ragusa, Sicily, for the winter, read my review next.
Check Out Some Other Areas In Sicily & The Mediterranian
If you’d like a good summary of our time in Sicily, read Visiting Sicily. And if you’d like a breakdown of all the places we’ve visited while sailing the Mediterranean, please read our destination overview: Sailing The Mediterranean. Otherwise, check out more posts about our time spent in Sicily.
- Malta to Sicily
- 12 Day Trips To Take In Sicily
- Marina di Ragusa Review
- Sailing To Catania
- Riposto Marina Review
- Taormina Bay
- Sailing Around Stromboli
- Salina Island
- Sicily to Corfu
- Corfu
Another marina we lived in was Charleston Harbor Marina in South Carolina – Check out Living In A Marina On A Sailboat.