New Caribbean Catamaran Haulout Facility – L420 Friendly
Just a quick post to let people know Medregal Village (M&M Marina) in the Golfo de Cariaco, Venezuela has recently started offering catamaran haulout, live on board and storage services, lifting the catamarans under the bridgedeck as recommended by Lagoon.
We were only the second catamaran lifted here, so we were a bit nervous to be guinea pigs for the process, but the owner Jean-Marc Plessey and the boatyard crew, Pablo, Jose and Raul were fantastic.
Before Jean-Marc agreed to haul the boat, he contacted Lagoon via David Farrington with photos and details of the trailer and to get advice on the centre of gravity of the boat. David was very helpful as usual and once Jean Marc believed he was technically capable of lifting the boat, the team inspected the boat in the water to understand the challenges the gull wing narcelle presents when lifting with a trailer. As a result of this visit, I did take the cockpit drain deflector off to make things easier.
The lift went well once the positioning of the trailer under the balance point was correct and the team is now in the process of sanding and painting the bottom. This might seem extravagant, but the prices here are such that I could haul and get the bottom painted for less than the haul out cost at Curacao Marine. And the prices for Catamarans are not much more than monohulls of the same length.
The boatyard has sheltered workspaces around the yard and both 110 and 220v (60Hz) supply, but being Venezuela, this supply is not as reliable as I would like, but I managed to get all my work done with the power tools and charge my batteries, so it is not a show stopper. There is a painter/fibreglass technician –Bernard and his work looks very high quality, but other technicians are few and far between, so don’t expect to get a lot of work done here yet. There is talk of a diesel and refrigeration mechanic setting up here, but he is currently on his way to the ABCs to renew visas and cruising permits.
The facility is attached to a resort, with all the facilities (including pool – fantastic as it is hot working here, bar and restaurant) available for use by the cruisers. While on the hard, you get a bathroom facility pretty much to yourself while there aren’t too many people on the hard.
It is remote and tranquil, but chandlery is limited to a 2 hour drive to Carupano or a trip to PLC, so you should bring everything you need with you as you probably won’t find what you are looking for here. Provisioning is basic and again a bumpy hour by por puesto (local taxi) to Cariaco. However, we do enjoy the weekly trip to the market and the people are friendly, helpful and tolerant of our poor Spanish.
The scenery on the trip to and from is great, Laguna Grande is superb and Jean Marc can help organise a tour up to the Caripe Caves,
Jim Murphy (Evergreen) aka Dr Rock
or a trip to Cumana.
Security at the Marina is good and we feel safe enough to sleep with hatches and doors open. We also walk freely around Cariaco and Carupano with just the normal caution of visiting any foreign country – certainly not the dangerous picture of Venezuela portrayed in Grenada and other islands.
The website for the Marina is www.medregalvillage.com/MARINA/pagina%201FIT.htm with nice pictures of our boat on the ramp and on the hard. This website has capabilities, layouts and prices.
Hello Karen and Matt,
Interesting and fun writing all time,
I thank you for taking part of your adventure.
I am still in Gran Canaries waiting for the jump. I leaved Rubicon Lanzarote 2009 and spent one year in Fuerteventura where i left in April this year after having big damages of Jemilo in the Fuerteventura harbor (gran Tarajal which must be classified as unsafe when storm comes in from west)
I am now lying in Las Palmas for repairs and assembling of crew.
Was in my plan to arrive to Venezuela so it might be that I contact this Marina that hauled out Where2 so fine.
My plan is to arrive in Brazil where my fiance and I have a villa ( Barra Sao Miguel in Alagoas State)
All the best from the Swede on Jemilo!
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Hi Matt and Karen, Noel forwarded this to me. I had asked her to get me back in touch. Simon will be interested in this. I will forward it on. What a great time you are having 'tho I know it is a lot of hard work. Will be thinking of you on the 6th Matt. love Jan
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