Shipyard in Sicily

[johnkuchta]

I will be in Sicily this September and would like to have some hull and deck prep and painting done. Does anyone know of a good shipyard between Rome and Sicily?

Thanks,
John

[Giulietta]

John, I think you're better off sailing south a few more miles, a day will be enough and travel to Malta, just south of Sicilia.

In this pictoresce island, where time seems to have stopped in 1958, you can find very modern shipyards that will be alot cheaper than Italian ones, with very good conditions and variety, less "BS" and "corruption" as you will find in Italy, and they will accept your US dollars and Euros.

There are yards a little all over, but I'd recommend the 2 ones in Manoel Island, the one in Marsa, and there is a smaller one off Valetta that is also very popular. If you do a serach on the net for that you might find them. One plus, Malta national language is English and Maltese, so if you are of english language you should have that problem solved, also.

Good luck. By the way Malta is absolutely gorgeous and marvelous. Make sure you vist Blue Groto and the blue water beaches around Gozo.

Avoid Sicilia for the work, wonderfull Island, wonderfull people, except "hurry" is not in their dictionary...

[Valiente]

My late father, who was a British merchant seaman during and after World War II, said that even bombed out and shot up, Malta had better refitting and repair ports than anywhere in the Med but Gibraltar. There's a Maltese community in Toronto, and those Maltese I've met have really impressed me in terms of honesty and politeness.

The Italians, not so much.

Hey, Alex...do you need crew from Vilamoura to Valetta?

[Giulietta]

Originally Posted by Valiente

Hey, Alex...do you need crew from Vilamoura to Valetta?

If it is a go, yes....but I am still budgeting it. 10 crew plus 3 ground support, well you know, not a cheap venture...You're in if we go!!

[sailingdog]

Giu-

Are you doing the Middle Sea Race???

[knotaloud]

Originally Posted by Giulietta

By the way Malta is absolutely gorgeous and marvelous. Make sure you vist Blue Groto and the blue water beaches around Gozo.

Malta is the best place ever. My favorite beach is at Ghar Lapsi, near the Reverse Osmosis Plant, the whole area is loaded with caves. Spelunking in Malta, rocks.

The RO Plant:




Edit: Whoa, sorry about the gigantic picture, but doesn't the water look inviting?

Edit#2: See all those blue fiberglass pipes laying around the factory? I made them. Well prbly not those exact pieces, but I had a summer job once grinding welds on the aluminum framework that the fiberglass is wrapped around. The pipes are 36" in diameter and handle something like 20,000 psi. Each flange is bolted together with approx 50, 2" diameter bolts. Okay, I''m done.