Spending Cyclone Season In Fiji

[dramaqueen]

I am heading down the "milk run" and thinking of staying around fiji for the next cylone season. Can anyone advise me on where I might stay other than Vuda marina as I hear that they treat you is like you are in kindergarden with all their rules and it is a closed shop as far as geting any workdone. I want to possibly do some repainting of the boat if it is reasonable and rerigging. I would like to hire my own workers to help me do the grunt work like sanding etc, but hear the marina wants to charge an extra 30% to do this? Is this true? As any cruiser my budget is not a super yacht one and a safe and comfortable place with access to reaonable priced parts are most important.

I am new to this forum stuff but would appreciate any help from other cruisers that have been there or heard anything about it. Being a lady cruiser It seems we are always a easy target for the people that "smile as they kill".So any help would be appreciated. Thank you,

Gloria

[Lighthouse]

Welcome aboard Gloria - make yourself at home.

Others will login over the next few hours who will be able to assist you with your query - we're a very international bunch here, spread all over the world in different time-zones.

There is also some information about Fiji on the Cruising Wiki - HERE

Good luck and I hope we hear from you often.

[Livia]

Jimmy Cornell has a good section on his site noonsite.com that covers this:

http://www.noonsite.com/Members/doina/R2005-11-29-1

[Nightcap]

Vuda marina charges contractors a $495 annual fee and 7.5% of all invoices (labour AND materials). The 7.5 % is pro rata against the $495 until such time as it is used up then they start paying extra (did I explain that well?). Casual labourers who you want to bring in (usually around FJ$3-5/hr) are required to pay $5/day to the marina for use of the washing facilities etc. The boat owner usually pays this. These are the FACTS as opposed to some of the stuff that is getting spread around. Vuda is cheaper, quieter, cleaner, more secure and friendlier than Denarau. The cheaper berthage usually more than offsets the 7.5% extra on any invoices for work carried out there. It is very well protected from cyclones and we sat out Mick quite comfortably in our berth last December. There is a workshop provided for the cruisers who need space to do there own work. These 2 marinas are your only real option for painting, rigging etc. There is less of a monopoly in Vuda now as another company has started work there providing similar services to Baobab Marine so there might be some competition on price.

Disclaimer: The company I work for is the new one operating there. We are primarily based in Denarau but now operating further afield.

[Nightcap]

Isn't it nice when a first time poster asks a question, gets some answers and then doesn't bother to acknowledge.

[MMNETSEA]

Hi Nightcap,

Thanks for your input, tend to agree. it cost nothing to say thanks - although sometimes cruisers take a little longer to find an ISP.

Nightcap, do I understand that your outfit is no longer in Denarau? Do you have Lat/Long ??

Richard

[JeanneP]

Maybe dramaqueen has left for her crossing already? She hasn't been back here since Feb. 20, before Nightcap posted, so she didn't get the information. Oh, well, our other members will benefit from it, anyway.

[Nightcap]

Originally Posted by MMNETSEA

Nightcap, do I understand that your outfit is no longer in Denarau? Do you have Lat/Long ??

Richard

We're still based and operating in Denarau but had the opportunity to expand ( in a small way) to Vuda so are providing services there as well. I am currently living aboard in Vuda but will be sending most of this Austral summer cruising (yeeha) then back to the grindstone again around October