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November is the time of year when the pages of the British yachting and motor-cruising magazines swell with expert advice on winter maintenance: what to do with your batteries and electrics; how to ‘winterise’ an engine you are not going to run for a few months; the things to check at lift out; and, how to avoid electrolysis, reduce corrosion, minimise condensation, protect woodwork and eliminate chafing. In addition there are sea cocks and winches to service. It adds up to a daunting list of things to remember. The advice is backed up with enough horror stories and grim photographs of ravaged parts to ensure that it is not dismissed as unduly alarmist.

We might wish to believe that our warm, wet Algarve winters are less damaging than the UK’s freezing temperatures but the truth is that the heat and ultraviolet of our southern sun is far more detrimental to boats berthed here than any UK weather.

What to do? Well, obviously, the right way to protect the significant investment in any boat is to follow the expert advice. A lot of it is simple and practical. For example, change the engine oil sooner rather than later, it is far better to leave a little-used engine with new oil in it. Fill up your fuel tank with fuel, if you don’t the empty void will create condensation, which will top up your fuel with water giving you serious problems with contaminated fuel next year. We all know we should do such things but, being human, most of us neglect boat maintenance until the start of the next season only to find the damage is done or professional help – if needed – is already booked up with everyone else’s last-minute remedial work.

Vilamoura Marina

If you do not have the time or skills yourself, we are fortunate in the Algarve’s world-class Marinas, like Vilamoura, to have first-class boat services - and this is their quiet time! So not only is it the right time to attend to annual boat maintenance, it is very likely the least expensive time to do so.

‘A stitch in time saves nine’ goes the old adage and it is literally true when it comes to sail repair. So now is a great time to get Joanne Keeping at Doyle Sails (289 321 155) in Vilamoura to check your sails and, if necessary, get the salt washed out of them. In fact, there are facilities to wash and dry your sails yourself at the Marina yard, alternatively Joanne will arrange to pick them up, get them washed and checked over and deliver them back to your boat.

For both motor cruisers and sailors, any damage to woodwork requires prompt attention. Varnish needs to be refreshed and teak decks checked and repaired or re-caulked before a minor problem turns into a major headache. Brian Brennon 969097580 supplies first-rate woodwork, cabinet-making and carpentry at highly competitive rates and is a specialist in the care and maintenance of teak decks.

For a wide selection of very high quality nautical and casual clothing plus top quality deck shoes go to Just Charters Nautical Clothing shop in Vilamoura Marina.  Just Charters are on the 1st floor of the big white building on the west side of Vilamoura Marina and above Akvavit restaurant and O'Niel's bar. Their telephone number is 968562489.

For electrical repairs or installation of new equipment Janusz Osocoepalski is the right man to contact at Vilamoura. His mobile telephone number is 962 305866 and his fixed telephone and fax is 289 322615. He is also the authorised dealer for Raymarine, Icom and Autohelm.

While you are supervising all this work there is a wide selection of restaurants all round the marina, which ever pontoon your boat may be berthed on you will be close to a good restaurant, close to O pontoon on the west side of the marina for instance is Akvavit (shown to the right) an excellent restaurant where you can have breakfast, lunch, dinner or just a drink or a cup of coffee.

For fibre glass construction and repairs, also gel coat repairs and polishing, get in touch with Solen and Martin Le Poupon. They have workshops at both Vilamoura and Portimao and are prepared to travel anywhere in the Algarve. Their work is to an extremely high standard, I have seen several boats that they have worked on in each case it was impossible to detect the repairs and one in particular was transformed from having a very worn appearance with some deep scratches to a wonderful gloss with no sign at all of the damage that had been repaired. Their telephone number is 967408468.

Emanuel Bosch has recently opened a fibre glass repair business at Vilamoura Marina and can be contacted on 968959359.

It is often necessary for painted topsides to be repaired or renewed, Peter Heitman can help you with this, his telephone numbers are 289360610 and 917262359.

Osmosis is something we can’t ignore forever and when we buy a boat the seller will often deduct enough from the asking price for us to be able to afford to have something done about it. Carlos Barbosa of Lacomar Lda is the man for this. He can be contacted on 289 312471 or 965089867.

Welding and stainless steel fabrication is something that all of us need for our boats occasionally; I am told that Sergio Rilho is excellent and available for this type of work. His telephone number is 912262359.

For engine servicing and all other boat maintainance contact Algarve Marine Services on 289324738.

Many boats have leather-covered steering wheels, these need to be replaced or repaired occasionally. Angie Monahan is the person that you need for this sort of work. Angie also makes custom-made leather instrument cases, decanter holders, upholstery etc. As well as making new items she will also repair anything that is damaged or worn. Angie’s telephone number is 289791174.

Don’t leave servicing or repairing your air-conditioning to the spring or Michael Killeen of Powercool Lda (917866373) may be too busy to help you. Michael is also the agent for Kohler Generators, Marine Air, Cruise Air and Condaria Air Con Systems. Michael also services engines and carries out general maintainance. Powercool is recommended by Marina Estrella the Sunseeker agent for the servicing of their Sunseeker Motor Cruisers.

Whatever you do or do not decide to do, it is important to clean your boat internally before you leave it closed for any period. Make sure no food is left behind that could encourage any pests to take over. Upholstery, bulkheads and headlining should be cleaned in order to ensure that condensation has less of an opportunity to cause damage. If a boat is not going to be aired on a regular basis a de-humidifier is a very good idea.

Last but not least check your ropes and mooring lines. Use bungee cord to stop your halyards slapping in high winds (a sure cause of chafing) and make sure your warps are tight and secure. Don’t just have one spring to stop the boat from hitting the pontoon, have two, then if one breaks you have got the second one to stop the boat grinding away at the pontoon until next time a Marinero walks past your boat. In the stormy weather we have already experienced this autumn several boats have been damaged when frayed ropes have given way.

On this page I have tried to include all the individuals who offer services at Vilamoura Marina, if anyone feels that they have been missed out please contact me and I will try to include your details next month. I have not covered people who supply services at other marinas in the Algarve because I am not as familiar with services provided at other marinas as I am with those at Vilamoura. I have also not included the larger companies who provide engine maintenance services, boat cleaning, brokerage etc. There are several of these companies and they all have offices in or near the marina, if in doubt regarding who to ask for any particular service please telephone me or Vilamoura Marina Reception on: 00 351 289310560. Or email the marina on: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it   OR see their web site at:  www.marinadevilamoura.com