Second Winter Storage at Marina Coruña
Today we bring you a short story about Leon Schulz, sailor, RYA Yachtmaster instructor and writer.
Last winter, Leon carried out his second winter storage and refit at our varadero (MC Varadero), and we met with him so that he could tell us first-hand why he returns to Marina Coruña every year.
We’ll tell you all about it!
The importance of winter storage and refit
Leon Schulz has been sailing for practically as long as he can remember. Half German and half Swedish, he currently spends much of his time in Malta, where he works delivering the RYA Yachtmaster Certificate.
This certificate, issued by the Royal Yachting Association (RYA), is one of the most recognised recreational sailing certifications worldwide. It consists of courses aimed at Yachtmaster certificate holders with extensive sailing experience, and it is the ambition of many skippers.
As Leon explains, “if you run an RYA Training Centre and sail with paying customers, it is essential to find a shipyard that is strategically located and a marina that is service-oriented”.
“It is crucial. What may seem simply inconvenient during a private holiday can have devastating consequences on commercial vessels. For my particular boat, I have no other option but to keep it perfect at all times, spotless, and ensure that the refit work is completed on schedule”.
It is not only winter storage that Leon considers important, but also, and especially, he looks for a team of people who understand his needs and accompany him throughout the process.
“What I am looking for is a team of dedicated people, engineers, builders and sailors who understand the needs that a boat owner has. I need them to be there”.
As you probably already know, owning a boat requires constant dedication. Thanks to the annual refits carried out on vessels, the GRP looks like new, the varnishing remains impeccable and the machinery and electronics receive the care they deserve. Each year’s equipment is added, replaced or updated to get the boat ready during the annual refit process.
Why Marina Coruña?
We often ask ourselves why our clients choose our city. We like listening to their stories, their feedback about the city and Marina Coruña.
For Leon, several factors influenced his decision to choose the same place for the second year in a row, including the sailing location and the essence of Galician culture.
“I was looking for a shipyard and marina that were strategically located to be able to reach different sailing areas as much as possible: sailing south towards Portugal and the Mediterranean, west towards the Atlantic islands (Azores, Madeira), and also north towards France, the United Kingdom, Scotland and Scandinavia”.
He chose Galicia because it is the most central location, and because of its estuaries. Furthermore, the fact that Santiago de Compostela, very close to A Coruña, has frequent flights to the main European cities, and that the city itself has an airport, makes travelling to and from Galicia very easy.
“The location is a great advantage that makes me keep my boat, the Regina Laska, in Galicia. A Coruña is a very friendly city and one that I have completely fallen in love with. It is difficult to describe the incredibly positive atmosphere of the city, but it is simply this ‘yes, we can’ attitude that I truly appreciate. I love its people”.
The charm of Galician lands and the incredible sailing potential that exists here is something that captivates many people. As Diego Torrado mentioned in our previous interview, “we have a gold mine, but we are not exploiting it”.
“For me, Galicia is like a hidden secret for European boat owners, with huge, wild and empty beaches, wonderful summer weather, not much tourism, incredible nature reserves, fishing villages… Not to mention the seafood!”
And we couldn’t leave without asking him why he enjoys returning every year to our facilities and our marina. With his answer, we leave you until next time!
STAY TUNED!
“It is their friendly staff, and the team full of people motivated to work, who always listen to my questions and understand my needs. And finally, and most importantly, the professional skills and experience that I have seen here”.
The fact that most of the team at Marina Coruña are active sailors helps a lot. In addition, having a large number of qualified engineers, technicians and sailmakers is something to appreciate”.
At Marina Coruña, there is also a great appreciation and love for classic boats, and I truly value that older boats are not treated with less care than modern racing boats that are refitted detail by detail. We are all equal in that sense, and they put the same care and dedication into everything 🙂
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