Bareboat Sailing In Greece

Bareboat sailing in Greece is best described as a self - sail yacht charter, where yachts are available to qualified crew who have the necessary experience and competence in the handling and operation of the vessel type and size chartered.

Bareboat sailing in Greece - Fantastic!

According to the Greek sailing laws you need at least one member of the sailing party to be in possession of an appropriate license(s) in order to take over a bare boat i.e. without a skipper. You must take a valid, current, original sailing license with you!

Often, but not always, any official paper that will state your required level of competence is acceptable, if it is recognized as an appropriate sailing certificate.

If you do not have any such documentation, yet have adequate sailing experience for bareboat sailing in Greece, try the on-line boating courses available on some websites. If you do not have sailing qualifications, a professional skipper will be provided to you to insure your safety and well being, with a standard fee per day.

Perhaps it is a good moment to outline the detail of another extremely important Greek Law, which is of relevance to all sailors, regarding Antiquities. No matter where they are found, all antiquities are the property of the Greek Government.

The 'FREEDOM FEELING' of bareboat sailing in Greece

Every lover of ‘bareboat sailing in Greece’ will find their providence in Greece, a country with 2,000+ isles, whose identity is synonymous with clear blue seas, masts and sails, and perfect sailing weather conditions for nine months of the year; March to November.

With a huge assortment of ports with rental sail-boats bases along the mainland coasts and in many islands, this is the country which offers a distinctive range in terms of choice of sail-boats and itineraries, depending on your desire to navigate challenging or calm seas.

If you decide you are interested in one of the many sailing holidays in Greece and require additional information, most bareboat sailing in Greece companies will be more than pleased to discuss availability and recommended yachts. You should feel free to ask any questions!

Inform them about the chartering period you are interested in and the size of the boat you want, if you know. If you don’t, discuss it with the company representative so as to ensure you are supplied with the best boat for the needs of you and your crew.

They, in turn, should inform you about the availabilities and hold an option on the boat you prefer. The final booking of the boat usually takes place when you send the pre-agreed first payment for the charter.

The price that you will pay for the charter should be stated on a contract approved by the Hellenic Ministry of Merchant Marine. Ensure no extra charges will arise at the end of your charter. The hirer will normally pay for yacht expenses such as fuel, water, gas, marina port fees, cleaning fee and crew fees which are all apart from the yacht rental fee.

Optional extras might include any of the following and perhaps one or two extras that may be unique to your specific requirements when bareboat sailing in Greece.

yacht provisions marina or other land transfers a hostess or a cook(s) - depending on the size of your party and requirements. windsurfing gear kite surfing gear bicycles any special requests not included with yacht fee.

A refundable security deposit is invariably required and varies according to the size of the vessel being chartered. This will insure that you are responsible only for an amount of money, equal to and restricted to your deposit, for any loss or damage you may be responsible for.

Your yacht should, for very practical reasons, be insured against any damage that exceeds this amount. Make a point of checking this out. At the end of your charter, if there is no damage to the boat or its contents, the security deposit will typically be refunded back to you.

Generally, charter suppliers accept cash or credit card (Visa or MasterCard to be on the safe side) for the guarantee amount. A thorough inspection of the vessel will be made by nearly all boat owners or company representative in your presence at the time of departure and your return. All sailing holidays in Greece, be it bareboat or charters with a skipper, require full security deposit, as a rule.

Upon arrival at your chosen point of departure, representatives from the charter company in Greece will normally meet you at the marina for check in. You may choose to shop for provisions, or perhaps do some site seeing if you have the time. Check in time can be pre-arranged, but don’t forget that a busy provider will have other clients to service and you will probably have to fall in line with them, especially at the peak of the season.

Typical check in and check out procedures for bareboat sailing in Greece

A typical procedure for the hand over and the return of a bareboat sailing in Greece could be the following:

• Your check in takes place on the first day of your charter at approximately 17.00 hrs (5 pm) or thereabouts; allow at least 1-2 hours for complete check in procedure. The time will be spent reviewing your itinerary, suggesting alternative destinations and the latest weather reports.

• For skippered charters, this is the time to become familiar with your captain who will go over the basic functioning's of the yacht with you. For bareboat charters, expect a complete inspection of the yacht and its inventory.

• Upon completion of the check in and inventory of systems, you will be asked to sign a copy of the inventory list and that you agree to its contents, equipment and yacht condition.

BAREBOAT SAILING IN GREECE - SIDEBAR:

I would like to draw your attention to the fact that not all charter companies include extras like end of charter cleaning, linen and bedding, outboard, etc. in their prices. Also often overlooked is the airport transfer by taxi, which is considerable since the new Athens airport was constructed and commissioned. Please consider this; added costs can amount to an extra 5+% of the total charter fee. Therefore, it’s a good idea to ask about ‘any extras’ when you are negotiating your charter with your chosen supplier. However, the better charter companies will either point out what these extras are going to cost you, or, better still, they will be included in their prices. An extra anchor or a spinnaker are not normally 'inclusive items' and are rarely included in the price. However, some charter companies will provide essentials like water, fuel and ice without an extra fee.

• Just as you think you are getting away with it, you will be required to hand over your refundable security deposit to the owner or representative. Don’t forget to ask for a receipt for monies exchanged when handing over cash.

• Your check out is arranged at about 09.00 hrs (9 am) in the morning of the last day of the charter period. This provides sufficient time for an inspection, and the cleaning of the boat in order for her to be in an appropriate and seaworthy condition for the next charter, probably at 17:00 hrs.

• Upon your return, the owner or representative will inspect the yacht and its equipment against loss or damage. You will receive your full security deposit provided no loss, damage or late return. The yacht should be returned with full fuel and water tanks. Refuelling may be done upon your return to port – that you will have to pay for.

• Usually the charters start and end on Saturdays and last for 7, 14 or 21 days, or longer, if required. However, any special arrangements would have to be pre-arranged with your charter company in order to comply with your requested schedule if it is necessary. This means that they can arrange the location and the time of your check in and check out, according to your wishes, if and when possible. Also, you need to bear in mind that your schedule may be totally unworkable between the two parties and that you may have to compromise a little in order to get the 'package' you want.

• Generally, within the terms of the typical Yacht Charter Agreement, the hirer is liable for the full charter fee on signing the agreement, or remittance of deposit. In the event of cancellation, at any time prior to the charter, there will, more often than not, be no refund of pre paid charter fees other than at the sole discretion of the charter company. We strongly recommend that cancellation insurance for bareboat sailing in Greece is taken out at the time of booking.

Naturally enough, the best activities in this part of the world relate to water. If you are not fortunate to be sailing in the region on your private yacht, a number of companies offer yacht charter services. As an example, for a perfect Greek sailing holiday in the Ionian Sea, based in Lefkas Island, I would recommend you take a look at Yacht Charter

If you want to jump in with both feet (excuse the pun) and go for sheer luxury, because you've won the lottery perhaps, you might want to consider a Luxury sailing boat charter in the Mediterranean Want to cruise the Mediterranean on a private charter yacht? Greece or Italy, France, Spain, Turkey, Croatia are ideal destinations for luxury yacht holidays.

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