Basically, there are three main ways to charter a yacht in Greece.
You can charter a yacht bareboat, with a skipper or
through a flotilla. Bareboat charter means that you
pick up the yacht yourself from a pre-arranged yacht base and choose
your own itinerary for the days you have chartered. You are usually
expected to return the yacht with full fuel and water tanks and in
the condition you picked it up. At the beginning of the charter there
will be a check in, where you can verify the existance and
condition of the yacht and items on board, and at the end, there will
be a check out, where the yacht owner or charter company representative
will make sure that everything has been returned properly. You will
usually be asked to pay a refundable security deposit and possibly
a small cleaning charge. Bareboat does not mean that the boat is bare
- it comes fully equipped, and in some cases, you can ask the yacht
company to even provide provisioning for the start of your trip.
Skippered yacht charter means that you pay the fees for a
skipper who is responsible for sailing and navigating the boat with
you. He will have his own cabin and you will probably be expected
to cover his meal costs as well unless otherwise agreed. On some larger
yachts, you may also choose to have a cook or hostess to organise
your meals for you.
Flotilla chartering involves a group of boats, usually ten
or more, which sail in company around a prearranged route. In this
way, someone without much sailing experience can skipper his own boat,
knowing that there is someone around, usually in the lead boat, who
will help out in times of difficulty. Usually these yachts do not
have all the comforts of private charter yachts. For example, they
may not have hot water and you may have to have showers at facilities
on shore.
Charter companies
It is important that you choose your charter company with care. Either
go for one of the recognised names (although this doesn't always guarantee
that you will get the best quality yachts, as very often, management
companies do not have direct contact with the yachts they charter,
and may not have even seen them to guarantee their quality), or browse
carefully through Internet sites, comparing the yachts on offer, prices
and even sailing locations. Another way is go directly to a travel
agent in your country, but be aware that you will probably pay extra
agent fees like this. Some things to look out for are whether or not
the charter companies are willing to provide you with an inventory
of items on board, whether they guarantee a refund of your money or
a replacement boat if anything should go wrong, whether representatives
are willing to meet you at the yacht base and also, if you email them,
how helpful and willing they are to help you find the most suitable
yacht for you and your crew. Check also the dates of build for the
yachts. There should be some new yachts among the fleet, but don't
let that put you off choosing an older model, which in some cases
can have been well maintained over the years with loving care. Ask
when the last time was that the yacht's sails and engine were checked,
and the last time it had a security check by the Greek Ministry of
Tourism.
Any yacht charter companies seen on this site have our stamp of approval.
Insurance
Shop around for a comprehensive insurance policy for the eastern
Mediterranean, which shouldn't be very expensive and should cover
all Greek waters. This should cover you and your crew for any liabilities,
thefts or accidents, which may occur independently of the yacht. According
to Greek law, the yacht you charter should be covered for death or
injury for anyone on board and any third party, for damage to the
yacht or total loss, and for liability for pollution resulting from
an incident. Check that the yacht you charter covers all this. The
refundable security deposit is taken against smaller losses or damages
to the yacht, resulting from yours or the skipper's negligence.
Documents
Passports are still required for all crew including EU nationals.
For non-EU nationals, passports are required and in some cases a visa.
If you are skippering a yacht yourself you will need a RYA Helmsman's
certificate a Yachtmaster's certificate or something similar. In some
cases a written and authenticated record of previous sailing experience
and nautical miles will suffice. Check with the yacht owner or charter
company, as they have the right to asign a skipper to you, at your
own expense, if they feel you are not properly qualified. Having one
or more competent crew certificates or day skipper sailing certificates
will also be an advantage.
Rescue Services
Rescue Services exist in Greece in many of the larger harbours and
some of the smaller ones. There is usually a fast coastguard patrol
service and all weather lifeboats. Hellas Radio monitors Ch 16 and
2182MHz. The SAR co-ordinating centre is Piraeus. JRCC MMSI 237670000,
VHF DSC HF DSC, Tel: 010 411 2500, Fax: 010 411 5798
