Lynn

Has anyone had any experience in bare boat chartering in Greece? I have read the threads regarding chartering with a skipper and a crew but my husband is keen on skippering the boat himself and using me! and friends as crew. I am interested in any experiences you have had in this regard.

xxx

The sun is very strong in the Greek Islands. I'd avoid boating completely bare as you are not only likely to get badly sunburned, but the ultra-violet rays will be very bad for you too.

Grasshopper

Lynn,<BR><BR>I'm one of the people who did the skipper route (well I didn't DO the skipper but...) <BR><BR>There were lots of others we met who did the bare boat thing. I guess my concerns would be related to knowing the zones, channels, currents, etc. Also, it was advantageous to have a skipper who knew the score at the harbors and islands where we docked. He also showed us where the best places to eat were and introduced us to some of the locals.<BR><BR>I am considering doing a bare boat charter with friends who are experienced sailors but we will take GPS with us and the captain will study the charts and maps very well first.

Lynn

Thanks Grasshopper. My husband loves to mess around with charts so I am sure he will have that covered. It is the local knowledge, as you have pointed out, that we would miss.

Ann

Lynn, we were part of a group who chartered a flotilla of sailboats in the Saronic gulf a few years back... the best vacation we've ever taken! A Canadian family added on with our group, so I know it's possible to join a flotilla organized by one of the sailing companies. They provided a &quot;lead&quot; boat with an experienced captain, maintenance man and &quot;social hostess&quot; (can you tell it was a Brit firm?). The captain led us in and out of harbor each day after a meeting with all the skippers, then, after a few days of this and when he was comfortable with everyone's expertise, gave us recommended ports. The maintenance man took care of any problems on the boats (there is always going to be something!) and our hostess kindly arranged for side trips (where needed), told us about the best tavernas, gave us tips on where to get ice, bread, olives and feta (our lunch staples). We were in contact with the lead boat and the rest of the flotilla by radio, but (again, after a few days supervision) were able to go off on our own for snorkeling or windsurfing (equipment on board for us to use). In our group, each family had their own boat, but they were large enough for two couples. It was FABULOUS!

Lynn

Ann<BR><BR>It does sound wonderful. Which company did you go with?

Penny T

We chartered a bare boat a couple of years ago with my husband as skipper with only 2 other friends able to sail from our group of 8.It was the best holiday any of us have ever had and I would fully recommend doing it yourself.We had no problems with not knowing local conditions etc.Good luck and enjoy the freedom of sailing where and when you want to.<BR><BR>Penny T

Ann

Lynn, we used &quot;Island Sailing&quot; which I believe has gone out of business, been renamed, or been taken over by another group. Or maybe they're just not online! We've never been able to find them from home... booked everything while we were living in Europe a few years ago. At any rate, the company I've researched that seems dead-on with the one we used is at www.setsail.co.uk Another possibility is www.sailionian.co.uk It really was a great way to sail alone but with a safety net, so to say. They arranged our travel to Athens and out to Poros by hydrofoil, even, but again, that was from Europe. You will need to have some type of sail certification. And I don't think you should be bashful about joining a flotilla if one is already made up; the whole experience is so much fun that there are no strangers! Best wishes, Ann

cd

Lynn<BR>Do you and your husband have experience sailing? Is he a captain and do you know how to crew? I may have missed something here, and if so forgive me, but I didn't see that you know how to sail and if you don't, you might be in for trouble. We have sailed for 7 yrs and I know how rough the seas can get and how trecherous a storm can be.

Lynn

Thanks to everyone for their replies, very useful info as always. To cd, thanks for your concern, my husband and a friend who would definitely be coming are very experienced sailors but without certificates. Two other possible attendees have sailing qualifications. However all of them have gained these qualifications and experience in Australian waters. I am a reluctant sailor and trust myself to perform only very basic tasks. I prefer motor cruising, my husband prefers sail. To please me, he is considering a motor cruiser for this trip.

cd

Lynn<BR>With that much experience on board I'm sure you'll be fine. I would be interested in reading a trip report on your return as it is a trip we have considered taking. Have a wonderful time!

Ann

I think it's also important to note that, although I can't speak for all the Greek sailing areas, the Saronic Gulf is quite tame in terms of wave height, storms, etc. We were never out of sight of land, whether from island to island or the mainland. We put into Nauplion, for example, which was one of my favorite stops but is on the mainland. We sailed for about 2 hours in the a.m. and 1-2 in the afternoon, with a liberal timeout for snorkeling, windsurfing, lunch, etc. Never ate dinner aboard thanks to the numerous, inexpensive tavernas where menus were not part of the service, but going into the kitchen to pick out what we wanted, was. At one stop, our 10 boats were the biggest deal in town, so the tiny taverna moved all its tables and chairs out into the middle of the street and we became the evening's entertainment while stopping (foot) traffic. What a great place! I feel like the Nike commercial: &quot;Just do it.&quot;