Boat share in Greece

[DoubleEnder]

I have a very nice boat here in the UK and it's fun to sail June - September. But I will soon have more time and I am thinking about buying a share in a small sailing yacht in Greece, maybe 30 foot ish Big enough for me and my wife, small enough to be easy to handle, cheap to buy and cheap to maintain. The idea being we could get a week or two of Spring and Autumn sailing in when local UK sailing is less appealing.

This seems to be cheaper than charter and sounds like it could be fun. I know it's different from charter and depends on the quality of the maintenance, and if something goes wrong there is no backup. But for modest day sails in sheltered waters it might be ok?
Any views, experience or stories?
Thank you

 

[ostra4]

We did this for a number of years and its very popular with plenty of shares available from a couple of grand to whatever you want to pay .I know a couple of pals who are doing this at present ,one with a fith share in a Bavaria 38 and another ..also a fith share in a hunter .The Bavaria syndicate seems exceptionally well run and the owners very happy , Th other more problematical but none the less still providing a cheaper way of sailing here in Greece .

 

[DoubleEnder]

Thank you. I know about the Yacht Fractions agency in UK. Are there any others who handle this sort of thing? And is there any way you could tell me about the problems your pal had? So I know maybe what to look out for.

 

[DoubleEnder]

Also, what would be the best months? Are April and October good? I believe that charter flights to the Ionian are available in those months. Or is it better to go for May and September?
Thank you

 

[Davy_S]

I would go for May and September, most of the tavernas will not be open in April, most open at the begining of May, same goes for October, a lot of places wind down in October, a lot are closed by the 15th. September can be a great month, the sea is warm for swimming, but be aware that the thunderstorms arrive in September, they are short lived but can happen anytime and be quite dramatic!

 

[Tranona]

Smaller, older, cheaper boat shares are often advertised privately. The key thing is to look for a well established and run syndicate. Most will be for boats larger than you are suggesting, typically 35'+. No advantage really having a smaller boat. The key thing to look for is that the boat is professionally maintained as the last thing you want to do when arriving for your 2 week holiday is mess about fixing things or getting it fixed and ready to use. You really have to look for a minimum of 4 weeks use - that is 1/4 or 1/5 share for it to be financially better than chartering when you take into account the capital cost and the annual contribution to running costs. Of course, unlike chartering you are stuck with the same location every year. and almost certainly the boat will be older than a good charter boat.

An alternative if you are thinking longer term is to buy a boat through one of the low cost charter management deals. Although the capital cost will be higher, you will get a new boat, up to 6 weeks a year, no worries about maintenance and will end up owning the boat outright.

 

[Blokatos]

Best month is May. Sail anywhere in the Aegean, not the Ionian, the weather is better this part of the year. The islands are not crowded with tourists and the sea is OKish for swimming. Next best month is September, but try to stay south as the temp drops and the water is colder. The best place and best time is the northern part of Crete at May.
I live in Greece so if there is anything more you want to ask, feel free to do so.
Enjoy your sailing!

 

[houldsworth]

I have a Dufour 36 based in Gouvia, Corfu from next spring and am thinking of offering a 50% or less share as I do not seem to spend enough time out there. I don't want more than one partner as I have seen and heard of boat sharers constantly at odds with each other. Would be happy to discuss any options.
Charles
home: Gloucestershire