Buying and storing in Greece

[citygent111]

This time next year i will be semi-retired, and we are considering buying a boat in Greece and keeping it there to use for holidays. I don't have a big budget, so it'll likely be something below £50k, ideally 4 berth and power, not sail.

My questions for you are;

1 - where is the best place to look online for boats for sale in Greece?

2 - We prefer the quieter islands, but need to be able to fly direct from Leeds or Manchester. Any recommendations of which islands we should consider? It would be nice to be able to visit other nearby islands too - perhaps this is a question for a Facebook group?!

3 - should we look at a marina or would a boat yard with storage/ lifting facilities be better, somewhere close to a small marina or Harbour? Any recommendations?

4 - from an Admin point of view, is there anything i need to know around tax, registration, paperwork, red tape etc?

Has anyone done similar? Share experiences would be great!

Sorry for the naivety, you can probably tell this idea is very much in its infancy!

 

[Tranona]

Motor boats are not common in Greece (compared with sail) so your choice will be very limited particularly at that price point. there are few marinas except around Athens and 2 fair sized ones in the Ionian. Some smaller marinas in the Aegean but mostly boatyards and town quays, but the latter do not offer permanent berths. Storing in a boatyard and launching when needed is common, even for quite large boats. Red tape is a Greek speciality, but the basics are that you should buy a boat with well evidenced EU VAT paid status. As a UK resident you can register it on the SSR. You will need to pay the annual boat tax which depends on the size of the boat and obtain a Transit Log.

There is really no such thing as "quiet" islands from a boating point of view, particularly in July and August although May/June and September/October are quieter. Also Greece is no longer "cheap" even if flights to get there are. Costs of storage berthing are not dissimilar from the UK and maintenance probably higher. Keeping an older motor boat running in order to use it a few weeks a year is likely to be an expensive business unless you do the work yourself and a fair portion of your holiday becomes boat fixing time! Sailing boats are much more suitable, even if they spend most of the time motoring, particularly in the Ionian as there are plenty of good ones around in your budget and local marine businesses understand them.

 

[vas]

agree with Tranona, although you could get a rather old mobo for that money. If you like the maintenance, that's another thing altogether.

anyway, searching in GR is probably going to be in www.car.gr
and the concept of surveyors is not "strong" down here...

V.

 

[citygent111]

Thank you so much for the above - a useful dollop of common sense! Might look further afield but still EU. Wedid consider taking our little Fletcher over but the red tape just isnt worth it, as its not really a boat we could stay on for a week. I guess the cost of a hotel for 6-8 weeks a year is still going to cost less than a bigger boat and associated costs?!

 

[vas]

depends where you'll be based, flight connections, cruising area, etc.
when you say bigger, can you define it a bit 36ft, 45ft more less?
preferred cruising grounds and period (I'd avoid from mid July to mid/end August due to meltemi, heat and sheer volume of traffic)

V.

 

[Mudisox]

Try the liveaboard forum.

 

[citygent111]

depends where you'll be based, flight connections, cruising area, etc.
when you say bigger, can you define it a bit 36ft, 45ft more less?
preferred cruising grounds and period (I'd avoid from mid July to mid/end August due to meltemi, heat and sheer volume of traffic)

V.

That's the tricky bit - we are completely open to suggestions! As I say, we prefer quieter islands but appreciate we may not find a suitable boatyard in that type of location.

Thinking 26-30ft - it just needs to be big enough to sleep 4, make a cuppa, fridge to keep the wine cold, and large enough deck for a couple to sunbathe on. Jeanneau, Rinker, Regal, Four Winn's etc...

And it would probably be a week or two at a time, anytime between April and October I guess.

 

[Tranona]

That's the tricky bit - we are completely open to suggestions! As I say, we prefer quieter islands but appreciate we may not find a suitable boatyard in that type of location.

Thinking 26-30ft - it just needs to be big enough to sleep 4, make a cuppa, fridge to keep the wine cold, and large enough deck for a couple to sunbathe on. Jeanneau, Rinker, Regal, Four Winn's etc...

And it would probably be a week or two at a time, anytime between April and October I guess.

There really are very few of that kind of boat in Greece. There is not historically a big middle class ownership of small power boats that you find elsewhere, Sailing boats dominate and the majority are either charter boats or owned by non Greeks.

 

[ridgy]

Buy a share in a yacht. No cheaper way of boating in Greece. You'll need some demonstrable experience but you don't have to use the sails when your there. Everyone motors anyway.

Search for Sail Boats and Yacht Shares | Yacht Fractions

I've got one, purchase price in the low thousands, 1500 per year running costs for 6 weeks sailing, not that I can use them all.
A fellow member has had 10 weeks out there this year for his 1500.

The Ionian is fine outside of July and August and trust me you don't want to be there then anyway due to the heat. I was there in June when it was 34 on the last 2 days and that was too much never mind 38 or 40 in August. Going back next week promised a delightful 26/27 degrees.

 

[citygent111]

Buy a share in a yacht. No cheaper way of boating in Greece. You'll need some demonstrable experience but you don't have to use the sails when your there. Everyone motors anyway.

Search for Sail Boats and Yacht Shares | Yacht Fractions

I've got one, purchase price in the low thousands, 1500 per year running costs for 6 weeks sailing, not that I can use them all.
A fellow member has had 10 weeks out there this year for his 1500.

The Ionian is fine outside of July and August and trust me you don't want to be there then anyway due to the heat. I was there in June when it was 34 on the last 2 days and that was too much never mind 38 or 40 in August. Going back next week promised a delightful 26/27 degrees.

Thanks for this ridgy, it's not something I'd really thought about but it might be the perfect solution. Plus I get to keep my boat here in the UK too Just don't tell the Mrs!!

 

[dslittle]

Buy a share in a yacht. No cheaper way of boating in Greece. You'll need some demonstrable experience but you don't have to use the sails when your there. Everyone motors anyway.

Search for Sail Boats and Yacht Shares | Yacht Fractions

I've got one, purchase price in the low thousands, 1500 per year running costs for 6 weeks sailing, not that I can use them all.
A fellow member has had 10 weeks out there this year for his 1500.

The Ionian is fine outside of July and August and trust me you don't want to be there then anyway due to the heat. I was there in June when it was 34 on the last 2 days and that was too much never mind 38 or 40 in August. Going back next week promised a delightful 26/27 degrees.

That’s how we started our ownership of a boat. At the time we were still working and it was a great way of getting out on the water in our ‘own’ yacht at a very affordable price.

Additionally, if you join an established syndicate, the (very) onerous admin side of things will hopefully be catered for already…