Dinghy sailing in Greece

[Burt1971]

Hello everyone. I've access to a house in Greece which has space to store a sailing dinghy (my wife is Greek and its her family place) and a car with a towbar and was wondering whether it was worth the faff and expense of trying to get one down there to sail over the Easter and Summer holidays. Despite going there for once or twice a year for the past c.20 years, and renting small motor boats for many of those years, I've never actually seen anyone sail a dinghy there. Maybe its because I've been in the wrong areas, but it seems strange as the wind or sea state typically don't appear to be any different / much worse than would stop me here in UK. There just does not appear to be anyone sailing dinghies... Yachts yes, windsurfers yes, parasailing yes, but dinghies... no. Is there some magic secret that I'm missing? If I go to all of the aggro of getting a dinghy down there somehow for use with my son, will I suddenly have an "ah! so that's why no one does this!" moment? Maybe something to do with the speed at which the wind can get up, or the chop? Risk of enormous ferries bearing down on you? Is it that actually buying a dinghy there is so expensive because there are no 2nd hand ones and one is forced to import one from UK so most people would take the view that the economics don't work? Thanks for your views and also any books or further reading which may help me make a decision. For practical reasons the boat would need to be Wayfarer or day boat size, and plan would be to trailer the boat to an area, launch it, stay in a local hotel, and sail when weather allows. My basic question is "am I missing something here?" Thanks to all who reply in advance, Burt

 

[RobinBirch]

Hi Burt and welcome.

The Dinghy Cruising Association FB group might be another avenue for you to ask this question.

 

[mjcoon]

You haven't told us about launching. I suspect there is a dearth of ramps and accessible beaches in Greece; I haven't noticed many!

Mike.

 

[De.windhoos]

There is dinghy sailing in Greece. I've noticed an increase in local dinghy sailing schools the last couple of years. I think it's a perfect environment; nice weather, warm water and depending on where you are good wind and enough large bays to sail in without having to deal with large waves. The trick will be how to get the dinghy in/out of the water.
Getting a second hand one in Greece might be difficult, but you can always buy one in the UK and drive it over. Ask the local school/harbourmaster/chandlery if there is a local sailing school, they might be able to point you to a 2nd hand locally.

 

[lw395]

Mate of mine had an old Laser, just dragged it up the local beach. I think a few euro changed hands to store it behind the beach shack bar.
Only time I tried to sail it, there was absolutely zero wind.
There is organised racing out there, I've seen pretty serious-looking kids in oppies and Lasers on the mainland. Other than that, it seems to be Brits and Germans at beach holiday places, but I'm not claiming to have covered more than a small fraction of the coastline out there.

Wayfarer is going to need a decent slipway and storage with solid ground for a trolley.

 

[CAPTAIN FANTASTIC]

I grew up sailing dinghies in Greece, by the coast of Athens. We had Finns, 420's, 470's, Flying Dutchmans etc. Dinghy sailing in Greece is big, however, it depends where you are and naturally away from the tourists areas. Good idea to take a dinghy from here to Greece, if you have one.

 

[DownWest]

Have a read of these. The Lugworm Chronicles: The Classic of Open Boat Cruising: Ken Duxbury: 9781907206283: Amazon.com: Books
And there is some one who rents a holiday home with a Drascomb Lugger included to sail round the islands. Can't remember which area. Not to mention Sunsail et al, who do sailing holidays with dinghys.
I am assuming your house is on mainland Greece? I I followed the coast in the Peloponnisos from Corinth round to Patras by road. Plenty of places one could launch, though it was pretty deserted back in '87

 

[mjcoon]

And there is some one who rents a holiday home with a Drascomb Lugger included to sail round the islands. Can't remember which area.

Might that have been Platania 370 06, Trikeri, Greece? I would not know if it is a lugger, but I believe it came with a villa. (We were on flotilla, and "lost" our dinghy and outboard and had to pay a fee to get it back!)

 

[DownWest]

Might that have been Platania 370 06, Trikeri, Greece? I would not know if it is a lugger, but I believe it came with a villa. (We were on flotilla, and "lost" our dinghy and outboard and had to pay a fee to get it back!)

View attachment 84693

Your pic appears to be a Cape Cutter. As for location, I would have to dig. Work calls....

The OP might want to check the regs too. Sail only, not so difficult, but once an engine is added, gets more complicated.

 

[mjcoon]

Your pic appears to be a Cape Cutter.

That does ring a bell. (I briefly corresponded with the owner, but about our dinghy loss, not his villa or boat.)

There's plenty about it on tripadvisor, capecutter19association.org, etc.

Mike.

 

[vyv_cox]

We watched a UK registered Laser reaching out and back in fresh meltemi conditions at Alinda, Leros last year. That is the only one we remember in the Dodecanese islands. There is a dinghy club at Kardamyla on Chios where we have seen some training taking place. We have also seen Optimists in training at Kalkhis on Evia.

 

[DownWest]

Bearing in mind (nothing to do with the OP's question) the Greeks being quite tough on amateur boat rentals, I wonder how including a boat in a house rental stands? Coding?

 

[Davy_S]

I have seen sailing dinghy's from Kylini all the way down to Kalamata, plus there is a sailing club at Sami, lots of children using Optimists there. i would definitely take one if you have the chance.

 

[Burt1971]

Thanks very much to all for your kind responses:
-I'll check what is on Dinghy Cruising Association forum, thanks for the suggestion Robin;
- I suspect you are right re launching Mike, lw395 and De.windhoos - slipways can be in poor nick, and there's also a risk that you drive somewhere and find no practical way of getting the boat in the water as no slipway and no way of getting the boat onto the beach, so that would limit the sailing to areas where you know what the circs are (I guess Google earth could help a bit)
- I totally agree De.windhoos about the conditions being perfect - its been puzzling me for years as it seems so obvious to be a great place to do it. It is true that early morning can be pretty still
- DownWest, yes it is - in the Peloponnese so not too far from what seems like a good sailing area. Thanks for the book recommendation! You are likely correct re licensing - as my wife's family is not shy of reminding me "Bureaucracy is a Greek word"
- Thanks Davy_S, that is a part of the coast that I've spent a lot of time in (West coast of the Peloponnese) and exactly what I was thinking of
- thanks to all other replies. Think that the conclusion should be that I'm not missing anything, and the apparent lack of dinghies is both my not having spotted them myself (recognising the experience of Captain Fantastic and vyv_cox for example) and also to do with the practicalities of getting hold of a boat down there and launching it

So I'm now going to look at how to do that... all best