Easy Greek Flotilla but not starting in Lefkas. Ideas?

[NAJ]

Hi. We would like to find out about family friendly flotillas in Greece, in unchallenging sailing conditions. We don't want to pay top money for flights to Preveza but the majority of Ionian flotillas seem to sail from Lefkas, which is annoying.

I am looking for recommendations for a flotilla company maybe operating from Corfu, Zakynthos or Kefalonia, but can't seem to find any actual flotillas (only assisted sailing or bareboat charters).

Can anyone suggest a company based in any of those places, or maybe even Saronic/ Argolic? Ideally I'd like to book with an independent but reputable company- nothing too corporate. Any ideas? Or even, ideas for different regions that I haven't thought of? Thanks in advance.

 

[Tranona]

Try Sailing Holidays who have North and South Ionian routes. Their prices include flights. Don't think you will find any from Zykyanthos or Kefalonia as these islands don't offer the facilities for a base. Others to try are Neilsons and Sunsail.

 

[Bobc]

+1. Sailing Holidays in the North Ionian is perfect for this.

 

[NAJ]

Hi. Thanks for your replies. I should've said also that I don't really want a package. The reason for this is that we are restricted to school holidays, so the only way to get a reasonable deal is to book cheap flights very early and the flotilla separately. The Saronic looks the most likely place now, with a cheap flight to Athens. I have looked at Sailing holidays, but I'd have to get their most basic, oldest boat to get even close to being able to afford a peak season holiday.

 

[V1701]

You can fly Corfu - Preveza with Sky Express (link below), 55E each way but with IIRC a 12kg baggage limit. Only takes about 15 minutes. My brother wants to bring his kids (16 year old twins) here late June/early July but the flights (to Athens) alone would be £900 odd minimum, significantly more rest of July/August...

http://www.skyexpress.gr/en-us/home.aspx

 

[derekgillard]

I have used Sunny Sailing from Corfu, they are a Dutch company all English speaking and very professional.

Enjoy.....

 

[duncan99210]

Seem to recall meeting up with a Saling Holidays fleet on their positioning trip to somewhere in the Halkidiki area when we were in the Ionian last year. Might be worth looking at?

 

[Heckler]

Hi. Thanks for your replies. I should've said also that I don't really want a package. The reason for this is that we are restricted to school holidays, so the only way to get a reasonable deal is to book cheap flights very early and the flotilla separately. The Saronic looks the most likely place now, with a cheap flight to Athens. I have looked at Sailing holidays, but I'd have to get their most basic, oldest boat to get even close to being able to afford a peak season holiday.

Talk to sailing Holidays, they will do just about anything to help out!
Stu

 

[hoped4]

For Saronic can highly recommend Greek Sails from Poros. Family run company. Bareboated with them last year but they do run flots. You will have the cost of transferring by bus then ferry/dolphin to Poros though.

 

[Supine Being]

Hi. Thanks for your replies. I should've said also that I don't really want a package. The reason for this is that we are restricted to school holidays, so the only way to get a reasonable deal is to book cheap flights very early and the flotilla separately. The Saronic looks the most likely place now, with a cheap flight to Athens. I have looked at Sailing holidays, but I'd have to get their most basic, oldest boat to get even close to being able to afford a peak season holiday.

Sailing Holidays are happy for you to sort your own flight out if you wish. I've never been able to find any of those mysterious cheap flights, though.

 

[Pavalijo]

Have used Nautilus Yachting on a few occasions - they use local operators to run the flotillas but have always been pleased with boats and lead crew - and fair prices. Sailing Holidays were excellent on our first flotilla 10 years ago but no recent experience.
We used Nautilus from Athens on Saronic flotilla (fantastic area) and managed to get very cheap flights with BA, but booked them well in advance for summer school holidays. Always struggled to find cheap flights to any other Greek/Turkish destination.

 

[vyv_cox]

If you want easy sailing then the Ionian must come top of the list. The Saronic probably second, winds tend to be lighter there than further into the Aegean and there are plenty of places to go in a most attractive area. The Sporades can be rather windy in August but there are many nice places to go. Halkidiki is somewhat short of ports and the flotilla there does lots of anchoring, would not be my choice as an easy sailing holiday. Most of the Aegean will be very windy in August and southern parts, e.g. Dodecanese, very hot.

 

[nimbusgb]

You can fly Corfu - Preveza with Sky Express (link below), 55E each way but with IIRC a 12kg baggage limit. Only takes about 15 minutes. My brother wants to bring his kids (16 year old twins) here late June/early July but the flights (to Athens) alone would be £900 odd minimum, significantly more rest of July/August...

http://www.skyexpress.gr/en-us/home.aspx

15kg in the hold and only 3 kg carry on so you need to organise if you are connecting from a regular flight.

 

[NAJ]

Thanks everyone. What useful replies. I realise that we are too late for cheap flights to Athens ( and have booked this year's hol anyway) but want to think ahead to 2014 so that we can book early with a scheduled airline.

Good to know that sailing holidays may be able to offer boat only. The trouble with package deals is that seem to work on a cost of 450-500£ ppn for a flight so if we can put it together separately we could massively reduce that. I agree that low cost fares are elusive with charter airlines, but it is till poss with scheduled airlines, I hope!

I will take a look at Greek Sails. Thanks.

The trouble is, i am not really sure what 'level' of flotilla we could manage. we have just done a learn to sail week in Greece, but the high winds/ storms limited sailing time somewhat. My DH has sailed a bit before and now has ICC and we are doing a 1 week flotilla in Croatia this year. I wonder if we would be able to cope with the Sporades by then or would it be too windy? Any thoughts?

 

[Tranona]

See how you get on with your next flotilla and then consider bareboat from Corfu. Unless the social side is important there is really little advantage in flotilla if you are confident in handling the boat. The Ionian is great because there are so many anchorages and small ports within easy sailing distance from eachother and plenty to keep the children busy.

Much more choice of boats and deals with bare boats and greater choice of direct flights with either Easyjet or charter airlines. We mostly use Charterflights for charter airlines and direct for Easyjet and Thomsons (from Bournemouth), although the latter is mid week. Big advantage of Corfu for travel is the marina is only 20 minutes taxi from the airport.

 

[Alltnaha]

I would second Greek Sails. Boats in excellent nick, individully owned ie not by Greek Sails - I think they manage them. We booked through a UK flotilla operator , Sunscape Yachting , who arranged Easy Jet flights at reasonable cost - but that was booking in Jan for June departure.

I would recommedn their Saronic route , it has variety and some decent days' sails ie not all short hops. The amphitheatre at Epidavros is great and makes a good break from being on the yacht. Poros is a great place to start from as well.

As to level we went in June. Max wind was F5 gusting 6. I am not experieinced on big yachts - I sail an Anderson 22 in SE UK - and found it fine - you have to be reasonably confident in your boat handling skills in terms of entering a harbour in reasonable winds although there is always help available. So try and get time on boats here , and then the Saronic area is relatively easy - no tides, difficult to run aground.

I managed to appear the complete prat on my first flotilla holiday . Off we went , out of the harbour. A few minutes later the depth sounder was flashing - it appeared to have malfunctioned. When the lead crew checked up on us I said it had stopped working - they explained that the land shelves so quickly to such a depth that the sounder cannot cope.

 

[NAJ]

Thanks so much for the swift replies.

I like the idea of Corfu and Saronic. The social side side itself of a flotilla is important as our children ( aged 9 and 11) love meeting other Children. I like meeting people too, but anything too 'butlins' fills me with horror. Mainly, the flotilla provides a bit of a safety net that I think we will want for some time to come. It would maybe be a bit different if we were without children.

Re getting in some time on the water....Dh has new friends with boats and is doing the round the island race and sailing from Brest to Plymouth over the next few weeks , so hopefully that will improve his confidence pre flotilla.

I am doing a sailing course this weekend from Brighton Marina- can't wait! ( they actually gave me my competent crew in Greece but I feel far from competent!)

Re sunny sailing, I wonder if most people on flotilla would be Dutch...

 

[Alltnaha]

The social side was loved by our kids - aged 8 and 14 - and us. We also did check on the ages of the other kids booked - as we do with ski chalets.

Sounds to me you will have no problems - just try and get time in manoevring under power and most important of all - going astern as that is how you moor to harbour walls etc by dropping the anchor and steering a steady course to where the flotilla people want you to end up. I was nervous about this at first but it is easy .

 

[vyv_cox]

The real beauty of being in a flotilla is highlighted by the last couple of posts. We have witnessed lead crews working for hours on end to ensure that their charges are safely anchored or berthed for the night when the weather was less than friendly. It can be difficult when alone, especially with little experience, to find safe places and to know where you can berth without getting into trouble.

 

[NAJ]

Vyv, you are exactly right. It's the support that we need.

Re Corfu... I realise that Corfu has a certain reputation for Brits abroad/ party island type holidays. Can anyone tell me if you can avoid this element of Corfu whilst sailing? I would love to go to Parga so a Corfu flotilla appeals.