First time charter

[luty]

Am starting to plan first ever charter and am wondering if forumites could suggest potential destinations.

I am thinking one week flottila in Greek islands and am looking for recommendations / suggestions.

Any hints / tips gratefully received

Thanks

 

[zefender]

For a week I'd recommend Corfu as a start destination (Gouvia marina) or (probably better) Levkas because this can take in loads of islands all fairly closeby, but flights are a bit trickier. Not sure whether you're thinking of flotilla or independent charter though. Good luck (and welcome to the forum!)

 

[Sgeir]

http://www.activity-holidays.co.uk/

 

[BobOwen]

Depends on what sailing experience you have and what demands your looking for.

For a very relaxed, easy charter, I would agree with Zefender the Ionian takes some beating. Generally gentle winds, lovely places to visit.
Easy navigation, virtually no tides to worry about.
I have seen complete novices charter there and after two weeks have become very reasonable sailors.
The last charter we had there, a complete novice couple won the end of flotilla race, by a considerable margin - much to the chagrin of some of the other skippers!

There is a company out there called "Sailing Holidays" that used to run a fleet of 27ft Jaguars. They were older boats but well looked after and upgraded. We found them excellent in every way and cheaper than most. I don't know if they still operate this fleet, but well worth a quick search.

 

[luty]

The Ionian sounds like the place i'm after. There will be one day skip, one comp crew and 2 complete beginners (all adults). I will definitely look up 'Sailing Holidays', would 27ft be ok for 4 adults (who all get along)?

 

[zefender]

A bit small really - depends on whether the budget dictates it! They also do Beneteaus in various sizes up to 40' I believe. If going 'off season' (and unless you've kiddie probs, I strongly suggest you avoid late July/August) I'd spec up and get something about 37' - it won't be difficult to handle but will have proper cockpit space for lounging, drinking and er, of course sailing!

 

[Sybarite]

Another nice destination is the west coast of Corsica starting at say Calvi and going as far as Porto Vecchio. If time permits you could take in the NE coast of Sardinia as far as Porto Cervo (bring your credit cards...).

Alternatively you could cross from say Hyères - easy overnight 16 - 20 hours.

John

 

[adelecart]

Hi, my boat is in Gouvia marina in Corfu and I also recommend it as a great place to charter. The marina is only ten minutes away form the airport whih makes a big difference and the sailing area is a big circle so you do not have to backtrack and sail over the same area twice. Try to avoid the weeks between mid july and mid august as the bays are crammed full. The rest of the time it is idyllic. If you have kids, there is a massive water park ( I have to admit, even as an adult it was a higlightight my summer!) about 15 minutes from the marina also.
Catgirl

 

[Adrian]

couldn't agree more about sailing holidays, just booked for the third year on the trot, did their whole ionan last year, great fun and ideal for starters. the Jags are too small for 4 (the're known localy as shaguars as usually used by couples!) but they have other boats

 

[Swagman]

We chartered out of Poros four / five years ago and discovered the Polleponese (??) penisular. Two weeks (one with flotilla and one almost alone) worked well and the mixture of mainland attractions alongside island life gave a diversity to the vacation.
We hired from what was SetSail - easy going mob with older yachts even then - but quite OK.
Plenty of absolute beginners were with the fleet and by the end of week one most were happy to go off alone - or in close company.
Would agree four adults in a 28 footer especially if you have hot weather could be a bit cosy - the 27 footer Feeling we used fortunately had cockpit seats exactly same size as saloon cushions - meaning the two of us could sleep in the open - nice and cool after 40C days.
But it was painful getting to Poros - to land in Athen mid afternoon, bus to port with delays in city traffic, then a little water taxi for 1 hour plus, to arrive in Poros after dark. What that trip may have been like had the sea not been smooth as glass - I'm not sure.
Enjoy............

 

[stoker_3rd_class]

Hi Luty

Three seasons ago I was in asimilar position to you, had my day skiper and wanted to do an independant charter.

I chose Corfu and would definately recommend it. The sailing is very easy and there are some lovely places to visit, particularly Paxos and Anti-Paxos off of the south end of Corfu as well as one or two places on the mainland. I used a charter company called Templecraft Yacht Charters (Based in Sussex: 01273 812333).

Another place worth consideration is Turkey. I used a company called Top Yacht (www.top-yacht.com) who were excellent. They have two bases, Keci Buku and Gocek, and you can do 1 way charters between the two locations which is useful if you're only out there for a week. Again I would recomend this part of Turkey as suitable for beginers.

Cheers
--Ian

 

[Ben_e_Toe]

I'd highly recommend Kefalonia or Lefkas for a one week charter. Great, line of sight sailing and relatively sheltered waters. I believe that alot of boats go from Nidri on Lefkas but I think you can pick them up from Fiscardo on Kefalonia.

We have been on several Sailing Holiday holidays (albeit in Croatia) but always had good service and well-found boats (for the price).

Worth trying www.latesail.co.uk as they always seem to have bargins for Greece and they are very helpful (we chartered in Turkey last year through them).

 

[walker]

Only caveat I would add to Turkey that is that you can get some pretty big swells which can be a bit disconcerting for absolute beginners. I speak from experience - on our second ever flotilla we booked outof Gocek for late in the season after a very gentle debut in the Ionian that summer. Were woken in I think Coldwater Bay about 6am by the lead boat and told to make ready to move on immediately. Big swell coming into the bay made freeing shorelines from the rock a challenge and then faced a 2 hour sail beam on to a (lead crew estimated) 5 metre swell that had come all the way from Egypt or somewher - no wind at all where we were. No danger, but we didn't like it much and went back to the Ionian for our next trip! Fabulous area and love Gocek, but might be inclined to try Ionian first time out.

 

[Achillesheel]

Have been with Sailing Hols to Ionian, and once with Neilson. Sailing Hols warmly recommended, whole Ionian best, or the North if you've only got one week. Longer distances between ports. The crew sounds perfectly well experienced, we had a Day Skipper, a dinghy sailor, and four novices on a 36' Beneteau, and coped fine. 36' is about right for six, four on a 27' would be cramped. I've seen Sailing Hols' Jaguars, they are best for couples.

Am off to Croatia with Sailing Hols in July, Kornati Islands, and would appreciate any advice, comments, etc...

 

[BlueMan]

Not sure of your budget or when you plan to go but what about the British Virgin Islands? Very relaxed sailing, clear blue water, plenty of good places to eat and you don't have to sail far if you don't want to (the islands are very close together). Another bonus is that you mostly pick up a mooring or anchor so less of the Greek fun and games with 'bows to' mooring on the quays that seem to be everywhere.

Obvious downsides are the cost of flights and the time taken to get there. You may not think it worthwhile for a week.

Did my first charter in the Sporades which wasn't too busy in late May and was pretty. Shame about the weather though, a bit hit and miss in the early or late season!

 

[Shakey]

I did a season as a flotilla skipper in the Ionian, and yes it's ideal for those looking for a first charter. I even did my first one there with S**sail.

However, it's popularity means it can get busy with harbours and bays very crowded in July and August.

I see many people recommending Sailing Holidays. When I worked for N***son we used to refer to them as Parking Holidays 'cos it seemed to be company policy to get all the boats in by 4.00pm at the very latest! On my flotilla, we asked for people to be at our next destination from 4.00pm to 6.00pm usually. S**sail were similar.

The Jaguars are probably too small for four unless a close family. Many Sailing Holidays boats didn't use to be equipped with anchor windlasses also. Depends how much work you want to do on holiday I suppose!

There is also Activity Holidays, who also work from Nidri.

If you need any specific info on the Ionian feel free to pm me. I might even know the answer!

 

[tcm]

Re: First time charter, vouniaki

greece is ok, and cheap, and sunsail use charter planes with 1st choice so all part of the same lot. Smuggle bacardi and coke cos the slumsail centre have steep bar prices for first and last nights. Take a light of some decsription for nightime - the garden lights are fine- anything to avoid the pitch dark in the cockpit with few pontoon lights- i had a 12v light with ciggie lighter socket. The flots have the advantage of ready-made social life. Fake repeated breakdowns or nevaigational errors to arrive much later than the appointed too-early times - there's always a big queue anyway. On the last day, practise highish speed reversing the boat at top whammo in reverse outside the marina and watch freaked-out sunsail staff recoil as you enter the marina backwards, filled with confidence of aforementioned bacardi and coke plus the fact that the CDW waiver extra insurance waiver waiver top-up waiver will cover everything. heehee.

 

[Shakey]

Re: First time charter, vouniaki

[ QUOTE ]
Fake repeated breakdowns or nevaigational errors to arrive much later than the appointed too-early times - there's always a big queue anyway.

[/ QUOTE ]

Sounds good to me, just be prepared to have a crap berth in the harbour!

[ QUOTE ]
On the last day, practise highish speed reversing the boat at top whammo in reverse outside the marina and watch freaked-out sunsail staff recoil as you enter the marina backwards, filled with confidence of aforementioned bacardi and coke plus the fact that the CDW waiver extra insurance waiver waiver top-up waiver will cover everything. heehee.

[/ QUOTE ]

I like this bit!

Whenever guests (that's what we had to call them) dinged the boats a part of me couldn't give a monkey's, but the other part of me was saying "We've got seven hours tomorrow to get twelve boats ready before the next lot arrive and this prat's just caused six man-hours work!"

Ahhh, happy days!

 

[luty]

Re: First time charter, vouniaki

Thanks to everyone for excellent info that will help us decide when the time comes to book. I'm in a much better position now than I was a couple of days ago, when the only options I really had were a couple of brochures from the bigger players.

By the way, big fan of Neilson, went on a dinghy hol in Grenada couple of years back, didn't know they did charter as well.

 

[Melody]

Re: Neilson flotilla

Neilson operate a flotilla our of Porto Kheli on the Greek mainland, and we've been very impressed with their staff when we come across them. If you are sailing mid summer I think their area (Peloponnese) will be far less crowded thant the Ionian, but the transfer isn't as convenient as to Gouvia marina.
Cheers
Melody