Greece seems not very cheap.

[dgadee]

Well. Greece is behind us. Cheap anchoring but not a cheap country. €124 to do a small sail repair. Identical one cost £30 at home last year.

A shocking £6k to redo standing rigging on a 11m boat (stay away from rubbish Greek surveyors) and that didn't include crane hire (€500). Worst thing about it was the original rigging was ok.

If you are going out, do everything at home before you leave. It is a den of thieves.

 

[Irish Rover]

Well. Greece is behind us. Cheap anchoring but not a cheap country. €124 to do a small sail repair. Identical one cost £30 at home last year.

A shocking £6k to redo standing rigging on a 11m boat (stay away from rubbish Greek surveyors) and that didn't include crane hire (€500). Worst thing about it was the original rigging was ok.

If you are going out, do everything at home before you leave. It is a den of thieves.

They really are taking the piss with their prices, and shoddy work. Don’t consider coming east to escape the rip-off. It's even worse in Türkiye, to the extent some Turkish boat owners are moving their boats to Samos and other eastern islands, where marina prices are cheaper than Türkiye.

 

[Chris_Robb]

They really are taking the piss with their prices, and shoddy work. Don’t consider coming east to escape the rip-off. It's even worse in Türkiye, to the extent some Turkish boat owners are moving their boats to Samos and other eastern islands, where marina prices are cheaper than Türkiye.

Sellers market. Far too many boats and nit enough engineers. Infact if you want your heat exchanger repaired, they will quote you fir a new engine. Rather than get someone to braze in a new tube. Their not engineers now but fitters.

Glad I sold 2 years ago. Out there at end of September in Poros, nothing but effing great Catermarans. Over crowded and party boats, what a noise.

 

[Beneteau381]

Sellers market. Far too many boats and nit enough engineers. Infact if you want your heat exchanger repaired, they will quote you fir a new engine. Rather than get someone to braze in a new tube. Their not engineers now but fitters.

Glad I sold 2 years ago. Out there at end of September in Poros, nothing but effing great Catermarans. Over crowded and party boats, what a noise.

Again I’ve seen the word “fitter” used as a term of derision! All it tells me is that the person who uses it in such a way needs to educate them selves!
I was a time served fitter! I served a four year apprenticeship including going to night school at a Technical College during that time.
A fitter is a person who makes things fit! Highly skilled and able to use hand tools and machine tools to make things fit! Rolls Royce engines which were used to help us win the war are a good example. Factory made but they were fettled by hand in their putting together.
Fitter apprentices were taught to use hand tools to make things from metal to a couple of thou clearances. I can and did hand scrape shell bearings for 4” shafts to a couple of thou clearance.
Fitters arent changers of parts! They are highly skilled artisans! and can and do silver-solder in new tubes in heat exchangers!
Oh and by the way, so called marine engineers aren’t usually engineers in the true sense of the word! They are mechanics or skilled fitters with experience of marine systems
PS Its they’re not their

 

[dgadee]

Well, there are not many fitters about Preveza.

My brother did his fitter apprenticeship, too

 

[Skipper Tim]

Post #62, "Well. Greece is behind us"

Greece is ahead of me. After visiting from 1976, owning a house in Stoupa in the Mani and two sailboats in Greece from 2000, I am planning on retiring as a live-aboard to the Dodecanese & SW Turkish coast - alternating due to the 90-day visa rule.

I have ordered a new Beneteau Oceanis 30.1 for delivery in November 2025 to Alimos Marina, Athens through Kiriacoulis. Although I don't like the idea of buying a new boat financially, at least I have been able to configure her just the way I want and she should last a good few years before requiring any major expenses. I wanted the electric propulsion version but EU rules currently do not allow it on the open sea :-(

I am struggling to find a 'home port' in the Dodecanese for my first year when I am 'knocking her in to shape' and re-exploring my cruising grounds in Greece and discovering the new ones to me in SW Turkey. Leros came in relatively cheaply but the better of the two Lakki marinas has a waiting list extending in to 2026.

After the first year, I will hopefully have a list of safe anchorages and harbours I can use depending upon the weather.

Having done too many deliveries, I am now a 'wimp sailor' - I have no intention of sailing in rough weather ever again and if I get caught out, need to know a safe harbour to run to, wherever I am.

Any advice or insights on a good value, safe marina on an annual contract in the Dodecanese would be much appreciated.

 

[Irish Rover]

Post #62, "Well. Greece is behind us"

Greece is ahead of me. After visiting from 1976, owning a house in Stoupa in the Mani and two sailboats in Greece from 2000, I am planning on retiring as a live-aboard to the Dodecanese & SW Turkish coast - alternating due to the 90-day visa rule.

I have ordered a new Beneteau Oceanis 30.1 for delivery in November 2025 to Alimos Marina, Athens through Kiriacoulis. Although I don't like the idea of buying a new boat financially, at least I have been able to configure her just the way I want and she should last a good few years before requiring any major expenses. I wanted the electric propulsion version but EU rules currently do not allow it on the open sea :-(

I am struggling to find a 'home port' in the Dodecanese for my first year when I am 'knocking her in to shape' and re-exploring my cruising grounds in Greece and discovering the new ones to me in SW Turkey. Leros came in relatively cheaply but the better of the two Lakki marinas has a waiting list extending in to 2026.

After the first year, I will hopefully have a list of safe anchorages and harbours I can use depending upon the weather.

Having done too many deliveries, I am now a 'wimp sailor' - I have no intention of sailing in rough weather ever again and if I get caught out, need to know a safe harbour to run to, wherever I am.

Any advice or insights on a good value, safe marina on an annual contract in the Dodecanese would be much appreciated.

Not Dodecanese I know, but I hear Samos Marina in Pythagorio has good rates.

 

[Skipper Tim]

Not Dodecanese I know, but I hear Samos Marina in Pythagorio has good rates.

Thanks but still around 25% more than Leros and quite a walk into town.

 

[Irish Rover]

Thanks but still around 25% more than Leros and quite a walk into town.

I've no idea about the prices but walk to town is only about 10 minutes, even for an old codger like me. I know a few Turks who've moved their boats there to escape our crazy prices in Türkiye.

 

[Skipper Tim]

Yes, the problem with Turkey is the huge disparity in income between the rich and the poor - one of the worst in the World. Anything regarded as a rich person's habit, such as sailing, or just using an airport, is astronomically expensive. Greece I find expensive in all things other than wine. Thank heavens for Amazon! I will keep on hunting. I may just end up anchoring off Partheni, Leros and increasing my security measures for when I am not there. Thanks, Tim.

 

[dgadee]

We found Mytilini good value, though lift out a problem so we didn't. Only one decent clothes shop for the crew. Anywhere without el Cortes Ingles is 3rd world in her view. Typical Greek town. There was an offer allowing usage of Turkish marinas when we were there, but the hassle of taking a boat over put us off. But very close to Turkish anchorages.

Further south was windy and crew not so keen.

I had planned to base us in Turkey for a year or so but Turkish marinas became astronomically expensive within a few short months. Not worth it if no el Cortes Ingles.

The Baltic is our next target. Maybe overland France from Marseille to miss out Spain and save money from the clothes floors of el Cortes Ingles.

 

[CJ13]

Have you tried Marithakampos, on Samos. A small Marina run by a Brit. It’s not a big place but has all the basics. Car hire will be very cheap during winter.

 

[Skipper Tim]

Have you tried Marithakampos, on Samos. A small Marina run by a Brit. It’s not a big place but has all the basics. Car hire will be very cheap during winter.

Thanks, I have made an email enquiry.

P.S. I don't drive - except boats and bicycles

 

[Irish Rover]

Thanks, I have made an email enquiry.

P.S. I don't drive - except boats and bicycles

I stayed there for a few days last July and it was one of the windiest spots I've ever been in. Blowing old boots inside and calm a half mile offshore. Made leaving single handed very tricky. Basic toilet and shower facilities but always spotless and the guys who run it are super helpful. Super location as well. I think the company who run it have a place in Karlovassi as well.

 

[Skipper Tim]

I stayed there for a few days last July and it was one of the windiest spots I've ever been in. Blowing old boots inside and calm a half mile offshore. Made leaving single handed very tricky. Basic toilet and shower facilities but always spotless and the guys who run it are super helpful. Super location as well. I think the company who run it have a place in Karlovassi as well.

Many thanks. Yes, Rod repeats "strong gusts" about Marathakambos in his pilot. Long stretchy lines then, if the price is right.

 

[Ray Purchase]

Yes, the problem with Turkey is the huge disparity in income between the rich and the poor - one of the worst in the World. Anything regarded as a rich person's habit, such as sailing, or just using an airport, is astronomically expensive. Greece I find expensive in all things other than wine. Thank heavens for Amazon! I will keep on hunting. I may just end up anchoring off Partheni, Leros and increasing my security measures for when I am not there. Thanks, Tim.

Which is rank.

 

[kingsebi]

I found that there are huge price differences within Greece. I paid between two and ten Euros for a beer. The North Aegean has yards with good prices for hard standing, I don’t know about boatwork though.

 

[Skipper Tim]

I found that there are huge price differences within Greece. I paid between two and ten Euros for a beer. The North Aegean has yards with good prices for hard standing, I don’t know about boatwork though.

Did you find the shops, usually in the backstreets, that weigh your empty container, fill it, weigh it again and then charge by the kilo difference? White wine and ouzo were almost the same price the last time I found one (I was a regular customer in Leros). I have plans for 4 x 25 litre (6.6 US gallon) jerrycans: diesel, water, wine and ouzo. They need to be in different coloured jerrycans to avoid disaster

 

[Irish Rover]

25 litre (6.6 US gallon) jerrycans wine and ouzo

I'm not so sure how many shots is in 25L of ouzo but it sounds like a lot. Are you using it for cleaning? Turks say it's rakki for peasants .

 

[Skipper Tim]

I'm not so sure how many shots is in 25L of ouzo but it sounds like a lot. Are you using it for cleaning? Turks say it's rakki for peasants .

I believe a single shot is 25ml so 25L would be one thousand shots - enough for a good party. Actually there is an expression in Greek about how to win a war against the Turks along the lines of 'don't use weapons just send them ouzo'.

Actually I have felt a little insulted at Turkish hotels when I have ordered a brandy and cola at the bar pick it up and they pour the same brandy on the bar top to clean it.

Crete has its own raki which local firewater without any aniseed for comfort but normal Greek Ouzo and Turkish raki are identical - quite a bit different from the sickly-sweet French Pernod/Anis.