Marmaris - adding guests to transit log

[Debs15]

Hi,
Has anyone added guests to the transit log in Marmaris, how have you done this?
Can we just go the harbour master ourselves and do our guests need to be present?
Can it be done before they arrive?

Regards
debs

 

[sailaboutvic]

We not so what I am going to say isn't gospil , I would had think they would want to see their passport Debs , one place you may be better off to ask is on the Marmaris cruisers bay site , there can be very helpful .

 

[CatCouple]

No not officially but I have had guests added to transit logs in advance of their arrival using scans of their passports
. Only agents have a ccess and can up date transit logs . Try Guven agents in marmaris. You can change the transit log four times only .

 

[Debs15]

Thanks for the info, think marmaris cruisers site worth a go

 

[crisjones]

As above, you do need their passports to do the job, your guests do not need to be physically present.

The Harbourmaster can and should do this free of charge, however in many places they farm this work out to Agents who obviously charge for the work, this is more prevalent in the busier places such as Marmaris and Bodrum. In Gocek the Harbourmaster happily added guests to our transit log for free, however he would not do anything more such as issue a new log - this was reffered to an agent (expensive).

I sugest you go to the Harbourmaster first - the worst he can do is tell you to use an agent. FWIW we paid 50TL in Bodrum to have guests taken off the Transit Log so should be the same to add them on. Even for an agent it is only about 15mins work even if he goes to the Harbourmaster to stamp the log, some agents will just print the new page and tell you to go the office for a stamp - this should be cheaper if you can do it.

 

[Squeaky]

Good evening:

I think if you check you will find that your transit log lists "crew" and not "guests". I have never added "guests" to my transit log and have never been bothered by anyone once I explained the presence of friends who were not shown on the "crew" lists.

I know that a lot of people want to follow any laws especially in a foreign country however I think if you ask around you will find that adding your friends to your transit log is a wasted effort. By the way, don't ask an agent if this is necessary as he/she will obviously answer in the affirmative.

Cheers

Squeaky

 

[CatCouple]

All fine till it goes wrong squeak... try explaining that your' friends' not on the crew list is not in fact a black charter to the Turkish coast guard should you be involved in an incident not necessarily of your own making. Not worth having the boat impounded while you sort out the mess for the sake of saving a few euros in my view. Added to which how about contributing a bit to the local economy for a change...

 

[Debs15]

Thanks all for your info.
We believe it is better to add them on but have been quoted 50 euros from an agent!
Still not tried the harbourmaster but will update on how it goes.......

 

[crisjones]

Unfortunately there is also evidence that agents in a particular town seem to operate a bit of a cartel so even shopping around or haggling does little to influence the price. We were quoted almost exactly the same price (400TL) by 3 agents in Gocek for Transit Log Renewal and haggling had no effect.
€50 is really a rip-off for the minimal amount of work required by the agent - 50TL is just about acceptable. However it is definitely worth trying the harbourmaster first, although with agents quoting that sort of price you may find that he is not interested in doing his job hence the agents charge what they like. (Perhaps the Agents also grease his palm a little to facilitate their business ???)

You could always get your visitors added to the Log in another Port where prices may be much less, Datca and Gocek are not far away and you are very unlikely to be checked in the day or two you take to get there. We only got checked by the Coast guard twice in 2 years in Turkey, once in Bodrum Town anchorage and once in Gulluk, both times very friendly and just a basic check of Transit log, nothing else checked either time.

 

[truscott]

If your guests are embarking and disembarking in Turkey, and not clearing in and out, they don't need to be on the Transit Log (they are not crew, they're guests). Providing this is not a commercial thing, the authorities are not interested. We have done this loads of times in the last 5 years with relatives joining us for weeks at a time and included stops in "officious" marinas in Fethiye and Bodrum. Just last month we had our son on board and had no issues, even when we cleared out of Turkey, he was simply added to the TL that the agent prepared and was processed out without incident (40 euro to clear out and 105 to clear back in again 4 weeks later!)

But hey...why let facts and commonsense get in the way of a good thread?

Just do it and have fun. That's what all the Turks are doing.

PT

 

[Squeaky]

Hi:

Now might be a good time to remind everyone that a police constable with 5 years service in Istanbul earns 45 lira a day - even in a tourist resort that is only the price of a good steak without refreshments. I suggest you keep this in mind when dealing with agents - yes, I know that most people want a trouble free existence but money is money.

I believe, although I have lost the reference, that when the transit logs were moved on line that the IT expert who designed the system created the identification box so that it would only accept a sequence of number similar to those on Turkish ID cards rejecting anything other such as national passport numbers. This mistake/accident created a cartel which only those with Turkish ID numbers could use and those that I have encountered have jealously guarded this nice little earner to ensure that no one else horns in on it.

I don't believe that it honestly comes under the duties of the harbormasters to assist yachtsmen in obtaining a transit log although I am sure that some will do so from time to time - especially is the person requiring help is a nice looking woman. I have known couples who always have the feminine member take care of anything involving dealing with the authorities - think the authorities find it much less threatening to deal with a woman especially if they don't share a common language. They seem to be even more helpful if the woman is confused as to what is required - the macho side of the male character seems to kick in meaning they end up helping the poor, helpless confused woman even more.
Cheers

Squeaky

P.S. Just re-read the post of Truscott above and would like to point out that 40 Euros is the cost of 3 steaks and would be a free and clear profit for the agent as he would have no outlays whereas the task of clearing in a yacht would involve the purchase of a transit log - I don't have a recent details on the cost but think it is some place close to 85 TL. Have had trouble getting a clear answer from the two agents I know personally.

 

[truscott]

Squeaky; I posted the agents charges for info only. I personally think they are on the steep side and would prefer to do the paperwork myself, as I do when clearing in and out of Greece (actually I would prefer to not have to clear in and out at all).

 

[Squeaky]

Squeaky; I posted the agents charges for info only. I personally think they are on the steep side and would prefer to do the paperwork myself, as I do when clearing in and out of Greece (actually I would prefer to not have to clear in and out at all).

Good evening:

The sums quoted are not out of line with what I recently paid myself but when taken in context with the local wage structure an agent is well rewarded for his efforts.

If the designer of the program behind the on-line transit log system had made it possible for someone to use something other than a Turkish ID card number you would be able to obtain a transit log yourself on line but the design makes this impossible. Was it intended or an accident? I don't know but I do know that it has created well rewarded work for local agents.

I am sure that the thousands of people moving into Greece, Italy and other front line states would prefer not having to clear in also but how else would governments control inward immigration?

Cheers

Squeaky

 

[Debs15]

Hi:

I don't believe that it honestly comes under the duties of the harbormasters to assist yachtsmen in obtaining a transit log although I am sure that some will do so from time to time - especially is the person requiring help is a nice looking woman. I have known couples who always have the feminine member take care of anything involving dealing with the authorities - think the authorities find it much less threatening to deal with a woman especially if they don't share a common language. They seem to be even more helpful if the woman is confused as to what is required - the macho side of the male character seems to kick in meaning they end up helping the poor, helpless confused woman even more.
Cheers


Ha! I often play the dumb blonde card....it definitely helps!

 

[Chris_Robb]

Good evening:

I think if you check you will find that your transit log lists "crew" and not "guests". I have never added "guests" to my transit log and have never been bothered by anyone once I explained the presence of friends who were not shown on the "crew" lists.

I know that a lot of people want to follow any laws especially in a foreign country however I think if you ask around you will find that adding your friends to your transit log is a wasted effort. By the way, don't ask an agent if this is necessary as he/she will obviously answer in the affirmative.

Cheers

Squeaky

Squeaky, I agree. I was specifically told by the agent at Bodrum Marina that crew was crew and guests - ie my wife, daughter, son in law and 2 grandchildren were Guests. I just have myself on the transit log, as I can sail by myself and the rest are Guests. It was a very hot day, and they did not relish traipsing round to the harbour masters office, so I got the truth.

When one thinks back to the origins of these laws, they were in relation to big ships, where crew was crew and passengers and guest totally different.

Edit: I cleared in on Saturday,July 18th to Bodrum, the day of the ending of Ramadan, which is a national holiday. Our Agent, recommended by James Mar of this parish, took about 5 hours to complete the formalities and had to wait and wait and wait to complete anything - not a good day to check in!

Prices. Transit Log plus all the bits costs TL 238 (€79). He had quoted €100, but instead charges up in TL - why less - because he had kept us waiting for hours.
His name is Ali Engin and can be contacted on 0090 555 529 2909. He operates out of the Seamen's institute restaurant jut on the east side of the harbour. Rally nice man.