New liveaboard in the Ionian

B

beormakate

Active Member
Joined
29 May 2007
Messages
57
Location
Sv Marko Island, Montenegro
yachtmontyb.blogspot.com
Firstly, I want to say thanks to everyone who contributed to my question about choosing a liveaboard boat back in December 2006. We are now happily afloat in the Ionian on a quirky but brilliant Northwind 40, spending too much time fixing things and not enough sailing (but we've only been aboard 6 weeks so not a surprise). We had great plans of getting down to Crete for the winter but have decided to stick around the Lefkas area as may have some work here over winter and it's relatively safe sailing for us newbies. My question is, has anyone overwintered in this area and have any tips/views/advice (all views welcome)? we've been told it totally dies which isn't a surprise but I don't want to be completely isolated. Is there anyone out there in this area? If so, keep your eyes peeled for us - lots of scary green canvas on boat and 2 Jack Russells - not hard to spot. Come over to say hi - you will be greeted with coffee or beer depending on time of day (or weather!). My final question - do you ever stop hitting your toes/shins/knees/knuckles/head on things?? Cheers all. The crew of Monty B. A blog will be unfolding at yachtmontyb.blogspot.com
 
I believe there is quite a community that overwinter in Levkas Marina who have a good social life during the winter months.
 
My experience is now three years old so might not be factual anymore. We spent the winter in Nidri then and it was the liveaboard center at that time. The Levkas marina was brand new then and had not established any liveaboards. Preveza has always been a 'leave your boat place'. Nidri then was very lively thoughout the whole winter, both with boat life and shore facilities not really closing down. A very enjoyable winter, but things change quickly in Greece so cannot vouch for present status.
 
Ive not actually wintered in Lefkas so really cant comment. We keep our boat there and have spent time at easter and October in the area when it does get pretty quiet, however there is a VHF net which operates every week and the local liveaboards make their social plans that way. Details on the marina office notice board. Worth a try ?
 
Check my site - I updated the Inland Ionian bit after a couple of weeks bumbling around there in late September, and it covered things like wintering spots.

Nidri is the most anglicised port in Greece. The result of 27 years of being a flotilla base; lots of ex flot staff have set up their own yacht support businesses in the area. Others have gone into real estate, managing building projects, running their own charter companies, running day charter excursions.

The cheapest live aboard option is a mud berth in Tranquil Bay. More convenient is alongside in Vliho bay quayside - if it's not filled up yet. But lay an offshore anchor there to keep the strain off your fenders in big easterlies.

Preveza marina structure is now complete, though it wasn't managed and had no power/water. You may be charged a three or four euros a night for staying there by the port police, but they tend to ignore yachts in the winter. Excellent shelter. Ignore all those charter company 'keep off' signs - their yachts are all on the hard over at Action. And Preveza is a lively town all year.

As is Levkas. Levkas marina is very posh, with a price to match. The town quay is dodgy if there's a big southerlies, so you need to be tucked well to the west, and have a mooring or excellent, big ground tackle to cope with the very soft mud there.
 
Re: banging heads

Nice choice of boat both. ! well done and welcome..
Stubbing toes and banging heads...
try to remove all squared off edges, if wood, easy.. if joined ply, cut away join and insert recessed round hardwood...
things fitted by PO, remove mostly lol... carpet is better than wood.. roll up for sea if not well stuck with velcro.
Banging heads, Neoprene wetsuit material velcroed or glued onto obstructions is good, like low doorways etc.. what works really well is the gel filled computer wrist rest pads... excellent and look quite good... we use pipe lagging on a couple of edges held on with duct tape as a temporary fix (over 3 years ago.. never removed ! oooops)
If you bang some body part twice causing pain... sort the object out that you hit or learn to manouvre... after a few years you will move around YOUR boat uconsciously avoiding everything, just becomes natural, but beware !, the minute you are invited to someone elses boat.... BANG !!! OUCH !!! JEEEEEZZZ CRIZZZZ etc all over again...

Have fun and keep up the web site.
 
Bye Ionian, hello Adriatic

Cheers all. As it happens, we have ended up in Kotor, Montenegro as we were offered work with a charter company here. It's a beautiful place though I'm going to have to learn Montenegrin if I want anything of a social life.
See what it's like sailing the Adriatic in December: yachtmontyb.blogspot.com
 
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