Pushy flotilla leaders

[little_roundtop]

Interesting. Neilsons mostly Brit Staff, quite a few employed year round (ski-ing). Sailing Holidays - Brit and NZ staff mix, mostly seasonal (well Barry the Boss came from NZ, so why not?). Sunnysail, seasonal staff, quite a lot of OZ getting their winter sun fix.

I can't say I've noticed much difference watching from afar. But seeing the Sunsail ducks being called in one by one, driving in reverse into Vassiliki harbour, dropping hook on orders (and being roundly ticked off for ignoring the marshal's orders), I decided the premium prices weren't really worth it . . . I prefer to barge in my own way.

Scumsail were a pain in Turkey on at least one occasion when we were there in 2008. We were anchored a little way west of the entrance to Ece marina at Fethiye, just off what was then called the Yacht Plaza pontoon next door (I forget what they've changed their name to now). Scumsail use Yacht Plaza as a flot base. Just for fun we turned our VHF on to ch9 to listen to them coming in. The guy obviously in charge was directing them to "diesel dock" as they came in to fill up - he meant they were to go to the fuel berth in Ece marina. Because he didn't want them all bunched up in the marina he told all those arriving to "just wait around near the entrance". Which they did, good as gold, six or eight of them at a time, and getting in the way of everyone else going in or out of the marina!

 

[lille_bee]

Scumsail were a pain in Turkey on at least one occasion when we were there in 2008. We were anchored a little way west of the entrance to Ece marina at Fethiye, just off what was then called the Yacht Plaza pontoon next door (I forget what they've changed their name to now). Scumsail use Yacht Plaza as a flot base. Just for fun we turned our VHF on to ch9 to listen to them coming in. The guy obviously in charge was directing them to "diesel dock" as they came in to fill up - he meant they were to go to the fuel berth in Ece marina. Because he didn't want them all bunched up in the marina he told all those arriving to "just wait around near the entrance". Which they did, good as gold, six or eight of them at a time, and getting in the way of everyone else going in or out of the marina!

That's not the Flot Skipper's fault, it's just the way Ece Marina's staff "organise" it (if you can call it organising...):every friday afternoon, a "diesel Queue" starts building up at around 3pm; the Marina guys swan around in their orange shirts & dinghies, stopping boats from entering the marina- even sometimes the ones who don't need to diesel up. The problem is that the guys in the dinghies don't communicate with the fuel dock, so they don't actually know whether there's space on it or not... in the meantime, up to 10 or 12 boats are milling around, just outside the entrance, getting more and more hot, sticky, & annoyed!

 

[CharlesSwallow]

Last time we were up there, which was a couple of years ago, Nielson's were by far the best, we rarely even heard their flots arrive. Sailing Holidays were mostly ok. The absolute pain in the nether regions were Scumsail, and not just an isolated flot either but almost every one we came across..

Do you know who invented the term "Scumsail"? No? Well it was very old friend of mine!

Chas

 

[Jamesuk]

I went on a flotilla holiday last year and I thought our kiwi skipper was very accommodating. The only issue we had was when we had moored alongside awaiting two of the other flotilla boats to raft up to us. A large yacht chartered by Aussies steamed in past the other two boats and then "rafted" up against us by ramming our boat with no fenders of their own and with our skipper shouting asking what the heck they were doing. We were 30' whilst they were 42' and the charter skipper simply said he was mooring there and if we didn't like it we could move.
Tw.at.

Oh you play tricks on boats like that when they are down at the pub.

I recall.... Ill stop there ))

 

[alexsailor]

It is early morning and I am leaving Erikoussa heading to Brindisi.
Had a fantastic six week sailing in the Ionians.

My advice is to anchor as far as possible. For that reason I bought a good tender and 10hp outboard.
So I can be quickly on the shore.

Btw, I hate flotillas but since I keep my boat in Croatia I can say that there is even worse. There are no flotillas and skippers who do all the work. Only bareboat charter with drunk people with no knowledge or idea how to berth a boat. Most of them come from Poland or Slovakia.

So avoid flotiias if you can but if not than no one can force you to have six boats moored on your side. Buy a speargun
Boatowners must fight for their space or otherwise in few years time there will be only charter on the sea...

 

[Jamesuk]

It is early morning and I am leaving Erikoussa heading to Brindisi.
...

Have you been before? Brindisi has amazing icecream/Gelato, also there is a winery/Vineyard near by with excellent wine, Primotivo comes to mind. For the locals, they can take a jerry can and fill it up with Wine using petrol style pumps at a silly price like .75p a litre ill get the info if your interested in a great day out. I am trying to water the seeds of the bosses own plantation to revisit Brindisi it would be our 3rd visit in 16 months.

 

[seagypsywoman]

I was in Frikes when a flotilla skipper asked if they could raft up. I said sure, but put my boat on the outside. They did, I didn't have to lift a finger and no one was walking on my deck in the middle of the night. I found the skippers always very polite and helpful.

 

[FistralG]

... I found the skippers always very polite and helpful.

I wonder if they'd be as accommodating to a balding, middle aged, bloke, as they are to fit, blonde woman?
Cynical? moi?

 

[Appleyard]

I wonder if they'd be as accommodating to a balding, middle aged, bloke, as they are to fit, blonde woman?
Cynical? moi?

Sounds like you might be the man to find out??

 

[mjcoon]

That's not the Flot Skipper's fault, it's just the way Ece Marina's staff "organise" it (if you can call it organising...):every friday afternoon, a "diesel Queue" starts building up at around 3pm; the Marina guys swan around in their orange shirts & dinghies, stopping boats from entering the marina- even sometimes the ones who don't need to diesel up. The problem is that the guys in the dinghies don't communicate with the fuel dock, so they don't actually know whether there's space on it or not... in the meantime, up to 10 or 12 boats are milling around, just outside the entrance, getting more and more hot, sticky, & annoyed!

Back in June we didn't realise that you can get diesel without entering Fethiye marina proper. They have very long hoses that reach either side of the outer wall. So though we went inside (confusing the joker boat staff who naturally thought we were parking) we need not have done.

Mike.