Three months in Greece ... say - if it's still there!

[jimmynoboat]

It's just a fledgling idea so please don't get the big guns out just yet. I am thinking of spending the winter of 2012/2013 in the Med. on my/a boat. I don't really want to talk about the issues of living aboard or family or finance.

I want to know what you have to say about;

- what legal issues I'd have to face; boat papers, visas, permits, insurance
- what the boat needs. Holding tank? red diesel traces? spares, safety kit, comms, power adaptors/voltage adaptors, spare sails
- How to get there, Sail round, through canals (5'5" draught), buy a boat out there?
- Working from the boat. I can work if I can access the internet to send and receive large files and get mains power - what are the legal and tax implications.

As you can see, I don't pretend to know what I'm doing so, constructive help appreciated. It's a bit of a stretch but it is time for me to shake up my comfortable life.

Off to earn some sailing tokens now but I'll be looking forward to seeing what you think later.

 

[FullCircle]

Suggest you bung this post in Liveaboard?

 

[Tranona]

Yes, worth spending some time scrolling down the liveaboard forum as this subject (or similar) is discussed many times. You will also find links to blogs, other sites, books and magazine articles. In fact once you get going you will be inundated with information.

To get you going with your basic questions

Documentation - registration document, passport, radio licence, ICC and insurance with translations of certificates. More details and up to date information from RYA and Cruising Association.

Holding tank desirable. Not a legal requirement anywhere, but discharge of sewage is controlled in many places (with varying degrees of enforcement) making holding tank necessary. Rest of boat kit is commonsense using check lists such as the RNLI Seacheck. Boaty bits freely available, but can be pricy, so sensible to take at least service items. Shorepower is 240v, but plugs can vary so you will need to make adaptor cables in some places.

With your draft you can go through the canals. Easier and more predictable, but involves demasting and masting. Probably not a lot in it in cost, but depends on whether you are treating getting there as an adventure or just a means to an end. Buying a boat in the Med can be good as it will be equipped for life there. Does depend on the type of boat you want, where you want to be based and what you are going to do with it when you have finished. Prices tend to be a bit lower in some countries and can be a lot of hassle buying where the owners may be living in northern europe and communications are slow. Easiest is to buy an ex charter boat probably in Greece direct from a company.

Many peole work from their boats. Marinas have Wi Fi, but many people also use local mobile contracts. Legally you can work in most EU countries, but there are limitations before you are considered resident and then subject to local laws and tax. Spain is the most obvious, where if youstay more than 183 days you are deemed to be resident. This subject is complex and changing so you need to do your own research.

Couple of general observations. The Med is a big place and each country is very different in many ways. For example, Spain has lots of marinas and good access to the rest of Europe, but has become very expensive (and officialdom can be irksome). At the other end, Greece is more relaxed, cheaper, but fewer marinas and poorer connections home. Plus that winters can be cold and in some parts wet.

Probably enough to get you going for now.