Turkey...checking in .

[Squeaky]

Good Morning:

To read the above posts one would get the impression that a little confusion about transit logs was the end of the world.

It is true that Turkey is not as well organized as some other countries - the UK for one but at least we have daily garbage removal, no council tax or other officialdom snooping around trying to make life difficult.

Turkey is a hierarchical society with poorly educated bureaucrats and changes in the law and procedures take time to filter down to the lower levels so patience is needed from time to time.

It seems to me that much of the trouble was caused when some one at the top didn't realize that foreigner didn't have PIN or other identification numbers to complete the transit log on line therefore someone with such a number such as a local (agent) needs to become involved.

To suggest the changes were intended as a "make work" project or to annoy visitors is way off the mark in my humble opinion.

In time problems will filter back up to the top and be resolved but in the meantime chaos reigns supreme.

Cheers

Squeaky

 

[demonboy]

[ QUOTE ]
BUT if it seems to be too hard then perhaps we will rethink our plans and make for Malta

[/ QUOTE ]

Do it then. I'm sorry but whilst I got into trouble for expressing an opinion on this matter in the past I will this time make no apologies: if you don't like the system, don't come. I'm with Moscowman: in the whole big scheme of things €200 p.a. is little to pay for what you get in return.

Last night I found out that it cost $200 PER WEEK to visit the Maldives by boat. And we're heading off to Egypt where I hear the administration makes Turkey sound like a dream. In another example I remember crossing the border (on foot) from Mexico to Guatamala. It took four hours at passport control and there was no boat involved. Is it my one abiding memory of my visit there? No.

Turkey is not in the EU. Get your head round the fact you'll be dealing with unfamiliar administration and you'll enjoy yourselves. Expect UK-like efficiency and you'll just wind yourselves up so you may as well stick to Europe. What a wasted opportunity that would be.

 

[MASH]

[ QUOTE ]
I think Turkey is well worth paying a €200± annual fee to cruise in.

[/ QUOTE ]

Blimey! Talk about rolling over!

Pal, the Transit Log coats 40Eu. Charging someone 160Eu to do five minutes typing and then go visit his mates in three offices for five minutes each is outrageous daylight robbery. Justifying it is beyond my comprehension.

Bear in mind that not everyone enters Turkey and just stays there - I for one like to visit the Greek Islands every now and then, and every visit there costs a new entry procedure. Hitherto this "only" cost me a precious morning wasted, plus a detour to someplace I'd never go near otherwise, but to add a 160Eu wallop on top for what you can do perfectly well yourself in half an hour is worse than bloody infuriating.

It is foreigners dumbly accepting such ludicrous overcharging that has bought about the recent explosion in barefaced greed and the (hitherto very rare) Rip0ff culture now so prevalent in Turkey.

We have to accept the new system, but we should only pay under protest, and as 100Eu is achieveable in my marina, and with some agents in Marmaris perhaps we should not be accepting overcharging, but rather bargaining hard, publicising the robbers, and flagging up the reasonably priced ones on this forum. I cannot, for the life of me, see how an agent (let alone Moscowman and other victims) can justify charging a cent more than 20Eu for this bare 30 mins of service, and I wouldn't call that cheap...But 160!!!!!!!!!

<span style="color:red">Has anyone under 10T yet managed to DIY without typing the Log? If so we'd love to hear where and how it all went! </span>

 

[Moscowman100]

Pal, I am not justifying it; just accepting it for a fact. I have far better things to do in life than get worked up about a country charging me ±€200/yr to use their waters; infrastructure etc etc. If you don't like it, please go somewhere else. Ranting just justifies the view that (some) English sailors are just marine pikeys.

 

[MASH]

I can only assume that you posess more money than sense, and evidently can't tell the difference between a rational argument and a rant. Take a chill-pill, pal.

Please also take the trouble to see that the "country" is only charging you 40Eu for a year which is reasonable (or per visit, which is less so). It is greedy agents who are charging you 160Eu for 30 minutes work. That is £300 per hour - for an errand boy!!! That, and the justification of it, is the stuff of pikeys my friend...

 

[pmyatt]

As we are planning to go back to Turkey soon we have a vested interested in understanding the new procedures. Am sure I read somewhere (Cruising Association?) that the requirement to employ an agent is for those vessels of 10 or 11 tons Net. Have just checked our Part 1 Registration Certificate and it shows 3 tonnages; Gross Tonnage 11.07, Registered Tonnage 11.07 and Net Tonnage 0.00. I am led to believe that the Net Tonnage is cargo carrying capacity and it shows Zero because, in the tonnage calculation, engine space and crew living space is deducted from the volume of the vessel consequently, on a cruising yacht, this must be as near Zero as to make no difference. Anyone any wiser?

 

[pmyatt]

Have now come across the document explaining the procedures in detail - if anyone wants a copy pse PM me - it's too big to post.