bobteagle
New Member
I am thinking of chartering a 36ft boat in Skiathos next May and wondered if anyone can offer any advice about this area. I have never been to Greece before but am told there is some excellent sailing to be had. Thanks.
Yacht charter Skiathos
- Thread starter bobteagle
- Start date
jhr
Well-Known Member
Spent a fortnight out there this summer. Details here. Water will be a bit cold in May but it's a fabulous part of the world. Excellent sailing and relatively unspoilt/uncrowded except for people like me on flotillas - but there's enough room to get away from us if you're going bareboat.
Book it, quick. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
Book it, quick. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
bobteagle
New Member
Thanks for the advice. I have a few offers on bareboat charters so will book up asap.
Twister_Ken
Well-Known Member
It can be windy. Been there twice, both times we had a couple of serious Meltemi days during the fortnight. How windy? Well, in Skiathos town taverna tables were being blown down the street and bimini covers shredded! A great place if you are comfortable with strong winds, but could be a bit of a trouser-browner if you are not.
jhr
Well-Known Member
Agreed. However, one of the joys of the Sporades is that almost all of the harbours are in the lee of the Islands (to the South) so that you get all the fun of the Meltemi - yee-har sailing, brown trousers and all - combined with fairly flat seas as you move from place to place.
Worst we saw was 5 gusting 6 in the acceleration zone between Alonissos and Skopelos but another forumite had 37 knots (iirc) of apparent wind in the same area the week before. A couple of weeks before we went out, the flotilla was apparently stuck in Skopelos Town, on the north of the island, for 3 days because of the wind.
Luck of the draw, I guess.
Worst we saw was 5 gusting 6 in the acceleration zone between Alonissos and Skopelos but another forumite had 37 knots (iirc) of apparent wind in the same area the week before. A couple of weeks before we went out, the flotilla was apparently stuck in Skopelos Town, on the north of the island, for 3 days because of the wind.
Luck of the draw, I guess.
explores
Well-Known Member
We were stuck in Stene Vala for two days and most of the ladies slept on shore at night because of the rough seas.
DR007
Member
Skiathos, a wonderful place where the locals are very friendly and the scenery great. I have been there twice in the last four years, the first time I chartered a 36ft Dehler and the second a Sun Odysy 40DS, both boats were from Cosmos Yachting and both were great.
The first time was in August and the second in September and the weather first time was in the 40's !! rather hot, the second was cooler. I don't know what it would be like in May but they say June is good. True there are meltemis to consider but a good look at the charts and at Rod Heikell's Greek Waters Pilot will provide you with some sheltered anchorages / ports and sound advice.
We visited most of the inhabited Islands, for example Skopelos, Alonisos and Skiros. This latter is a good days sail from Skiathos but well worth the trip, lots of marine life to see including Tuna. Ports such as Steni vala, on Alonisos great out of school hols as there is a large camp site there and it heaves in the full summer but a great place otherwise. Best to go bow on at the quayside because the sea bed slopes up here and you could catch your rudder. You of course then need to rig up some sort of step up onto the bow because as you are probably aware, most mooring in Greece is stern on and 'walk the plank'!
Patitiri and SKopelos ports v good too also make a point of visiting Loutraki on Skopelos as it is but a short sail from Skiathos. Everywhere you go there are Tavernas open in the season and that saves you from galley duties and allows more time for jugs of Retsina to flow freely and then maybe, back on board a Metaxa and coffee.
If you want to phone me for more info I'm happy with that, 07792603926
Cheers for now
Kevin Mitchell /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
The first time was in August and the second in September and the weather first time was in the 40's !! rather hot, the second was cooler. I don't know what it would be like in May but they say June is good. True there are meltemis to consider but a good look at the charts and at Rod Heikell's Greek Waters Pilot will provide you with some sheltered anchorages / ports and sound advice.
We visited most of the inhabited Islands, for example Skopelos, Alonisos and Skiros. This latter is a good days sail from Skiathos but well worth the trip, lots of marine life to see including Tuna. Ports such as Steni vala, on Alonisos great out of school hols as there is a large camp site there and it heaves in the full summer but a great place otherwise. Best to go bow on at the quayside because the sea bed slopes up here and you could catch your rudder. You of course then need to rig up some sort of step up onto the bow because as you are probably aware, most mooring in Greece is stern on and 'walk the plank'!
Patitiri and SKopelos ports v good too also make a point of visiting Loutraki on Skopelos as it is but a short sail from Skiathos. Everywhere you go there are Tavernas open in the season and that saves you from galley duties and allows more time for jugs of Retsina to flow freely and then maybe, back on board a Metaxa and coffee.
If you want to phone me for more info I'm happy with that, 07792603926
Cheers for now
Kevin Mitchell /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
