Zakinthos town harbour... What's the deal??

[Cardo]

I predict this may become a theme!

We've just moored up in Zakinthos town on the north-east side as this is the one with the water and electric. Heikell mentions there's a harbour master and gives it a charge band of 2. We're right next to a sign that says water and electric are €5 each and that an agent is optional unless you're a commercial vessel.

Shortly after we moored up, along comes chummy, perfectly friendly. Asks for our DEKPA and if we want water/electric. We provide DEKPA and say yes to both. He writes down some details on a form, then announces it's €25 for the day. I raise an eyebrow to this, where he explains it's €5 each for water and electric, plus €15 for the mooring. Hmmmmm....
He then provides a form he asks me to sign. It's mostly in Greek, but has the odd mention of an agent, and that I agree to one. I point to the sign and query whether this is to do with an "optional" agent, and if this is where the extra €15 comes from. He insists the €15 is for the mooring. At this point, it's clear he's getting bored of my questioning and I decide to just pay up. Life's too short to argue over €15. He did fill out paperwork and provide a receipt, so he's not a complete chancer.

So, did I need to pay the extra €15, or is it a pseudo-legal scam?

 

[ITH]

Extract from cruiserswiki web site:

"There is electricity and water available on the North Mole. An official looking agent will try to charge you for the berth. There is no need to do this. Simply say you will go yourself to the Port Police which are near the ferry terminal. Alternatively you can go alongside or stern to in front of the cafes and the road."

http://www.cruiserswiki.org/wiki/Zakynthos

 

[Cardo]

Extract from cruiserswiki web site:

"There is electricity and water available on the North Mole. An official looking agent will try to charge you for the berth. There is no need to do this. Simply say you will go yourself to the Port Police which are near the ferry terminal. Alternatively you can go alongside or stern to in front of the cafes and the road."

http://www.cruiserswiki.org/wiki/Zakynthos

I figured that was the case. So the €15 was for PP dues plus a "handling fee", I guess. Once again, life's too short to argue with pseudo-legal Greeks. They're only harming their own reputations, at the end of the day.

 

[charles_reed]

I figured that was the case. So the €15 was for PP dues plus a "handling fee", I guess. Once again, life's too short to argue with pseudo-legal Greeks. They're only harming their own reputations, at the end of the day.

One of the reasons I avoid Zante town - in fact I avoid Zakinthos entirely, preferring Pilos or Methoni.
Then there is the "water-man" who now has a new bowser out of the €25 fee he charges boaters for a water refill.
Of course the official Port Police charge (for one night) would be €0.30/meter for entry and then 2 x €0.36/metre for end-on mooring. You can work out for yourself if you've been badly overcharged.
I reckon you've broken about even (if you can get any water to flow out of the damned tap).

 

[Cardo]

One of the reasons I avoid Zante town - in fact I avoid Zakinthos entirely, preferring Pilos or Methoni.
Then there is the "water-man" who now has a new bowser out of the €25 fee he charges boaters for a water refill.
Of course the official Port Police charge (for one night) would be €0.30/meter for entry and then 2 x €0.36/metre for end-on mooring. You can work out for yourself if you've been badly overcharged.
I reckon you've broken about even (if you can get any water to flow out of the damned tap).

Our official PP rate would've been €12.55, including the lovely vat. That's as long as the local PP are doing the 0000-2359 hrs a day charging, and not the more modern charging per night method. So it's only a €2.45 extra to remove the inconvenience of traipsing to the PP office. That's if the PP can be bothered to deal with the charge and don't wave you away, of course.
However, the agent stated it would be €10 per extra day. Now that is taking the biscuit, as the PP charge for each extra day would be €4.43.


Water certainly isn't an issue. Pressure's so high our nozzle shot off into the drink when we first turned it on. Luckily our neighbour had a net and fished it out for us!

 

[AndrewB]

Our official PP rate would've been €12.55, including the lovely vat. That's as long as the local PP are doing the 0000-2359 hrs a day charging, and not the more modern charging per night method. So it's only a €2.45 extra to remove the inconvenience of traipsing to the PP office. That's if the PP can be bothered to deal with the charge and don't wave you away, of course.
However, the agent stated it would be €10 per extra day. Now that is taking the biscuit, as the PP charge for each extra day would be €4.43.

Yesterday, the Zante harbour PP charge for our 11.5m yacht was €9.31 for the first day and €5.08 for subsequent days, inc VAT. (That's a per night rate). It would have been €5 per day extra for each of water and power. I think "Tinkerbell" is close to 10m, if so the rate for one overnight stay would have been €8.12 inc VAT. So if you paid €25, I reckon your agent's fee was €6.88.

For that you were spared the trouble of finding Port Police. Their address isn't given in the standard guides, nor do local people seem to know. However, it is in a building at the root of the South Quay (Ferry Berth), not far from Ay Dhionisios Church marked on Imray G12 chart. For his fee, the agent saved you a 2 mile walk there and back.

The agents are a minor and easily ignorable irritation in what I think is one of the most attractive ports in the Ionian Islands, generally not overcrowded. Charles_reed, you are missing out.

PS Hope you had a good sail round to Keri Bay today, another very pleasant location on Zakinthos.