Bareboat yacht charter in Greece gives you the chance to enjoy the Greek seas in full independence and flexibility, being responsible for planning the trip and taking care of everything related to the boat. A bareboat charter refers to hiring a sailing or motorboat without any crew or other provisions included in the chartering agreement.
Why Go For Bareboat Yacht Charter in Greece
Bareboat charters have become increasingly popular in Greece, because they give you the ultimate freedom, allowing you to enjoy completely independent vacation in the Greek Seas, to plan your own itinerary, visit the places you want and berth or anchor wherever you choose to.
Bareboat yacht charter in Greece is the ideal choice for couples who want to enjoy the sea and sun, and spend their time in complete intimacy.
Bareboat Yacht Charter in Greece gives you the chance to start the charter from any port or base you like, although if you chart a yacht from the biggest and most reliable yacht companies in Greece, you will most likely start your trip from one of the organized marinas in the country, depending on the part of Greece you wish to visit.
All yacht charter companies in Greece offer the possibility for bareboat yacht charter, but if you are not a savvy seaman you should try to charter yacht from company that offers you full service and support in case of emergency.
Bareboat Yacht Charter in Greece
Likewise, you should ask for recommendations regarding the best places to sail – if you are not familiar with the Greek seas and the north sea winds called meltemia (plural of meltemi), it’s better to avoid challenging and demanding areas such as the Dodecanese or Crete and opt for the calm and friendly Ionian Islands, or Saronic Gulf. In any case, when chartering a yacht, the staff of the company is obliged by law to demonstrate you the boat, explain everything to you, if you are not familiar with the particular type of vessel and introduce you to customs of the area you are visiting.
Requirements for Bareboat yacht charter in Greece
In Greece, laws regarding Bareboat yacht charter are quite strict, although still there are a few misunderstandings and unclear obligations. In any case, in order to charter a boat without a crew, you need to be a certified yachtsman with experience in coastal and off shore navigation, itinerary planning, chart reading and yacht handling. You will need to provide your personal data along with a valid certificate diploma from a sailing school, translated in English.
Here is the catch; if you have a skipper diploma or certificate, you do not need to have anyone else with a certificate on board – according to the Greek Law. Until a few years ago, the Greek law required two people with at least amateur sailing diploma, but due to many problems, this law was revised. Today, though, the officers patrolling the Greek Seas, might still ask you for two diplomas – in this case you need to consult with your yacht company, although by law you don’t need two only if one of the passengers has a valid skipper diploma, equivalent to the US and UK practical day skipper certificate. Some companies solve this problem asking the second person on board to sign a statement that he/she has experience in the sea.
If you decided to go on Bareboat yacht charter in Greece, make sure that you are well equipped with Greek mooring charts and navigation equipment and practice reading the GPS, bathometer plotter and barometer, and always have a portable VHF with you in the case of emergency.