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Sirocco Sailing

We are husband and wife Giannis & Michaela. Sailing in the Greek waters for over 20 years, we know intimately our beautiful country with its marvelous islands, beaches and people. Our main goal is to help you with every step of planning & realizing the sailing holidays you have dreamed of! Sirocco Sailing offers bareboat or skippered yachts for every budget.

Greece Chartering FAQ - Questions & Answers

• Do I need a sailing license to charter a bareboat sailing yacht in Greece?
To charter a sailing yacht in Greece it is necessary for one crewmember (skipper) to have sailing certificates proving his competence. In any case, one certificate/license or competence resume should be available. This certificate can be any kind of "paper" issued by a "yachting" authority such as sailing clubs, sailing schools, yachting/sailing associations, established charter companies, etc.

Due to the reason that in many countries no certificates are compulsory, the license of the skipper can be exceptionally replaced by a self-declaration form, where the skipper declares he has sailing experience and will undertake responsibility of yacht and crew. In such a case your sailing resume will enable the charter company to assess your ability to sail in safety. Charter companies/owners reserve the right to insist that charterers hire a professional skipper if their sailing skills are not judged sufficient during the hand-over procedure at the base of departure.

• Should I hire a professional skipper?
SailGreece.net member companies can select, recommend and hire on your behalf a professional skipper for as many days as you wish. Even if you are an experienced sailor, you may still require the services of a professional local skipper to make your cruise more relaxing and benefit from the skippers' local knowledge.

There is a daily fee set at 140 Euro per day for the professional skipper regardless of the number of people on board. Please remember that the professional skipper needs in most cases to be provided with his own cabin, as he is obliged to sleep on board and take care of the safety of the yacht, regardless of charterer's presence.

• Should I hire a hostess, cook or deckhand for my sailing holiday in Greece?
Its up to you. All skippers are capable of sailing most yachts with just a little help while anchoring. If you like you can hire a hostess who can assist the skipper in general with the boat and prepare breakfast and an easy/light lunch, plus do basic tidying up around the boat.

Your charter company/yacht owner you will recommend and hire on your behalf a local English speaking hostess or deck-hand for the full duration of your charter. The hostess is not preparing complicated recipes onboard because of the limited space and storage of a charter sailing yacht.

The daily fee for a hostess is 130 Euro per day.
The simple and casual nature of sailing and the cooking facilities of the sailboats define the style of the holidays. Therefore the level of services provided by a hostess onboard a sailing yacht should not be compared to services of the permanent crew found on fully crewed yachts.

• Which days of the week can I begin and end my charter?
Weekly charters usually begin and end on Saturdays for multiples of seven days. SailGreece.net member companies will try to accommodate your wishes for different days of the week and uneven periods of time, such as a ten or twelve-day charter. Weekdays departures are sometimes scheduled for the Ionian area due to midweek flights coming from Europe. Please inform your charter company/owner accordingly , should you already know you will arrive in Greece on days other than Saturday.
• What is the charters' schedule?
All charters typically begin at 17:00 on the day of departure and end at 09:00 on the day of arrival. However you will be required to return to base on the last evening of your charter since this time is necessary between charters to ensure that yachts are always delivered to the next charter in perfect working order. Depending on the circumstances and/or if the yacht has an immediate charter before or after your charter it is sometimes possible to arrange an earlier departure or later return. Ask your charter company/yacht owner well in advance to changes from the standard times, they will accommodate you if possible.
• What IS included in the charter fee?
The charter fee includes the rental cost of the yacht, linens/bath towels for all passangers, dock fees of the departure and return location of charter, insurance and VAT (all taxes). There is also a Standard Inventory that is included in all bareboat/skippered sailing yachts. Yacht prices are in quoted in Euro per yacht, per week, depending on time of the year, regardless of the number of people aboard (subject to the max # of berths allowed).
• What IS NOT included in the charter fee (additional charges)?
The following additional charges apply:

Deposit - Refundable Security Deposit
Fuel - The yacht should be delivered topped up with fuel as received.
Port or Marina fees - This is a daily-base fee, which applies to some ports in Greece with varied costs (typically minimal except for private marinas).
Optionals - Any optional extras that you might have specifically requested such as spinnaker, windsurf, skipper, provisions etc.
End-cleaning - Depending on the company/yacht policy.
• Should I have a travel insurance?
In your own interest, you are advised to buy suitable travel insurance before leaving home, including cancellation insurance -where available- to protect your booking deposit.
• What is the security deposit for the yacht?
Every licensed Greek charter yacht is insured, including third Party cover, beyond a deductible "excess" figure. This amount is provided to you by the charter company/yacht owner under "Refundable Security Deposit" figure.
The Refundable Security Deposit is held against the yacht's insurance excess and, if there is no damage or loss to the yacht or her equipment, this figure is returned to you at the end of the charter.
However, if any damage and/or loss has occurred, the deposit or appropriate proportion will be retained in order to rectify such damage or loss.

The Refundable Security Deposit covers:
Loss of or damage to the yacht or it's tender or to third parties.
Loss of or damage to the equipment listed in the inventory and given to the charterer at check-in.
Costs incurred if the yacht is returned in an extremely dirty condition.
Cost of returning the yacht to the prearranged harbour if the charterer fails to do so by the scheduled date and time.
Cost of refueling if the boat is returned without refilled tanks.
The payment of the Refundable Security Deposit is designed to cover only one incident of a substantial nature at any one time, viz: in case of loss or damage to equipment of significant value such as outboard engine or dinghy, the charterer will have the right to a replacement whilst on charter, provided that the charterer pays a new Refundable Security Deposit immediately upon receipt of replacement or repair.
The Refundable Security Deposit is payable at the yacht's base before embarkation typically on a credit card Visa or MasterCard, but sometimes only as cash.

• What should I bring with me?
Every charter yacht is fully equipped for charter. Apart from provisioning, you only need to bring your personal possessions/medications and some recommended items.
Yacht charter is generally an informal and relaxed kind of holiday and dressing in Greece is casual. For clothing bring bathing suits, cotton shorts, T-shirts, an extra sweater and long cotton pants for cool nights and a light foul-weather gear for the occasional rainy days. Of course, you might also like to have the option for more formal attire for elegant dining and eveningwear. Rubber-sole shoes for a firm grip on slippery decks, to prevent foot injury and to protect the boat's surface is always recommended. Soft luggage instead of bulky space-consuming suitcases is a must since on board storage may be limited. Do bring your own sun block, sunglasses with an anti-ultraviolet coating ,a good sun hat, your own beach towels, a beach umbrella and perhaps a 12v mobile phone charger.
• What if I need to cancel my charter?
The policy depends on the individual charter company/yacht owner and is typically based on the time-interval between the booking confirmation and the cancellation date. Be sure to get this information before you book. Ordinarily the charter company/yacht owner will return the cancellation fee if the cancelled yacht is re-chartered for the same period and under the same conditions; so its best to cancel your charter as early as possible.
• What happens during check in (boat briefings) & checkout?
Upon embarkation the charterer and his or her party will be given general briefing covering the local cruising grounds. Questions about navigation, anchorages, prevailing conditions, or any part of the desired itinerary can be answered. A more specific boat briefing aboard the yacht will then be given, covering all the operating systems, including rigging, electrical system, water system, windlass, stove, dinghy, outboard and emergency systems. The same detailed list of the entire inventory of the yacht will be the basis of delivery and redelivery of the boat. Charterers should pay special attention to this procedure and make sure they have examined and posess all parts of the yacht and handling manner of the entire equipment. Signing of the "acceptance statement" or hand-over form justifies the formal, actual and absolute acceptance of the vessel by the charterer.

Upon return of the boat the owner or charter agency representative will thoughroughly inspect the yacht and all of it's systems/hardware to determine if any damage has occurred and that all equipment is present. As part of this procedure it is typical to have a diver inspect the boat underwater. This is also the time when refueling is done. If all is ok the charterer will be returned their refundable security deposit.

• Where can I see a sample of the official contract (Charter Party Agreement)?
• What food is possible on a sailing yacht. What dishes can a hostess prepare?


Sailing yachts of 30 to 53 feet long provide limited food storage, fridge space and cooking facilities. As a result recipies that can be prepared onboard a sailing yacht are limited.

For breakfast the hostess typically serves fresh bread and sometimes croissants, butter, jam, honey, tea, filter coffee, yogurt, yogurt with fruits, cereals, fresh fruits, juice, bacon, ham, sausages, eggs.

The light lunch is usually traditional Greek food such as Pasta with sauce & salad; Roasted chicken & potatoes & salad; "Briam" ( zucchini, eggplants, potatoes, onion, peppers, carrots, parsley altogether baked) & salad; Greek stuffed tomatoes/peppers; Pork, veal or lamb with fresh onion and spices (usually in red sauce or with mashed potatoes) & salad; Risoto (rice) with seafood & salad & olives; Cretan rusk-bread, tzatziki dip & extra virgin olive-oil possibly assorted with a variety of other appetizers / local salami,variety of spinach pie, mushrooms a la cr?me, or fried eggs, french fries, fried Greek cheese Choriatiki salad - easy to prepare onboard sailing yachts while on charter in Greece

Cost of food at the supermarkets (and the small markets in the islands) in Greece, is slightly higher compared to the cost in European cities.

Having dinner out in a local restaurant / "taverna" with 1 appetizer, 1 main course, proportion of a "shared" salad and bottled wine of moderate quality, will cost you 15-20 Euro per person. (Service & Tax included)

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