# Charter in Turkey



## ianwi (Nov 15, 2004)

I''m new to sailing and I''m looking to try a flotilla in Turkey next summer either out of Gocek or Bodrum with friends and family for a week.

The only companies I''ve found so far who can offer flotilla''s from either of these bases are Sunsail, Nautilus Yachting and Centurion Yachting.

Poseidon offers a flotilla but it''s just reselling Sunsail and I think Nautilus is just a broker for Yildez Yachting in this case - not sure.

Can anyone vouch for any of these companies? (besides Sunsail) Any other recommendations for a company offering a flotilla in Turkey?

thanks,

Ian


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## TejasSailer (Mar 21, 2004)

Ian,

I can''t help you with personal experience on a flotilla in Turkey. Earlier this year I went on a flotilla in Greece with sailing Holidays (www.sailingholidays.com). They don''t have a flotilla in Turkey, but I was satified enough to book a flotilla in Croatia next year.

However, a couple on the flotilla in Greece mentioned a flotilla took in Turkey with Setsail (www.setsail.co.uk) and they seemed satisfied enough that I made a point to remember the name.

Flotillas don''t seem all that popular with US sailors. Pick up a copy of Yachting Monthly, a UK publication, and you''ll find a few more companies that offer flotillas. BTW, Yachting Monthy seems to me to be superior to US sailing journals, as I''d earlier noticed for automotive journals.

Finally, I''m quite interested in sharing information amoung folks interested in flotillas. I''d thought of asking sailnet if there would be any interest in a Flotilla message board. I''m quessing it wouldn''t get much activity. Howeve, us starting sailors need to buy a lot of struff, and I''ve bought a quite a lot from sailnet.

Dave


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## TejasSailer (Mar 21, 2004)

Ian,

Although I previewed the note, edit didn''t seem to work, so I posted anyway. I''ve made a few corrections below.

I can''t help you with personal experience on a flotilla in Turkey. Earlier this year I went on a flotilla in Greece with sailing Holidays (www.sailingholidays.com). They don''t have a flotilla in Turkey, but I was satified enough to book a flotilla in Croatia next year.

However, a couple on the flotilla in Greece mentioned a flotilla they took in Turkey with Setsail (www.setsail.co.uk) and they seemed satisfied enough that I made a point to remember the name of the company.

Flotillas don''t seem all that popular with US sailors. Pick up a copy of Yachting Monthly, a UK publication, and you''ll find a few more companies that offer flotillas. BTW, Yachting Monthy seems to me to be superior to US sailing journals, as I''d earlier noticed for automotive journals.

Finally, I''m quite interested in sharing information amoung folks interested in flotillas. I''d thought of asking sailnet if there would be any interest in a Flotilla message board. I''m quessing it wouldn''t get much activity. Howeve, us starting sailors need to buy a lot of stuff, and I''ve certainly bought a quite a lot from sailnet.

Dave


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## chrondi (Mar 24, 2004)

I suggest you search dutch flotilla sites. Be sure that you will get real value for money. This summer I participated, almost by chance, in a relaxed two-week flotilla cruise in the Ionian, run by NCN (website: http://www.ncn-charters.nl/) and it struck me, as a Greek, that they had always the right tips about restaurants and places. I also saw people from Cruising Holidays there and they seemed quite effective and professional. It is essential that people report back their experience so the rest of the sailing community is informed first hand. However, Ian, if you have longer sailing experience and an appropriate crew, I propose to you for next summer as an alternative to share with us a two-week cruise around Dodecanese islands (same weather conditions as along the turkish coast) starting from Kos, 16-30 July 2005, on bareboat charter. If you are interested, I''m ready to provide plan and details.
Fair winds to everybody


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## ianwi (Nov 15, 2004)

Thanks TejasSailer for the pointer to setsail - I''ve requested a quote from them.

I live in the UK so I''ll check out a copy of Yachting Monthly too.

Thanks chrondi for the proposition. I''ve already planned to do this flotilla with another couple and we''re quite settled on Turkey as an easy sailing area. Seemed like a better choice than the Ionian. We considered the Dodecadese with a hired skipper for a while but eventually decided to go the flotilla route for our first charter. We''re also stuck doing this in August because of school holidays.

As for sharing information, I can give you my link to my wiki where I''ve been trying to capture some of my (very rough) notes on researching this flotilla holiday:

http://wiki.brainnoodles.com/default.aspx/MyWiki.YachtCharter

I don''t mind if anyone wants to add to it.

I''d be happy to try the Dutch flotilla sites if I could reach Dutch


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## starcresttoo (Aug 30, 2004)

before you go be sure to watch the movie Midnite Express.Its a true story and was filmed in Turkey


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## magnusmurphy (Jul 7, 2000)

In 94 I sailed in Turkey for two weeks with Sunsail. The first week was a flotilla out of DAtca (the base has now moved to Bodrum I think). The second week was a bareboat charter.

The crew consisted of myself, my father and my sister on a 30ft Jeanneau.

It was a wonderful experience and we still talk about it. The flotilla part was BY FAR the best part of the vacation. We had an absolute blast. You are free to roam as you want during the day, but in the evenings all get together for a beach BBQ or a meal at a local establishment or such. Some trips were arranged inland (you don''t have to go).

After the flotilla we felt very alone the second week.

I would recommend the flotilla very highly. Benefit of Sunsail is that it is a high profile company with resources. If something goes wrong you have redress and don''t have to struggle with a "local" outfit. You can take your grievances to the headoffice and be assured to have redress.

M Murphy


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## TejasSailer (Mar 21, 2004)

Ian,

Thanks for posting the wiki page.

FYI, the January issue of Sailing Today (yet another UK publication) contains a 24-page "Charter holidays The essential Guide" that is, well, essentially a promotional chartering brochure for Brits.


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## svebor (Apr 9, 2005)

hi, everyone! something else:
Am trying to find out if it is a paperwork hell to sail Turkish vessel in Greek waters. Anyone had any experience? I''ve got a great boat offer from Marmaris, and that sunds just great to sail Dodecanese. Since first time chartering n Greece(did one transfer from Croatia to Marmaris before), I don''t know how Greek harbour authoritise look upon a Turkish vessel. Do they make it more hassle, more expncive or not? thanks if anybody could and wanted to answer. Enjoy life!
svebor


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

does anyone know where I can find a list of all yacht charters in Croatia ? email addresses would
be even better ? I intend to rent a boat this year in Croatia but I want to get the best price.
I thought I could email them all and pick the best one.

tnx
thomas


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

try http://www.yacht-rent.com . It seems this agency
represents all relevant yacht charter companies in Croatia. A colleague of mine from club contacted
them and they sent him the list of available boats with prices as he required within a couple of hours.
As I can assume some more sites like http://www.star.hr and 
http://www.yacht-charter-rent-boat.com
use the same yacht information database so you can contact them , too.


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## StretchedRick (Jun 2, 2005)

Hi, svebor. I used to skipper boats out of Marmaris 1990-95. There were no unusual hassles going to Greek islands. Some of the small islands didn''t have customs officials so Rhodes would be first stop. I hope you get a reply from someone more recently there if things have changed. I''m going back to work there but I won''t be there til 20 June.


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## chrondi (Mar 24, 2004)

This issue is already extensively commented in the topic "Transit Log costs Greece/Turkey". In my view, yachties can promote peace by regularly commuting aboard their boats between the two countries - Turkey and Greece - irrespective of the flag the vessel flies. This would sharply contrast the tragic stories of trafficking illegal immigrants from Turkey into Greece that we often read on newspapers.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

I''m planning to charter a gullet in greece this august.

After making contacts with a few charter companies, the one wich seems to offer the best conditions is Bodtur Yachting and Travel.

Have any of you, or someone you know, had an experience with this company?

Thank-you

Rob


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## lprisr (Sep 25, 2005)

Hello, 

I am having quite a lot of trouble finding something to fit my desired itinerary. Now I am wondering if it''s even possible. 

I heard about the possibility of One-Way charter, and I am very interested in going from Bodrum or Marmaris area and arrive in Athens, while visiting various Greek Islands. 

Anyone have any suggestions on how/where I can obtain more information on cruises that will work? And how many days onboard usually for such trip?

Thanks very much in advance!


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## chrondi (Mar 24, 2004)

How can you expect being able to rent a yacht in one coutry and deliver it to another, a fortiori from outside the European Union (Turkey) into it (Greece)?
Will it not be much easier to pass from Bodrum to Kos or from Marmaris to Rhodes and then sail one-way up to Athens. This is an itinerary just opposite the one you have to pay extra, hence you are entitled to hefty rebates and promotional offers, e.g. check on the following Internet address:
http://www.vernicos.com/chartering/special_Offers.asp?page_id=45


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

I have chartered with http://www.bluereefyachting.com before but in Greece, so I don''t know much about their yachts in Turkey. However I know they have yachts based in Gocek, Bodrum and Marmaris and also Croatia in response to another post. They were very helpful, reliable, low cost and their yachts were very modern. I would definitely charter with them again.


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## TejasSailer (Mar 21, 2004)

Ianwi,

Would you please post the company you finally selected, and you''re experiences with that comapnay, good and not so good. We''re thinking of joining a flotilla in Turkey next summer and would appreciate an update.


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