Mediterranean Cruising/Anchoring/Mooring

[Trim50]

I've been investigating the idea of visiting the Med via charter boat for a couple months and wanted to know what are the best locations for low cost cruising in the Med. Is it possible to even cruise the Med in a cost effective way? I hear anchoring is difficult due to charter moorings or rental moorings in all the bays. Are these roomer true?

Any info on best route and time of year for a 2 month vacation would be hugely appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Walt

[chuckr]

Wow -- the Med is a big place. We have been here 3 years It all depends on what you want to see. Anchoring you can in places. Mooring balls I have not seen any but you will need to Med moor a bit.

What are you looking for?

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by Capt. Ohlinger

I've been investigating the idea of visiting the Med via charter boat for a couple months and wanted to know what are the best locations for low cost cruising in the Med. Is it possible to even cruise the Med in a cost effective way? ...

Depends upon your definition of "low cost".
Expect to pay between $1,000 to $6,000 per WEEK for a bareboat charter, in the Med.

Pick a location, and “Check Availability” for pricing.
➥ Yacht Charter Mediterranean | Bareboat Charter Mediterranean | Sunsail USA

[Trim50]

I've only just begun digging, but I know I'd like to see parts of Turkey, a few Greek Islands and some Italian coast line. I want to anchor as much as possible and do some diving.

[GordMay]

Pick a location, and “Check Availability” for pricing.
➥ Yacht Charter Mediterranean | Bareboat Charter Mediterranean | Sunsail USA

Or call 888-350-3568

They may offer discounts for longer term charters.

[Trim50]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Pick a location, and “Check Availability” for pricing.
➥ Yacht Charter Mediterranean | Bareboat Charter Mediterranean | Sunsail USA

Or call 888-350-3568

They may offer discounts for longer term charters.

Have you done the Med via bareboat?

[SM6WET]

Originally Posted by Capt. Ohlinger

I've been investigating the idea of visiting the Med via charter boat for a couple months and wanted to know what are the best locations for low cost cruising in the Med. Is it possible to even cruise the Med in a cost effective way? I hear anchoring is difficult due to charter moorings or rental moorings in all the bays. Are these roomer true?

Any info on best route and time of year for a 2 month vacation would be hugely appreciated.

Originally Posted by Capt. Ohlinger

Thanks in advance.

Walt

Hi Walt,

Although I did not rent a charter myself I made a lot of investigation.
As people have mentioned before the costs are individual and I guess there is nothing that falls into the category of cheap. That depends on your budget.
But I can say this. Chartering in Europe and the med tends to be less costly then in BVI and the rest of the West Indies.
There are some charters in Turkey which seems a good price. On the western coast, the Marmaris coast it is most beautiful, nice waters, friendly people. I particulary like the area around Fethiye and Ölüdeniz. You are very close to Greece and can take a few of the islands their as well. Then the hop over to Italy is quite a jump but if you are chartering for 2 months that is not going to be a problem. I would defiantly recommend the Marmaris coast instead of going to Alanya.
If you would go for crew option I would be vigilant to check up on things both once and twice.
Although the Turks are very friendly, helpful and good people the traditions of upkeep and even more importantly safety is not always the first priority. I have unfortunately seen this several times in Turkey – with paragliding…. People died. I also went on some day trips in Turkey and the shape of those boats……….. If I had not known they were always going to be close to shore and I had a good chanse to reach shore by swimming I would never have gone.

Another quite cost effective (in comparison) place to rent a charter is in Croatia. You will be close to Greece and Italy and not too far of the Turkish coast as well. Croatia is not in the EU and is still consider a bit of a budget former Yugoslav country but the prices are slowly conforming to EU standards as Croatia is one of the favourite holiday destinations of Germans. Therefor you should go there already next summer or you will end up with similar prices like in Italy, Spain and France.

If you can find charters from Monte Negro this would probably be the best option. Good people and very low cost country.

Then there is Albania but although pricing is the lowest in Europe on pretty much everything the country is still corrupt in many ways.

Italy and Greece – expensive.

I don’t know what rumors you have heard but chartering is not really common at all in Europe or the rest of the med. Most people boating go on their own boat or they buy a week on a larger boat with other passengers and roam around the archipelago where the crew decides where to go if it is not even already decided when you buy the package.
I guess it depends on where you are but my own experience is that either people put anchar near the marinas or in bays or they go to a guest slot in an marina. Prices vary a lot. I seen guest Marina taking as little as approx US$10 a night without electiric (and no restriction on length or multihull) and from there the prices go up.

In that area I would go June and July – Summer is there but it is in August when most Europeans are released on 4-5 weeks of holiday and the area where you are going is quite crowded (and prices go up). Also last week of July and first 3 weeks of August is in general the hottest in climate and you can expect 40°c/104°f on the worst days.

Wish you good luck.

/Magnus

[Trim50]

Wow Magnus! Lots of great info. If I took a couple friends to split the cost and we wanted to start in Turkey, is there a weather window to head Westward? From what I can tell, all the winds seem to be on the nose for anyone leaving Turkey.

[sailormed]

Since you plan for a long period I would plan to come back to at the end of the first day. Use the day as a shake down cruise and come back with your list of repairs to the charter company. Better loose a day ( the repair day I hope you will not be billed) then have several nuisances/dangers on the boat for 2 months. Most charterers are for 1 or 2 weeks and they do not want to loose a day and thus put up with whatever is wrong/broken.


Envoyé de mon iPad à l'aide de Cruisers Sailing Forum

[chuckr]

[QUOTE=SM6WET;1947498]

[FONT=Calibri][SIZE=3]Although the Turks are very friendly, helpful and good people the traditions of upkeep and even more importantly safety is not always the first priority.

We have only been in Turkey for a month and found is as safe as any where else and a lot safer than some and they have a real respect for the water and fishing. Ask the Greek fishermen who stray into their waters. The Turkish people so far have been very helpful and polite and gone out of their way to give us assistance even if they get nothing out of it.

[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]Another quite cost effective (in comparison) place to rent a charter is in Croatia. You will be close to Greece and Italy and not too far of the Turkish coast as well. Croatia is not in the EU and is still consider a bit of a budget former Yugoslav country but the prices are slowly conforming to EU standards as Croatia is one of the favorite holiday destinations of Germans. Therefor you should go there already next summer or you will end up with similar prices like in Italy, Spain and France

He is right in the Croatia has a fair number of charter boats and a lot of territory to sail and explore. We know people who spend the who summer there and still not seen it all. It can be expensive depending on where you go but lots of places to anchor. The weather is nice and water good.
But you ARE NOT close to Turkey it is a long way off. Western Greek islands are close and manageable. So is Montenegro and Albania.



If you can find charters from Monte Negro this would probably be the best option. Good people and very low cost country.

We found Montenegro to be one of the most expensive countries we went to. Not much there that a couple of days you can see and leave. But be very aware of the weather as some of the winds come rolling down the mountains and across the fjord and can cause real problems. We where there when one came through on a front and somewhere around 17 boats were sunk. So you really have to watch the weather.

Then there is Albania but although pricing is the lowest in Europe on pretty much everything the country is still corrupt in many ways

THIS IS INCREDIBLY WRONG. How do I know we have been there 2 years in a row and it is an incredible country. We just loved it. You do have to follow their rules but no big deal. We had a great time. From the north you check in at Schengjin and when you leave and check out (you have to check in and out of each port) you tell them you are going to your next port but will be anchoring in between. No big deal. It is not set up for cruising sailboats except Orikum where there is a small marina. From there south there is only a couple of places to anchor before Sarande where you can tie to a wall at a very low cost.

On the east side of the Corinth Canal there are a number of charter companies and lots of islands to explore. But you must be aware of the winds as it comes out of the north and stay there all summer and the Med can get nasty with short choppy seas that can make live terrible.

By the way the east coast of Italy does not have a lot of anchorages. Some but not a lot and most are open to the weather so fair weather anchorages as best.

[Trim50]

Originally Posted by chuckr

On the east side of the Corinth Canal there are a number of charter companies and lots of islands to explore. But you must be aware of the winds as it comes out of the north and stay there all summer and the Med can get nasty with short choppy seas that can make live terrible.
.

Yes, it is the chop I have heard from others that makes things ugly in the Med. From what they have shared, it can be a perfect morning to start and you get 10 miles out and have to turn back because you simply can't make way.

[chuckr]

Originally Posted by Capt. Ohlinger

Yes, it is the chop I have heard from others that makes things ugly in the Med. From what they have shared, it can be a perfect morning to start and you get 10 miles out and have to turn back because you simply can't make way.

That depends -- what is your definition of a morning start? We watched the weather closely and our start was usually 0630-0700 and the distance is not that great to the next island. So if we saw a bit of wind in the forecast we adjusted our island hop or lived with it. Going south is not an issue but east and north can be a struggle. Most charter boats we saw were leaving as we were pulling in. But at time we had to sit and wait out a Meltemi - we sat in Athens for almost 2 weeks and we were not alone as large Mega Yachts came it to sit it out too.

You just have to be patient and constantly readjust your plans based on the winds.

[Polux]

If you are talking about several months then the costs can be important or very low depending on the area.

In what regards lots of anchorages and low cost with lots of anchorages and nice places the answer is easy: Western med, Greece and Turkey.

Even regarding this two countries the options are huge and you will not be able to know them in 3 or 4 months (not even in 2 or 3 years).

Regarding Greece the Ionian part, specially the Islands are pretty much crowded but you will not have problems anchoring: You can always find a place. The South Ionian is less crowded and I enjoy many spots along the coast and kitira Island is not crowded and a favorite place.

But if you want to experience Greece and Turkey perhaps the best is to sail from the Dodecanese or the Cyclade Islands. From there you can explore the Islands and sail to Turkey exploring the coast between Marmaris and Çesme.

Or if it is more easy chart from Athens and then sail the Cyclades and go to Turkey and then back.

Only that in Just for 4 months will be a bit shorter, if you take it easy.

Pay attention to the winds that blow almost always from the same direction and sometimes strong on the Islands were is almost always very hard to go against the wind, so plan a circuit that has that in consideration, to be sure that you don't get significant headwinds. Here a map of the more frequent summer winds:



On this region you have so many anchorage options that the better is to make a rough plan and then re-plan according to the wind at that moment.

Buy this two pilot guides decide where you are going to charter and start planning :

Publications
Publications

[hoppy]

Originally Posted by SM6WET

Italy and Greece – expensive.

I believe Italy is expensive, but Greece expensive WTF?

Unlike pretty much of the rest of the Med, in Greece you can always anchor out. Unlike Croatia (from what I've heard) you don't get some local charging you to anchor in a bay. A small number bays around the island have mooring, but they are put there by the local taverna and you certainly don't pay it you dine at their taverna. I tend to find that at most I've only had to pay at 50% of the town quays I've stayed at and when I've had to pay, It's not being all that much.

Eating out is cheap. Supermarket shopping will be expensive if you shop at the marina's supermarket but away from the marina the prices can be fine.

Originally Posted by SM6WET

I don’t know what rumors you have heard but chartering is not really common at all in Europe or the rest of the med. Most people boating go on their own boat or they buy a week on a larger boat with other passengers and roam around the archipelago where the crew decides where to go if it is not even already decided when you buy the package.

Wow, that's news to me... I must be imagining all the charter boats I keep sharing the anchorages with in Greece. Even away from the main charter grounds I still run into charter yachts.

To the OP...

For a 2 month cruise, I think that Greece is a great option. Plenty of places to visit and not expensive.

[Polux]

Originally Posted by SM6WET

Hi Walt,

Although I did not rent a charter myself I made a lot of investigation.
As people have mentioned before the costs are individual and I guess there is nothing that falls into the category of cheap. That depends on your budget.
But I can say this. Chartering in Europe and the med tends to be less costly then in BVI and the rest of the West Indies.
There are some charters in Turkey which seems a good price. On the western coast, the Marmaris coast it is most beautiful, nice waters, friendly people. I particulary like the area around Fethiye and Ölüdeniz. You are very close to Greece and can take a few of the islands their as well. Then the hop over to Italy is quite a jump but if you are chartering for 2 months that is not going to be a problem. I would defiantly recommend the Marmaris coast instead of going to Alanya.
If you would go for crew option I would be vigilant to check up on things both once and twice.
Although the Turks are very friendly, helpful and good people the traditions of upkeep and even more importantly safety is not always the first priority. I have unfortunately seen this several times in Turkey – with paragliding…. People died. I also went on some day trips in Turkey and the shape of those boats……….. If I had not known they were always going to be close to shore and I had a good chanse to reach shore by swimming I would never have gone.

Another quite cost effective (in comparison) place to rent a charter is in Croatia. You will be close to Greece and Italy and not too far of the Turkish coast as well. Croatia is not in the EU and is still consider a bit of a budget former Yugoslav country but the prices are slowly conforming to EU standards as Croatia is one of the favourite holiday destinations of Germans. Therefor you should go there already next summer or you will end up with similar prices like in Italy, Spain and France.

If you can find charters from Monte Negro this would probably be the best option. Good people and very low cost country.

Then there is Albania but although pricing is the lowest in Europe on pretty much everything the country is still corrupt in many ways.

Italy and Greece – expensive.

I don’t know what rumors you have heard but chartering is not really common at all in Europe or the rest of the med. Most people boating go on their own boat or they buy a week on a larger boat with other passengers and roam around the archipelago where the crew decides where to go if it is not even already decided when you buy the package.
I guess it depends on where you are but my own experience is that either people put anchar near the marinas or in bays or they go to a guest slot in an marina. Prices vary a lot. I seen guest Marina taking as little as approx US$10 a night without electiric (and no restriction on length or multihull) and from there the prices go up.

In that area I would go June and July – Summer is there but it is in August when most Europeans are released on 4-5 weeks of holiday and the area where you are going is quite crowded (and prices go up). Also last week of July and first 3 weeks of August is in general the hottest in climate and you can expect 40°c/104°f on the worst days.

Wish you good luck.

/Magnus

Magnus, I have been sailing all over the med and i know all the places you have mentioned, some charting in past years and with my own boat and there is a lot of misinformation in your post mixed with some good one.

Croatia is a EU member state.

There are plenty of charters on the med, I would say too much, particularly on the Western med. Most of the boats (by a large margin) you will see sailing on the Ionian and Adriatic are charters. Big number of charters on the Balearic Islands, Corsica and Sardinia, probably more charters then owner yachts.

There are plenty of boats on anchor on the med, particularly on Greece and Turkey but also on all other places I mentioned. Greece ports and restaurants are not expensive. A port place can come as cheap as 8 euros (Lefkas this year for a 41ft boat including water). Marinas are less expensive then on other parts of med and they will cost between 30 and 60 euros (for a 41ft boat).

Finally one advise to the the OP: if you have time pick an airplane and go to Duseeldorf boat show. You will probably recover the costs of your voyage on the charter discount. All the big and medium operators are there and they offer 10/20% discount at the fair. Two big pavilions dedicated only to charter business. For a 2 or 3 month charter I believe you can get there a huge discount, much bigger than 20%.

Of course this only if you like sailboats, nice cities and beer. It's the world's biggest sailboat fair and there is nothing comparable anywhere, Dusseldorf is a lovely city with a fabulous "home made" beer.