Borrowing Boat in Turkey / Greece – Legalities

[Burls]

We are looking at the possibility of a good friend borrowing our boat for a couple of weeks around Greece and Turkey, however, the legalities and paperwork requirements seem to change depending on what you read. Would anyone have any factual information or real life experience on this subject for that area? (FYI, No money is changing hands, they are properly qualified, insurance is covered, and we are well aware of the ‘discussion point’ regarding friends using your boat, so can we leave input on this subject for another thread please? )
One option is to make them part owner of the boat, but I presume there will be some hoops to jump through there. (Has anyone been through this process with an Australian flagged boat?) How about a letter ‘to whom it may concern’ signed by both parties acknowledging this as a private use event, between the dates of xx and xx, etc etc?


Thanks!

[Katiusha]

You could enter them on the crew list as the captain and the crew. To cover all bases, you could also write them a notaried letter saying that one of them is your captain.

[goboatingnow]

Your over thinking it. Just a letter confirming that the person borrowing it has your permission etc, is all that is needed. There are restrictions on crew changes as part of a trip, ( i.e. disguised chartering), but pin your case if the skipper and crew that start also finish, theres no issue.

its your boat, once no money is changing hands , you can do basically as you like,

Dave

[David_Old_Jersey]

Workwise (for yachts in Turkey) used to issue a few letters of authority saying Mr XYZ could use the boat, never heard of any problems. Can't remember the exact words, but short and sweet (and clarity used instead of legalese). Really only as a simple explanation as to why the Skipper / person(s) onboard / in control of the vessel were not the same as those on the Registration docs. If I recall correctly, usually also had a start and end date and an area of geographic usage (albeit non-too specific).

My understanding is that (when no money is involved) you can do WTF you want. It's your boat.

Albeit I suspect that if your boat is regularly used by (different) "freinds", the claiming that no money is involved could wear a bit thin....especially in places where grey charters is / has been common.

If you don't want to look like a duck - don't walk like one, in hunting season not actually being a duck might be a moot point!

[Ram]

I have sailed Greece/turkey 6 years on a borrowed boat and have never once been asked to produce any paper work-The boat is Corporate owned so I’m not the owner- When asked I say I am the owner-even if I’m only the director of the company-Just get a letter saying you leased it to them or loaned it to them- and your done-

[Burls]

Thanks for the feedback.