Wintering in Greece

[Palarran]

Boat services? Not much. There are a few chandleries in town for standard stuff. They have a mechanic on staff, but I don't have enough knowledge of him to know his abilities. He did repair a starter for me quickly and for a reasonable price. There are guys doing bottom coats and small repairs in the yard also.

There is a restaurant on site with good snack foods like greek salads and club sandwiches for a fair price. The beer is very cold. The grocery functions to get you by in a pinch but the guy who runs it (excellent man), will get you what ever you need. The bathrooms and showers all functioned and where very clean when I've been there. I'm not sure they charge for water anymore but they do for electricity. Everything in general works. My only complaint would be the dirt and gravel on the concrete. They need to get a street sweeper to clean it up or put some guys on a broom. In comparison to a Caribbean marina (yard) though, that's not a problem.

In the summer there are a lot of mosquitoes. Also, on Friday and Saturday nights the town parties till dawn on the other side of the harbor and it can be quite loud.

I look at Messolonghi as either a short time stay, or a haul-out yard. Those who have stayed as liveaboards don't seem to like it. For me it's in a near perfect location and as I've said before, the price is right. We like it. We like the people, the town, and the set-up. But we only are there for 4 days at a time.

[krissteyn]

depending on what work you actually need , I found the Levkas & Preveza have all the skill necessary - with enough choice. A smaller marina may have good service (and often do) but its normally - thats what we can offer , sorry if its not enough. But will listen carefully to Palarran .

Kris

[monte]

we are in the same boat as you guys.. looking for a marina for a lagoon 380 to haul out around October to April, (somewhere between Croatia and Western Greece) no facilities or town amenities needed, just a safe yard is fine. Keep us updated with prices etc please.
Monte

[monte]

Quote from Aktio


We would like to inform you that the cost for your boat will be:
hauling out, washing by high pressure water and launching: 463,00 Euro
berthing on steel cradles from 1-8 months: 261,00 Euro per month
after 8 months berthing from 9-12 month: 130,50 Euro per month
We use a hydraulic trailer to lift out boats and we have all kind of facilities.

[krissteyn]

Monte ...
after walking thru Atkio's yard , I understand a bit better - they are FULL and charge a bit extra for cats... Suggest you get a similar quote from Ionion Marina - one thing about Ioinion, you dont pay extra for all the little extras - free ladder, free elec (only charged 5EU for a month) free water, free transport... get the quote and see anyway...

kris

ps i heard KOS had a special running

[monte]

thanks krissteyn, I thought the quote was pretty good! but I will still get some more quotes for sure. I wont need power, water or facilities, just a safe place on the hard.

[Palarran]

Monte,
I'd also suggest you look at the hydraulic trailer they use to haul out. If it lifts from the bridge deck, you may want to be carefull. I've heard of problems lifting that way.

This year, as in the past, we used a 6 meter spreader bar on the crane. My beam is 8 meters. On the port aft sling the hull rub rail bowed in slightly when lifted. It bowed right back out when the pressure was released but I didn't like it. Now, this is my problem because they asked me if I wanted to use the 6 or 8 meter spreader bar and I said 6. With the 8 the slings will run straight up the sides of my hull to the bar.

I'm mentioning this because it is just as important the method of lifting as the price and services you receive. A crane with a properly sized spreader bar is the same as a travel lift. I'm not sure how the hydraulic lifts work.

[monte]

Thanks Palarran. Lagoon launch their cats using a hydrolic trailer under the bridgedeck so it shouldn't be a problem. I'll make sure they know where the support needs to be.

[Barra]

So after 2 pretty shocking quotes for haul out in turkey this year im leaning towards greece to leave the boat for winter. One concern i have is the "reciprocal tax" for non eu boats charged at 15 euro per meter per quarter (so around 800 euro for me). Only thing is it seems a bit of a mystery as to when it is applied if at all.

I asked corfo customs if it would apply and they didnt seem to even know about. No one ive met here with non eu boats has had to deal with it but its in rod heikells pilot guide as a tax and other forums have posts about it being applied.

So does anyone know what the hell is going on with this particular tax and if i should be factoring it into my wintering costs??

thanks

[Takamoana]

We wintered in Greece last winter and had all sorts of fun with the tax and its payment. Basically, the tax is due at the end of each 3 month period - for us (12 metres) it was around €220 including VAT. Each Port Police office seems to have their own interpretation of the law and I had to repeatedly explain it to them as each PP wanted to charge me the tax again. The routine was to visit the customs office who raise the paperwork to take to the tax office where you pay and then take the receipt back to customs for more stamps and then to the PP for some more rubber stamping in the Transit Log. It is possible to place the boat in bond when hauled-out or you leave the country but this does not stop the clock on the reciprocal tax, only the VAT 18 months.
Gary

[Palarran]

Barra, Interesting question.

This is what happened to me in Messolonghi. I went to the customs officer to surrender my transit log as the boat was hauled out and I was leaving. I asked him about the tax and he said I don't pay it until I surrender the log for good, as in when leaving Greece. He said it is better to wait anyway because they are changing the law this winter and it will reduce the amount owed. I think they are not longer going to charge for the time the boat is hauled out.

It is definitely a cost that needs to be considered when comparing Greece to other countries. But after having to pay 400 euro for a one month vignette in Croatia, Greece has been cheap.

[Palarran]

Originally Posted by Takamoana

It is possible to place the boat in bond when hauled-out or you leave the country but this does not stop the clock on the reciprocal tax, only the VAT 18 months.
Gary

Gary,
I didn't know that. Are you sure it stops the VAT clock? Do all other EU countries recognize this?

[Takamoana]

Palarran,
not totally sure as my experience with the customs office in Lefkada was that no 2 answers to any question were consistent, it depended on whom you spoke to and what day it was. We surrendered our transit log when we flew home for 3 months to get out of schengen but am not totally sure what advantage this conferred, taking no chances we departed Greece at the end of our 90 days which was still within the 18 month window from the boat's last exit from the EU and we are now in Turkey. As with anything in Greece there is no consistency and what was decreed in one area was questioned in the next.
Gary

[jckb]

Originally Posted by Takamoana

Palarran,
not totally sure as my experience with the customs office in Lefkada was that no 2 answers to any question were consistent, it depended on whom you spoke to and what day it was . . . .
Gary

Gary

You've got it!

A reason for all this "not sure" stuff is that over the last two years there have been a series of draft "new regulations" for smaller boats doing the rounds of Port police. So they're all aware there will be changes "some day soon". Early posts in this thread reflected the start of this process.

I've documented all this stuff on And yes, you're right, the 3 monthly tax on non-EU boats rolls on as long as the boat is within Greek territory, whether bonded or not.

The 18 months within the EU is not actively policed, though Croatia and Greece do have records of how long your boat has been in ther own country. And yes, being in bond doesn't count. However, a week in Turkey,Tunisia or Morocco each year is so easy to arrange that boat stays are effectively unlimited.

You'll find Schengen stuff, affecting people, at but you seem to have those solutions well in hand.

[Barra]

Well i have to share this one with you all as its just laughable -

Kusadasi marina in turkey takes first prize for most expensive quote so far-

6840 euro for 7 months on hardstand for my 12m cat.

Makes whatever we all end up paying in greece look cheap eh? (Tax inclusive)

Also some feedback on mesalongi from a boat with experience there - gypsies can be a problem there security wise apparently...

Cheers
Barra