Buying in Greece

[lylekaz]

Hello everyone. I am New to this site and to sailing in general, although my family and I have always loved the idea of Sailing.

We are thinking of buying a sailboat in Greece,,, any thoughts.

We of course would then want to have it skippered across the great divide(Atlantic) and so would need a captain who would Qualify for this.

Once again,,, any thoughts?

Thanking you in advance..

Lylekaz

[dlymn]

Boats are cheaper in the Med than in America.Many boats are ex charter. Use a site like sailboats webtrader to search. Croatia has some very cheap boats. You take a big risk buying long distance. Why not buy and spend some time in the Med cruising? You need a blue water sailbout to jump the puddle but might actually want a boat set up for cruising when you sail in USA. The setup can be very different.

[Pete7]

So other than the fact that it will cost a small fortune to have it skippered across the whole of the Med (not a small sea) then the Atlantic, are you aware that it will be wired for 240v AC at 50 Hz which will be interesting. Oh and the US has some different ideas on wiring too which I find really confusing.

You also have a registration fee in the US along with a state import tax, yes? Just can't believe you are saving anything by buying a former charter boat.

Pete

[robert sailor]

There is a very good broker in Lefkas, Greece. Oh so British and very responsible and honest. They do a lot of business there. Also a good British Surveyor there as well. Never buy sight unseen, put a deposit down if all looks good and make it subject to a personal inspection.

[Kenomac]

We purchased our boat in England with a plan to have it immediately skippered back by a professional yacht delivery company. Then decided upon the delivery company's recommendation to make a left turn into to Med for a season. Now, it'll be many years before our boat sees North America... If ever. You can save lots of money buying over here, but don't be in a hurry to leave. Think of it as a summer vacation home in paradise.

Yes, the electrical system will be quite different, but if you stay for a while, it will actually be more convenient. Our boat is wired for both 110v and 220v, it can plug in anywhere, but I do need to bring any appliances or power tools I need over from America. All the outlets are 110v through the inverter.

Another angle to consider, buy in Europe and enjoy Europe for several years, then sell the boat and buy a different boat in another location. Then you don't need to be concerned about the vessels ability to cross oceans. You don't need a battleship capable of handling the North Sea for cruising the Med.

[de0xyrib0se]

Originally Posted by lylekaz

Hello everyone. I am New to this site and to sailing in general, although my family and I have always loved the idea of Sailing.

We are thinking of buying a sailboat in Greece,,, any thoughts.

We of course would then want to have it skippered across the great divide(Atlantic) and so would need a captain who would Qualify for this.

Once again,,, any thoughts?

Thanking you in advance..

Lylekaz

Before you spend a bucket of cash on a boat and then pay even more to move it across the Atlantic try chartering a few times. The hardest thing about a boat is selling it, hence if you decide after a few times its not your thing losses will constrained.

That being said, if you do buy a (Greek Flag) boat, getting it out of Greece is filled with bureaucracy and if you want to make things move quicker...bribes. Be prepared as it takes over a month.

As for the sellers, be very careful, they'll promise everything, and I mean everything to sell you the boat. Greece isn't the US, you don't have a lot of options to protect your rights and money in the even things go sour. The local courts will rule as you've guessed it in the local's favor.

If you just want to buy a cheaper boat go ahead and buy an ex-charter boat in the Caribbean. They are well maintained and pending a detailed inspection carry little, if no, risk.