Sailing into the Sunset and how to do it! — Part 6
following the previous post ‘Education’… in part 5.
Buying a yacht is the most expensive aspect of sailing into the sunset. Yet the expense can be less than you think. Assuming you’re looking for a second-hand yacht in the 30– 32ft range.
Expect to pay $45000.00 (£30,000.00) that’s about $1500.00 (£1000.00) per foot here in the Mediterranean. This is the approximate cost (rule of thumb) for a regularly maintained second-hand yacht. If you want to pay less then purchasing a yacht that needs some TLC could be an option but it’s advisable to get a full up to date survey.
The 2008/9 winter storage at ‘Kyriakos Konidaris’ boat Yard on Lefkas was 1100.00 euros + VAT for a 30ft fibreglass yacht. This includes taking the yacht out of the water, pressure washing the topsides and underneath, storage and launch at the beginning of the following season.
Repairs and maintenance can be spiralling costs if you’ve not taken your time checking out your boat.
In every yard in Greece there’re plenty of freelancers and qualified shipwrights that take on repair work in the winter. The people you choose are very dependent on word of mouth. The standard of work can vary but there’s plenty of expertise about, you just need to take your time finding it.
The cost of living on a yacht in Greece depends on your lifestyle. If you’re eating out most nights and buying drinks most of the day then the cost is equally to any holiday.
Shopping in the supermarkets of Lefkas town is the sensible way to budget for food. Lefkas town has a number of good supermarkets including ALDI that are very competative as this is where the Greeks go to shop. Supermarket shopping and eating in most of the time can save a lot of money. Assuming you’re a cost conscious cruiser it’s possible for a couple to live on $250.00 per week this should cover all your living needs.
There are cheaper ways to eat out in Greece than going to the restaurants. Greece have their own version of a take-a-way. ‘Pita Souvlaki’ is pita bread with pork meat, tomatoes, onions and tzakziki wrapped up in pita bread. It’s a healthy, cheep take-away costing a fraction of a restaurant meal. In most take-away’s they have seating as well. Ad a bottle of Retsina for two and your eating out without blowing your budget.
Owning a laptop is a must, there are plenty of Internet café’s and owning your own laptop can make staying in contact with friends and family much easier. Greece has implemented a broadband revolution so connection speeds are very good but are patchy. However 3G mobile phones and mobile broadband are enabled all over Greece this gives you the option of staying on your boat and answering emails in comfort. (Read my article on 3G pay-as-you-go on a previous post) The speed is limited but the connections are reliable and could be the answer to all your internet needs.
Pay-as-you-go mobile broadband in Greece by David Mutlow
Mobile phone access is much cheaper if you buy a Greek sim card for your mobile phone. The advantage is, you’re not paying the excessive roaming charges.
A new service that may be cheaper is SIM4travel.net
SIM4travel is a global mobile network that can cut the cost of your mobile calls whilst abroad.
I’m more than happy to answer questions via the Comments below.
More to follow… in part 7
“Can’t find what you’re looking for? Try Google Search!“
Tags: lefkas, retired, sailing, yacht
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