The Crewed Yacht Charter Boat Show In Poros, Greece
Today is the fourth, and last day of the Poros Boat Show. This is a private show for charter brokers promoting crewed yacht charters primarily in The Greek Islands and The Mediterranean.
It has been quite a show. Of the 84 yachts, most were luxury power boats, the largest being the 160 foot Lurssen ‘El Chris’. We particularly liked ‘Happy Dolphin’, with its beautiful marble entry way and lovely decor.
The queen of sail was the 133 foot Perini, ‘Ellen V’. Incredibly beautiful and, at around $150,000 per week for 6 guests, incredibly expensive (particularly for a sailboat). The older, but lovely 118 foot Perini ‘Gitana’, with her new Ralph Lauren interior would be a slightly less expensive alternative (see photograph taken from her deck).
At the other end of the scale, there was a 50′ Lagoon 500 catamaran and some excellent Gulets (local wooden motor sailers, generally built in Greece or Turkey). The accent is more on the motoring than the sailing, as the engine generally stays on even when the sails are up. They can however be a wonderful way of cruising The Aegean Sea and can often accommodate larger parties.
We enjoy the European flavor of the Mediterranean Shows. As in the Greek restaurants, meals can be lengthy affairs, and of course the yachts’ chefs are keen to show their talents. Yesterday’s lunch on a yacht had SEVEN (small) courses and lasted three hours. We finished at 4:00 - thank goodness the show runs until 7 instead of the usual 5 o’clock!
It is considered impolite to refuse a drink when visiting a house in Greece and every yacht offered us at least one, which included everything from water to expresso (but luckily rarely wine, at least until later in the day). With over 80 boats to see and over 350 crew to meet, we had to be impolite sometimes!
With its short season and the currently dismal US dollar, Americans will find that chartering any sized yacht in the Mediterranean will be significantly more expensive than the equivalent in the Caribbean, but for many, exploring a new cruising ground and experiencing such different cultures is absolutely worth the money - and there are a few relative bargains to be had!
At Ed Hamilton & Co, we have all the local information, so call us (800 621 7855), email us, or use our request literature form to get started. We look forward to talking with you.
Remember Emily will be away at the British Virgin Islands Show, in Tortola, this weekend, and Ed and Barbara will be traveling to Turkey, so you might find us slightly short staffed until Tuesday!