Can I charter a yacht?

Yacht charters holidays in Greece offer a very special experience to a whole host of people and are a fantastic opportunity to experience the unique charm and beauty the islands of the Greek Ionian have to offer.

There is a yacht charter holiday to suit every level of sailing experience and qualifications.

  1. I have previous sailing experience together with either the RYA Day Skipper sailing qualification, the ICC or higher qualifications.
  2. I have previous sailing experience but have not got any paper qualifications.
  3. I do not have any qualifications or experience

I have previous sailing experience together with either the RYA Day Skipper sailing qualification, the ICC or higher sailing qualifications. You can choose:

  • A bareboat yacht charter sailing your own yacht with complete freedom in the knowledge that, should you need any support we are available for you 24/7 throughout your sailing holiday. You can also meet up with us at the start of your holiday for some stern to mooring practice if you wanted to.  or,
  • Bareboat Refresher is where you still have your own yacht but you may wish to have a skipper on board for the first few hours of days of your holiday whilst you unwind and get used to the boat and the sailing areas. You may just want brush up on a few points whilst making the most of the skippers local knowledge of the good places to anchor off and moor up in the evenings. You can have an Island Sailing skipper on an open ended basis and can move to total bareboat when you feel ready to do so.     
  • Flotilla sailing holidays are a great way to sail in good company offering the perfect balance between independence and unobtrusive support. Sail at your own pace with the reassurance of being part of a group with the backup of an experienced and knowledgeable lead crew. A flotilla is the perfect way for families, couples and groups of friends to discover secluded bays and coves, breathtaking scenery and pretty villages in the Ionian sunshine.

I have previous sailing experience but have not got any paper qualifications.

To sail a yacht bareboat in Greek waters you must now hold the RYA Day Skipper qualification or have the ICC (international Certificate of Competence).  Gaining either, or both of these is not difficult.

Island Sailing can help you gain the right qualification as quickly and easily as possible in a way that suits you best. We work with a number of excellent RYA sailing schools in the UK and have our own RYA Training Centre in Greece and can provide plenty of information about training centres offering ICC assessments and RYA Day Skipper courses to make sure you can enjoy a yacht charter holiday in Greece. 

You can also book a sailing course in the Ionian through our Island Sailing RYA sailing school for the first week of your holiday and then once you have passed take a yacht bareboat or as part of a flotilla for the second week.

For more information about getting the qualification or certificate you need to skipper a yacht in Greece call us on UK freephone 0330 088 4744 or email contact@island-sailing.com

Once you have your qualification or certificate you can chose to charter one of our sailing yachts bareboat, go for the assisted bareboat sailing option or join an Ionian flotilla.

If you do not want to go for the qualification or do not have the time but still want a sailing holiday in the Greek Ionian this summer the best option would be a Skippered yacht charter. You chose where you want to go and when and you chose exactly how much you want to sail the yacht yourself with support your skipper.

I do not have any sailing qualifications or sailing experience.

Go for a skippered yacht charter and you can chose to have a go at some sailing in an informal and fun way with the help of your skipper or just sit back and enjoy the Mediterranean sun and emerald waters of the Ionian sea and let the skipper sail you from port to port.

If you are thinking about learning to sail now or in the future we can help you with advice and information on sailing schools and courses both in the UK and abroad including sailing courses here in the Ionian from Lefkas.