Greek Sails Poros, Greece

Greek Sails Sucks

We did a flotilla the crew were great but Greek Sails did a poor job of boat prep. Our dingy engine leaked fuel and would not start. It was NOT checked out before we left. The dock engineer drove 2 hours to fix it but couldn't and took it back to the base. We never had a motor for 2 weeks we had to row. Another boat also had a leaky motor. When I returned I asked for a refund on the dingy motor. The owner told me they checked it all out and I had used it. He obviously didn't know what was going on in his company and that the engine was never with us. No refund no nothing. Also we were promised a shuttle to the water taxi at 6am that was a no show.

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Our lead crew, a married couple, met us in Poros. They were very thorough in guiding us around the boat and showing us how things worked. The first days of our two week were ok but it quickly became clear that they were new to the job and not very good. They were offering very incoherent briefings and took us out into wild sailing conditions. They had had three weather forecast and elected to tell us the one which was the calmest!

Their inexperience and lack of confidence became apparent when they suggested a night in Hydra. The weather forecast was for a northerly wind which the pilot guide says makes Hydra a very uncomfortable place to stay. We pointed this out and suggested an alternative, but they wouldn't change their minds.

This long sad tail ended up with us having to find a bed and breakfast place in hydra when we were advised that the boats were unsafe. Our lead crew skipper suggested that at 10 o'clock that night we should sail to Poros. I explained to him that we were all tired, he had had several glasses of gin and that given that the sea was rough outside the harbour, and that we have no significant sailing time at night that it was a bad idea.

It was agreed that we would stay in a small Hydra hotel. The next morning the flotilla boats had all gone. No message to us via text, or phone. It turned out that they had a team come from base and removed all four boats in the flotilla at 2.00am. This included our boat with all our belongings. Money, clothes, contact details one of our phones all taken with no word from Greeksails.

We texted them, phoned them, no reply. They just abandoned us.

Needless to say we were not impressed. we made our own way back from this island to Poros, greeksails base. On arrival we found our boat and spent the night on it in Poros. Still no contact! The management ignored us for most of the following morning. After a long discussion when we explained that we felt that they had their priorities wrong, and should have been looking after their customers, we left the holiday and had a great time having a city break in Athens for the second week. It cost us in monetary terms but we were still alive!

Incidentally all the other boats in the full to brimming Hydra harbour were still floating the next morning, some of the crew looked a bit green though.

Beware if you go sailing with greeksails. Seafarer used them!!

We have had three wonderful holidays with Greek Sails and will shortly be back for a fourth time.

First time it was a last minute arrangement because another trip my wife had organised for me as a birthday present was cancelled at the last minute. So this was pot luck, but what luck I had!

My first trip was to complete an RYA Competent Crew course at their sailing school. There may be no tide in the Med, but I can tell you, as a way to start sailing, it beats learning in the UK. 5 day course spread over 6 day, sun, extra time, midday swims, warm evenings in tavernas with a cold beer. What an introduction to sailing!

My first trip was so good my wife insisted we go back the following year as the stories and pictures were too much for her to not experience too. Unusually Greek Sails allowed us to charter for an odd number of days. While everyone else was saying, 'Sat-Sat' only, they were happy for us to take a boat for (I think) 10 days, with no hefty penalty.

The boat was spotless and in good order although we did have problems with the outboard. On reporting that, we immediately got the cost of the outboard back plus our fuel for the 10 days paid for us as an apology. No questions, just apologies for the engine not being up to scratch. What nice people to deal with!

So 2009 we went back again. Lots of help and advice on where to go, how to get there, everything really. They even gave my wife advice on a suitable boating Christmas present for me! Spotless boat again. Wonderful holiday.

Some friends also went in 2009 after asking for a recommendation and came back saying the same; spotless boat, wonderful tuition (I think they took a private charter and 3 or 4 did a Comp Crew during the week), very friendly people. So there's an option...RYA course without having to join a course, just charter a boat and take and instructor/skipper with you and learn while the rest of the family enjoy the holiday.

I'm sure others know of wonderful companies too, but all I can say is I can vouch that this is a great little company to deal with. They're an Anglo-Greek family and so their English is impeccable...bet you'll never know they consider themselves Greek when you speak to them. In fact it's a bit of a shock to hear them turn around and speak Greek as their English is that good!

And the waters around Poros, especially to the SW into the Argolic are quiet even in Jul when we've been. If you want loud harbours and discos, go some place else. If you want to find quiet anchorages and the most wonderful small harbours, this is the place to go. Plus you can visit stunning remains at Mycenae, Monemvasia, Navplion and other spots.

But beware...Hydra gets very popular as does Spetses, so guess where we keep away from, and Port Heli, while a wonderful natural anchorage, is not a lovely place to start and end your holiday.

Poros on the other hand...where Greek Sails is based...is an enchanting place described by Heikell as a Greek Venice. Need I say more? :-)

Go enjoy...