Lifting the Gulet 'Galaxy' at Leros Marina

'Siga Siga' as they say in Greece..... Slowly Slowly.... thought I would speed things up! 

Iroko Turkish Gulet for sale.

We are at Lakki Marina in LEROS again this week Surveying this lovely old Gulet. 

Leros situated between Patmos Lipsi and Kalimnos and Kos in the Dodecanese islands. Leros like most of the Greek islands is an island of small fertile valleys sandwiched between rolling green hills, deep coves and pretty beaches.

This unusual twin screw version!

A Gulet (Turkish pronunciation: [ɡuˈlet]) is a traditional design of a two-masted or three-masted wooden sailing vessel (the most common design has two masts) from the southwestern coast of Turkey, particularly built in the coastal towns of Bodrum and Marmaris; although similar vessels can be found all around the eastern Mediterranean. Today, this type of vessel, varying in size from 14 to 35 metres, is popular for tourist charters. For considerations of crew economy, diesel power is now almost universally used and many are not properly rigged for sailing.

Thinking of buying a Gulet in Greece? Please contact me for a discussion before proceeding. We have personal experience in buying these type of craft   info@yachtsurveysgreece.com

Website for Buyers

Avoid that sinking feeling and Carry out a Survey

We are heading back to Leros and Lakki Marina this weekend to Survey and Value this lovely old Wooden Gulet. You can still buy these older wooden Gulets for about £15,000. 

This one looks a a beauty, but would you be sailing away with a bargain or a never-ending drain on your bank balance?

Catch up with next weeks BLOG, images and information on this Inspection.

Surveying Wooden Boats

I have owned lots of wooden boats over the years, I can count atleast 20!! 

Gulets are very appealing to newbies to boating because for one reason they look like a real boat should, and also because of all the room that's available. The biggest reason buyers like them is the cost. You can quite easily find a six berth for under 10K.  

Lets start with the point that there are many Surveyors who are no longer in the business after performing pre purchase surveys on wooden boats. I almost gave them up myself years ago because surveying wood boats is fraught with risks.

Lets begin: Concealed areas within a hull are always a problem but, most wooden boats are constructed in such a way that not enough access is available to make a fair assessment. I always pull up all the floors and remove enough paneling that I can get a fairly good glimpse of the bottom and the lower sides. Carrying an electric screw gun is a must in order to do this quickly and effectively.

My biggest job is removing all the internal fittings. That means I have to move a lot of mattresses, bedding, carpets and empty out lockers, etc. Once the interior is opened up as best possible, Im ready to begin.

Three important tools are a slim light crow bar, the sort used for pulling nails. A light hammer and a standard blade screwdriver. I check the joints between planks and frames visually, looking for gaps or any sign that the plank is not tight against the frame. I then use the screw driver to test the wood for softness on both plank and frame near the mating surface. You should be very careful with your screwdriver or spike as they can be destructive! Many a Surveyor has got into serious trouble after the boat owner found thousands of spike holes in the bottom of his boat! 

I occasionally try to slip the crow bar under a frame and pry gently. If the frame moves, there is a fastener problem. I do this at every opportunity along the hog (internal keel) or chine area. Often the frame ends are split or soft, repairs are usually necessary.

Weepage is a process of very slow leakage, very often involving the capillary effect in addition to just water pressure from outside the hull. Weepage is not referred to as leakage because the rate is so slow that the water evaporates nearly as fast as it enters the interior. It can occur with no sign of wetness, but inevitably leaves some trace of its existence such as stains.

Certainly its not feasible to go through the entire hull testing all frames and planks in this manner, and fortunately it is not necessary except for the keel area where this needs to be done wherever possible. Further up from the keel, I can limit the physical testing by looking for signs of weepage. Anytime there is evidence of water migrating through seams, corrosion of fasteners has to be suspected. Weepage shows up in various ways, often depending on whether the wood is painted or bare, its age and so on.

Use the screwdriver for testing the hardness of the inner planking, particularly in the deep bilge or any place that is wet or looks suspect. The screwdriver blade is just the right tool, and if it goes into the wood, you know for sure that its deteriorated. Poking around like this is quick and easy so that most vulnerable areas can be quickly covered.

The two most common areas for sprung planks to occur is the garboard and the forefoot area. The forefoot planking is difficult to check because this is the point where the planks narrow into the stem. But, again, signs of weepage or leaking is usually present when fasteners are wasted and planks are loose. Use the screwdriver and insert the blade into the intersect of plank and stem and push hard. This should be done on both sides in every area that can be reached. Again, this does not take long if the area is accessible and will readily show up rot and looseness. Get inside the chain locker if possible or strip out the forward berth. I always want to get a good look at the inner stem and hog and where they are scarffed together. If the stem or hogs rotten then the front of the boat may have to be opened up! (major job!).

The intersect of bottom and side planking to the transom is yet another area where leakage and deterioration are prevalent. This area is also often difficult or impossible to reach, being obscured by fuel tanks and exhaust pipes and whatnot. On larger cruisers you can strip the aft berth out and get in, but on Yachts you may only be able to see the inner corners by using a mirror or camera, unless your very small and you can climb in through the transom hatch and around the rudder tube. If reachable, probe the wishbone transom frame from both above and below. Probe from the intersect of bottom planks and frames, and transom plank and frame. If the wood is at all soft, the problem is serious and needs further opening up and investigation. Examine the intersect all the way up to deck level. Is there water leaking in from above? If so, what is it doing to the wood and fasteners? Check from the exterior: are there open seams and signs of rot on the corners? If you see it above the waterline, what's going on below? Remember that open seams are allowing rain water in, and fresh water can be disastrous.

Keel bolts are always difficult to inspect or comment on. Check these major structural members for signs of working. Look for unevenness of scarf joints or any other signs of movement or working. Probe the keelson with the screwdriver for evidence of softness. Check the intersects of transverse frames for signs of rubbing or chaffing that indicates movement. Check visible bolts and bolt heads for corrosion. Also check for discoloration around the bolt heads. If the wood appears white and soft, this is an indication of weepage. Be careful about diagnosing this as "electrolysis." Its probably not. I always suggest the removal of at least two sample structural keel bolts for examination of the fastenings and adjacent timber material. This task is obviously difficult and sometimes impracticable and should be approached when convenient.

If there is water getting at the bolts, serious corrosion must be suspected. The only conclusion is to draw the bolts and inspect them. Don't rely on just tapping these bolts to see if they're loose. They may be tight now, but may go loose when the hull is working. Bear in mind the forces that operate on a hull while underway. Be wary of oily bilges and wood that can obscure this evidence. Poke around in the wood surrounding the bolt head. If its soft, you can be sure that there is weepage and the bolt is subject to corrosion.

Inaccessible Areas: These are the areas that almost invariably cause the surveyor his greatest problems for he can't get at them to check. Frequently, these are the areas where structural deterioration takes place because neither interior inspection or maintenance is possible.

·        Outboard and under fuel tanks

·        Behind large exhaust pipes and mufflers

·        Under refrigeration and freezers

·        Under shower pans

·        Under lined lockers

·        Behind hulls that have full hull side ceilings

There's one thing you'll notice about most of the above listed areas and that is the potential for condensation and lack of air flow in these obscured areas which is highly conducive to causing deterioration of wood and metals. These obscured areas should be viewed with extreme caution. The only acceptable conclusion is guilty until proven innocent. To prove soundness, fasteners or planks must be pulled.

Ventilation has a two-fold importance in wooden boats: removal of air saturated with moisture vapour, and introduction of unsaturated (dry) air to permit drying of moist woodwork. It is not easy to ensure that dry air circulates over all the woodwork in a boat. Whilst air may be circulated into a particular compartment it may not circulate through out the whole area unless points of entry and departure are correctly sited. Small areas are often partially or completely enclosed so that air circulation is impeded. These are the so called “dead-air” spaces in which pockets of stagnant moist air are trapped. Often by drilling a few well sited auger holes sufficient ventilation can be provided in what might otherwise be a small dead -air space.

Failed or improperly designed fuel and water tank foundations are a common cause of catastrophic hull failure. Because of the extreme weight of tanks, if supports fail, or were never properly designed in the first place, the planking or individual frames could end bearing a major part of the tank load. When this happens, hull failure usually results.

Be they cylindrical or square, tanks on saddles or on decks not fully supported by hull girders must be checked and the entire load bearing structure examined and evaluated. This is usually not as difficult as it might sound, for anyone with a good knowledge of proper construction can quickly size it up if the structure is accessible. If there is any doubt at all, particularly on aging structures, then other means of evaluation must be found.

If the surveyor has done a good job with the interior, then his work on the bottom is going to be the easiest part of the job. By this time, he already knows if there are loose planks, bad frames, deterioration, weepage or leakage and where all these things are located. Long before it comes out of the water, he has a pretty good idea of whether this is a sound hull, and in many cases he'll already know that it isn't, so there's no point in hauling.

Nailing hulls is the common method on Gulets. Nails cannot be pulled without causing much damage to the plank, if they can be gotten out at all. Inspecting the heads only tells one the condition of the head, not the rest of the nail. And tearing planks off means that they have to be renewed and the cost far too high. Nondestructive methods such as X-ray are both costly, difficult and not necessarily reliable.

Screw Fastened Vessels: Utilizing all the techniques outlined above, along with removal and inspection of fasteners, can provide a reasonable degree of certainty as to a hull's soundness. Moreover, screw fasteners can be replaced if they have good holding ground, meaning that planks and frames are not split or deteriorated.

To evaluate a screw-fastened bottom, first isolate the likely problem areas, including all of the garboards, under fuel tanks, and so on. One should not resort to the practice of laying out a pattern of evenly spaced points and pulling fasteners in this method as it is strictly hit or miss.

First examine for:

·        Cupped or warped planks

·        Open seams and weepage from interior after bottom is dry

·        Planks with split ends or splits anywhere

·        Loose seams

·        Sound planks with heavy hammer for sound of looseness.

·        Discoloration around screw heads

·        Special attention to butt ends

·        Under tanks and engines - stress from heavy loads

·        Damp environments like under water tanks,etc.

All of the above areas should be marked and targeted first, for it is here where the problems are likely to be. Then, if all these suspect areas prove out okay, you may not even need to pull fasteners in the non-suspect areas and this will reduce the work load greatly. The objective here is to determine whether the hull has a general condition of wasted fasteners or whether it is isolated due to the initiating factors discussed above.

Remember you need permission from the owner to pull fastenings. Tight fasteners should be hard or impossible to move. If it won't turn, don't bother trying to force it because its okay. Fasteners that just spin without backing out are bad and one needn't waste his time trying to get them out.

I will get back onto this subject of surveying wooden boats in the future, there are so many more areas left to discuss. Decks being one of them. Ive been chasing a leak on the decks on my boat for about 6 months and im still yet to find it! But hey, that's another story.

My services: For a wooden boat survey, the vessel should be blocked off ashore as it is not possible to carry out a useful assessment of the underwater hull during a one hour lift and hold in a travel hoist. The survey will often require some dismantling in order to access hidden areas. Here, the focus is on any decay or deterioration from rot, marine borers or electrolytic action, and on the condition of the fastenings. It is important that I carry out as thorough an examination as possible by getting good access to the hull and frames. The costs of repairs can easily be beyond the market value of the boat so it is vital for you to get the best possible idea of what you are buying from the outset.

Thinking of buying a Gulet and need help? info@yachtsurveysgreece.com

Thinking of buying an ex-charter yacht in Greece?

Thinking of buying a yacht in Greece? There are good bargains to be had here, especially in the autumn at the end of the charter season. But there are pitfalls to be aware of too.

The majority of boats listed with brokers here are ex-charter yachts, known as Greek professional yachts. Some people shy away from ex-charter yachts, believing it equivalent to buying a second-hand vehicle from a car hire firm. While a single private owner may keep a yacht in better condition, not all charter yachts are hammered or poorly maintained.

In fact, what most people don’t realise is that a lot of the professional yachts in Greece are owned by individuals not by charter companies. The owners must charter them out for a certain number of days each year in order to benefit from VAT and other advantages given to professional yachts.

Often the owner will charter for the minimum number of days to retain professional status and to cover the annual mooring and maintenance costs of the yacht.

If you are prepared to spend time looking around you’ll find a big difference in the appearance of yachts of the same age, with some  looking ‘tired’ from heavy use while others seem years younger.

 

FINDING A SUITABLE YACHT

A search on the Internet will bring up numerous websites with yachts for sale in Greece.

A company that we have recently dealt with and found good are:

Network Yacht brokers – Contact Contact info@nyblefkas.com

THE SURVEY

Having found a yacht you want to buy I strongly recommend that you have it surveyed by a professional surveyor. It is not unknown for a charter yacht to suffer major hull damage, be patched up by an unscrupulous owner, and then offered for resale with no mention of the damage.

“Buyer Beware” should certainly be your motto.

If you are not knowledgeable about boats a survey is essential.

A survey will not only protect you from buying a boat with technical problems but it is also required by most insurance companies.

Surveys cost from 500 Euros. There can be major difference in price between surveyors so check what they offer you and what comeback you have if they miss a major defect!

GREEK FLAG

99% of Greek professional yachts are Greek-flagged.

If the boat is flagged in another country then the rules of that country will apply and you need advice from a qualified broker.

If you are not a Greek citizen or an EU citizen resident in Greece you will need to change flag if the boat is intended for private use.

You can normally keep Greek flag if you intend to set up a charter business in this country.

SALES PRICE

We were once advised never to pay a Greek the price he asks for anything, as he will always expect you to bargain…

This is certainly true when it comes to boats. You should be able to negotiate down from the initial asking price. A good survey may give you ammunition for this, as few used boats will be without any defects.

The surveyor should be able to advise you what the ‘going rate’ is for the type of yacht you are interested in.

We have heard that some brokers in Greece do not work on a fixed commission basis. They will agree a price with the owner that he/she will accept. They then try to obtain as high a price as possible from the purchaser. Their commission is the difference. The extra they add to the ‘owner’s price’ can be quite considerable.

VAT

Greek professional yachts will have been purchased VAT exempt. If you are an EU national, you will be required to pay the VAT in addition to the purchase price.

The VAT rate in Greece is 23% but often you can negotiate with the Seller and it is not unknown for deals to be reached where you pay only an additional 5% and the Seller handles the payment of VAT.

You may be exempted from payment of VAT if you are involved in commercial activity that includes boat chartering.

If you are a non E.U. Citizen you won’t need to pay the outstanding VAT, but you will require the yacht to be custom cleared from the E.U. This takes several days and costs about 800 Euro.

 TYPICAL PURCHASE PROCEDURE

Having found a yacht, you negotiate a price with the broker and reach an agreement. You should be supplied with an inventory for the yacht so you know exactly what is included in the sale.

You need a solicitor to act for you during the sale. Your solicitor will protect you by ensuring that there are no encumbrances or debts on the yacht, and that the ownership situation and titles are clear.

The solicitor will prepare an M.O.A. (Memorandum of Agreement) stating all the details of the transaction, including terms, dates and payments, and what comes with the boat. This Memorandum should be conditional on a survey.

The M.O.A. will be signed by both Buyer and Seller.

You arrange a survey of the yacht and, on the basis of this, either agree the price, re-negotiate, or in some cases the wisest action may be to walk away!

You normally pay a deposit of 10-20% of the purchase price to your solicitor as soon as possible in order to have a legally binding agreement. Your solicitor will pay this to the seller after all the necessary documents have been handed over to him.

You must send the balance of the purchase price to the solicitor in time to comply with the provisions negotiated when drafting the Memorandum of Agreement. The solicitor will pay the full purchase price to the seller only after he has made sure that all legal and tax requirements have been taken care of by the seller and after all required documents have been handed over to him by the seller.

As part of the sales process the yacht will be deleted from the Greek registry. Upon deletion an official ownership certificate will be issued from the Hellenic Registrar of Shipping. The certificate will confirm that the boat is free from encumbrances and liens.

In the meantime you can arrange registration for the boat in your country.

After completion of all the paperwork you can take over your boat here in Greece or you can arrange to have it delivered to wherever you intend to keep her.

HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE?

When we bought our boat the process seemed to take forever! Brokers we have spoken to give around 5 weeks as the duration of the purchase process from signing of the M.O.A. to deletion from the Greek Registry. However, I think these may be Greek weeks and a little longer than elsewhere!

You can only sail your yacht after a Bill of Sale has been issued and officially signed by both Vendor and Buyer and the Deletion Certificate has been issued. Buying a yacht is a fairly lengthy and bureaucratic process here in Greece but many of the procedures are there to safeguard your interests and ensure the yacht is free of debts or any other financial burdens.

Do not be tempted to take any shortcuts or accept any bits of paper presented to you by an eager seller supposedly to speed up the process!

If you need that Survey or any help at all contact me at the earliest at Yachtsurveysgreece.com

Birchwood TS37 for sale (New listing).

We have some good friends in Samos Marina, Greece who are selling their Birchwood TS37 Motor Cruiser. Take a look! 

 

I have been on this boat many times and she is in a lovely condition through out. If you are in the market for a 38-footer with a 60K (Euro) budget, look no further! 

Located at this very peaceful marina on a very affordable mooring on the beautiful island of Samos

The inventory!

Year of manufacture: 1988.

Engines:  2 x Volvo Penta TAMD41A 200hp. (2000 engine hrs). 

Cruising speed: 15 knots  Max 22knots.

Tankage: 1000ltrs fuel - 500 ltrs water.

                                                                                                                      

LOA:                           39 feet – 11.98M

Beam                           12 ft 5ins

Draft                            3 feet 3ins

Equipment:

Raytheon sounder log.

Raytheon Radar.

Raytheon Autopilot.

Furuno SPS.

2 x GPS.

2 VHS radios.

Seaportfishfinder. 

Forward facing sonar.

Phillips GP Navigator.

Target Navtex.

Bowthruster.                                                                                                    

Eberspacher heating.

Canopy to upper helm.

Anchor winch.

                                                           

Boat has 8 berths – twin fwd cabin, drop down double in galley dinette, drop down double in saloon and double in aft cabin with en suite.

New carpets throughout.

Two heads with showers and washbasins.

Galley has 3 burner hob, cooker, microwave and 12/240v fridge.

           

Surveyors comments: Birchwood's TS37 convinced more than 200 owners to purchase her new. And she continues to create plenty of interest on the broker's pontoons. 

Email me with any enquires at info@yachtsurveysgreece.com 

- or contact the owners direct: ann.bob.voyager@gmail.com

Thinking of buying a Yacht in the Greek Islands and need help. UK Yacht Surveyor required for insurance. Need a Marine Consultant. Leros, Athens, Preveza, Lefkas Marine Surveyor.... look no further....