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The admiral and I got into a conversation tonight about boating in the Mediterranean. We are curious what it takes other than money to buy a 75’ Hatteras MY in Italy or Greece. Is it difficult to find qualified service? Diesel? Towing? It was just conceptual
Maybe try to find one available for charter?
Many boats get shipped from the US to the med in the spring and return in the fall. I looked into it 3 or 4 years and it was about $1000 a foot each way. Must be $1500 a foot these day thanks to ole Joe fuel prices
Also need to add the cost of a shorepower converter to convert the euro 220v 50hz to US 240/120 60hz, probably about $20/25k
Plenty of yards, service, mechanics and diesels (at euro high tax price) so that s no concern
With the euro having fallen sharply (about parity these days), it’s a better deal than a few years ago
Is it cheaper to buy a boat over there for a year or two and then resell? Maybe. Not to many hatts over there so limited market to pick from.
I returned last month from a bareboat sailing trip on a lagoon 50 from Athens Greece out of the Alimos Marina. The VAT is 24%, and diesel was 2.50 euro per liter. Fuel is a big deal. The mechanics and vendors were better than any experience I have had in the Caribbean and most in the US. If cruising in the Med or Aegean were the goal, I would buy something over there that has the 50hz appliances, parts and service network. Diesel sipping motors like yanmars would be high on my list.
Would recommend a charter first. No one aboard spoke any Greek, and it was a barrier. You do need an international boating license to do anything over there, so start with that if you do not have one already.
The trip was awesome, and the biggest surprise was no channel markers! The depths are just that deep. The Greeks have no harbormasters, and it is a wild west show for dockage. Others anchor on or pull up your anchor on Med moor. stressful with a language barrier.
I would go to Split in Croatia, just for the civility of that. Antibes in France is another great area. Europe is a deal now.
The Med is a wonderful playground with a proper boat. However, if it has to be a Hatt the choices are limited. I know of a Hatteras for sale in Croatia though. From next year I expect to have my refitted 58YF in the charter biz in Croatia.
But if you decide to buy a boat there for a year of exploring the Med there allways are quite a number of valid alternatives. Feel free to contact me for fürther ideas, proposals or boat buying guidance if you want to. I´m in the brokerage business myself and a proud, but hard working Hatt owner since about one year (refit project).
Places to see:
Croatias coast is great, full of culture, good food and beautiful old harbour cities. Mechanics are availeable everywhere, with all kinds of qualifications and all levels of lack of it.
Venice is a must if you do the Adriatic.
Greece has everything, from history to good food and unspoiled islands and places. And just the opposite as well. Service for boats? In the bigger poerts you get everything, in smaller places be prepared to have spares and skills. But berthing is dirt cheap in most places.
The French Riviera/Cote d´Azur is just a topic of its own, beautiful towns, excelent service around boats. But in two weeks you´ve seen it.
However, from there you´ll certainly proceed to Corsica and Sardegna, from there you´ll have a day´s cruise to...
Italy´s west coast can keep you busy for at least a year without having seen everything. If you find places to come back to (there´ll be many) a year is not enough if you get yourself a rental car and see at least some places away from the coast from time to time.
Excellent boatyards and service around boats, generally slightly cheaper than in France or cheaper/better than in Croatia (if you experience bad service from technicians you´ll pay twice).
Balearics? Bring the fat credit card!
Spain´s coasts have everything, from inviting places to quite the opposite.
Fuel is cheap in Gibraltar and in Montenegro. So if you do the Adriatic plan to go to Port Montenegro and top of all your tanks. That marina even offers a free night for bunkering guests in transit.
Licenses: Doing the Croatian Yachtmaster 100 would be an option, the course takes about 10 days, costs below 2000,-€ and iit s a small commercial ticket (100t) that is recognized virtually all around the Med. Concerning the required skill level it´s doable if you allready got experience.