Rhodes Yacht Charter

For a bareboat charter, where you skipper the yacht yourself, you need a recognised sailing qualification such as RYA Day Skipper or higher, ASA, IYT or an ICC accepted under Greek maritime rules. Greek law also requires a co-skipper with at least basic sailing experience on board for bareboat rentals.

Bareboat suits experienced sailors who want to plan their own route, anchor where they like and run the boat themselves without a captain on board. You need valid qualifications, confidence in Mediterranean conditions including the Meltemi, and willingness to handle provisioning, marina fees and night passages.

Weekly bareboat rates typically run €1,500–€7,500 for monohull sailing yachts from about 35 to 55 feet, and €3,500–€15,000 or more for catamarans, depending on size, age and season. Skipper service is around €180–€250 per day on top of the yacht fee. Peak weeks from mid-July to late August command the highest prices; June and September are often twenty to thirty percent cheaper for the same boat.

May, June, September and early October are the sweet spot for a Dodecanese sailing holiday based out of Rhodes, warm sea, lighter winds and emptier anchorages than in high summer. July and August bring the strong Meltemi north winds, often Force four to seven, which experienced sailors enjoy but families with young children may find tiring on longer legs.

Yes, Greek bareboat charters traditionally start on Saturday and run for seven nights, with embarkation in the late afternoon and disembarkation by 09:00 the following Saturday. In practice a “weekly” charter gives you about six full days of sailing because the first and last days involve handover, inventory checks and returning to base.

Rhodes is an excellent base for exploring the Dodecanese. Typical seven-day routes loop Symi, Tilos, Halki, Nisyros and back to Rhodes; longer itineraries reach Kos, Leros and Patmos for guests with more time and fair weather. The east coast of Rhodes alone offers Lindos, Kalithea, Faliraki bays and quiet anchorages for shorter loops or first-time charterers who prefer gentle days.