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. If your party does not hold those credentials, a skippered charter is the straightforward solution: we place a professional captain on board and no licence is required from your guests. That is the most popular option for visitors exploring the Dodecanese for the first time. We have arranged weekly charters from Rhodes since 1998 and we verify qualifications honestly before confirming bareboat — not to catch you out, but because insurance and safety depend on it. Skippered charters let you focus on swimming, island hopping and evening tavernas while someone local handles navigation, weather and harbour paperwork. Tell us your experience level and we will recommend bareboat or skippered without upselling. Multi-day routes toward Symi, Kos and Patmos are all possible with the right crew arrangement.

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. Skippered is the right call if you want to relax, learn the area from a local professional, focus on the holiday rather than navigation, or have any uncertainty about weather and harbour entries in the Dodecanese. Most first-time visitors to Rhodes choose skippered — and many repeat guests do too, because a good captain knows anchorages that no chart highlights. Families with children often prefer skippered so parents are not juggling sails and kids on deck. We explain the cost difference clearly: skipper fees are typically €180–€250 per day on top of the weekly yacht rate. There is no wrong choice, only a mismatch between your skills and the trip you imagine. View charter options or describe your group and we will advise honestly, as we have since 1998.

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. Extras such as end cleaning, outboard fuel, optional insurance upgrades and provisioning are quoted separately so you can budget properly. We send a written breakdown before you pay a deposit — no surprise charges at embarkation. Catamarans cost more but offer space and stability that families value; monohulls suit couples and traditional sailors on a tighter budget. Early booking secures the best yachts in each size class because repeat charterers and agents reserve early. Contact us with your dates and party size and we will reply with real availability and numbers, not a teaser price that changes later. We are local brokers who know the fleet, not an anonymous marketplace.

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. Spring offers wildflowers ashore and quieter tavernas; autumn still feels like summer on deck with fewer flotillas in the anchorages. We help you match the season to your group honestly rather than selling a July week to someone who wanted relaxed coastal hopping. East-coast routes along Rhodes shelter you from the worst Meltemi, while open crossings toward Symi, Halki or Kos need more respect in peak wind months. We have watched these patterns since 1998. If your dates are fixed in August, we suggest routes and yacht types that cope better with typical conditions — often shorter hops and catamarans for comfort. Day sailing trips are a good way to sample the area before committing to a full week.

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. This Saturday rhythm is industry-wide in Greece, so flights and provisioning plans should align with that schedule. We can sometimes arrange shorter charters or non-Saturday starts case by case, depending on fleet availability and owner rules, but you should assume Saturday-to-Saturday when budgeting time and flights. Arrive in Rhodes early on charter day if you want to stock provisions before boarding — supermarkets near the marina are busy on Saturday mornings. We confirm embarkation time and berth location in writing when you book. If a Saturday-only rule does not fit your travel plans, ask us early and we will search for exceptions rather than promise flexibility we cannot deliver. Honesty saves holiday stress.

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. Symi is the classic first crossing — about ninety minutes in good conditions — with a harbour that rewards an overnight stay. Each island has distinct character: volcanic Nisyros, quiet Halki, busy Kos. Your skipper or our route planning will consider Meltemi direction, marina availability and your crew’s appetite for long passages. We do not sell a one-size-fits-all itinerary; we sketch options based on your dates and experience. Tell us the kind of trip you want — busy island hopping, lazy swimming days, or a mix — and we will outline a realistic route from Rhodes marina. We have been doing this since 1998 and we know which legs work in which month.