Golden Sails sailing boat (yacht) charter in Greece
review, bad experience and warning

This page describes our bad experiences in chartering a sailing boat (bareboat)
from Golden Sails yacht charter company in Greece.

[brief description]    [about Golden Sails]    [details of our case]    [documents]   

Brief description

The first day of the charter was Saturday, as usual. In the afternoon we took over the boat, and went to the Lavrion port authorities to get the crew list and other documents stamped. It turned out that the EPIRB annual test report was expired (it was valid until March 2007), so we were not allowed to leave the port and sail. The person who delivered us the boat (who was not a Golden Sails employee) was not able to arrange a new, valid EPIRB report. We tried to contact Golden Sails, and its owner/contact person, Mr George Papageorgiou on Saturday afternoon, and whole Sunday, with no success (we called many times the office number, and Mr Papageorgiou mobile number).

In short: we were left in the port, with incomplete documents (so we couldn't sail away) and with no means of talking to anyone from Golden Sails (no answers to our numerous phone calls). We had no idea if, and when we would eventually be able to sail. Not a dream holiday time.

The situation didn't change until Monday morning (almost two days after the charter start). Our contract said "if the boat is not ready within 1/4 of the charter time, Charterer can cancel the contract and be given back the money already paid". One forth of the charter time passed on Monday 9am, so we decided to cancel the contract. We chartered another boat from another company and sailed away the same day.

We were finally contacted by Mr George Papageorgiou from Golden Sails on Monday during the day. We explained our position and stated that we expect to get back the money that we paid (following the contract conditions that was proposed and signed by Golden Sails). Mr George Papageorgiou accepted to meet us on Monday, April 30 (but didn't finally come) and again on Wednesday, May 9th (again, canceled the meeting). Since then, we haven't heard from Golden Sails (no answer to our phone calls and mails) and haven't received back the money.

See details of the case and supporting documents.

About Golden Sails

Golden Sails seems to be a one-person business (Mr George Papageorgiou). As far as we know, it charters its own boat (or boats?) and works as a charter broker (offering boats that belong to other companies). It doesn't have the employees and infrastructure like the big charter companies (people in charter bases/ports dedicated to solving any technical or non-technical problems that may pop up when chartering a boat).

While such business model (one-man show) is not necessarily bad in general, it fails miserably if the owner is not available in case of problems, and is not willing to assist its clients. Unfortunately, that is exactly what happened to us.

Details of our case

When me and my crew arrived in Lavrio port on Saturday, April 28th 2007, we started taking over the boat from the delivery person (who was not a Golden Sails employee). We have soon discovered that the boat (s/y "Vivie") is not that fine and well equipped as we expected and were promised. To mention just a few points:

• VHF/DCS radio not working
• autopilot not working
• Navtex not working
• old maps and Greek water pilot
• electric dashboard with switches and fuses in ruin (!)

(click to see the whole document)

Our cruise documents (crew list etc.) were not stamped, and we were not allowed to leave the port and sail. The delivery person was not able to arrange a new, valid EPIRB report, and neither to contact Golden Sails (the charter company and the boat's owner). We tried to contact Golden Sails, and its owner/contact person, Mr George Papageorgiou on Saturday afternoon, and whole Sunday, with no success (we called many times the office number, and Mr Papageorgiou mobile number).

We were left in the port, with incomplete documents (so we couldn't sail away) and with no means of talking to anyone from Golden Sails (no answers to our numerous phone calls). We had no idea whether, and when we would eventually be able to sail. The only thing we could do was just wait (until God knows when) and hope that someone from Golden Sails will eventually pick up the phone, learn about the expired EPIRB report and start arranging a new one. This situation didn't change until Monday morning (almost two days after the charter start). The contract that was prepared and proposed by Golden Sails, and that both Golden Sails and me have signed, states that:

The Owner [Golden Sails] agrees [...] to employ every reasonable effort to ensure delivery of the Yacht on the date and at the place mentioned in Clauses 1 and 3(a) hereof [Lavrion port, on 28.04.2007 at 17:00], but if for any cause whatsoever the Yacht shall not be available, the Charterer [me and my crew] shall have the right of choice of one of following possibilities: [...] if the delay of delivery exceeds one forth (1/4) of the total charter time, to cancel this Agreement and to be refunded by the Owner with the total amount paid for this charter.

(click to see the whole document)

In short, it means "if the boat is not ready to sail within 1/4 of the charter time, Charterer can cancel the contract and be given back the money already paid". One forth of the charter time (Saturday 5pm to Saturday 9am) passed on Monday 9am. Still not being able to contact Golden Sails, we decided to cancel the contract, according to the contract rules. We chartered another boat from another company and sailed away the same day.

We were finally contacted by Mr George Papageorgiou from Golden Sails on Monday during the day. We explained our position and stated that we expect to get back the money that we paid (following the contract conditions that was proposed and signed by Golden Sails). Mr George Papageorgiou accepted to meet us on Monday, April 30, but didn't show up. When we asked for another meeting on Wednesday, May 9th, he agreed, but then canceled it.

Since then, the owner of the Golden Sails, Mr George Papageorgiou, doesn't reply to my e-mails (he used to reply fast when we were discussing charter details). He also doesn't pick up my phone calls.

To this date (late June 2007), we haven't received back the money that Golden Sails still owes us.

The expired EPIRB report took two days of our holidays. The other boat that we eventually chartered last-minute was more expensive. Some crew members had to rebook their flights or even buy new, expensive air tickets. All these are considerable costs, caused by Golden Sails' negligence in preparing the boat and its document for the charter, and in assistings its clients (us). Nevertheless, according to the contract that we signed, we cannot claim any compensation or reimbursements from Golden Sails - and we (have to) accept it.

Consequently, we expect Golden Sails and Mr George Papageorgiou to accept and fulfil their obligations, that are results of the charter contract they (he) prepared, proposed and signed.

We still hope to finish this matter in a friendly way. I will describe on this web page any updates to the case.

Sebastian Lopienski
June 30th, 2007

Documents