NOVEMBER 2017HARRY VAFIAS
Yachts: AE Cap D’Antibes and X
Lengths: 187' and 154' 2"
Years: 2007 and 1998
Location: Greece
How has your cruising season been?
Amazing. We had two and a half months
of constant cruising with the family.
We went to Mykonos, Milos, Poliegos,
Spetses, Antiparos, Serifos and
Shinoussa. It was a busy couple
of months!
Which of those is your favorite?
Poliegos, Milos and Kimolos. I’d
recommend them to anyone. Just
Google them and you’ll understand why
What about a summer highlight?
Swimming at Sarakiniko. It’s a bit like
swimming on the moon. Google again!
Have you got a favorite water toy?
It’s the same one since I was 16 years
old – my stand-up jet ski
Which of your two yachts do you spend
most time on board? Our 187ft Benetti,
AE Cap D’Antibes
She’s listed for sale – are you trading
up or down? Every time we want to
trade down to something smaller the
clever brokers convince me to buy
something bigger! In any case, I love
inspecting yachts and I am a serial
yacht owner, buying and selling yachts
every two years
Which yachts have
you got your
eye on at the
moment? I’ve fallen
in love with Shahnaz,
the 208ft built by
Nuovi Cantieri Liguri
in 1991Owner of
La Cima III
Length: 116'
Year: 2010
Location: GreeceWhat made you head to Greece this season?
I don’t like jellyfish, expensive marinas and the “in”
crowd, so that rules out the South of France!
I have spent the last few summers in Croatia, which
has a beautiful coast. Unfortunately the authorities
there see foreign boaters solely as a revenue
opportunity – they charge a very high cruising tax
and vignette for your boat, your tender, your jet ski,
etc. The marinas and harbor walls are crazy prices
Was Greece different? So different. Kind, friendly
people, no hassle from the port police or
coastguard, inexpensive marinas, and fabulous
islands that are just perfect in the summer – and
each one is different. The food is fresh and well
priced as long as you don’t go for goat, and you
cannot beat a fresh Greek salad. Plus – no jellyfish
What were you drinking on board? Yorkshire Tea at
breakfast and tea time and Campari with fresh
orange juice as an aperitif. The local Greek wines
were good, and Mythos beer slips down very easily
How’s the boat running? Like clockwork all
summer. I co-captain the boat and at one point had
to take it to Milos and then Poros with one
deckhand and a novice stewardess. Leaving Poros
the port engine wouldn’t start and I spent three
hours in the engine room, but had to give up in the
end. An MTU engineer eventually found a broken
cable to the starter motor. I love my 4000 series
MTUs – it’s the first problem in seven years