boat hire in Corfu · Beneteau — Cyclades 39.3 (2008)

We did not have the best experience with this boat rental and Billy Knvs the owner. When we arrived in Corfu, the boat that I booked for 6 month earlier, for 2 weeks, was not in the marina. After waiting a few hours I was offered, for the same price, a smaller boat in replacement: “But it is better” said Billy. That boat was not safe and many things did not work on board, starting with the anchor winch. Communication with Billy was very poor and tense, he would not even come out of his office to keep us informed and we had to spend the night on board in the harbor. Billy only insisted in getting payment in cash for cleaning, insurance and safety deposit for a boat that was not safe. The next day he reluctantly gave us a bigger boat (43’ instead of 40’) after several tense exchanges and we were able to leave the harbor with a “free” paddle board and late check out as compensation. On day one we almost lost the boom, the connecting rod to the mast was not secured and we had to ask for help from another boater, there were absolutely no tools on board. We also had to fix the mast rigging which was getting loose. We found out that the autopilot didn’t work and had to come back to the harbor to get it fixed. The main sail was old, in poor shape and the genoa was old, from another boat, much too small for this Oceanis 43. The engine command did not always work, the propeller would not engage. The dinghy leaked air, had to be pumped every day, the engine leaked oil. The hatches were in poor shape, 2 did not close at all. Ropes were old and very stiff. Very few kitchen utensils were provided, making it almost impossible to cook on board. The “welcome package” did not materialize ever. The boat batteries were weak, we had to run the engines everyday to avoid low battery alarm. No 220V when motoring, only 1 USB charger for the whole boat. Overall maintenance of the boat was subpar with some safety concerns. When I returned the boat I had to go through a very detailed inspection lasting several hours, including bringing the diver to inspect the hull and deploying all the sails. It really felt that the crew was looking for a reason to keep my cash deposit. A little fun to end this depressing list: when we arrived in Othonoi, the harbor master told us: “I know that boat, it was stolen last year!” That explained that it had 2 different names, “Topaz” on the front and “Sea Flower” on the back! We nevertheless greatly enjoyed our cruise around Corfu, beautiful moorings and very nice people… I would not encourage anyone to work with this company. THE OWNER ANSWER: Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We’re truly sorry to hear that your experience didn’t meet your expectations. However, we would like to clarify a few important points to ensure an accurate understanding of the situation. First and foremost, the claim that one of our boats was “stolen” is entirely incorrect. All our vessels are legally registered, fully insured, and regularly inspected by certified professionals, in accordance with Greek maritime law and EU regulations. Regarding the boat substitution: the original yacht you booked was affected by an unexpected technical issue. We informed you immediately and, with your agreement, provided an upgrade to a larger Oceanis 43’ at no additional cost. In addition, we offered a complimentary paddle board and a late check-out as a gesture of goodwill. Many of the concerns you raised were not reported during your charter. We always encourage guests to communicate any issues in real time so that we can resolve them quickly and effectively. Our check-in, payment, and deposit procedures are standard within the charter industry and are designed to ensure a fair and transparent process for both parties. We take all feedback seriously and continuously strive to improve our services. At the same time, we stand by the professionalism of our team and the quality of our fleet. While we respect your right to express dissatisfaction, we feel your comments include some unfair and inaccurate claims which do not reflect the reality of the service provided. We hope you enjoyed the natural beauty of Corfu and wish you many safe and pleasant sailing experiences in the future. Sunsetsailing team