Sailboat charter in Antalya

Sailboat charter in Antalya on this page means three sailing yachts for 4 to 6 guests, all based in Kemer: two 13-metre Jeanneaus from ₺27,700 per half day and the Beneteau Oceanis 320 from ₺25,000 per day. Below are the yachts, the cost of a half day or a day, the skipper and licence rules, Kemer Marina, the routes and the season.

Three sailboats: two 13-metre Jeanneaus and a Beneteau Oceanis 320

This page brings together three sailing yachts for 4 to 6 guests, all based in Kemer: two 13-metre Jeanneau Sun Odyssey models and the 9.6-metre Beneteau Oceanis 320.

The three sailboats side by side

The Sun Odyssey 42 DS, a deck salon cruiser

The Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 42 DS is a French sailing yacht designed by Marc Lombard as a cruiser; the letters DS stand for Deck Salon. Jeanneau built it in France from 2007, and it is now out of production. The hull is mostly fibreglass with wood trim, the rig is a fractional sloop with a deck-stepped mast, and the keel is a fixed fin or an optional shoal-draft version. Its length overall is 12.93 metres, which is the 13 metres given for the yacht in Kemer. That yacht has two cabins, a master and a double, and two guest toilets with showers. It takes 4 guests both on a sail and overnight, a limit set by regulation that counts children and infants as well as adults. Two couples who want a cabin each fit this yacht exactly.

The Sun Odyssey 44 for six guests

The Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 44 is the other 13-metre yacht in Kemer, and it takes 6 guests under sail, children and infants included. It has two cabins with room for 4 people, a toilet, a galley with a refrigerator and a coffee machine, a swim ladder, a sound system with a USB input and outdoor speakers, life jackets and a lifebuoy, plus a shower for swimming trips. Jeanneau is a French boatyard in Les Herbiers, in the Vendée, founded by Henri Jeanneau and building yachts since 1957. In 1995 it was bought by Groupe Beneteau, which makes Jeanneau and Bénéteau, the builder of the Oceanis 320 on this page, sister brands. A group of five or six fits aboard this yacht and not on the other two.

The Beneteau Oceanis 320, the compact one

The Beneteau Oceanis 320 is a 9.6-metre sailing yacht for 4 guests, with two cabins, four berths and one toilet. It is the shortest of the three by more than three metres. Bénéteau was founded in 1884 by the shipwright Benjamin Bénéteau at Croix-de-Vie in France to build sailing trawlers, and Oceanis is the company's more conventional cruising range. The Oceanis 320 in Kemer has a daily price rather than a half-day one, and a skipper is offered with it. My advice: choose it for a couple or a small family who want a whole day aboard for less than a Jeanneau half-day price, and pick one of the 13-metre Jeanneaus for more length.

Guests under sail and berths at night

The guest number under sail and the number of people who can sleep on board can differ. The Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 44 takes 6 guests on a sail, but its two cabins hold 4 people. The Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 42 DS takes 4 guests on a sail and 4 overnight. The Beneteau Oceanis 320 has four berths for its 4 guests. If a skipper is added for a night on board, check whether a cabin or another sleeping place has to be kept for him, because that changes how many guests can stay. For sailboat charter in Antalya with an overnight plan, count the beds first and the seats second, and send both numbers with the dates.

Half-day and day prices for the three yachts

Two of the yachts have a half-day price and one a full-day price. Convert each into a total for the hours you want under sail and the size of your group.

Starting price of each sailboat

The Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 42 DS is a 13-metre sailing yacht for up to 4 guests from ₺27,700 per half day. The Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 44 is a 13-metre sailing yacht for up to 6 guests from ₺27,700 per half day. The Beneteau Oceanis 320 is a 9.6-metre sailing yacht for up to 4 guests from ₺25,000 per day. The two Jeanneaus start at the same price, so the difference between them is space, not money. Shared by a full yacht, the half-day price comes to ₺6,925 per guest on the Sun Odyssey 42 DS and about ₺4,617 per guest on the Sun Odyssey 44, while the Oceanis 320 comes to ₺6,250 per guest. For sailboat rental in Antalya with six people, the Sun Odyssey 44 gives the smallest figure per head of the three.

Prices for one and two units

What a half day and a full day mean

On the two Jeanneaus the half-day sail runs from 10:00 to 15:00, with boarding at 9:45, and the full day from 10:00 to 18:00. A sunset sail with dinner runs from 16:00 to 20:00. The Sun Odyssey 44 has a minimum hire of 4 hours, so the four-hour sunset sail fits its rules. The Beneteau Oceanis 320 has a daily rate: three days come to ₺75,000 and seven days to ₺175,000 at the daily rate. What do five hours buy? Five hours on the water cover the half-day route to three bays south of Kemer with a lunch stop, and the eight-hour version is longer; the skipper confirms which bays it adds. Ask the manager for the eight-hour figure on the Jeanneaus before deciding between the two.

What the starting price does not show

• Skipper and fuel: on some sailboats the skipper fee and fuel are charged apart from the yacht, so ask what the figure covers.
• Food on board: the half-day programme on the Jeanneaus is built around lunch at anchor; confirm what is served.
• Swimming: on the Sun Odyssey 44 a swimming trip is a separate option that has to be chosen in advance.
• Getting to Kemer: the marina is 47.7 km by road from the centre of Antalya, so plan the drive or a transfer.
• The total for your date: the manager confirms the yacht, the hours and the final figure before the booking is agreed.

Skipper or bareboat: what a sailboat charter needs

Whether you need a sailing qualification depends on who sails the yacht. With a skipper on board, the guests do not handle navigation; without one, the charterer has to show competence.

The two Jeanneaus sail with a captain

The Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 42 DS and the Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 44 are chartered with a captain on board and are not offered without one. The crew on the Sun Odyssey 42 DS speaks Turkish and English. A professional skipper handles navigation while the guests relax, swim and eat, and that is what makes a skippered sailing yacht in Antalya the practical choice for travellers with no sailing experience. Sails give the trip its character, while the auxiliary engine is normally used in harbours, so expect to motor out of Kemer Marina and raise the sails once clear of it. If anyone in the group wants to take the helm or trim a sail, ask the manager whether the captain welcomes it.

Bareboat: sailing without a skipper

A bareboat charter is the hire of a yacht with no crew included, and around Kemer it suits qualified, experienced sailors. Bareboat charters generally require an appropriate sailing qualification, and formal certificates or documented experience may be asked for. Turkey requires evidence of competence from the person in charge of a pleasure craft, and for a yacht under a UK flag an International Certificate of Competence valid for the vessel concerned is generally accepted and recommended. Travellers without that background choose a skippered charter instead. On this page the two Jeanneaus go out with a captain in every case, and the Beneteau Oceanis 320 comes with a skipper offered. For sailboat charter in Antalya without a skipper, mention your certificates in the request; the yachts on this page are not offered for bareboat, and the manager says whether any option exists.

What the skipper decides on the water

The skipper chooses the route to suit the wind, the cove for lunch and the moment to head back. Around Kemer individual coves protect against different wind directions, so a bay that is calm in the morning may not be the one for the afternoon. Even in summer, the coast at Kemer should not be treated as uniformly sheltered water. That is why a route written in advance is a plan rather than a fixed list: the skipper may swap Phaselis for Ayışığı Bay or cut a stop short when the wind rises. Trust that judgement. A shorter route in calm water suits most guests better than a longer one in a rough sea.

Questions to ask before you book

• Skipper: confirm that the captain is part of the price and which languages he speaks.
• Sleeping: for a night on board, ask where the skipper sleeps and how many guest berths remain.
• Route: ask which bays the sail covers and how long the yacht stays at each.
• Weather: ask what happens to the booking if the wind is too strong, and get the cancellation terms in writing.

Kemer: the marina where the sailboats are based

All three sailboats on this page are based in Kemer, a resort town on the coast west of Antalya. Sailboats are also found in Kaş and in Antalya itself, but in smaller numbers.

Kemer and its marina

Kemer is a seaside resort, municipality and district of Antalya Province on the Gulf of Antalya, with 53 km of sea coast and the slopes of the western Taurus Mountains behind it. Its economy is mostly based on tourism. Kemer Marina sits within the resort centre, has 320 berths and several restaurants, and also serves as a winter base for liveaboard sailors from the United States, England and elsewhere in Europe. For sailboat charter from Kemer, this marina is where the yachts are based, and on the Sun Odyssey 42 DS overnight guests may also spend the last night of a charter in the marina. The marina's restaurants make a meal ashore before or after a sail easy to plan.

Distance and drive time from the centre of Antalya

Getting to Kemer on the day

Kemer is 47.7 km by road from Cumhuriyet Square in the centre of Antalya, about 40 minutes without traffic. With boarding at 9:45 for a half-day or full-day sail, guests staying in the city should plan to leave by about 8:45 to arrive with a margin. The road from the city passes Konyaaltı, 6.9 km from the centre, on the way west. Guests arriving by air land at Antalya Airport, 15.6 km from the centre, about 19 minutes away; the drive from the airport to Kemer is not measured on this page, so ask the manager when to set off. A transfer from Antalya is offered as an extra service for the Sun Odyssey 44; ask the manager for its price before the date.

Kaş and other sailing bases

Kemer is one of several places to find a sailboat in the province. Kaş, 187.6 km from the centre of Antalya and about 154 minutes by road, has Bavaria sailing yachts of 12 to 14 metres. It is a small fishing, diving, yachting and tourist town on a hill running down to the Turquoise Coast, and a common excursion from it is Kekova island in the neighbouring Demre district. About 6 km offshore lies the Greek islet of Kastelórizo. A few sailing yachts are also kept in Antalya itself, while the two city marinas, Kaleiçi and Setur, are used mainly by motor yachts and excursion boats. From a base in the city, Kemer is the realistic choice; Kaş suits a longer stay in the west of the province.

Routes from Kemer: Phaselis, the bays and the way to Kekova

From Kemer the classic routes run south along the coast: a short sail to the bays near Phaselis, a longer one to Tekirova, and multi-day voyages past Olympos and Adrasan.

The short route south of the marina

Kemer's strongest short itinerary runs south from the marina towards Ayışığı Bay, Alacasu and Phaselis. On the two Jeanneaus, the half-day sail calls at Phaselis Bay, Cennet Bay and Ay Işığı Bay, and the bays of the 10:00 to 18:00 sail are confirmed by the skipper for the date. The sunset sail with dinner goes to Cennet Bay and Ay Işığı Bay. Ayışığı and Ay Işığı are two spellings of the same bay. Ask the skipper how long the yacht stays at each stop, and which one suits a swim on the day.

Phaselis, the city of three harbours

Phaselis is an ancient Greek and Roman city on the coast of ancient Lycia, and its ruins stand north of the modern town of Tekirova in the Kemer district. It has three harbours: the Northern Harbour, the Battle Harbour and the Protected, or Sun, Harbour. A 24-metre-wide ancient street runs through the middle of the city, and the site lies between the Bey Mountains and the forests of the Olympos National Park. The city developed around its three natural harbours, so it is a sight made to be approached by water. Ask the skipper to anchor in Phaselis Bay long enough for a swim with the ruins in view.

Further south and multi-day voyages

Further south, Tekirova and Üç Adalar, the Three Islands, bring more open water, a different sail from the sheltered bays nearer Kemer. Longer blue-voyage itineraries continue past Olympos and Adrasan towards Kekova. The Sun Odyssey 44 offers an overnight voyage of at least three days, with stops at Porto Ceneviz, Sazak Bay, Maden Bay, Kleopatra Bay, Phaselis Bay and Ay Işığı Bay. On the Sun Odyssey 42 DS the minimum overnight charter is one night, and overnight guests check in at 10:00 and check out at 18:00. A multi-night route turns a sail into a short cruise: plan provisions, sleeping arrangements and the skipper's berth with the manager before the date.

The Blue Cruise tradition

A Blue Cruise, also called a Blue Voyage, is a recreational sailing trip along the Turkish Riviera on the Aegean and Mediterranean coast. It is usually a week-long trip aboard the local gulet schooners, sailing to ancient cities, harbours, tombs and beaches in small coves. Voyages can start from Bodrum, Marmaris, Fethiye or Antalya, and the Isle of Kekova is among the popular destinations. The sailboats on this page bring the same coast within reach on a smaller scale: five hours, eight hours or a few nights instead of a week. For a gulet or a motor yacht from the city, see the yacht section; for a sail with a small group, the three yachts in Kemer are the place to start.

Season, wind and the sea for sailing

Sailing around Antalya follows the dry season. Summer is the main period, the shoulder months depend on the weather, and from November to March trips are less regular.

When the sailing season runs

The sailing season around Antalya runs from May to October, with the peak in July and August. In April and November yachts go out on days of good weather, and in summer it pays to book ahead. June and September offer a favourable balance of warm water, low rainfall and dependable summer conditions, which makes them a good choice for a first sail. From November to March, wetter and more variable weather makes trips less regular. Antalya has hot, dry summers and mild, rainy winters. For sailboat charter in Antalya in April or November, keep a spare date in the plan, because a windy morning can move the sail.

Sea temperature through the season

Wind, coves and the shoulder months

Wind is what moves a sailboat, and it is also what changes the plan. Around Kemer individual coves protect against different wind directions, so the skipper picks the anchorage on the morning. In the shoulder months the sea is cooler and rain is more frequent: Antalya averages about 6 rain days in April and about 7 in November, against about 5 in May and October. November also brings 152.2 mm of rain on average against 37.0 mm in May. The water in November is still 21.1 °C, as warm as in May, so a calm November morning can still bring a fine sail. Swimming from the yacht is warmest from June to October, with water between 24.7 °C and 28.8 °C.

Booking ahead in summer

Summer is the busiest time in Kemer, and a reservation at least one to two weeks in advance is the usual advice for the peak months. With three sailboats in Kemer on this page, and few sailing yachts on this stretch of coast overall, a given date can go quickly in July and August. Book earlier still when planning an overnight voyage, which ties up the yacht for several days, or for a date that cannot move. When you send the request, give the date, the number of guests with children, whether you want five hours, eight hours or nights on board, and whether anyone holds a sailing qualification.

Key points before you book a sailboat

A short summary of the three yachts, their prices and what shapes a sail out of Kemer.

The yachts and the cost

• Four guests, two cabins: the Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 42 DS, 13 metres, from ₺27,700 per half day.
• Six guests by day: the Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 44, 13 metres, from ₺27,700 per half day, about ₺4,617 per guest.
• A whole day for four: the Beneteau Oceanis 320, 9.6 metres, from ₺25,000 per day.
• Half day: on the Jeanneaus it runs from 10:00 to 15:00; the full day runs from 10:00 to 18:00.

Skipper, base and season

• Skipper: the two Jeanneaus sail with a captain; a bareboat charter needs a sailing qualification.
• Base: Kemer Marina, 47.7 km and about 40 minutes by road from the centre of Antalya.
• Season: May to October, peak in July and August; April and November on days of good weather.
• Next step: send the date, the number of guests and the length of the sail, and the manager confirms the yacht and the final figure.