Have you always wanted to know more about how a yacht works? Together with you, we are preparing our GALINI in Almerimar for the winter season in the Caribbean! On this special passage, we combine relaxed coastal sailing along the Andalusian coast with a multi-day yard stay in Almerimar. You are not just a guest; you become part of the crew: you can lend a hand yourself, receive explanations of all the important systems and are actively involved in the maintenance work.
We sail together from Cartagena, past the Cabo de Gata Natural Park, to Almerimar, spend several days there in the yard and then sail on via Motril to Málaga. Along the way there is time for crew life, the wild coast of Andalusia and enjoying the golden autumn on the Mediterranean. The focus, however, is on the technical daily routine: maintenance, repairs, checks and preparations take centre stage. This gives you a unique insight into life and work on a long-distance cruising yacht.
Of course, you do not have to spend all day working with a spanner: if you want, you can use the time for excursions, exploring the town or simply relaxing. We naturally cover the harbour fees in Almerimar.
Galini, our Hanse 575, is a genuine bluewater yacht – made for living and travelling at sea. We travel with warm-hearted people, discover the world together and experience real boat life: sun, wind, salt water, small adventures and the feeling of genuinely discovering something together as a crew. Galini is at home at sea and, most of the time, far away from her home port of Poros. You will be part of life on board. Things will not always go according to plan – sometimes something breaks or the weather changes our course – but that is exactly what makes it real. We are also very happy to show you the systems on board, and you can join in with all the activities – from navigating, steering and cooking right through to the technical side. Not a cruise, but real community, authentic experiences and the magic of the sea.
We decide our stops in harbours and anchorages together. We are a crew that plans the route according to preferences, wind and weather.
The Andalusian coast between Cartagena and Málaga still offers pleasant conditions in October, with air temperatures around 20–26°C and water temperatures around 20–22°C – the last warm days of the year. The coast is varied: from historic Cartagena through the wild Cabo de Gata Natural Park to the lively Costa del Sol. The harbours along the route are close together, which offers maximum flexibility when the October weather is changeable. The Almerimar Marine Services yard at Puerto Deportivo Almerimar has a 24,000 m² dry dock, two Travelifts (60 and 100 tonnes), a covered boat hall and experienced multilingual staff – ideal conditions for all maintenance work. Cartagena is easy to reach via Murcia-Corvera Airport (RMU, ~38 km) or Alicante (ALC, ~90 km). From the destination port of Málaga, it is just a few minutes to the large international airport Málaga-Costa del Sol (AGP), with connections worldwide.
Our adventure begins in Cartagena – one of the oldest port cities in the Mediterranean. After boarding, getting to know each other and the safety briefing, we sail westwards along the coast. The first leg takes us past the impressive Cabo de Gata Natural Park – Europe’s only coastal desert with volcanic cliffs, lonely coves and the distinctive Sirens’ Reef. Via Almería we reach Almerimar, where the yard awaits us. We spend several days there together on maintenance and technical work: we inspect the rig, sails, engine, electrics, safety equipment, pumps, navigation systems and much more. You learn how to plan maintenance jobs, check spare parts and identify or fix technical problems. If you wish, you can get involved in every area – from oil changes to functional testing of all on-board systems. In between, there is time for excursions into the surrounding area, a stroll through the harbour towns or simply relaxation. Once the work is complete, we continue westwards via Motril to Málaga, where our passage ends. On the sailing legs we test all systems under way and enjoy the Andalusian coast in the golden autumn light.
You are, of course, also welcome to join us for part of the time!
The week is ideal for anyone who wants to learn more about yacht engineering, maintenance and preparation for long passages. You gain practical insights into all the systems on board, can lend a hand yourself and ask questions. Our team explains the processes, gives tips and shares experience gained from many years of bluewater sailing.
For anyone collecting miles towards their next sailing certificate: because we prepare the boat together on this passage for the Atlantic crossing, a good number of sea miles will go into the logbook. Naturally, we will issue you with an official mileage certificate at the end of the trip.
Our Galini travels the world – and you can be part of it! With us you are not an anonymous guest on a standard route, but part of a real crew discovering new horizons together. We are not a conventional charter company that runs the same trip every week. Instead, we sail together, experience genuine boat life and embrace the adventure the sea holds in store for us.
Step aboard a beautifully equipped, lovingly maintained boat and enjoy something special: with us, nothing is off the peg. Every passage is unique – sometimes spontaneous, sometimes planned, always full of surprises. Unplanned experiences are just as much a part of it as relaxed days on deck.
Do you want more than just sailing along? We look after the technical systems on board together, and you can get stuck in yourself if you like. You can turn a holiday passage into a real experience aboard an ocean-going yacht and become part of life at sea.
Our passages combine holiday, experience, mindfulness and genuine boat life. Become part of our crew and enjoy a special time aboard Galini – authentic, communal and full of spirit of adventure.
Our beautiful GALINI is a very fast, large and comfortable yacht. She spent the winter in the Caribbean and crosses the Atlantic in April/May.
She is a modern Hanse 575 with 4 double cabins and a skipper's cabin. Each cabin has its own bathroom with electric toilet. Wi-Fi via Starlink (optional), multi media, generator 220 V / 7 kW, (230 V in all cabins) washing machine, air fryer and coffee machine. She has large solar panels, radar, AIS, a watermaker, hydraulic swim platform and a tender with outboard motor. An abundance of safety and navigation equipment and much more – in short, everything needed to travel self-sufficiently without having to call at a supply port. A yacht that meets the highest standards of safety, design and comfort.
The sailing characteristics are also outstanding! The Hanse was designed by Volvo Ocean Racers and is the fastest yacht in her class. The joy of sailing is guaranteed!
In October, the Andalusian south coast shows its mild side: a pleasant 20–26°C during the day and rarely below 14°C at night. The sun shines for an average of 8 hours per day, and longer wet spells are rare – short showers can occur, but are usually over quickly. Winds blow predominantly from westerly to southerly directions at 2–4 Beaufort, making for comfortable conditions when sailing and working on deck. Occasionally, the Gota Fría can bring strong winds and rain at short notice – but the close succession of harbours along the coast always offers safe alternative options. The sea is still 20–22°C – a final dip in the Mediterranean before winter is entirely possible.
Anyone can, if they want, help with sailing, take the helm now and then, or simply enjoy the beautiful nature and the day. In addition, everyone is jointly responsible for the crew's well-being. This means that everyone takes their turn preparing breakfast or looking after dinner. Usually the hobby cooks on board quickly emerge, and those who are not so into cooking simply stand back and do the washing up. When berthing and casting off, everyone generally lends a hand according to their abilities and after instruction from the skipper. The boat must be kept clean by the crew members during the voyage. The final cleaning, however, is carried out by the marina staff.
All crew members (except the skipper) pay an amount agreed together into the kitty. During the voyage, this kitty covers all joint costs incurred (e.g. diesel, harbour fees, deposit insurance, transit log, tourist tax, national and nature park fees, service pack for the provided bed linen, final cleaning, gas, marina fee for the first and last night in harbour, etc.). In keeping with old seafaring tradition, the crew also covers the skipper's food during the voyage.
Berth charter is the best opportunity for anyone who wants to get to know sailing life. Prior knowledge or your own sailing experience is not necessary. Perhaps you have already gained sailing experience and completed sailing training and want to deepen it? – Then the skipper will give you the opportunity to try things out for yourself and help you gain future confidence. The crew can help shape the course of the voyage and their wishes will be heard, subject to safety and weather. On such a trip you meet like-minded people, can make new pleasant acquaintances, and have an experienced skipper at your side who takes care of all nautical matters. The cabins on the yacht are mostly different, but very similarly equipped. The berths are allocated by the skipper taking crew wishes into account. Whole cabins can be chartered by individuals, couples or families. Payment is per person and you don't have to worry about anything else.
We want to make sailing more sustainable and environmentally friendly. On GALINI we test various products that provide a great sailing experience while putting less strain on the environment. At the same time, she is on a journey to explore the world. Her base is on Poros, Greece. Most of the time, however, she is on a long voyage. Our small team of skippers looks forward to sharing a real sailing experience with you!
