Yacht care and winter maintenance
A sailing yacht may look ready for another season while the winter work is already waiting beneath the waterline, inside a sail bag or behind the engine cover. Antifouling that is losing adhesion, a worn anode, a leaking hatch or a damaged sail seam each needs a different response. Winter is the opportunity to deal with those jobs together, while there is time to inspect, plan and complete the work properly.
YOLO Charters takes on winter maintenance and repair programmes from our Preveza base, with particular attention to sailing yachts and catamarans. We also arrange work for motorboats, RIBs and other vessels, matching the team and facilities to the boat and the job. From collection in the Ionian to the final recommissioning checks, you have one team coordinating the agreed work and keeping you informed.
A work plan for your boat, rather than a generic winter package
The starting point is the boat's condition and your priorities. We review the maintenance history, photograph the areas that need attention and separate routine servicing from repairs that require further investigation. You can ask us to manage the entire winter or a defined part of it.
The scope may include hull preparation and antifouling, topside finishing, composite repairs, sails and canvas, rigging and deck gear, engines and drives, electrical and water systems, cleaning and spring preparation. We agree what is included, what needs specialist assessment and what requires your approval before additional work proceeds. Storage, lifting and transport are identified separately in the proposal where relevant.
Collection and delivery throughout the Ionian
Your boat does not need to be in Preveza already. We can arrange collection from across the Ionian and coordinate her transfer for the agreed maintenance programme. Tell us her current location, condition and the dates when she becomes available; we will work through the practical arrangements with you.
Corfu, Paxos, Lefkada, Meganisi, Ithaca, Kefalonia and Zakynthos all involve different distances and handover arrangements. The transfer plan takes account of the vessel's readiness, weather, access and the crew or transport required. Collection is a service to be agreed, rather than an automatic inclusion in every maintenance quote.
Haul-out and time ashore with a purpose
For work below the waterline, we coordinate the lift-out, the agreed dry-storage arrangements and the sequence of yard work. A clean hull makes it possible to inspect areas that are difficult to assess afloat: keel and rudder surfaces, through-hulls, propeller and shaft or saildrive, anodes and the condition of previous coatings.
Time ashore should follow the work, not the other way around. Preparation, repairs, coating application and curing need to be scheduled in the right order, with launch planned around the actual products, conditions and outstanding jobs. We coordinate with the yard and the relevant trades so that an unfinished repair is not hidden under a rushed cosmetic finish.
Antifouling starts with the surface underneath
Fresh antifouling is only one stage of the job. We assess the existing coating, its adhesion and its compatibility with the proposed system before deciding how much preparation is needed. Cleaning, removal of loose material, controlled sanding or another suitable removal method, local fairing and priming are specified for the actual hull.
We arrange antifouling application with attention to the waterline, keel and rudder as well as the main hull surfaces. Product choice, film build, overcoating and launch windows follow the manufacturer's current technical data and the substrate, rather than a universal recipe. Preparation also needs suitable personal protection and collection of coating residues; uncontrolled dry sanding of antifouling is not the approach.
GRP repairs, gelcoat, sanding and painting
A superficial gelcoat chip and a crack involving the laminate or core are different repairs. We arrange assessment of damaged areas before agreeing the repair method, from local gelcoat restoration and fairing to composite work that needs a specialist. Suspicious blistering or moisture deserves diagnosis; it should not simply disappear beneath filler and paint.
Finishing work can include surface preparation, sanding, suitable coating systems, topside painting and polishing, according to the boat's construction and the agreed result. We also address the small defects that affect everyday ownership: worn seals, water entry around fittings and damaged deck surfaces. Any finding that changes the scope is discussed before it becomes additional work.
Sail washing and repairs that respect the cloth
Sails are working equipment, not ordinary laundry. We arrange removal, inspection, appropriate washing, thorough drying and storage, with cleaning matched to the sailcloth and construction. Woven cruising sails, laminates and other specialist materials should not all receive the same chemical treatment.
Winter is a useful time to inspect stitching, UV covers, batten pockets, reinforcement patches and chafe points. Repairs can be coordinated with the appropriate sailmaker before the sails are refitted. Biminis, sprayhoods, lazy bags and covers can also be cleaned, checked and repaired as agreed. Packing equipment away damp only stores the next problem for spring.
Rigging, winches and the equipment a sailing yacht relies on
Our sailing-yacht focus extends beyond the sails. We coordinate checks of standing and running rigging, furling equipment, blocks, lines, deck fittings and winches, with specialist rigging work where required. The inspection scope is agreed for the individual rig; a visual check is not presented as a structural certification.
Steering, control cables, the quadrant and autopilot connections deserve attention too. Anchor chain, shackles, lifelines, stanchions and cleats are part of the same working picture. Recording wear during winter allows repair and replacement decisions to be made before the boat is needed for the next departure.
Engine, saildrive, propeller and anode care
We arrange mechanical servicing and storage preparation according to the installed equipment and its maintenance record. The work list may cover lubricants and filters, belts, impellers, cooling circuits, fuel-system checks, gearbox or saildrive inspection, seals and the outboard. The correct engine manual and the mechanic's assessment determine the procedure.
Below the waterline, we check the areas around propellers, shafts or saildrives and the condition of sacrificial anodes. A worn anode is a reason to inspect the protection system, not simply an item to paint over. Generator, watermaker, refrigeration and air-conditioning servicing can be coordinated where fitted and included in the agreed scope.
Water systems, batteries and checks during winter storage
A complete lay-up plan also addresses freshwater and waste systems, toilets, hoses, seacocks, pumps and bilges. We arrange the appropriate preparation and inspect for leakage, worn components and water ingress. Electrical checks can include batteries, charging equipment, lighting, navigation instruments, VHF and the anchor windlass.
Battery care must suit the battery chemistry and the installed charging system. Interior cleaning, ventilation, moisture checks and inspection of hatches and seals can form part of the agreed storage programme. We can also coordinate due servicing of safety equipment through the appropriate specialists, rather than treating winter care as a hull-painting exercise alone.
Sailing yachts are a focus, not a limit
We welcome enquiries for monohull sailing yachts and catamarans, motor yachts and smaller motorboats, RIBs and other vessels. The right programme depends on construction, size, machinery and the condition of the boat. Fibreglass, metalwork, inflatable tubes, rigging and propulsion call for different skills; the team is assembled around the work required.
Beyond the Ionian, we also work with teams and partners in other parts of Greece. Tell us where your boat is and what needs doing. We will confirm the suitable local arrangement or transfer plan before proposing a programme; we do not assume that every job needs the boat moved to the same yard.
Know what has been done before the boat returns to the water
For boats enrolled in our winter-care programme, the Owner Dashboard provides a shared reference for the winter work: the relevant period, task progress, recorded completion dates, photographs and the notes intended for the owner. Reports help you review the completed work without piecing together messages from different trades.
The final stage is recommissioning. We coordinate refitting stored sails and equipment, the agreed checks of batteries and onboard systems, and review of completed and outstanding items before launch and handover. A work item marked complete, an approved extra and a paid invoice are separate things; clear records keep those conversations straightforward.
Tell us about your boat and request a winter-maintenance quote
You can ask for a complete winter programme or a specific job. Send us the boat's model, year, length and construction, her current location, engine details where relevant, your preferred dates and a description of the work. Recent photographs and previous service records help us identify what can be quoted immediately and what first needs inspection.
We will discuss the scope, the collection or delivery arrangements, yard requirements and the work that needs specialist assessment. The proposal should make the agreed services and any separate costs clear, so that you know what you are approving. Contact YOLO Charters to plan the winter around your boat and the season ahead.
Questions owners often ask
Can you maintain a boat that is not chartered or managed by YOLO?
Yes. Winter maintenance can be a standalone service. We can agree a complete programme or selected work without taking on the boat's charter bookings or commercial management.
Can you collect my boat from elsewhere in the Ionian?
Yes, collection can be arranged across the Ionian. The practical plan and cost depend on location, vessel readiness, weather and the crew or transport required, and are agreed before the move.
Does a winter-maintenance quote automatically include storage and lifting?
No assumption is made. The proposal identifies the work and any agreed lifting, storage, transport or third-party charges separately, so the scope is clear before you approve it.
Can you deal with antifouling, painting and GRP repairs in one programme?
Yes. Those tasks can be coordinated together, with assessment and structural or moisture-related work completed before the appropriate finishing stages. The exact method is specified for the boat and the condition found.
Can all sails be washed in the same way?
No. Cleaning and handling must suit the material and construction. We arrange appropriate inspection, cleaning, drying and any sailmaker repairs rather than applying one treatment to every sail.
Will I be consulted if additional repairs are found?
The work list and approval arrangements are agreed with you. Findings that change the scope are reported so that additional work and costs can be reviewed before proceeding under that agreement.
Photographs and technical references
Technical photographs are illustrative examples from other boats and locations, not a portfolio of YOLO work. Individual credits, source locations and free licences are listed below.
- Assembly in Progress — Paul Schultz. CC BY 2.0. Resized and converted to WebP; metadata removed.
- 20110601 Dobson Travel Lift.JPG — Ken Heaton. CC BY-SA 3.0. Resized and converted to WebP; metadata removed.
- Modern Sail Repair Nelson Dockyard English Harbour Antigua — amanderson2. CC BY 2.0. Resized and converted to WebP; metadata removed.
- 09-03-20 02:01 PM — Shane Desloges. CC BY-SA 2.0. Resized and converted to WebP; metadata removed.
Work methods follow the installed equipment, the relevant manufacturer's instructions and the agreed scope. Images of damage or coatings are not a diagnosis of your boat.
International Yacht Paint · WEST SYSTEM · North Sails · YANMAR