APHRODITE is a twenty-four metre classic motor sailer built in 1970 by the Psaros Shipyard in Piraeus, and she offers something increasingly rare: an authentic, characterful sailing experience wrapped in the warmth of a genuine wooden yacht. Timber hulled and timber decked, refitted in 2006 and lovingly maintained since, she carries the graceful lines and unhurried pace of another era, and she is exactly the yacht for guests who want a Greek summer spent close to the water, moving quietly between the islands rather than racing past them.
She sleeps nine guests across four cabins, two doubles, a triple and a twin, each with its own bathroom. The interior is all warm varnished timber, panelled and trimmed in the traditional way, with framed prints, brass fittings and soft navy and white linens that give the cabins a calm, nautical feel. It is a snug, honest interior rather than a showy one, comfortable and cool below decks, and it suits the character of the yacht: this is a boat to slow down aboard, not to be impressed by.
Her main salon is a single warm room lined with cushioned settees along the windows, a low table at the centre and light pouring in through the blinds. It is the natural gathering place in the cooler part of the day, an easy spot for a drink, a game of cards or a long lunch out of the sun, and its timber panelling and classic detailing give it a character that a modern interior cannot copy. Large windows keep it bright and connected to the anchorage on every side.
Life aboard happens outside, and her decks are made for it. A broad run of sun pads forward gives the whole group somewhere to stretch out in the sun, the long teak side decks are a pleasure to walk, and the traditional bowsprit is the best seat on the yacht for watching the coast slide by. Aft, a shaded deck sets a table for al fresco meals a step from the sea, and a swim platform drops straight to the water for a morning swim. She raises her sails when the wind allows and motors comfortably when it does not.
She cruises the Greek islands at an easy, classic pace, comfortable at around seven knots and quiet under way, with the shallow, forgiving manner of a traditional hull that lets her tuck into small harbours and quiet bays. From a base in Greece the Cyclades, the Saronic Gulf and the mainland coast are all within reach, and a week aboard settles into a gentle rhythm of swimming, long lunches at anchor and evenings in a whitewashed island town.
A crew of three looks after the nine guests aboard, running the sailing, the cooking and the water sports with the easy familiarity of a small, well-drilled team. The galley turns out generous Greek cooking, the snorkelling gear and paddleboards come out through the day, and the tender keeps the shore and the tavernas within reach in the evening. It is an unhurried, personal way to charter, shaped around the group and the weather rather than a fixed programme.
APHRODITE suits couples, families and small groups who want a real, characterful sailing yacht for the Greek islands rather than a modern white hull: four ensuite cabins, a warm timber salon, a foredeck of sun pads and an authentic classic under sail. She is graceful, comfortable and quietly romantic, a gentle base for an unhurried summer among the islands of Greece.
