Fethiye carries the largest concentration of gulets and wooden boats on the coast, alongside a charter sailing fleet. Two very different survey disciplines meet in one bay, and the depth of local craftsmanship is a genuine advantage when findings turn into work.
In the Fethiye bays the recurring items split by material. On wooden hulls: fastening corrosion, opening caulking seams, deck leaks and the standard of the electrical installation. On composite charter boats: rudder bearings, winch wear and core wetting around deck hardware.
1. Surveying in Fethiye: Local Conditions
| Marinas and berthing | Ece Saray Marina, Fethiye Municipality Marina, Letoonia, with Göcek marinas half an hour away |
|---|---|
| Wind and sea | The bay is sheltered; wind and sea change along Ölüdeniz and the Yedi Burunlar. Southerly systems dominate in winter. |
| Fleet profile | Gulets and wooden boats in number, plus a charter sailing fleet and a growing number of privately owned motor yachts. |
| What comes forward in survey | On wooden hulls the fastenings come first, then caulking and surface. On gulets the electrical installation is the most frequently recorded group of defects. |
| Lifting and planning | Lifting and traditional slipping facilities are both available, and the range of wooden boat trades is among the best in Türkiye. |
| Customs | Fethiye is a customs port; transit log formalities can be handled here. |
2. Wooden Hulls: Where the Work Starts
On a wooden boat the visible surface tells you least. Paint and varnish can be immaculate over timber that has lost its fastenings, and a boat that looks tired can be structurally sound. Work, and survey, start at the fastenings.
What that means in practice: selective withdrawal of fastenings to see what condition they are in below the surface, examination of the seams rather than the paint over them, checking where frames meet the keel, and reading the bilge for what it says about how long water has been standing. On a gulet, access behind the interior panelling is limited, which is why a damp trace inside carries more weight than it would on a composite boat.
The other recurring item on this coast is the electrical installation. Gulets are often wired and rewired over decades, by several hands, without a single scheme. Cable sizing, circuit protection and the bonding arrangement are the most frequently recorded group of defects in this fleet, and the ones most directly linked to fire risk.
3. What the Survey Covers
| Area | Method and instruments |
|---|---|
| Hull and structure | Moisture readings on a grid (Tramex), sounding with a phenolic hammer, keel attachment, rudder and shaft line |
| Deck and fittings | Core condition around hardware, chainplate bedding, hatches and portlights, teak thickness where fitted |
| Rig | Tension measured with a Loos gauge, terminals and swages under magnification, mast step and spreaders |
| Machinery | Cold start, temperatures and vibration under staged load, leakage traces, belts and circuits, service record consistency |
| Electrical | True RMS measurement, cable sizing and protection, bonding continuity, stray current, battery condition |
| Plumbing and safety | Seacocks and hoses, bilge pumps and alarm, gas installation, fire equipment and service dates |
| Documents | Registration, hull number agreement, CE/RCD, transit log history on foreign-flagged boats |
4. What You Receive
- A report of 70+ pages with photographs, delivered in 2-3 working days, in English or Turkish
- Findings in A-B-C priority classes, safety first, then this season, then planned maintenance
- Measurement values with the conditions under which they were taken, and any limitations stated plainly
- A negotiating position you can put in front of a seller, item by item
- The report archived for 24 months; it belongs to whoever commissioned it and goes to nobody else
Delivery distances and fees from Fethiye (2026)
| Route | Distance | Non-stop | Overnight stops | Sailing yacht 40 ft | Motor yacht 40 ft (fuel extra) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fethiye → Göcek | 10 NM | half a day | half a day | €150 + VAT | €150 + VAT |
| Fethiye → Marmaris | 45 NM | 1 day | 1 day | €150 + VAT | €150 + VAT |
| Fethiye → Bodrum | 110 NM | 1 day | 3 days | €550 + VAT | €150 + VAT |
| Fethiye → Didim | 130 NM | 2 days | 3 days | €850 + VAT | €150 + VAT |
| Fethiye → Kuşadası | 169 NM | 2 days | 4 days | €1,100 + VAT | €550 + VAT |
| Fethiye → Teos (Seferihisar) | 190 NM | 2 days | 4 days | €1,100 + VAT | €550 + VAT |
| Fethiye → Çeşme | 206 NM | 2 days | 5 days | €1,100 + VAT | €550 + VAT |
| Fethiye → İzmir | 266 NM | 3 days | 6 days | €1,400 + VAT | €550 + VAT |
| Fethiye → Ayvalık | 270 NM | 3 days | 6 days | €1,400 + VAT | €550 + VAT |
| Fethiye → Istanbul (Ataköy) | 453 NM | 4 days | 10 days | €2,500 + VAT | €1,100 + VAT |
Departure: Fethiye; 40 ft with skipper, April-October, excluding VAT, fuel, provisions and marina fees (November-March +20%). Days assume about 5 knots: some 120 NM a day non-stop, about 48 NM with overnight stops. Other boats and dates: delivery calculator; more legs: delivery routes.
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