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The Dodecanese at 40 to 50m is the eastern Aegean's most flexible bracket destination and the Greek chain best positioned for dual-flag routings into Turkey. A 40 to 50m motor yacht running a Dodecanese-anchored week in 2026 peak August costs $185,000 to $275,000 per week plus 30 percent APA, takes 10 to 12 guests, and embarks at Rhodes or Kos Marina depending on which end of the chain the routing favours. The active 40 to 50m fleet calling the Dodecanese through July and August is roughly 16 yachts, a bench similar to Corfu's but with a broader anchorage map and the Turkish coast at 4 to 18nm offshore as a routing option.
Why the Dodecanese works for the bracket
Mandraki Harbour at Rhodes handles 40 to 50m at the outer alongside with full provisioning and shore power, with the Rhodes Commercial Port for the upper end above 50m. Kos Marina takes 40 to 50m at the southern basin, dredged to 5m, with full provisioning, shore power, and customs clearance for the Turkey crossover. Symi at Yialos takes the bracket at the outer alongside in the bay below the town for short stays.
The anchorages run St Paul's Bay at Lindos on Rhodes for the south-coast swim, the Symi anchorages at Pedi and Marathounta, Patmos at the Skala anchorage and Kambos bay, Lipsi for the quieter midweek, Leros at Lakki for the historical Italian-era port, Kalymnos at Vathy, Astypalaia at Pera Yialos for the deep-Dodecanese routing, and the Bodrum or Datca crossover from Kos with full Turkish clearance. The Dodecanese summer wind pattern carries the meltemi at 14 to 22 knots from the north at midday, fresher at Rhodes and the chain's eastern face and lighter inside the Turkish-coast lee.
Weekly rate map for 2026 season
Rates below are for peak weeks (mid-July through end of August) for the 2026 Greek season, before APA at 30 percent and gratuity at 10 to 15 percent. The Greek cruising tax (TEPAI), Mandraki and Kos Marina berth fees, the Symi and Patmos port fees, and the Turkish clearance fees if the routing crosses run through the APA.
| LOA bracket | Motor yacht (low to high) | Sailing yacht and large catamaran (low to high) |
|---|---|---|
| 40 to 43m | $185K to $220K per week | $160K to $195K per week |
| 43 to 47m | $210K to $245K per week | $185K to $220K per week |
| 47 to 50m | $240K to $275K per week | $210K to $245K per week |
The Dodecanese prices 3 to 5 percent above the Sporades at the same LOA and 4 to 7 percent below the Cyclades because the bracket-fit running profile is more efficient (shorter inter-island legs, more sheltered anchorages on the Turkish-coast side) and the bracket draws a different charter-client mix than Mykonos and Santorini. The Turkey crossover adds 3 to 5 percent to the APA from the clearance and the dual-flag logistics. For corridor context see the Greece bracket page, the Cyclades bracket page, and the 40 to 50m Turkey bracket.
What the bracket includes in this bracket
Cabins. 5 cabin layouts dominate, with the pattern running multi-couple seven-night chain-rotation weeks that base at Rhodes or Kos and rotate Symi, Patmos, and the Turkey shoreline.
Crew. 9 to 11 on motor yachts. The Dodecanese workload runs efficient because the inter-island distances are short (12 to 35nm legs) and the dinner shore-runs are contained at Rhodes Old Town, Symi Yialos, Patmos Chora and Skala, and the Turkish marina at Bodrum if the routing crosses. The dual-flag clearance adds a captain-task half-day at each transition.
Tenders. A primary 9m fast tender plus a 6 to 7m beach-landing secondary. St Paul's Bay at Lindos runs the secondary off the back deck and the Symi Yialos and Patmos Skala dinner shore-runs run the primary.
At-anchor stabilizers. Mandatory. The Patmos and Lipsi exposed anchorages take 0.7 to 1.0m residual chop in the midday meltemi window and the at-anchor system manages it. The Turkish-coast lee anchorages at Bozburun and the Datca peninsula run calmer.
Helipad. Useful at the upper end for the Athens transfer. Rhodes Airport handles full fixed-wing arrivals, Kos Airport runs the bracket transfers, and the helipad converts the Athens reposition into a 100-minute transfer. Touch-and-go capable yachts price 4 to 6 percent above non-helipad equivalent at peak.
Trip shapes that fit the bracket
The Rhodes and Symi seven-night. Embark Rhodes Mandraki, St Paul's Bay at Lindos for one night, Symi for two nights at Yialos and the Marathounta swim anchor, north to Patmos via Kos and Leros for two nights, return Rhodes with the Tilos and Halki stop for one night. Seven nights. The bracket fits this routing and Symi anchors the trip.
The Dodecanese and Turkey crossover seven-night. Embark Kos Marina, Bodrum for one night with full Turkish clearance, Datca peninsula at Bozburun for two nights, return to Greece at Symi for two nights, Rhodes for one night, disembark. Seven nights. A week that uses the Dodecanese as the dual-flag base.
The full Dodecanese ten-night. Embark Rhodes, Symi for two nights, Tilos and Astypalaia for two nights inside the chain, Patmos for two nights, Lipsi and Leros for two nights, Kos and Kalymnos for two nights, disembark Kos one-way. Ten nights. A bracket-fit that takes the full chain north to south.
For destination context see Charter Dodecanese, Charter Rhodes, and Best charter yachts Greece.
What the bracket does not do well in the Dodecanese
Single-flag Rhodes-only weeks. The destination's value runs north through the chain and across to the Turkish coast and a Rhodes-only week loses the bracket's footprint. The bracket's case at the Dodecanese is the chain rotation, not the embarkation island.
Turkey crossover without dual-flag pre-clearance. The Turkish customs clearance at Bodrum or Datca runs an established procedure but the bracket needs the central agent's pre-clearance file in the captain's hands before the booked week. We would pass on any Turkey-crossing peak-week plan that has the clearance pending at boarding.
Stationary Mandraki harbour weeks. The Rhodes alongside is a base and the bracket's value runs at anchor across Symi, Lindos, and the chain. We would pass on any plan that anchors the trip socially in Rhodes Old Town without the chain rotation.
What to book
For two couples, seven days in early August, Rhodes base with two nights at Symi and three nights at Patmos: a 43m motor yacht with 5 cabins and at-anchor stabilizers, embarkation Rhodes Mandraki, round trip via the Kos lay-over. Budget $220K plus APA, all-in roughly $295K. Booking lead time: 8 to 11 months.
For a family of 10, ten days in late July, full chain north to south with the Turkey crossover at Datca: a 47m motor yacht with 6 cabins, twin tenders, dual-flag clearance pre-confirmed, embarkation Rhodes, disembark Kos one-way. Budget $260K plus APA, all-in roughly $350K. Booking lead time: 10 to 13 months including dual-flag clearance lead.
For a friend group of 8, seven days in mid-September, Dodecanese shoulder with Bodrum tail and Symi midweek: a 42m motor yacht with 5 cabins, embarkation Kos, Turkish crossover for two nights at Bodrum, Greek return for the midweek. Budget $185K plus APA, all-in roughly $245K. Booking lead time: 7 to 10 months including clearance.
Vintage and refit checks
The Dodecanese 40 to 50m fleet runs eastern-Aegean tonnage with strong representation from the Turkish yards positioning out of Bodrum and Marmaris, plus the Italian and Dutch yards running the Greek summer. Benetti, Sanlorenzo, Heesen, Codecasa, Mondomarine, Sunseeker, and the larger Turkish yards (CMB, Bilgin, AvA, Mengi-Yay) dominate the calling pattern. A 2017 to 2024 build with at-anchor stabilizers, twin tenders, dual-flag operational history, and a refit within 24 months of the booked week is the zone. We would pass on any unit booked for the Dodecanese without confirmed dual-flag clearance documentation if the routing crosses, on any peak-week booking without a confirmed Symi anchorage plan, and on any unit whose tender complement is single-tender at this LOA.