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To start this newsletter, let me introduce you to The Little Owl cottage near Rachi, Nidri. This cottage is an absolute gem and I found it by a chance conversation with Simon and Lucy of Get Active whom I have known for over 15 years, when I made a recent booking for my Norwegian couple who sailed with me to have 4 E-bikes for a day’s biking adventure.

Simon and Lucy had lived in this cottage since 2007 and rebuilt it themselves before building a new home close by with their workshop etc. But this early summer had it ready for rental for the first time.

It’s here, down amongst the trees and olive groves. Secluded, yes, but as one can see very close to Nidri and the sea and islands of the Meganissi channel. The small track brings one to the front yard of the Little Owl Cottage, just perfect after a day on the water sailing to return to this totally different atmosphere for a relaxing evening away from the bustle of the waterside hotels and apartments.

It is very evident that the rebuild work of the cottage has been carried out in a very professional and creative manner. With my background as a cabinetmaker and joiner I really appreciate the quality of work and fittings used, the simple design mode and great colours to open up the area. And not a flat-pack cabinet in sight!

For those who would like to explore the area further, I am able to offer road and mountain biking through Lucy and Simon and their bike hire business, Get Active. This goes so well together with sailing on my charter packages and it’s a great way to see this area of the South Ionian Sea from another perspective.

John and Karri, who are originally from the States but are now resident in Norway, booked well in advance for a late July week along with great friends Per and his wife Bridget, having 2 side-by-side apartments with Peter at the Armonia. John had the more sailing experience amongst the group, so after spending a day on board with them showing how the boat was rigged, etc., John took over command and on a daily basis went out and explored the bays and coves of the Meganissi Channel. A great experience for John, who is himself looking to buy an early Mk 1 Lugger from a good pal in Norway. These Drascombe boats get everywhere.

To have a change of scene and environment, they opted to hire E bikes for their last day, and Lucy kindly delivered the bikes to them at the Armonia. What great service, and our thanks to Lucy for her kind organisation.

It’s quite a climb up to top of Lefkada but the Ebike makes light work of it and you can enjoy some great views!

Polykarpos (Pol) and his family joined me for the first week in August. This is a first on two accounts. Firstly a Greek family booking a Lugger charter package. Secondly the youngest, Victoria, was just 3 years old. It was a delight to spend my week with then ensuring the girls had a good experience of being on a small boat, and for Pol an introduction to the Drascombe Lugger that he has been following for a number of years on my two websites.

Initially Pol had a problem with his overseas work commitments in China and beyond, so dates for an apartment at the Armomia didn’t click. Thankfully he was able to swing a few things and booked the week. You will note in this first photograph that the family are all wearing a Drascombe T-shirt which he had printed in Athens at very short notice. It depicts the Luggers and the 2026 adventure for the Palainis Family – Pol and Efi with children Victoria and Konsandina, to celebrate their visit.

From the outset I was conscious that this could not be a usual sailing charter with 2 kids of this age. However Pol was so interested and involved with the Lugger I had to try and meet his expectations.

On the first morning I met up with Pol after their very enjoyable buffet breakfast at the Armonia apartments and gave him a run down on the rigging arrangements on the boat, along with all the statutory safety info required by the port authorities, and then went out into Vliho bay for a first sail. He has a very good sailing background in small and large yachts, and he helps with a Sea Scout training group near Athens. There they have Gaff rigged cutters, so for him it was just to familiarise himself with the layout of the boat.

We had a great morning and then returned to the Armonia pontoon where the girls were having a great morning splashing about in the pool. Peter did a great salad lunch for us before I took the family out in the Lugger to visit Oasis bay, a matter of 30 minutes away to the South and out of Vliho bay but heading for Meganisi.

The family visited Oasis bay every day and it became the favoured stopping off point for a swim. With the Lugger Bimini sunshade, swimming ladder and picnic cool bag set, it became a part of their day out with a picnic lunch in the shade and lots of jumping off the gunwale rail of the Lugger. Even little Victoria was so happy floating about and watching the fish feed off scraps of biscuit. What a lovely family setting, all together having great fun in the water.

Kasi was keen to take the tiller under the watchful eye of her dad. She did well and concentrated even with very light and fluky winds. Everyone had a great week.

For the last full day Pol took the family out for their last sail and swim and to say goodbye to the fish in Oasis bay. What an incredible week for them. The service Peter provided at the Armonia was just great. At the end of the day one could swim and use the pool and get into the shade of the pool bar for a light snack and an ice cold beer. The kids were just a few metres away in the shallow part of the pool. Overall the Armonia is becoming my first option as a venue, the beam-to mooring is so much better than the ‘wobbly’ lazy lines pontoon at the Geni Garden, mixed with its proximity to Nidri and spacious Garden rooms. It’s ace.

My favourite period out in the Ionian approaches, September and early to mid October. Yes, the temperature drops, kids are back to school and the majority of Northern European tourists are back to work in their home countries. But all local facilities remain in full swing.

I still have availability in September and early October, so if you have the flexibility to get away for a week’s late summer sailing, call now and grab a really good deal.

As a reminder to those considering a 2027 package, booking now the confirmation payment terms are:

• Just a £100 confirmation payment now before 28 October 2026
• The balance of the 50% deposit will not be requested until 3 January 2027
• The final payment is due 10 weeks before your booked date.

Please don’t hesitate to get in touch and I’ll be pleased to help

Phil. Osborne
+44 7812 562579
info@dragondrascombe.com

Road and mountain biking go well together with sailing on my charter packages.

John and Karri, who are originally from the States but are now resident in Norway, booked well in advance for a late July week along with great friends Per and his wife Bridget, having 2 side-by-side apartments with Peter at the Armonia. John had the more sailing experience amongst the group, so after spending a day on board with them showing how the boat was rigged, etc., John took over command and on a daily basis went out and explored the bays and coves of the Meganissi Channel. A great experience for John, who is himself looking to buy an early Mk 1 Lugger from a good pal in Norway. These Drascombe boats get everywhere.

To have a change of scene and environment, they opted to hire E bikes for their last day from Lucy at Get Active, Nidri, who kindly delivered the bikes to them at the Armonia. What great service, and our thanks to Lucy for her kind organisation

Road or mountain biking and trail walks are a great part of my sailing programmes. It’s a great way to see this area of the South Ionian Sea from another perspective.

Lucy says: Can an Ebike take you to the top of Lefkada? Absolutely! Congratulations to this brilliant group for reaching the iconic white church on one of the island’s highest peaks! The climb may be challenging, but with our premium ebikes it’s achievable and most importantly, really enjoyable!

A Late June Adventure to Kioni for Colin and Lizzie

I started this blog very briefly at the end of my last Newsletter. This is their third charter with Dragon Drascombe and this time they will be based at Kioni on Ithica, staying for 5 nights at the splendid apartments of Dosia and family, the elevated Captain’s Apartments out of the town and overlooking the bay. There is great benefit to be had from the walk up to the apartments, it’s out of the bustle and quiet with a great outlook. The first and last nights are spent near my Nidri base staying at Theodora’s Rooms In The Trees, very convenient and ideal for one night stopovers.

Monday morning was an early start, the boat was prepared the night before so they could get down the channel heading south before clearing the Lefkada coast and heading in open waters towards Orkide, an intermediate island, before the final leg across to Ithica. It’s a large passage in open seas for a small boat, however the Luggers handle it well and take it in their stride.

I recommend setting off early and before committing oneself to this passage, make a breakfast stop at the taverna behind Thalia Island. It’s in the lee of Meganissi, so shaded in the early morning and quiet for a breakfast stop and first swim of the day.

This short video tells its own story, several miles of open waters with a coastline quite a distance away.

In shallow crystal clear water, Colin and Lizzie have anchored off to venture inland for a walk to straighten their legs following the crossing.

Kioni has a well-defined harbour entrance with a couple of windmills dominant on the wooded escarpment that forms its bay. To the innermost corner in front of the small tavernas is shallow water so the local fishermen can moor their boats. For the remainder of this stay Tiki will be moored on lazy lines in front of the Calypso Taverna and become a focal point for visitors to have their photographs taken sitting on, standing next to and having young children even in the cockpit. They are such an attraction.

The small harbourside area at night takes on another atmosphere. It has many narrow cobbled stone alleyways radiating off the harbour wall, these where families have set up their gifts, trinkets, olive oil and local wares for the delight of the visiting guests.

Within a few miles around the coast you will find small bays with no yachts or visitors, and you can moor up in shallow, crystal clear water. So with the bay to yourself you can shelter under the Bimini, have a picnic lunch and swim off the boat.

Colin has left the boat for a hilltop walk looking north into Kioni and along the headland which is dominated by the windmill

Their stay on this occasion was just for one week. I recommend at least two so one can explore further south the main town of Vathi and north west over to Fiskardo on Kephalonia.

For those interested there are still some good reviews and blogs on my website submitted by past groups. They are worth a read

My thanks again to Colin and Lizzie for returning yet again for another adventure.

My arrival at my summer sailing base just minutes from the town of Nidri was 3 weeks late this year due to the necessity to have a Hernia procedure carried out as a matter of urgency. Throughout the past winter when I had a quite extensive manufacturing programme for my other Drascombe orientated company, Just Lugger Joinery&more, and Practical Workshop Courses for Drascombe owners, this Hernia problem went from being uncomfortable to very painful
So it had to be dealt with.

With this late arrival on 17 May and my inability to do any heavy work, I totally relied upon my 2 Greek pals Nikos and Babis to get stuck in and help with prepping the boats for launch. So as one can see, 2 Luggers fully rigged, launched on 20 May and ready for my first sailing groups on the 24th.

For the first of the charters in May, Mike and his wife Georgina along with their son Chris travelled out from London with the aim of giving Chris an introduction to sailing, with the hope he would enjoy the experience and wish to continue. Being 17 years old and very shortly off to the big experience of University there is a good chance that sailing could be one of the many experiences he would come across in University life.

Later that afternoon Zander and Pam were brought down by taxi from the ferry port of Igeomenitsa. They had decided to have a pre-sailing walking holiday to Albania and a few inland towns, having flown in to Corfu, before arriving at Geni Garden apartments. Zander had just retired and is a seasoned sailor near his home and what was then his work in the North Sea at Aberdeen, so with being a past owner of a Lugger it was just a short introduction to the boat and they were off and away.

While they were here, Zander took a short video of the Dolphins.

Currently Zander is sailing around the north coast of Scotland from Stonehaven to the west coast as a continuation of his retirement adventure, but will send in a review later. My thanks to them both.

Rachel had read in my past Newsletters and from the website that I host Sail Tuition holidays for boat groups who are either beginners or those in need of more complete instruction, in particular transitioning from ‘big boat sailing’ to the more delicate art of handling a large dinghy. She was spot on and after a discussion over the phone, a week in early June was booked.

Last summer they had decided to learn how to sail and then bought themselves a Drascombe Dabber. The first issue for the was ‘How do you rig this boat?’ and the little details of how to sail it! The engine that came with the boat from a reputable dealer was not reliable and sadly the recommended marine mechanic ‘did nothing to solve the problem’ to put it politely! So those two factors last summer meant they had very little use out of the Dabber and they became very disappointed.

I always start my Sail Training programme assuming the clients are very much novices. Tim and Rachel appreciated this in our end-of-session debriefs. I spent 4 days with them in the boat each day, visiting destinations in the Meganissi channel and immediate area, sailing and covering all aspects of rigging the boat, safe use of the outboard engine and slowly building up their skills and confidence to be able on the last 2 days to take the boat out on their own and practise the techniques that we had covered earlier.

This week was extremely productive; they both could safely start and manage the engine, both in open water situations and in close-to positions like approaching a mooring or pontoon. Their rigging and derigging procedures were excellent and as a crew they worked together well. With this sound introduction I’m sure they will get back home and be able to sort out their Dabber and have some great sailing over this coming summer. I’m sure Tim and Rachel will publish their review on my website in due course

On day 4 we ventured south down the Meganissi Chanel, had a great sail in 14 knots of constant wind, tacking hard on a close hauled position for over 2 hours before getting the rig down and heading into the small beach behind Thalia Island. Again, into the shade for a much needed water break. It is so easy to lift these Luggers onto the beach for a quick stop.

The weather in mid-June has settled nicely, with a good afternoon breeze most days. Don’t try an early start since there is very little wind, but for a last sail head out to the NE to sail over near the mainland. Tim and Rachel left yesterday and it only leaves me with 3 days to prepare Tiki for her next adventure heading south with Colin and Lizzie as crew heading for their stay at Kioni on the southern island of Ithica , based at an AirB&B called the Captain’s Apartments.

For this sail and forthcoming adventure down to Kioni for the week I have changed the sails to a larger more influential rig based on the light winds forecast.

I have rigged the boat on the Eucalyptus pontoon prior to the arrival of Colin and Lizzie and will do a ‘dry run’ with Colin before they set off so he is aware of how to brail in the topsail section of the main and the procedure in hoisting and managing both main and mizen.

So good to meet up again with good friends Colin & Lizzie from Glasgow. With an early morning flight from Edinburgh it means a lunchtime arrival and as I try and do with all my groups take them for a Meza lunch at the Gialos Taverna.

For Colin and Lizzie it’s their third charter. Normally they have great pals Chris and Janey in the second boat, but not this summer as C&J have family commitments. You can follow the review Chris posted after their last adventure, Four go Luggering Again.

The drawback of such an early morning flight is it requires an afternoon’s sleep to recover, this they had and then early evening I introduced the Lugger to Colin and ran through the rigging process. All went well in just over an hour so it was time to retire to the Iris bar/restaurant for an evening supper.

So with the engine started and all bags stowed away it was was an easy cast-off from the pontoon and the Lugger was underway. Colin had opted for an early morning start to head down the channel and stop off at the small beach taverna behind Thalia Island for a breakfast break. I’m sure I’ll get plenty of pics sent back over this week from Colin on their latest adventure.

For this summer there still is limited availability at both Geni Garden and The Armonia for September and October. At Geni Garden:

• 30 August to 6 September a package at Geni Garden in a family apartment for 3/4 persons. Dependant on sailing experience the cost starts at £2180
• 2 to 9 September a package as above. The cost starts at £2180
• 9 to 16 September a package as above. The cost starts at £2180
• 20 to 27 September a package as above. The cost starts at £2180
• 30 September to 7 October this package is in a 2 bed sea facing apartment.
  The cost starts at £2050
• I have varying availability from the 30 September through to 15/16 October at Geni Garden apartments

The availability for The Armonia Garden Apartments, remembering they include an excellent Buffet Breakfast in the package cost, are as follows:

• 6 to 13 September a transfer, Lugger and 2 person garden apartment. Dependant on sailing experience the starting cost is £1980
• 2 to 9 September package as above. The starting cost is £1980
• 13 to 20 September package as above. The starting cost is £1980
• 20 to 27 September package as above. The starting cost is £1980
• 27 September to 4 October in a first floor sea view room package as above. The starting cost is £2050

So please give me a call if you’re interested in mid-October booking, or if you have specific dates and plans to see if I can meet your needs.
+44 7812 562579

Note too that I now have a beam-to berth mooring on the Eucalyptus pontoon for 2/4 boats within easy reach of Nidri town

New for 2026

Why not try airlines offering packages into Preveza Airport that give you flights and accommodation at hotels in Nidri, all at very good prices, and charter the Lugger separately. EasyJet, Jet2 and Tui all offer highly discounted flight and accommodation at hotels.

Or call me, Phil, for advice

My very best for this coming summer period, Phil. Osborne

Welcome again to another summer of ‘Sailing Luggers In The Sun’

We are now entering springtime with the wet and cold weather behind us, so it’s time to focus and make plans for a summer of sailing adventures

After a winter of storage the covers are removed and the boats cleaned and rigged ready for launching, ready to be moored on the pontoon. For sailing groups based on the Nidri side the mooring on the Eucalyptus Pontoon or the one at the Armonia is used. It’s very convenient for access to a supermarket or the town of Nidri.

If you need convincing this video highlights and illustrates what a Dragon Drascombe charter with a land-based apartment offers.

Indeed with the luxury of a land-based apartment with an air conditioned room, a private pool, bar and restaurant, and being just a short walk from the small town of Nidri, it’s a perfect base for a summer sailing adventure. With your Lugger moored on the water’s edge pontoon you have the flexibility to sail whenever you choose and in whichever direction of choose. It’s complete Freedom And Flexibility!

Sailing Packages Available

1. Sail Training and beginners packages
2. A refresher charter package for yacht crews and lapsed dinghy sailors
3. Sailing charters for proficient dinghy sailing crews
4. A 10/14 day island-hopping charter to Ithica.

Call myself, Phil Osborne for further details

After an introduction to the boat, now with sails set it’s time for the crew of Paxi to have their first adventure, sailing south of the Meganissi channel. Over at the Geni Garden apartments the boats are moored at the bottom of the garden bow-to, all very convenient to depart and return after a day on the water. And one of my favourite lunchtime stopovers is to moor up at The Gialos Taverna, get some respite from the sun and have a wonderful lunch ‘Greek Style’.

A Selection of my Available Packages

24 May to 31 May
A very late cancellation due to illness. Based at Geni Garden in a 2-bed sea-facing apartment. With taxi transfers from Preveza this package cost starts at £1890

31 May to 7 June
Based at Geni Garden in a 2-bed sea-facing apartment. With taxi transfers from Preveza this package cost starts at £1960

19 July to 26 July and 26 July to 2 August
Both based at the Armonia apartments. These are Garden Apartments each for 2 persons. These packages including taxi transfers from Preveza and start at £2080 for each package

30 August to 6 September
Based at Geni Garden in a large 4-bed family apartment, sea-facing with a large balcony. With taxi transfers from Preveza this package cost starts at £2280

16 September to 23 September
Based at Geni Garden in a 2-bed sea-facing apartment. With taxi transfers from Preveza this package cost starts at £1990

27 September to 4 October
Based at the Armonia apartments in a first floor sea-facing apartment. With taxi transfers from Preveza this package cost starts at £1990

4 October to 11 October
Based at the Armonia Apartments in a first floor sea-facing apartment or a garden apartment, both for 2/3 persons. With taxi transfers from Preveza this package cost starts at £1940

Please note in the above package costs it is mentioned a ‘Starting Cost’. This is to indicate that within the package cost I give a 4 hour / half day introduction to the boat and sailing in the area. It does not include further sail tuition or instruction. This comes at an additional cost and can be discussed at the time of booking

If you have a specific and particular need or dates, please call me to discuss on
07812 562579

Here you can see the convenience of coming alongside and tieing up at waters edge Tavernas. For Luggers with their shallow draft these small bays and inlets are ideal to anchor in for a swim and picnic lunch under the sun shade/Bimini.

Here’s a perfect bay quite close to Nidri for a swim and lunch stopover. Meanwhile, for experienced boat crews I have available the Genoa foresail and the batten-roached mainsails and mizen at no additional cost. It’s a great way to sail the Luggers

What a great way this is to introduce children and young adults to the sea and hands-on sailing skills. And after a day on the water it’s great to get into the shade of the Athesis pool bar for a cold and refreshing late afternoon beer. It’s a perfect end to the day.

My thanks and my very best for an enjoyable and safe summer of sailing,

Phil Osborne

For early apartment package bookings for 2026, it’s a deposit of just £100. This is fully refundable up to 30 December 2025, at which point the remainder of the deposit becomes payable. Book early and get good prices and one’s choice of accommodation.

After a very productive and interesting summer of Lugger charters, meeting new crews, families and groups who returned for yet another taste of freedom of sailing in the South Ionian Sea, it’s time sadly to get the boats out of the water, cleaned and into winter storage.

In mid-May running through into early June I held ‘Sailing For Beginners’ courses. There is nothing more worthwhile and satisfying than to teach youngsters the skills and craft of small boat sailing.

I had two fathers and respective sons, aged 12 and 13, so at the age to become receptive to learn new skills. Also I had in a third boat Richard, who had sailed a dinghy over 20 years ago, and his wife who was a beginner and a little apprehensive. However they got on really well together in the boat and she was a very good crew. Within 3 days of on-the-water tuition, Noel and Jamie with sons were out on their own, proving to be very competent sailing units.

These courses proved to be very successful, so for 2026 I will be replicating these programmes for couples, and family groups of no more than 2 adults and 2 children over 12 years of age or 2 adult friends. The dates for these courses will be May 23 to May 30 and May 27 to June 3. Like all my charters, advanced booking is essential.

An additional sailing programme this summer, aside from the Lugger charter, apartment and transfer packages, was a three-day charter-only to competent sailers. This was based from my Eucalyptus pontoon base where they just sailed daily and had their own accommodation in Nydri. For groups that had a holiday booked locally, 3 days of sailing added a definite Plus to the holiday. See what Stefano has said about his family’s sailing experience.

This summer I had 2 couples attend from the US, both Lugger owners who had combined their sailing in the Ionian with other visits in Greece.

Firstly, Hente and Fern had crossed Greece from the Dodecanese islands where Fern and her daughter had spent a first week at a Yoga retreat, then came by coach / ferry to my base apartments, Geni Garden for a week of sailing.

This coincided with the stay of Jo and David from Cardiff, they got on really well with them, both couples also Lugger owners.

Whilst later in September David and his wife drove over from Mount Olympus where they had trekked for a week and now settled in to day-sail and explore the South Ionian Sea.

From my homeland of Wales and in particular just close-by in Cardiff, David and Jo are also Lugger owners and they had a great two weeks in mid-September. For those who know the area, September and early October are very specials periods for weather, good winds, warm seas. Major tourism has slowed yet all the facilities are still operating.

It’s my favourite period to be in the Ionian Sea. You must give it a go, it extents your summer and slightly shortens the UK winter.

Wayne and Victoria made their second visit for a 12-day stay at The Athesis apartment in late September. As a midweek adventure to explore a new area I organised a 3-day sail to Kioni on Ithica with 2 nights stay with Tim and Sue at Pebbles of Kioni. Sadly the second night had to be cancelled with an approaching day of unsettled weather, so they returned a day early.

Victoria fell in love with Kioni as a village with its cobbled streets, small shops tucked in alleyways and such good sea food tavernas. I’m sure they will return to continue this sailing journey.

Here is what’s Wayne said in his message to me

Cheers Phil, all smooth back to the cold weather. Thanks for facilitating another great two weeks in the Ionian Sea. Just amazing, our batteries are now fully charged up to keep fighting the good fight of daily life and work in the UK. Thanks again Phil, our very best.

Wayne

The Great Ionian Dragon Cruise

I now come to something new for Dragon Drascombe, this being The Great Ionian Dragon Cruise, held in the Ionian Sea by members of the Drascombe Association Group of The Netherlands.

My link and connection with Michel Maartens of Drascombe Nederland over the past 2 years with his company selling the joinery, fittings and spars manufactured by my Wales-based company Just Lugger Joinery&more, proved a connection and talking point. “Wouldn’t it be great to introduce members of the Dutch Drascombe Group to sailing these boats in the Ionian Sea”. This was talked through and I have had contact with Dutch members who have shown great interest for 2026.

What I hadn’t expected was that a group of 6 Coasters were now gathering to organise an Ionian cruise in their own boats, travelling from the Netherlands to Greece through Europe and towing their boats with them. That in itself is a challenge, but then to embark on the cruise …

Very briefly, the Dragon Drascombe base at Nydri was used to ease the logistics, to stow trailers in my compound, arrange taxi returns for the first leg and facilitate the return of the boats mid-trip and at the end on my Eucalyptus pontoon berth, with booking apartments and yard facilities to clean the boats prior to departure on the 9 October for the ferry port of Igeomenitsa.

The full report from the Dutch group will follow shortly, however I have attached a series of pics from Michel just to whet the appetite for ‘Sailing Drascombes in the sun’

What’s New for 2026

Firstly my thanks to Neville and Urszula, the owners of the Villa Eleanor at Geni who have given my guests great hospitality over the past 8 years. They have decided to sell the villa and move onto another project. Again my thanks to you both.

With this in mind I will be adding The Villa Crystal as a venue for my charter groups. It accommodates 6 persons and is set above Vlycho village and overlooking the bay. It’s going to be a great venue with easy access to the village and its facilities, tavernas and restaurants. The boat will be safely moored on the village quay so good access for sailing.

‘Theodora’s rooms in the Trees’ which I have now used this summer on 4 occasions are proving very good value. It is quiet, no through traffic on foot or by car, very adequate apartments and within 50m of my Eucalyptus pontoon beam-to moorings and it’s an easy walk into Nydri town. Package bookings are now available.

For the past 5 years I have used the apartments at The Athesis which is owned and run by the most amazing and energetic Effie. This however is the last year as she has given the contract for sole occupancy to the tour operator Sunweb of Holland. So sadly unless something changes I will not have access to her apartments. The only way to book the Athesis is to book one of Sunweb’s packages which fly out of Amsterdam on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Maybe take a weekend city break to Amsterdam and then leave for Preveza on your package booking.

However, for the interested groups from the Netherlands who have shown interest in my website this is a great chance to get a flight and accommodation package then booking my charter separately.

The Armonia Apartments are now owned and run by Peter Gazi and has had a nice refurb this past winter. It has spacious pontoon mooring with beam-to positions for ease of departing and returning. I’m pleased to be using the Armonia again as a venue, the first floor double bed apartments are sea-facing with a balcony, and to the side and rear very well appointed Garden Apartments.

Another plus is that as a part of the apartment booking one has a full buffet breakfast all in. It’s a stroll into Nydri to this bustling holiday Greek traditional town with a ferry port and waters-edge tavernas and good restaurants. I’ve had my first booking this week for 2026.

Give Phil a call for more details on package costs

Power Boat Handling & Safety

Another new item for 2026, for families or individuals who come as a part of my sailing package I will be offering ‘Power Boat Handling and Safety’ programmes. They will be held for just 2 hours, either in the mornings or evenings.

This August I upgraded my current licence and took part in a Greek advanced power boat course here in Lefkas, so now I have a full Greek permit. To my amazement the Port Police officer that assessed me said I was the oldest person to have graduated with this licence! “The old ones are the best”

Dragon Boat Workshop Courses

And finally I’d like to announce my new workshop course which I’ll start running from January 2026. These 4/5 day courses based at NP22 4LA, with pre-arranged AirBnB/Bunk House accommodation in the Brecon Beacons National Park are specifically aimed at Drascombe boat owners, particularly Luggers and Longboats. This is a chance to get hands-on and learn many of the techniques I have shown in my Lugger restoration blogs, to meet up with other like-minded Drascombe people and improve your practical hand and machine tool skills.

Find out more about this new course over on my Just Lugger Joinery&more site.

My thanks to all of you for supporting Dragon Drascombe Ltd for the past 12 years of “Luggering About In The Sun”, and to those I have served with joinery, spars and fittings, not forgetting valuable advice by Just Lugger Joinery&more.

To all, please keep safe in 2026 and happy sailing,

Phil. Osborne