Chartering a yacht in Poland

[Grith]

We are heading to Poland in August and chartering a 26 foot yacht for two weeks on the Mansurian Lakes. The price seemed remarkably cheap! Has anyone here done this previously and has advice on what traps and tricks exist?
The yacht in question resembles our 28 foot Imexus back in Australian layout and size at 26 foot and wider but only has a 6hp outboard versus the monster we have back home which is supplemented by our torqeedo 1103 electric outboard.
We know the supplied equipment is minimal versus our overstuffed/over equipped mini trailerable cruising yacht but I started my trailer sailer cruising life on a tiny Hartley 16 in very much on water tent camping mode and it's certainly more comfortable than that by a large margin. 
Advice from those who have gone before would be very welcome.

[Norm L.]

That sounds like time on a Polish lake but not much clear for your time ahead. I've never any water on any Polish water but at least can stay I had a Hartley 16 in Lake Pontchartrain Louisiana.

It will be to learn about your time, even possibly very beautiful, or a very chilly for fall in Polish. I have been used to at least wind coats sailing in September in Holland. 

Please send some photos on the 36' boat you will be using.

[Krusen]

The trees will be an immense change from home!

Do you have charts of the home lake, and any river channels to other lakes?  I would expect that reading in Polish might be a challenge, but symbols may be of an international standard.

There seems to be a limited number of piers, and most are likely to be privately owned, so shore trips for food and sightseeing may be difficult.  Great time of year for that part of the world.  That region seems to have fared relatively well in WW 2 with many grand historical buildings still there.

Which lake is the yacht based on?  I have just spent time exploring the region, via Google
Earth.

[Riley Smith]

Good luck with the trip! I'm still in the camping stage so I can't comment except to say it sounds like an adventure! 

[Grith]

The home base is Port Royal in Gizycko. 🙂

[Grith]

No one here with experience renting a small yacht in Poland?

[Spot]

No one here with experience renting a small yacht in Poland?

Many people on this forum are from the US, particularly the East and South with a few of us 'outliers' North and more West.
They used to rally quite a bit in Florida.

I am aware of one consistent poster on boatdesign.net who's location says Poland and one on the woodenboat.com forum who signature is Polish (? I am not versed in Polish). Cruisersforum.com would be more 'continental' but typically bigger boats.

[Doug SC]

Sorry I can't help you there. My adventuring has all been in the U.S.A. My sailing has been in Florida and South Carolina. As has been canoe and sea kayak paddling and camping on rivers, lakes, swamps. and coastal waters. Backpacking for many years in the Rocky Mountains, Appalachian Mountains, Arizona, Texas, and Colorado. Hunting with a bow and arrow for deer, wild hogs, and turkeys in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina, and elk in the mountains of Colorado.

I am looking forward to you posting about your trip to Poland.

[Grith]

10 days into a 14 day charter of a 26 foot trailer sailer here on the Masurian Lakes region of Poland.
Firstly not quite like chartering a yacht in other places I have chartered with no maps, no instruction manual and fairly substandard maintenance around the yacht we chartered generally.
I suppose you get what you pay for and at under A$2000 for a fortnight's hire there are going to be some corners cut.
The 26 foot Twister has beds for 8 people and 6 to 8 young people renting one seems to be fairly common.
Goodness knows how you actually live onboard a boat that small with such a large number of people!
Most charters however seem to sail between the huge number of marinas and moor overnight in these using toilets, showers and even kitchen washup facilities provided in these.
Many of the marinas charge based on both length and numbers on board.
The area is beautiful for inland waters sailing with lots of islands, connected lakes and generally gentle inland waters. We have found plenty of wild camping places on banks on islands and the shorelines for both privacy and peace and quiet and to keep the costs down.
Our particular choice a Twister 26 has swing keel and retracting rudder, 6hp outboard and one person lowering mast system identical to our Imexus 28 back in Australia.
This facilitates beaching and shallow water mooring unlike the much larger yacht we were offered for free by the generous marina/charter yachts owner which we graciously declined as an inboard with low hanging fixed prop meant Marina berthing only.