During the early part of 2013 we set out with some trepidation to buy a yacht in Greece from our home, half the world away in New Zealand. Thanks to the internet, purchasing a boat in a distant country is not much more difficult or time consuming than buying near home, although the purchaser is more reliant on the knowledge and integrity of the remote broker and surveyor employed. We expected some anxiety along the way.

The yacht we went on to buy was listed by Williams and Smithells, based in the UK with a branch in Greece. Mark Ellyatt of that company was very responsive and helpful, and we felt confident of his obvious expertise throughout the trans-hemisphere transaction. I am happy to recommend Mark’s services to others contemplating a “distance” purchase of a boat in the Med./Europe region.

David Johnstone