Valef Yachts Opens New Office in Piraeus

In the late 1960’s there were no marinas in Greece and only about 30 yachts, 20 of which were for private use. Today, Greece has more than 20,000 yachts for charter and for private use, and over 50 marinas.

Valef Yachts recently announced the opening of its Greek offices at Marina Zeas in Piraeus. The office is under the competent management of the founder’s two daughters, Kassandra and Alexandra Lefakinis.

Valef Yachts International was found in 1969 by Bill Lefakinis. At that time there were no marinas here and only about 30 yachts, 20 of which were for private use. There was no national concept of the wealth Greece had to offer to the world of yachting with its history, civilization, hospitality, 4,000 islands and 13,000 miles of seashore (twice that of the USA where only 18% was yacht friendly compared with Greece’s 99%) made it most ideal for the world of yacht chartering.

He went to work applying his know-how taken from his plethora of Greek and American business experience.
He convinced four of his friends to let him charter their yachts and now, after almost forty years of constant work, marketing, public relations, pressure to the to promote this unique tourist feature that is second to none, this dedication has paid off (see “about us” on the company’s site www.valefyachts.com).

Today, Greece has more than 20,000 yachts for charter and for private use, and over 50 marinas. Valef Yachts became a successful and trusted company with offices in North America and in Greece. Bill and Kathy, his wife of 27 years, run the North American headquarters of Valef Yachts, but Bill travels frequently to the Greek headquarters to keep his fingers on the pulse of the market. Bill and Kathy’s two daughters, Alexandra and Kassandra, have spent numerous summers working in the yachting business, learning the ropes from the ground up.

With the two daughters now at the Greek helm, Valef remains a company that continues to flourish, raise industry standards and client expectations while remaining firmly anchored in the ever-flourishing Greek yachting community.