Dinsdag, 9 augustus 2000 08.30

A Turkish argument

An exciting story and lesson on how Turkish people deal with an argument.

After Sylphe was launched, there was still a lot of work to be done. The engine was not connected, mast not painted and still to be stepped, paint work (interior and cockpit outside) had not been finished and most importantly there was still no electricity on board. Although all cables were there, the whole panel, the batteries, switches, fuses, meters et all, still had to be connected. This was most worrying as without electricity, you can not run pumps. And of course Sylphe was taking in some water, after having been on land and dried out for 8 months. As of this moment the Turkish adventure (of which you had been witness through all the stories) took a wrong turn.

The company, which was responsiblie for the reconstruction of Sylphe, Egemar, was not happy with me, I guess. I was complaining and chasing people to come and finish the work. Especially these last details are most important on a yacht like Sylphe. Yes, the rough work was done, the hull, deck, interior, carpentry, etc was there. But especially with a classic like Sylphe the beauty lies in the details. The paint finish (which has to be mirror-like), the rubbering in between the teak-deckplanks, the screws which are insight, etc. The details that are in view have to be exemplary, and this is exactly what I wanted to achieve. However, it was not the goal of the Turks, either because they wanted the boat finished and were tired (and it was hot in Istanbul) or because they simply did not understand why I would make such a fuss about the small details. As a result (and I guess to teach me a lesson) Egemar ordered to stop all the works on the boat.

So painter, engine and electrician people disappeared and were not allowed to continue. Three weeks before the first charter was to start in Bodrum. Friends would arrive in one week to help me sail the boat to Bodrum. Testing of gear and equipment still had to be done. But Sylphe was far from ready to take to sea. Desperately I waited three days to see what was going to happen. Well,.....nothing. After those days I decided that waiting was no longer an option and I would have to take things in my own hands (not only the initiative, but also the paintbrush). With the great, great help of two young Turkish guys (who thought they came to Tuzla for a holiday) we worked like crazy on the boat. Varnishing the interior, bringing all the stuff from the appartment to the boat; at night painting the mast, the floorboards in the workshop, etc.. After a few days,however, the painter, electrician etc. were back on the boat. I still do not know why, but they were told to continue the work. So by the time my friends and sister from Holland arrived in Turkey, Sylphe started to look like a sail-boat again. Another four days of hard work and we were ready to leave Tuzla, and so we did.

Egemar still had to be paid, but I had not seen any invoices and they promised to produce them. Secondly they promised to arrange the necessary paperwork on Sylphe. Allowing me to sail her again, as Sylphe was officially handed over to the responsibility of this company, for the sake of customs free imports, etc. Foreign yachts are only allowed three months in Turkey, otherwise they have to be handed over to a marina or a yard (which is a common, normal but bureaucratic process in Turkey). The day we set sail from Tuzla, neither of the above was done by Egemar. No invoices presented, no paperwork done on behalf of Sylphe. From Tuzla we went to the closest marina in Istanbul. Nicely in the center, all facilities at hand, friends and family of the Turkish guys lived around the corner and a lot of people paid a visit. I was a little worried about the paperwork, but thought I would be able to arrange it myself. The unpaid invoices did not worry me (not only because I hate to pay, but also because arranging a payment from somewhere else is no problem. An e-mail or fax will do the trick.)

The second day in the marina we really equipped Sylphe again with her sails. Putting the mainsail on and arranging all the rope work, made her look like a yacht again. Relatively happy and proud we left the marina at the end of the afternoon for a run around and to head back later that evening. A kind of a test run, escaping the heat in the marina and enjoying some time at sea and Sylphe. Once outside the marina we spotted some 9 navy vessels at anchor at the entrance of the Bosphorus. It looked like they were waiting for the first Russian submarine and ready to shoot, torpedo and rocketlaunch it out the water. Closer in we noticed that one of them had a Dutch flag. So we went in closer. Soon we were able to spot the „Grolsch" sun-umbrellas on the front of the boat. Dutch beer and a relaxing crew. So we went in closer. Curiously, they came to look at us. Within ear-reach we asked for a bucket full of Dutch beer to be lowered, to let us enjoy one as well. As an answer one of them yelled: „Why don‚t you turn to the other side of the vessel, and moor on the pontoon and come up, to drink a beer here". Well, SUCH an invitation I only need once. We went around, were helped to dock Sylphe safely on the pontoon, were welcomed on board by some 40 halfnaked, sun-enjoying, beer drinking and dead-bored navy people. Only, just for the record, an officer in uniform asked me how many I was bringing onboard, just to make sure I would leave with the same number as well. There were eight of us, including three young Turkish citizens without passport or visa, and this was Dutch soil. No hassle, a very warm welcome under the Grolsch umbrellas and soon we were taking our own draft-beer. A very relaxed atmosphere, very hospitable and friendly. No soldiers, no tough navy people. It turned out that they were the officers enjoying a relaxed long weekend. The rest of the crew was paying a visit to Istanbul or other types of „visiting"

After an hour the BBQ‚s were lit, with a gas-torch (it makes life easier and quicker if you do it with the gas-torch normally used for welding, was a small comment made by one of them). An enormous buffet was arranged and we were invited to throw something on the BBQ as well. After 9 months in Turkey I was able to eat pork-meat again. Quite a delight to take a „speklapje" and throw this on the BBQ. Steaks, burgers, entrecote and others, it was all there and I guess we ate more than was polite, but nobody seemed to bother. After an hour, we were asked if we wanted to see the rest of the ship. Why not, while we are here, why not enjoy the possibility to see the bridge, bunks, dining room, engine room, missile controlroom, command center, etc. It seemed that some of the stuff that we saw was off-limits for civilians, but we were not just civilians. We were people from the sea, lost like them in a strange world and enjoying and relaxing.

All in all, it was the first time, I was at sea with Sylphe after 9 months, I was relaxed, happy to have been re-united with some very dear friends and with Sylphe. and crazy things started to happen. At dusk we headed back for Sylphe, gave a tour on Sylphe to some thirty guys and left. We made an honorary salut on the side of Sylphe (8 civilians: 3 women, 3 Turks and none of them had ever been in the militairy, but we saluted the crew and people of the Hr. MS. TJEK HIDDES.) We thank you for a very nice and relaxing visit.

The next day we set sail for Cannakale. A trip of 140 miles. The point where we entered Turkey in 1999 and where we had arranged our paperwork last year. I guessed that I would be able to arrange it there. That morrning, just before departure, I had found out that the batteries of Sylphe were not charging when running he engine. After some checking, I found out that the cables from the engine-alternator were not connected to the batteries. No wonder it was not charging. So instead of going directly to Cannakale we went to another marina in Istanbul, some 25 miles in the right direction. After we had contacted Egemar they send the technicians to fix it.

The next morning, we finally left for Cannakale. There was little wind but we were sailing downwind, with a comfortable 7 knots speed. Soon after departure the telephone started ringing and we were ordered by Egemar staff to return to Istanbul to arrange payment and papers. This was however no option for me. Paperwork was going to be tried to arrange for in Cannakale. And of course it was about payments. I asked them to send the list to Cannakale, where I would have a look at it. The panic on Turkish side became bigger when they realised I was indeed going to continue and not coming back. Threats were made and phonecalls (rather abusive) started to be made to the parents of my young Turkish friends onboard. I tried to calm parents and ensured them nothing was going to happen. Due to no wind, we stopped in Marmara Island in a very charming little fishing port. The next morning the director of Egemar had returned from abroad and finally reached me by telephone. He too was upset and wanted me to come back. More worried about payments than about paperwork. After I reassured him that I had no intention of not paying (but wanted to know how much and what??!!) and agreed that we would try to arrange paperwork in Cannakale, he offered himself to tell cusoms that this was supposed to be a trial run, but we ended by accident in Cannakale and would prefer not to have to go back to Istanbul. If we both co-operated and told this story, this would be no problem. However, upon arriving in Cannakale a coastguard boat was awaiting us in the middle of the channel. It was dark, they were in an unlit rubber zodiac and we almost ran them over. They ordered us to stop and to follow them to Cannakale, which was our intention anyway. In Cannakale police and customs awaited us and the boat was officially „chained". I had to sign a paper (Turkish only) and it turned out that Egemar had written a letter to the Coastguard and Customs that I had stolen the boat and was trying to flee from Turkey under a false flag, etc. So much for verbal agreements and beautiful words.

The next morning the commander of the Coastguard woke us up at 8 AM. He arrived in his completely black car. Four guys in white uniform jumped out and to attention. Out comes the commander in civil. He wanted to know what criminals we were and who was responsible for his men being sent out at night to catch criminals running on a stolen yacht. When he saw boat and company, he convinced himself that we were no criminals and that with the Coastguard we had no problem. He found it hard to believe that 5 Dutch people and three young Turks are trying to steal such a yacht. Way too conspicious.

When we tried to go to Customs to arrange our paperwork, it became obvious that Egemar had sent them the same letter and I was treated as a criminal. After some initial discussion and explaining, they had no problem fixing the paperwork for us, but we first had to pay Egemar.!!!!! Hold on...... this means that if one Turkish civil company has a problem with a foreigner, youcan simply ask cusoms to stop you. Yes, you can, after you bribed some guys along the way, ofcourse. This turned nasty. Egemar had finally sent, by fax, an overview of outstanding bills, to a total amount of US$35.000. I agreed to most of it, but some were never discussed before and new to me, some were too high, and I protested against having to pay the full price, when a certain amount of work was simply not finished. In Europe it is common business to withhold the last ten percent, untill all systems are working as they should and to the satisfaction of the customer.

So instead of35 I instantly paid US$19.000 and send a fax with answers and questions for the rest of te payments. This had no result. Discussion was closed. Pay fully or you will be confiscated and arrested. The discussion with the customs guy continued and he announced that Egemar people were coming to sort things out. When they arrived we had a rather comic scene in the office of the customs guy. He started shouting and yelling to the Egemar people, stating that Egemar had violated the law, by letting Sylphe go without their permission. Customs had made them responsible and they had failed. Customs had found me and stopped me. Secondly, customs said that they would not give the yacht a second time to Egemar, who had proven to be incompetent. The Cannakale customs contacted the customs in Istanbul and confirmed that the yacht was there and paperwork would be aranged there, with the permission of Istanbul customs. This was early evening. We left the office in the knowledge that the paperwork would be settled the next morning and Egemar people were defeated. Little did we know.

The next morning the atmosphere in the Customs officed changed again. Apparantly, they had received a fax from higher authorities in Istanbul ordering the yacht to be given to Egemar, to return to Istanbul and that a representative of Egemar had to be onboard during the journey. Surely somebody had been pulling on some strings and paid some money to make this change happen. When I said that I refused to take Egemar people onboard I was threatened to be arrested and thrown off the boat into jail. When you meet real power and abuse of it, I back off. So, we had no choice other than to return to Istanbul after all.

Marjon, Freek, Onur and Murat stayed behind in Cannakale. To take busses to Bodrum or Istanbul in order to catch planes or continue holidays. With Willem, Ingeborg, Sanem and Ali (from Egemar) we left Cannakale for Istanbul. We were in no hurry and planning to stop again in Marmara. The engine had started to create a funny (and very strong vibration) when switched into gear. So we tried to sail, but there was hardly any wind. So we arrived in Marmara at 2.00 in the morning, while the whole boat was shaking like hell, when the propellor was turning. Obviously there was something wrong there. When we engaged the reverse for the mooring in Marmara port, there was a little bang and than the engine started turning nicely and quietly. No vibration anymore. But no movement of the boat either. We had just lost the whole propellor. The whole damn thing simply came off the shaft. And was now lying on the bottom of the marina. The wind pushed us gently into a berthing next to a fisherman and we went to sleep. So far for quality of Egemar work

The next morning Ali arranged for a diver to pick up the pieces of the propellor. It is a foldable one, in order to create less drag and resistance when sailing. So quite expensive, sophisticated and I wanted it back. All parts were found. Since there was no wind (and we were still not in a hurry to get back to Istanbul), we spent a nice relaxing day in Marmara. It started to become my favourite spot in Turkey.

The next day there was little wind, but phonecalls from Egemar pressed us to set sail, without possibility to run on engine, but we would try. Remember, that last year we also sailed to Istanbul, that time with propellor, but no engine, this time we had engine, but no propellor. I must stop make this into a habbit. A nice breeze took us in the direction of Istanbul. But in the evening it died. So, we spent the night drifting at sea, close to the busiest shipping lane in the world, without possibility to manoeuver. The next morning was hot and without wind. Some times there would be a little wind and would make us speed forward at 2 knots, the next moment it was gone. By midday Ali got nervous (and sunburned and overheated) and he called the marina to send a boat to tow us in. It was more than 10 miles. Not our choice, we had enough time and Istanbul would only mean more harrassment, paperwork, mad officials, etc, etc. By 2.00 in the afternoon we were back in Kalamis marina, the pochest and most expensive marina in Istanbul, but Egemar had his friends and spies here, so the choice was obvious. What also was obvious was that no customs, police or other officials were awaiting us. Although Egemar had promised to have the paperwork arranged asap, nothing happened. And nothing would happen untill I had fully paid the claim from Egemar.

So I went to see a lawyer, and discussed options. They were not bright. This was going to be a long story if I wanted it done legally. A mutual friend (Andre) offered to mediate between Egemar and myself. After the letter to the coastguard (written in his name) and the false financial claim, I was not very happy AT ALL anymore. The faxes and e-mails Egemar wrote about me to Andre made my sense of humour disappear completely. The number of lies and denials of promises was enormous. It was clear. A „normal" discussion between client and supplier was out of the question. Andre talked, wrote messages and tried to sort out what was happening. Finally he came up with a solution, in between the mutual financial claims and under condition that I would be free to leave Turkey. Although not happy with this deal, I had no choice than to accept. So, again, I paid money and waited for the paperwork to be sorted out. In the meantime I sorted out how the propellor could be mounted again. The instruction manual is quite clear, but it turned out that two smaller parts of the proplellor were still on the bottom of Marmara. So, per DHL, I ordered these spare parts from France and waited. And waited, and waited. My last friends had left for Holland and I had some quiet days on my own. Marit was to come for a two week break in her consultancy contract and would arrive on Tuesday. Rob, a very good friend, arrived on Monday for moral support. Marit got stuck in Africa, as she was having problems with customs in her part of the world (they would not allow her to enter Rwanda for the flight to Brussels). Happily enough she arrived two days later via another route and thanks to an Antanov 26 plus the co-operation of KLM.

Egemar was not moving on the paperwork and my parcel with the spare parts got stopped in customs (nothing to do with Egemar, but the value and import duties) So, yet another day through the incomprehensable bureaucratic system of Turkish paperwork and I had the spare parts of the propellor. We hoisted Sylphe out of the water and I installed the propellor (with the very clear instructions in the manual, I could do it myself) and we were back in the water. At least we could move again, if we were allowed. Egemar made an attempt to arrange the paperwork, but got stuck. This being a Friday, they would continue on Monday.

So, with temperatures in Istanbul well into the high thirties, no wind, a smelling harbour and the prospect to have to wait again two more days, we decided to test Sylphe and go to the Princess Islands. Just a few miles away, but it would mean we could swim, enjoy Sylphe, each other, etc. The moment we lifted the gangway, the marina panicked. They had received instructions from Egemar not to let us go, so they freaked out when they saw us preparing for departure. Since my passport and all paperwork of Sylphe was in the hands of Egemar, it was clear we could not go anywhere. After (yet) another fight with Egemar and the marina, we were allowed to leave for the islands. We spend a lovely weekend in a bay, at anchor. Sleeping, cleaning, washing, polishing and eating. It was a nice change in setting and atmosphere. Marit got used to her new house.

It is Monday today. Egemar was here this morning to get yet another stamp for the Sylphe-paperwork and is trying to sort it out. Apparently customs control will visit Sylphe later today for the physical check of Sylphe, and who knows, maybe it will all be allright. But I have become a little pesimistic (or realistic). A nice small detail is that my visa runs out today (this happened to me in January as well).

We will keep you posted

THE MORAL OF THE STORY: Who is going to stop Turkey from entering into the EC????

And as you all know by now, Marit and Sylphe arrived after a three day trip in Athens. Right now at the Island of Aegina, which feels like home to us.