| A look at different types of yacht charter on the | | | | waiting to assist you with berthing. A great way to sail |
| market - flotilla sailing, skippered yacht charter, crewed | | | | in company with the reassurance that experienced |
| yacht charter, bareboat yacht charter | | | | help is never more than a VHF call away. |
| Chartering a boat is a good way to sail without the | | | | Skippered Charter - Perhaps you're a bit short of |
| expense of owning your own boat. If you can't spend | | | | experience or don't want the responsibility of managing |
| more than a few weeks a year sailing and few people | | | | the boat or the navigation. As the name suggests you |
| can the the option of chartering is definitely worth | | | | charter the boat and the skipper comes with it. You're |
| serious consideration. It also provides the opportunity to | | | | expected to make up the numbers of the crew but all |
| sail different boats in varied and far off locations. | | | | the responsibility is with the skipper. In practice the level |
| Choose between sail and power. Get the right boat in | | | | of involvement of the charterers is down to them. |
| terms of size dependent on the number of people | | | | Most skippers are flexible enough to allow the |
| chartering and the depth of your pocket. | | | | customers as much involvement as they wish. |
| Apart from the choice of the type of boat, size and | | | | Crewed Charter - You get the boat, the skipper and |
| cost there are various types of charter packages | | | | crew and a good cook. This tends to be an expensive |
| available and this article takes a closer look at what is | | | | way to charter, you have to pay the wages of the |
| on offer. | | | | crew and because you are carrying more people the |
| Flotilla Sailing - A great way to get started for those | | | | boat is bigger and costs more to charter. But if your |
| with an bit of an independent streak. And the social | | | | idea of sailing is sitting in the sun drinking a gin and tonic |
| scene is can be something else. The flotilla usually | | | | watching others do the work then this is for you. Most |
| comprises of 8/10 boats, one of which, referred to as | | | | skippers won't stop you getting involved with the sailing |
| the lead boat, carries a skipper, hostess and an | | | | of the boat if you want to but if you're wanting a more |
| engineer. The skipper will be responsible for ensuring | | | | hands on experience consider an alternative form of |
| that the guests on the other boats in the flotilla have | | | | charter. |
| the navigational skills and boat handling/seamanship | | | | Bareboat Charter - The ultimate freedom. All you get |
| skills required providing help and advice where required. | | | | is the boat and a briefing when you collect the boat at |
| The hostess will organise the social events - meals out | | | | the start of the charter. This briefing should include |
| in the evening, lunchtime barbecues and the famous | | | | safety on board, a look at the way the various |
| last night party. The engineer is there to repair the | | | | systems work on the boat and some local knowledge |
| boats while the holiday makers will do their best to | | | | of the proposed cruising area. Then it's down to you. |
| break things as they learn to sail. My initial impression | | | | Before taking a bareboat charter you should have |
| of this type of charter was that the whole thing would | | | | some basics of navigation and seamanship, the level |
| be a bit regimented with all the boats in the flotilla | | | | of this knowledge in some part determined by the |
| following the lead boat like ducklings do a duck. This is | | | | proposed cruising area. You will, for example, need |
| far from what happens in practice. The day begins | | | | more experience for a two week charter in the |
| with the skipper of the lead boat carrying out a briefing | | | | Channel Islands, just of the coast of France in the |
| giving the destination you will be expected to make for | | | | English channel, with its 5 metre tides and numerous |
| during the day and any navigational considerations | | | | rocks and shoals lying just beneath the surface than is |
| along the way and then you're pretty much on your | | | | required for an Ionian charter in Greece. No tides, very |
| own. The next time you see the lead boat will be at | | | | little to bump into in terms of hidden rocks and most of |
| that evenings destination where the crew will be | | | | the sailing between islands is by line of site. |