Captain's Log - 2.21.24
I can’t believe I’m even contemplating it!
Many individuals (yours included) were a bit anxious on taking on your first bareboat charter. You’ve been contemplating it now for a long time but don’t know where to start. You know how to plan a vacation to Florida, France, or Frankfurt but planning this for some reason seems way more daunting. It doesn’t have to be! In this article, we will explore how to go from boy wouldn’t that be nice to boy was that nice! This article will dive into that to make it easier for you to lock the door to your home and go. In fact, you’ll have an article that you can print and use as a reference tool to refer to. So let’s dig in…
So where do I start?
Planning for a sailing cruise involves several steps with each taking more or less time.
Take the Bareboat Chartering (ASA 104) course - Yes, a little self serving here considering we’re a sailing school. But indulge me for a minute. Assuming you have completed the ASA 101 (Basic Keelboat Course) and ASA 103 (Coastal Navigation Course), you now feel comfortable in knowing the terminology, the basics of sailing, the ability to maneuver the boat, rules of the road, etc. The list goes on with all of the skills that you will have learned. The ASA 104 course builds upon your knowledge base and prepares you to learn how to bareboat charter. In the ASA 104 course (click HERE for our offerings), besides learning how to go about chartering and digging into way more detail on that than can be provided here, you will learn the systems that are part of 42 to 55 foot sailboat. For the specific items covered in the the 104 click HERE. I have never forgotten the expression I learned when taking the 104 course years ago. “You will be the first responder in an emergency if something goes wrong while underway”. Sage wisdom as although you may be very close to the base harbor, you will need to know how to handle emergencies for the safety of you, your crew and the boat.
In an attempt to be non-biased in this article, many charter companies/sailing schools which are located in the exotic locations offer combination courses to help get you prepared. I think a combination course such as the ASA 103 and 104 is a good combination for a one week combination vacation and certification. That said, I do not think that a combination ASA 101-103-104 combination course over the course of one week would be a wise investment. Why? Well if you’re a certified sailor via the ASA already, you will recognize that there is a lot of content and learning that needs some time to percolate and sink in. A total immersion into a three course combination will get you on vacation, but will leave you post vacation in state of semi-preparedness. My two cents.
And last but certainly not last regarding the importance of taking this course, charter companies are going to look for your competence before they hand you the keys (literally) to their $750K to $1 MM vessel. You will be asked for your sailing resume [including sailing hours, courses, past charters(if any)] in an effort to glean your experience. Importantly a key component will be to see the ASA 104 Bareboat Chartering seal from the ASA. This seal will work in many places outside of Europe (e.g., BVI, Bahamas), but will not work for European locations like Croatia. What is needed there is an ASA Proficiency Certificate. And in order to get that, you will have needed to complete the ASA 104 course as well, but you will need to purchase the IPC (International Proficiency Certificate) from the ASA. No other requirements than just completing the ASA 104 course. Click HERE for more info on the IPC.
Choose Your Destination - You’ve taken the courses and you are prepared to do it. Your ready and decided your going to do it. The next step is to choose your destination. For many individuals this may have been the very first step before getting certified as the reason you decided to get certified in the first place.
As it relates to specific locations, there are many to choose from. After all, the earth is made up of 71% water. Some of the more populations include the Mediterranean Sea (e.g., Croatia) and the Caribbean (e.g., the U.S. and British the Virgin Islands. Both locations are fantastic and have really good sailing conditions and destinations when out sailing.
There are many factors to consider when choosing your destination area. Some of them include weather, sailing conditions, attractions, distance and cost to charter location, and of course how much time you have allocated for the charter.
Either the destination will drive your choice or the time of the year when you can take vacation. Your choice to that question will drive where you charter.
Choose your Date - Although this may seem at face value intuitive. I mean I know that these are the dates that I have blocked my calendar at work. Or, I know we have a window to take a vacation on these dates. It is also important to know the weather calendar as it relates to the your chosen destination area. In the BVI, the best time to sail are the winter months from November to early April as it 1) avoids hurricane season and the weather is most pleasant then. For the Mediterranean, the best time to sail are the opposite months (i.e., April through October). The weather and wind conditions make it favorable during that time.
In either of these two cases above, you will need to consider crowd levels, peak times and related costs, temperature, and personal preferences (e.g., New Year’s Eve). As an example, Foxy’s on Jost van Dyke has one of the most famous New Year’s Eve Parties and has dancing, drinking, dining, and live music and is meant for adults. So this might or might not be a consideration for your vacation if you have or don’t have kids coming along for the trip.
Choose the Boat & Charter Company - Lets’ review where we’re at right now. We’re trained and ready to go. We’ve chosen a destination. We know when we’re going to go. And we’ve have ideas on what we want to do while there, why the timing, and who will be coming on the trip, or considerations to keep in mind.
At this point, you’re still not researching online (although you may have already done so). Now is the time to ask more questions:
What type of boat are you looking for?
How many people are coming for the vacation?
Will couples be coming and splitting the cost?
What boat size will you need?
Catamarans are bigger and more spacious. Monohulls will tend to heel more. All considerations on which vessel is right for you. You should ensure that each individual will have a cabin to retreat to. This does not mean separate quarters. To illustrate: If 8 people are coming, then a 4 cabin vessel will be needed. You should avoid having individuals sleeping in the main salon. All of the above will dictate what boat size you will need (or want).
Now that you have all of the aforementioned information that has been discussed in this article so far, it’s time to do some research online. The vessel, location and dates should drive your searching. There are many charter companies to choose from so you will likely find your exact match at multiple companies. Now that you found your boat and charter company. Guess what, we still are not ready to contact them and get a contract going. Still more homework to do.
Create a Provisioning Plan - At this point, we are not saying create your grocery list. Well we are kind of. Ahead of contacting the charter company, you should have some sense of what your plan is going to be. There are several options to consider when bareboat chartering. In general there are three:
Full Provisioning - This option is the easiest, the most expensive, and probably the most unrealistic of the options (IMHO). This option (and there’s versions of this) is pretty straightforward in that you have a company buy the food and drinks for you and they bring it to the boat (think Instacart). When you choose to do full provisioning, this means that 100% of your food will be planned out and brought onboard the boat for your trip. This option is very convenient in that all of your provisions will be brought to the boat and ready for you when you arrive. Definitely the easy button. I said a moment ago that this is the most unrealistic. Why? Because, you will most likely want to eat at restaurant while on your trip or you will want to shop and buy some provisions while you are there.
Split Provisioning - This too is pretty straightforward as it in involves both a company providing and you providing your provisions. This can be split 95% them, 5% you to 5% them and 95% you (and all the shades in between). This option allows flexibility for you to find the things that matter to you, to play things by ear by planning to shop at a local store when out (make sure considering timing and harbor location), and to dine out. In split provisioning there are options here as well. Do you want to have breakfast and lunch onboard and have dinner mostly at restaurants and 1 night cooking dinner onboard. As you can see the options are endless. This option tends to be the most common as it reflects a little of both. Don’t forget you’ll need an ample supply of snacks.
No Provisioning - On the other end of the spectrum, this is the option where you will do all of the provisioning yourself at arrival. This doesn’t mean that you don’t have a plan for what you will do for Monday night’s dinner as an example, but that you will shop for, buy, and bring to the boat the food and beverages.
The Essentials - Next thing to consider are what essentials you will need or want on the boat. Do you need a WiFi hot spot on the boat or is that the furthest thing you want from the boat. There are other options that are fun for you to consider including standup paddleboard (SUP), snorkeling gear, scuba gear, and any other water toys. Most charter companies include the cost of the Dinghy in the charter so usually not an incremental expense but something to check as you will need one to get on and off an island.
Additionally, as you think about the essentials to bring or to have for the vacation, an important considerations are the kiddos. Snacks, sunscreen, travel games, kid-safe camera, flashlight, etc. are all essential-like items to consider brining to keep them occupied and happy through the trip.
Contact Broker / Charter Company - We’re now ready to contact either a broker who will find the charter company that matches your requirements or you can find and select your own Chartering company yourself. If you choose to work with a broker, they will work with the charter company on your behalf. If you go it alone with a charter company then you will work directly with their in-house agent and you will be responsible for doing the homework.
Once the company is selected and your details are met, now will come the time to execute a contract to secure. The contract will spell out all of the details and you will have an itemized quote. The company will require a 50% deposit on the total cost, which is very customary. You will be required to purchase insurance for the vessel during the charter. It is very important as you finalize the details of the contract to check the fine print and review the inclusions and exclusions carefully.
Some examples of things that will (or won’t) be covered in the contact include: a sleep aboard night in advance of the departure date, ground transportation, taxes, park permits, fuel, trip insurance, and any extras.
Check Regulations - If you will be using a broker, then this should be covered as they are very well versed in any regulations/rules that are enforced for either the destination country(ies) or the charter company. Some key examples of regulations include: Visiting multiple countries (e.g., USVI and BVI), Vaccinations required, Park Permits covered and not covered, entry and departure fees. These are examples and there may be other country specific regulations to consider and adhere to. Although not a regulation per se, but it is also important to understand from the charter company / broker what the sailing area includes and excludes. For example, when sailing in the BVI, the island of Anegada may or may not be included in the approved sailing area.
Plan Your Route - Okay after a couple of not so fun, but incredibly important, items its time to get back to some fun. This is a perfect opportunity to involve the entire family or crew. Charting the course is definitely part of the experience and fun. When charting your course considerations should be given to wind patterns, currents, potential hazards as well as for your specific objectives. Plan for alternative routes in case of unexpected changes. The charter company can help inform your travel itinerary. See Image 1 for a sample itinerary of a BVI trip. For this example, it was an 8 day bareboat charter.
Let’s dig into what’s more typical - a 7-day vacation:
Day 1 - In general when planning your route, figure 1 day to get to the destination (and check out of the boat). You may have the ability to stay on the boat before the charter begins (i.e., a sleep aboard). If that opportunity affords itself take it as you will be able to get familiarized with the boat in advance of the trip.
Day 2 through 6 - Remember you have to come back to the base station, so that leaves you with 2 days going away from and 2 days coming back to the base station. That leaves 1 day to use as lay day (for flexibility). The weather may not cooperate or a change in plans during the trip may find yourself (after having one too many painkillers) deciding to take it easy the next day.
Day 7 - Time to check back in the boat and depart to catch your flight back home. On this day, you should plan to handle any housekeeping items before returning the boat (e.g., fueling up). There will be a check-in with the charter company and debrief where there will be a walk through of the boat and the return of any security deposit.
Figure 1: Sample BVI Itinerary
As we conclude this topic, it is a great experience and one that should make you overly anxious about planning. Preparations (and reservations) are best done at least 6 months in advance. Given that you will have plenty of time to nail down all of the logistics, questions, planning, and organizing necessary to plan your bareboat charter. Once all preparations are complete, relax and enjoy the journey! My recommendation… just do it. You won’t regret the time away disconnected with family and friends where you can take the time to appreciate the beauty of the sea and the freedom of sailing.
All aboard!