Crewed Charter

Steve McCrea, president of Ed Hamilton & Co. , shares these tips for finding the best crewed charter vacation. McCrea is a member of the American Yacht Charter Association, the Charter Yacht Brokers Association, and a former general manager of Sunsail Sailing Vacations in the United States.

1. Choose a Broker and Stick with Him:
It’s good to shop around at first to find a good fit, but at some point it’s advantageous to choose one broker to work with rather than trying to pit one broker against another, which is usually the worst way to utilize a broker. A good broker will be your advocate and should act more as a consultant than a salesperson, and you should get that feeling. Your broker should have seen the boats and met and interviewed as many crews as he or she can, will let you know when they haven’t, and will be prepared to vet the boats and crews they haven’t seen. It’s best to use a broker who is a member of AYCA, (American Yacht Charter Association), CYBA, (Charter Yacht Brokers Association), preferably, both.

2. Choose a Location Wisely:
This is key for bareboat charters as well as crewed charters. It ties into choosing a broker as well, as a good broker should have good destination knowledge, not just a sense of the various stops and general ambiance of the area. Your broker should also be able to advise on the sailing conditions, and particularly, the expected sea state.

When considering the sea state, it’s important to think primarily of the lowest common denominator, i.e. — your guests with the least amount of boating experience. Very often we have clients choosing locations solely by where flights are most direct, (or more frequently, cheapest).

Certainly ease of air travel has to play a role, especially for families, but choosing a sailing location only on flight availability is rarely a good idea. One may save two hours in an airport, only to lose five hours beating or motoring upwind – airplanes go upwind far better than sailboats! Naturally the more unspoiled locations are harder to fly to, but they’re often worth it.

3. Set a Realistic Budget:
Everyone has a budget, from most economical to the biggest spenders. It’s important to set this realistically — neither too low, nor too high, as both can be problematic. Everyone wants a good value, of course, but setting a budget is all about maintaining expectations. At the end of the day what matters more than what you spent is whether or not your expectations were met, or hopefully exceeded, by your experience.

If you set too low a budget and focus too much on getting a deal, you’re bound to compromise on the quality, and need to lower your expectations accordingly. There are sometimes discounts and offers, but they’re generally not large with most good crewed yachts, and fairly rare with the most popular ones. If a boat is offering a big discount, there’s probably a reason, and not usually a good one. The best deal is always found by choosing the right boat and crew for your group.

It’s perhaps counterintuitive, but it can be difficult, impossible even, to meet expectations if your budget is too high. If you’re pushing to the top of your budget because your heart is set on the newest, shiniest, largest boat you can possibly attain, it’s not unlikely that your expectations will rise to an unattainable level. Keep the budget comfortable enough to enjoy your vacation (and to be able to afford another!).

Remember also to budget for a crew gratuity, which can be a notable expense. Your broker should advise you of this, as well as explain what tip levels are appropriate. If you have a broker suggesting crew gratuity as a place to save money, you’ve found a completely unscrupulous broker and you should move on. They likely have a poor reputation with the boats and crews and that’s no way to start the relationship.

4. The Crew Drive the Charter Experience:
Books could be written on the subject, and every situation is different. A key guideline is remembering that the crew is generally a more important consideration in making your choice than the boat is. The crew drive the experience. What’s great about that goes hand in hand with staying realistic about the budget. There are excellent crews on even the smallest boats, which means you can have a great charter at any reasonable price point. The emphasis on crew is stronger in Caribbean yachts in the sub-85-foot range or so, but remains a point to consider in almost all crewed charters.

While the crew is key, of course the boat has to meet your standards. When planning on paper, the vast majority of charterers go straight to the layouts, (this phenomenon is true of bareboats as well as crewed yachts), and they often make their choices based on the accommodations. You of course need a comfortable place to call home for the week, but the reality is that you’ll spend about one percent of your waking hours belowdeck. Remember to focus on features that are important, such as outdoor space, access to water, comfortable outdoor seating and lounging areas, room both to enjoy the sun and to escape it.

It’s generally not good to get wrapped up in specific watersports toys, for example, SUPs, kayaks, towable toys, etc. If something’s important to you, by all means let your broker know, but provided the boat has a tender with a large enough outboard to handle wakeboards and/or waterskis, then any specific items you may want can be rented or purchased.

5: Dates and When to Book:
Many people are locked into when they can go, especially families with children in school. However, the more flexible you can be, the more choices you’ll have and subsequently the better value for money you’ll get. If possible, try to book 6 to 8 months out, and for the most popular weeks, (New Year’s, Presidents Week, Easter), 10 to 12 months is better. We’re generally able to find customers suitable boats even within a month, (except for New Year’s), but the choices will be greatly reduced so it’s a matter of choosing what’s left rather than getting exactly what you want. Those holiday weeks are the ones to avoid if possible, as they’re much busier on the water, and will cost more, especially in terms of airfare. A good broker can advise on when a good time to go is, and what weeks are busiest.

Click here to read more about how to plan a charter vacation.

The post Five Ways to Ensure Your Crewed Charter Is the Best Vacation Ever appeared first on Cruising World.

Sunset after a day of learning in the BVI

To foster curiosity and to satisfy it, companies and brokers work hard to demystify the chartering experience and educate potential clients. Companies produce in print and on line a wealth of material to help charterers check off the list of items they need to accomplish before arrival at the base; brokers have chat rooms and eletters promoting fleets and deals; others give away flash drives and DVDs chock full of videos and helpful information. Many companies offer sailing schools and flotillas. Companies can even help charterers plan the complete trip and related activities, from reservations for marina slips to restaurant options and, yes, special event, wedding, and honeymoon packages.

Click here to read more about how to plan a charter vacation.

The post Why You Should Charter appeared first on Cruising World.

As far as deciding when to go, again, much depends on personal circumstances and preferences. Not surprisingly, months designated as high season are usually the most desirable times to sail, not only for reasons of climate and weather in the charter area but also because of the weather back home.

In the Caribbean, for example, summer sailing is superb—the temperature doesn’t vary more than a few degrees from winter to summer. But most sailors want that dose of tropical sun, turquoise water, and balmy trades when the temperature at home is in the single digits and the boat’s laid up in the yard. For this reason, winter prices in the islands are higher than in the low season (summer) or fringe season (the period of time between high season and low season).

High, low, and fringe seasons vary according to locale, but if you’re on a tight budget, off-season or fringe-season sailing can save money; most companies offer substantial discounts or incentives in off-season months. In most areas, you can save from 10 percent to 60 percent.

Click here to read more about how to plan a charter vacation.

The post When to Charter: Seasons, Sailing Conditions appeared first on Cruising World.

Chartering a Catamaran

Charters fall into two distinct categories: fully crewed—the boat you charter comes complete with a captain and a crew, and bareboat—you’re the captain, and your family and friends make up the crew. Both styles offer distinct advantages.

There’s nothing quite as relaxing and stress-free as a well-organized crewed charter. It’s as if your every whim is answered before it’s even voiced. Drinks appear. Food is served. Destinations come and go.

Want a perfect sunset photograph? Well, sir, here’s the perfect west-facing anchorage for it. Ditto for a snorkeling spot, a wreck dive, or some spanking good breeze.

If the crew’s really good, you never realize that they’re there. They simply seem to be elsewhere until needed, and then they magically reappear. Things aren’t merely thought of; they’re anticipated. There’s never a hassle about navigation, provisions, or vessel maintenance. For a few precious days, your wish really is your crew’s command.

Captain-Only charters lie somewhere between fully crewed and bareboat charters. With just a captain, you as crew are more involved with sailing the boat, but the responsibility ultimately lies with the captain, so the pressure’s off. You also are involved in provisioning, cooking, cleaning; usually, you also pay for and provide the captain’s meals.

Bareboat charters means that you and your crew are fully responsible for safely operating the boat and navigating successfully in unfamiliar waters. Meeting these new challenges will improve your skills. Along with the responsibilities entailed on a bareboat charter comes unlimited freedom—freedom to do exactly as you wish, when you wish, how you wish. Bareboating is like owning a boat for a week, with all the joys and agonies that ownership entails.

Bareboat flotillas, such as those conducted by King Yacht Charters, as well as those organized by other charter companies, lie somewhere in the middle. In a flotilla charter, a group of bareboaters agree upon a single itinerary. The Kings, who broker crewed and bareboat sailing vacations in addition to conducting the CW program, take care of some of the details of provisioning and itinerary and act as navigational guides during your weeklong sailing adventure. You’re part of the crew on your own boat, and it’s a great opportunity for people of mixed skill levels to participate and learn.

Flotillas are particularly appealing to first-time bareboaters, who, while competent to handle the particular vessel, aren’t as comfortable with the navigational, social, and safety aspects of chartering in an unfamiliar destination.

Realize that with groups come disadvantages (your course and schedule aren’t completely your own) and advantages (instant camaraderie, for example). The choice is yours.

Click here to read more about how to plan a charter vacation.
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