The main advantage of a motor yacht is their speed. This means you can get quickly from one destination to another and spend the extra time relaxing on beaches or exploring secluded bays, taking day trips or go snorkeling in crystal clear waters. Besides their speed, one more great advantage is their stability and comfort because of their greater cruising autonomy. Because of their lower draught, they make anchoring in shallow bays an easy task.
If you seek romance and adventure, and want to go green, then a sailing yacht is the best type of yacht to charter. Great for team building and action packed family holidays. If the journey is as important as the destination, your choise is the sailing yacht.
A major advantage of catamarans, both power and sail, is their minimal draft which allows you to tuck up close to a beach or anchor in shallow areas. Below decks, catamarans offer plenty of space, which makes them a perfect choice for a larger group of people or families. Catamarans are considerably more stable than a sailing yacht. They do not bang back and forth in swells, which makes them super comfortable and puts them on the list of all-time favorite boats for all of you who suffer from sea sickness! However, catamarans also have their disadvantages: A wide beam can make it difficult to find room at a dock. A crowded anchorage can also represent a challenge. Chartering a catamaran is more costly but the extra space allows more friends to split costs.
Before taking on a sailing trip, you should decide which type of charter suits your needs and skills the best. There are three types of charters: bareboat, skippered and crewed. What you will choose depends on your personal preferences and sailing skills. To make your decision easier, we have summed up all the main characteristics of each charter types.
To put it simple, chartering a bareboat means you are chartering a boat without a crew. This means you are responsible for providing a licensed skipper. You yourself can be the skipper if you provide proof of your sailing skills. Usually, yacht owners will ask for your skipper licence, permit, certificate or other type of document which will prove you have the necessary skills needed for a certain type of boat. The biggest advantage of chartering a bareboat is your complete independence! This means YOU choose your route, YOU choose your next destination, YOU determine your schedule!
If you or none of your crew members, qualify as a licenced skipper, the skippered charter is a great choice for all of you who still wish to rent a boat for yourself and your chosen passangers because the yacht owner/charter agent will provide you a skipper and additional crew if needed. The skipper will take care of the yacht, your safety and the sailing route while you can just relax and enjoy your trip. Skippered charter offers you a great combination of independent exploration of the coast and islands, while someone else does all the work for you!
Another way to let someone else take care of the boat and sailing routes, while you relax and enjoy yourself, is to choose crewed charter. By choosing this option, you get maximum comfort and service, as not only will someone else navigate you through the seas but a crew will also take care of your meals, safety, cleaning etc. It is like being on a floating hotel which offers you a completely different view every day!
Essential part of a good sailing trip planning process is an open discussion between skipper and crew about potential trip risks and their mitigation. The harmony within the crew should not suffer from an external event that might cause damage to property or even people. Charter insurances can cover some of the major risks and therefore are highly recommended.
The most common insurances are:
• Skipper third party liability insurance
• Skipper passenger accident insurance
• Travel cancellation costs insurance
• Guarantee insurance for security deposits
• International health insurance
For more details on scope and coverage, we refer to the offers of our insurance partners.
The most important thing is to be prepared for all possible situations that could go wrong. As the one being responsible for the little ones, you should always anticipate possible stressful situations and keep in mind to stay calm and handle every situation with confidence. Ask yourself some of these questions: Do i know where I have all the life jackets stored? What do I do if a child falls overboard? Have I given precise roles and duties to all my crew members? It is of upper importance that before embarking on a trip with your kids, you can answer these questions with confidence.
Everyone on board should have a lifejacket and everyone should be informed and know at all times where the lifejackets are stored. Small children (5-6 years old) and non-swimmers should wear fastenable vests. Always check with your agent/fleet operator if they provide life jackets for small children because many chartered boats do not have them on board or they will not be the right size for your kid. Kids should have the same sailing gear as the adults on board. This includes non-slip shoes, sailing gloves, hat, sunglasses, sun protective clothing and plenty of sunscreen.
