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What are your sailing vacation options
Today, there are several options for someone who would like to
enjoy a sailing holiday. The "sea dog" or the complete novice,
can both find a holiday which will satisfy their needs. Singles,
pairs or a group of people, can all enjoy the pleasures of
sailing holidays, thanks to the wide variety of options offered.
Price also, can significantly vary to match all budgets and
desired luxury levels. I will attempt to analyze for you all
the given options and leave to you the decision, as to which one
of the sailing vacations suits you the most.
BAREBOATS
What is it: Bareboating is the chartering vacation,
where you charter the whole boat for a certain time period
-usually from one to three weeks- and you are fully responsible
for the condition of your vessel, until the moment you will
return her to the charter company/owner. You may skipper the
boat by yourself (you must have the necessary skills for that),
or appoint a member of your crew to be the skipper, or even hire
a professional skipper. You will always need to leave a
refundable security deposit with your company/owner, to cover
possible damages to the yacht. Provisions, breakfasts, etc. are
never included in the price. The boat is "bare"
Most bare boats are from 30 to 50 feet in length and you can
charter a conventional single hulled yacht (monohull), a
catamaran or a powerboat. Sailing yachts are far more popular,
and common, than powerboats. Bareboats come equipped with
everything needed to operate them from kitchen utensils to
towels, sheets and bedding. Almost all bareboat companies
provide you with a dinghy, when the outboard can be at no charge
or charged as an "extra".
Advantages: In one word freedom. To sail anywhere you
like at any time you desire (within your sailing area and
charter period limitations of course). Another advantage is your
privacy, the luxury to be with your family or close friends only.
Disadvantages: The nature of bareboat requires the
yachts to be as simple as possible for "ease of use", as well as
to minimize the chances of a problem occurring. So, forget fancy
electronic equipment -a VHF, an echo sounder and a GPS- are the
basic instruments you will find on all bareboat vessels. I don't
mention speed logs, as they usually do not function. Also,
chances for something to go "wrong" are rather high, therefore a
good and effective owner/agent is a must.
Costs: The price for a charter/week may vary due to the
different yacht size, but per person the price is aprox. euros
50 per day (a 44 feet -at euros 3.000 per week- for 8 persons
will cost (per person) the same, like a 32 feet -at euros 1.500
per week- for 4 persons). You may reduce the cost if you choose
a budget boat, an one-way trip or to sail out of the high peak
season.
more about
bareboat charters
Other bareboat categories
Skippered bareboats: Like the simple bareboat, but you
hire a skipper. You "lose" your privacy but you gain "luxury",
as there is somebody else to worry in the nights if the anchor
is holding. Notice that the need for the security deposit
applies, as when you hire a captain for a bareboat it is similar
to hiring a driver for your rental car. You are still
responsible for the operation of the yacht and the captain is
treated as your employee. Skippered bareboats are also more
expensive, as well as the skipper's fees (aprox. euros 130 per
day), he is usually required to have a private cabin. This means
you'll need a larger yacht than would otherwise be necessary.>
Flotilla sailing: Although by many is considered as a
different type of yachting holidays, flotilla sailing is a
bareboat, with the addition of a leading boat and crew. You
still charter the whole boat and you are fully responsible for
the condition of your vessel. You also need to leave a
refundable security deposit.>
Usually the flotilla boats are from 27 to 36 feet and they
are sailing in a group of 6 to 12 yachts. You enjoy privacy but
you lose the freedom (to a degree), as you have to follow a
pre-scheduled program. You also gain the comfort of a leading
crew to guide you and provide you assistance whenever needed.
This assistance and the large number of people in a flotilla
group, has made this type of sailing holiday popular for
families. As expected, is more expensive (aprox. 20%) than
simple bareboat...>
more flotilla
sailing
SAILING CRUISES (cabin charters)
What is it: A sailing cruise (you may find the term as
cabin charter, berth charter or skippered share boating) is the
type of sailing vacation, where you will reserve a berth (or a
cabin if you are a couple) on a yacht on a pre-scheduled trip.
Is very similar to an ordinary cruise, only instead of a big
cruise liner you sail with a yacht. As there is always crew
onboard, you are not responsible for the condition of
the vessel
and there is no need to leave a security deposit.
The vessels in sailing cruises are usually yachts from 45 to
55 feet, although in some countries you may find other sorts of
vessels (in Turkey you will find the "gulets", which are 60 to
90 feet motorsailers, when in Holland they use traditional 30
meters boats). Sometimes breakfast is included, when in others
it is not. Notice that, although this holiday is similar to a
cruise, by no means you should expect the luxury and comforts a
large cruise liner can offer you. It is always an "adventure
holiday".
Advantages: You can book a single berth, or as many as
you want and there is no need of sailing experience on your
side. You may choose to be as active or passive as you like.
Since these yachts are operated continuously by professional
crew, chances for major breakdowns are less than in bareboat.
Disadvantages: You have no choice as to where to sail
to and which places to visit, as the trips are prescheduled.
Yet, as the groups onboard are small, a decision to extend the
stay in a nice place or vary the itinerary is a common practise.
Neither will you enjoy privacy, as you will probably need to
share your cabin with someone you just met.
Costs: The average cost is aprox. euros 100 per day
and although this might look a lot more expensive than bareboat,
it isn't, as this price includes expenses which on bareboat are
"extras" -on top of the basic yacht price. The skipper's fees,
the diesel, harbour fees during sailing, are only some of them..
Booking a "berth" on a flotilla: Recently it has been
common practice from the flotilla operators to accept
"passengers" -for a fee, of course- on their lead yachts, in
order to "cut" down their expenses and create some extra income.
Nothing wrong with that, but you are entitled to know upon your
booking (and they should make sure that they inform you) what
that means exactly for you. For example, if a sudden storm
occurs and all yachts will seek shelter, your boat will probably
go "out" to the open sea to provide assistance to one of the
other flotilla boats which has difficulties, or, in a perfect
morning, when all other yachts will leave the harbour, you will
probably need to stay there because one of the flotilla yachts
had engine problems and the lead boat cannot leave the harbour
until a mechanic comes and the problem is sorted out. In my
opinion, when you book your sailing cruise on a flotilla leading
boat, you should pay a "heavily" discounted charter fee.
more sailing
cruises
LUXURY BOATS (crewed charters)
What is it: You can charter a "Gin Palace" motorboat,
a motorsailer or a sailing yacht. Just like in bareboat, you
book the whole boat (including the crew) for as many days you
like. Since the vessel will have her own crew (usually from 3 to
10 people) you are not responsible for the "well being" of your
vessel, thus you don't need to leave a security deposit. Unlike
bareboat, where the charters are usually based on a weekly
turn-round base, these yachts are so expensive that you can book
them for as many days you like - even for one day only. The
price-list usually includes breakfast -sometimes half board- and
the diesel for certain hours of motoring every day (usually 2 -
4 hrs). Several extra costs are involved in a crewed boat
charter (from the diesel to tipping the crew). A good rule of
thumb is to estimate 25% on top of the daily pricelist rate.
Although a "crewed charter" might look the same like a
"skippered bareboat" on a vessel of the same size, they are not
Advantages: You enjoy the freedom of sailing wherever
you like (time and weather permitting, of course). Your boat
will be fully equipped, offering facilities like satellite
communication -or plasma TV. For some people, the prestige of
being on such a boat also "counts". The luxury offered can be
beyond your dreams. A helicopter, jacuzzi, speed boat(s), jet
skis, etc. are only some of the inventory and facilities you
will find on these boats.
Disadvantages: You don't enjoy the bareboat's privacy,
since there always will be crew onboard, but the truth is that,
in most cases, this crew are fully trained professionals and
they will make their presence felt only where -and "if"- it's
necessary.
Costs: The charter of a luxury crewed boat is the most
expensive way to enjoy sailing vacations. The cost per
person/per day will start from € 300 (for a 60 feet sailing
yacht capable of carrying 6 guests), to infinity (some Mega
Yachts exceed $300.000 PER DAY). If you are looking for
something more expensive and prestigious, you should consider
booking to NASA for a trip to the stratosphere :)
more about luxury
boats
About the author:
A. Vournas is the owner and SEO of @lmiyachts.com, an
informative intermediary in the yacht chartering field.
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