Affordable 'Private Charter' - Caribbean

[cbcat]

Hi,

My girlfriend and I (both sailors) are looking to do a short, off the beaten path trip to the carib for 5-7 days. Ideally we'd love to be sailing, but for this trip we're not looking at spending the money for a bareboat etc. If we can't find a boat, then we'll probably just do a bungalow etc.

I know it's a long shot... but we'd love to hear from anyone if they're familiar with a carib based boat that might work for our trip. Preferably a cat since my girlfriend has never sailed one (she races a Beneteau 40), but we'll be very happy on a mono too. Perhaps a cruising couple would be interested in having us on board and we could work out some type of arrangements for compensation. If you're not licensed for charter work, maybe we could pick up the expenses for fuel, food etc?

Happy to PM details & refrences if you're interested in having us join up for a few days.

Again, I know it's a long shot, but thanks for reading!

ps: looking at 2nd week of June 2009

[osirissail]

Good luck, there are myriad legal and liability and local prohibitions on boats taking on passenger for money. There are many small boat cruisers offering this but they have to be careful and "under the table" or will get in serious trouble. However, there is minimal checking anywhere so they "get away" with it. But you cannot expect any services or even reasonable safety considerations with these type operations. You are "hanging your ass out there" and you might get bit. But still there are plenty available but normally they are "word of mouth." Crewed legal chartering is seriously expensive but quite elegant. Google for sites like "share a sail" or "find a crew" and you might be lucky and get a hit on a boat willing to "share expenses" on a short sail. So long as you are not "paying them" for your journey you are legal. Sharing expenses is the loophole.

[cbcat]

Osirissail,

Thanks for the reply. The last thing I want to do is jeopardize someone's boat in conducting an illegal charter. I hope that's not what was conveyed in my original post. Perhaps I should have been more clear...

Much to what you are suggesting we would ideally be looking to share expenses with a cruiser and not pay them for charter services. Having said that, if there is a legal charter operation that has the interest in taking us (only 2) on board for a deep discount/off season rate then we'd consider that option as well, though honestly don't anticipate such an offer.

Hope that helps to clarify our intentions. Again, thanks for the input. Knocking on wood that some folks might want some great company for a few days Feel free to spread the word.

[osirissail]

Do not hold your breathe hoping for a deeply discounted private charter boat as they cannot afford to take their boats out with guests without significant costs. As a commercial operation their port costs and fees are 10 times what private boats pay. That is why there is a market for "under the table" charters.
But for "share a sail" type situations look at the crew wanted section of the Welcome to the Seven Seas Cruising Association discussion board. Also Find a Crewâ„¢ Worldwide - The World's largest Online Marine Crew Network and other sailing forum boards normally have a "crew" sections. Be warned though that maybe half of the "free/share expenses" operations are with somebody who cannot afford to keep up their boat so they can be hazardous to your health or the Captain's nickname is "Bligh" and you will be mistreated or asked to do all sorts of nefarious things. But the other half can be real pleasant experiences and lots of fun. There is a major risk in "signing on" to such situations as if is very difficult to determine which one you will get. And on the other side, the owner/captain is also taking a significant risk of taking on an unknown crewperson(s).