Conch Charters

[watchoverya]

Any info or experience with Conch Charters out of Road Town?

[nes]

Chartered twice with them. Once 2009 and once in 2010, 40 foot Beneteau and 47 foot Beneteau. Neither were new, both were in adequate shape, service was excellent price was right, NO regrets, highly recommend them.
The 2nd trip was planned ~8 months in advance, got the 47 for 14 days for the price of 7. Used airline miles to get there (from San Diego), 4 adults split the cost, final bill for everything including beer, and tee shirts was $1000 per person per week ($8000 total)
Want more details? send me a message, I work rotating shift work, I will get back to you in a day or two.

[watchoverya]

Thanks for the feedback.

[bcarli]

I've used them twice and think they are a good company to charter with...

[s/v 'Faith']

Chartered a Jenneau 43DS back in May. Got a reasonable price for a 3 week charter, boat worked. Ross was a great go-to guy in getting couple minor issues with boat worked out. I found them to be quite reasonable to deal with.

[RyanC]

I’ve chartered from them twice. In 2009 a few of us were on a 2003 43 Gibsea for 10 days and had minimal problems and pretty good customer service. In 2011 we charted two boats a 2006 Beneteau 515 and a 2005 Beneteau 473. We had no issues w/ the 473 at all, but the 515 was an entirely different story.

The steering gimbal had not been lubricated in quite some time, so stiff that my wife could not turn the wheel, maintenance folks stated that it was fine as it’s a large boat, total B.S.!!! I took it upon myself to remove the life raft to gain access and hosed it down w/ lubricant which helped significantly, though the steering was not completely free but at least others could now take time at the helm. The autopilot was not functional, and caused an alarm to sound whenever you had the chartplotter on, highly irritating and they make no guarantees about electronics, so it went unresolved. When we got to our first location the windless was working intermittently, I called base and noted that this was a safety issue and needed to be resolved. The remote connection was so corroded where it inserts to the socket when removed the pins broke off, it took significant convincing for them to come out and resolve. Two days later the tattered headsail blew out, I once again contacted their base where after a lengthy conversation they came to meet us out at Leverick to install a replacement sail. The sail they brought was much too short and the only way it could furl was to hoist it to the top, leaving the foot 10 - 12 feet above the deck. . . no way to make decent sail shape or balance the boat in any substantial breeze; ended up motor sailing for the rest of the trip. To top it off the pressure water system had an air leak which made showers and washing very difficult and time consuming. . . luckily we got some decent squalls and showered on deck!!!

We did have a great time, but Conch definitely runs things to failure and cannot be bothered with any type of preventative maintenance. If you want any type of refund, consult a lawyer. When we ever charter again I will not be using a 3rd tier company to save a few bucks. Newer boats will not guarantee a boat with 0 problems, but it shouldn’t have issues that are related to deferred maintenance for many years.

[varekai]

I have chartered from them 4 years in a row and have nothing but good things to say about them. Remember these are not new boats so check everything out first like the windless pumps etc. before you leave the dock.
I am going again this year but the boat I wanted was not available so I had th charter from an other company.

[RyanC]

A very thorough check of systems; the windless did bump up and down at the dock, and the water system did pressurize for a few minutes. . .

[Swift Drift]

Great experience with them! Spent 2 weeks on a benny 343 this June and loved it! Great people and had no issues with the boat.

[sixdaytk]

Conch Charters Bareboat Trip Review Kakuris Laggon 440

This is a trip report from May 2012 on a 44'Cat from Conch. Chartered twice from them and you get a decent boat for the price. Newer will cost you $2k more. Isnt worth it to me. Had one problem with the dingy outboard in the morning and they met us at another island on out way and fixed it. I'm using them again next April.