Cat Charter in Tahiti

[Dragon Lady]

Looking at chartering an Athena 38 as a try before we buy in Tahiti late September.
Can anyone recomend a charter company or charter boat that we should use?
We really want an Athena 38 to try out so sorry we don't want to charter other boats.

[Ozbullwinkle]

Hi Dragon Lady,

Sunsail in Tahiti has an Athena 38. I have chartered from Sunsail in The Whitsundays and found them to be excellent but cannot speak personally about their Tahiti operation.

I know that you were intending to charter in late Sept so maybe my response is too late for you.

Here is their Tahiti website FYI.

Yacht Charter Fleet Tahiti : Sunsail Tahiti Yacht Fleet

[markpierce]

I'm wary of any sailboat charter. My one experience showed you can be short-changed. The boat wasn't equipped with any winch handles. (It was a group charter and I wasn't involved with the arrangement.) Either the owner didn't want to risk the loss of his handles or they had already been lost. The lack of handles made sail trimming on the 30-foot sloop difficult in 20-knot winds. Good thing it was only a day sail. ... I'm permanently scarred.

[Ozbullwinkle]

Mark, your experience is not representative of a reputable charter company. I found Sunsail to be excellent and they put us through a comprehensive 3 hour familiarisation of the boat that we were chartering which was a Leopard 47 and also provide nunerous cruising guides.

Anything that any of their charter fleet required was dealt with promptly by a rib that came out to the chartered vessel for delivery of any items, like winch handles in your instance, or to do on boat repairs. We did not need to call on this service during our 10 day charter but other charterers were very happy with Sunsail's efficient and prompt service.

I do not have any involvement with them at all but would not hesitate in chartering from them again or recommending them like I have done, but as I said I cannot speak with any authority about their Tahiti operation but the Australian one is great.

[DtM]

We chartered with Sunsail in Tonga.

They were excellent. OK there were a few little bits that could have worked better but it is a charter for goodness sake.

We booked through their Hamilton Island office where the staff were ever friendly and helpful.

I also have no connection with Sunsail.

Do it.

[Ozbullwinkle]

So, the latest score is Sunsail 2 & Others 0 from 2 totally unbiased happy past customers.

I chartered from the Hamilton Island Sunsail office as well.

As it is late September maybe Dragon Lady is in Tahiti right now - I look forward to an update as to how it went if this is the case.

[Dragon Lady]

Thanks Ozbullwinkle, unfortunately I'm still in Sydney but heading for Vanuatu a week Sunday. No Charter though have changed plans and am now looking at a Lavezzi which I hope to try out in Sydney when I get back.Maybe I'll get to see beautiful Tahiti when we bring our own back from across the pond.