Interested in sailing charter w/Capt in December

[piratelooksat40]

Hello! Very first post here in the CF! I am interested in obtaining some information about chartering a sailboat w/Capt for 5-7 days in the latter part of Dec 2016. This would be for 5 adults, preferably somewhere in the Caribbean.

History: never sailed before! I love the water, been around power boats (mostly land-locked) all my life. But I am very eager to learn about sailing & want to take my family on a nice vacation in the process! With no sailing experience, a crewed charter (min Captain?), will be a necessity.

I've done some internet searches for the dates & needs, and, I have to say...WOW! Can I expect to pay upwards of $10-18,000 for this charter!? I know it won't be 'cheap', but I guess I wasn't expecting that amount. (I realize that I may have to forget about a trip for this year & keep saving for another couple years!)

I don't mean to insult anyone with my novice/rookie questions...I am just diving into the sailing world! I would appreciate any thoughts from those of you that may have experience with charters & what to expect, suggestions on reputable companies, plus any tips you wish to offer.

Thanks for your time!

[pathlesschosen]

Charter companies provide a captain for approx $200/day plus tip. Pick whatever boat you like then add the cost of the captain.


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[pathlesschosen]

Also, the beginning of December is significantly cheaper than over the holidays.


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[american]

Charter sailing can get expensive, fast. Other things to keep in mind:

Cost of provisions (food) - a lot of charter companies will stock the boat for you, but markup can be 2x~3x what you'd pay if you went to the store and bought those things yourself. There are usually stocking/cleaning fees involved that go above provisioning costs, regardless of whether you stock the boat or not.

Cost of fuel - even though you're on a sailboat, there can be many times you're forced to motor. I felt this happened a lot more often when there was a skipper (from the charter company) on board. Makes sense, they want to charge you for additional fuel use, so the skipper has an incentive to suggest a destination upwind, even when there are great places accessible without motoring.

It pays to closely inspect the fees and additional costs when deciding which charter company to go with. What may look like a lower daily cost can often hid much higher hidden costs.

Good luck out there!

[Hoofsmit]

I think 18000 us, is an over estimate, nearer 10'000us without flights etc
Presuming 4 of the 5 adults are couples and happy to share, you would need 4cabins ( the skipper would need his own!)
Since it's a 'first charter' family vacation, it maybe wise to go for a catamaran ( lots of info re. pros and cons available on CF )
http://horizonyachtcharters.com/anti...ut-4-cabin.jpg
For 7 days This is $6995 ,
skipper at $150 per day, $1200 with tip
insurance for damage waiver $50 per day, so $350
eating ashore and / or provisions approx $200 per day,
Marina or mooring fees( but with a skipper this should be lower as you will anchor more) say $250 for the week.
I am a freelance skipper/ Captain , I sail as much as possible, so the suggestion that the skip would motor more is for me totally wrong, if lack of wind means motoring for your planned itinerary sure I will motor but generally most of my guests don't want the noise and would prefer to change their planned anchorage rather than motor, I would allow $100 for fuel and water for 7 days.
Hope this helps for a start



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[american]

Originally Posted by Hoofsmit

I am a freelance skipper/ Captain , I sail as much as possible, so the suggestion that the skip would motor more is for me totally wrong, if lack of wind means motoring for your planned itinerary sure I will motor but generally most of my guests don't want the noise and would prefer to change their planned anchorage rather than motor, I would allow $100 for fuel and water for 7 days.

Just sharing my previous experience. Not sure how an experience, and my view of it, can be labeled "totally wrong" by someone who wasn't present, doesn't know the other issues I had with that company, etc. If I were trying to throw someone (or a company) under the bus here, I'd share more. My goal is simply to share experience:

I chartered a lot with a particular company in a certain area, then bought my own boat and have sailed in that same area on my own since. Based on this, I'm able to think back to previous charter trips and wonder why motoring to windward was necessary given all the available destinations which would not have required motoring.

That skipper could have had perfectly valid reasons for doing it. At the time I wasn't familiar enough with the area to think of this or to ask questions. Still, it added a meaningful amount to the total bill at the end of the trip. For someone who comes asking about costs related to chartering, it may be relevant.

[Hoofsmit]

American

You wrote, "Makes sense, they want to charge you for additional fuel use, so the skipper has an incentive to suggest a destination upwind, even when there are great places accessible without motoring. "
Please reread my post, it states "that for me" as a freelance skipper I would have no benefit to use fuel
when I return the vessel to the charter companies slip it must have full tanks, the fuel is purchased by the charterer at the marina fuel dock ( an independent company) there is no benefit to me or the charter company, so I can not see where you feel I should not state that the suggestion I would use more fuel is " totally wrong"

Maybe you should have been clearer to you skipper as to your preferred itinerary if you did not want to motor up wind !

I am sorry if these facts offend you but I do not agree by your statement that a skipper will cost you more in fuel !

My contract and obligations are to the charterer not to the bare boat charter company

I too am trying to help the original poster by stating the facts as I experience



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[american]

I can not see where you feel I should not state that the suggestion I would use more fuel is " totally wrong"

No one said YOU would do this.

We're talking about two totally different setups. You, as a freelance skipper, have no incentive to do what I've outlined. Never said you did!

The skipper in my situation, being an employee of the charter company, DID have incentive. The charter company buys fuel from the dock at $X/liter, and charges the charterer $X*Y/liter. The markup creates the incentive. The skipper, being an employee of the charter company, creates the conflict.

This is why I suggested OP read the fine print.

I have nothing against charter companies. Nothing against skippers. And certainly nothing against freelance skippers. Again, just sharing an experience relevant to OP's question.

[Hoofsmit]

I maybe could have worded "I am a freelance skipper/ Captain , I sail as much as possible, so the suggestion that the skip would motor more is for me totally wrong"

More correctly to ,
the suggestion that a " charter company skipper" would purposely motor more to ensure a higher fuel bill and thus an advantage to the company at the charterers detriment " does not apply to a freelance skipper.

But now you have started me thinking if your assumptions would make sense

I am sorry but I think we must agree to disagree, on your assumptions of a charter company skipper doing this

Let's say your unscrupulous skipper motors 2hrs a day more than you think he should at 2GPH for 7 days that is 28 gallons @ $5.45 ( Bvi one of the most expensive in the Caribbean) that equals $152.60 in fuel costs, now let's say a money grabbing charter company puts 25 percent on the fuel costs this equates to a grand total of $38.15 extra that they have robbed our charterer of !

I think your skip had a different reason to motor.


For the op's benefit, if you charter in Antigua, diesel is 13.50 EC a gallon, this is $5.03US Which equates to 1 hr of motoring or battery charging per day costing the grand total of $75us for the week.
Kind of negligible on a $10000 charter

American, my learn-ed friend ,does make a valid point to get the small print before you send your money
Ensure the damage waiver,cancellation insurances etc cover your liabilities as well as what come backs you have if the yacht has failures that need repair.

Good luck in your search and excuse American's and my tussle







I do not realistically see a skipper doing this even if being pressurised by a charter company for a cream off probably equating


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[Hoofsmit]

Sorry for the last line of the above post, my iPad app won't allow me to edit once posted

:/


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[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, pirate.

[Rubikoop]

I do skipper work mostly for one charter company but I have done freelance work as well. My preference is to sail but if the guests have an itinerary or schedule they want to meet, motoring sometimes is the only option. Incoming weather, existing sea conditions, losing daylight, better access to a location, battery charging, etc. are just a few reasons I would motor but there are many others.

I've never heard of an instance where there is a financial incentive to burn more fuel than less. My thought is that the more money I can save my guests (happy hours/cheaper meals/free entertainment) the more they have available for a generous gratuity should they wish to grant me at the conclusion of their trip.


American, it was interesting seeing you on FTB. I'm envious of your cruising grounds.

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[LTDsailing]

We mostly do live aboard sailing school trips - but also do skippered charters. Take a look at our website - let me know if you would like me to put together a quote for you.

[Dr. Sea]

Originally Posted by pathlesschosen

Also, the beginning of December is significantly cheaper than over the holidays.

Pirate, this is great advice and a simple way to save literally thousands of dollars for a 7-day charter. Another way to save money is to charter from a secondary fleet like Conch Charters instead of Moorings. Either one can provide you a skipper for a fee. The first time we chartered in BVI we went through Boat US and chartered boat, skipper, cook, and provisions all in one package. The boat was an older boat, but so what? We were thrilled and having a cook to plan, provision, and prepare the meals was a wonderful luxury. I don't know if Boat US still provides that service, but it would be worth your looking into it.

[Macblaze]

I agree with LTD's "suggestion" to do a cruise and learn. The only way to get away from the $200/day skipper fee is to learn. I don't know about all schools but if you charter the whole boat they generally don't care who does the learning. Sign up, charter a boat, pay for an instructor, get someone to do a competent crew while you try and get as much certification as you can cram into the time you have.

You'll still get the holiday and in the long run it will save you lots of money. And you will soon be cruising sans skipper.