Budgeting for bareboat charter

[sixfootglass]

Hey guys!

I know there have been many questions asked about bareboating, but I searched around quite a bit and couldn't find the answer to my question.

I am looking into doing my first bareboat charter, probably in the BVI, as it seems to be one of the friendliest areas for beginners. I have done some research on various companies in the BVI, and am trying to put together a proposed budget for the friends who will come with me on the charter.

Some companies list additional extras not included in the charter rate such as:
-Provisions
-Diesel
-Cruising permit and park pass
-Insurance for the boat
-Rental gear (like snorkeling equipment)
-Sleeping aboard fee for the night before

As far as additional costs for the trip go (besides airfare), am I missing anything? Having never done this before, I just don't want anyone to be surprised if the cost for the trip goes up because I didn't do my research beforehand!


Thanks for the help,
Casey

[Privleoplag]

you have the extras listed pretty good except Taxi, tips. your ride to the base may be included but may not be. mooring fees. communications if the company charges you for a phone for the boat or if you need to rent phone.

[l2ridehd]

My plan is something like this.

Cost of charter which always ask for the absolute total which includes most of the snorkel gear, permits and insurance.

Do an online provision for breakfasts and lunches, a couple of dinners, water, beer and any other beverages you want.

This way you will know in advance total boat cost and basic provisions for most on board meals and drinks. Add diving tanks if you plan on diving.

Collect $500 from each couple for a boat kitty. From this pay for moorings as you go, on shore dinners, extra ice, fuel fill up, and other "as you sail" expenses. Usually this will last 7 days. Figure 3 on shore dinners at $200 each, more if many drinks, $200 for a week of moorings, usually $30 a night, but go on the hook for a couple nights for some savings, ice, water, fuel, another $200 and the $1000 goes pretty quick. If there is any left over just split it at end.

[sixfootglass]

Thanks for the tips and good idea on the boat kitty!


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[StuartSailor]

Finally something I can offer a small bit of advice on as this will be my first post. The cruising kitty idea is great and resolved the issues we had on our first couple of charters. Obviously whether you charter a monohull or cat and time of year will determine costs as well.

We chartered 40' cat with 4 couples from south florida in the shoulder season, around Memorial Day week, and including airfare paid around $2500/couple. I would estimate that now to be around $3,000/couple as it's been a few years since we've chartered.

Every couple agreed to cook 1 dinner so we got to enjoy a few meals ashore as well. Don't forget the kayak, SUP, windsurfer, etc. Enjoy and have a great time. We love the BVI's and hope to go back again next spring.

[mlou]

We have taken a group of friends to the BVI's the past 3 years. We give them an estimated budget of @ $2000. This includes their own flight (they book it), boat rental and breakfast & lunches aboard. We always eat dinner ashore and that cost is on the friends, we give them an estimate of @ $50 per person (includes a few drinks) and tell them they can charge most meals ashore.
We collect a kitty of $50 per person at the beginning of the charter to buy ice & moorings and pay for any extra provisions. Once the week is over, we split the remaining kitty with the friends.
We have found that the price of food has increased since last year, so when we quote a price for provisioning we try to buffer the cost a bit.
Have a great time, we love it there.

[compassrose88]

Has anyone had experience with Conch Charters? They are asking for cash or funds to cover damage (returned after charter) of $1500. I've never had to do this before. What has anyone else experienced with this? Also any advice in dealing with Conch Charters?

[LeeV]

I've bareboat chartered with TMM @ 8 times in the BVI or Belize and always had a wonderful time, taking former students and/or families. Last year I took my fiancee after taking her sailing for her first 4 times on the Chesapeake. I chartered a new FP 36' Mahe cat, and we had a great time. It cost about $6000 including airfare, boat, provisions, moorings, restaurants for every dinner, taxis, etc......... It was my first time without others, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat, but it was expensive for us. Another couple would have drastically reduced that cost, and 3 couples even more (with a larger boat).

I've heard a few things about Conch Charters that weren't exciting. I'd look at TMM or Moorings if I were you. Just my $6000 worth! ;-)

Lee

[Secondwind410]

Hi we have used conch for 6 years in a row and they Re a great bareboat charter company!, the $1500.00 is just a deposit that you put on your credit card for loss of dinghy, damage to boat etc. They do have fees that you pay once you arrive. call their toll free number and ask for Kirst, she will tell you those fees and try to do a sleep aboard the night before your charter starts to get all your food delivered the night before and Tico delivers in the morning of your charter. you will have pay for ferry ride over fromSt Thomas if you fly I to that airport and last ferry leaves at 4:30 so you have to land at least 2 hours prior to your ferry leavening, we use Roadtown fast ferry. If you plan to fish you have to buy your fishing license prior to your trip at last stop sports, Conch can help you with contact names. you will save lots of money if you go on their 9 for 7 days deals of even 10 for 7 deals. we go every year in January for the 9 for 7 deal. the ferry service offers a package which includes pick up from airport to ferry and ferry dock to Conch. The boats may be a few years older than the other charter companies, but you will pay almost twice as much for those boats! we get the 39 beneteau and it's a 2007, pretty new as far as I am concerned. have fun and do the kitty collection for sure so everyone helps for the small items such as ice and we never take a mooring ball, doesn't make sense when it's free to anchor in great holding grounds of sand! Just drop anchor, back up on it, set it and have a sun downer!!,
Sandra

[mlou]

We use BVI Yacht charters, they are family run and have great service. You can call and ask questions anytime. They include all the insurance fees, national park fees, etc in the charter fee. We have never had a problem with them.

[alansmith]

Pretty well covered by all of the posters so I won't hash out the same things. What I would like to add is this:


The preparations before you leave are important. What can get people steamed after the charter is over is there "perception of fairness"....if they thought the charter was going to be 2500 dollars and then when the final reckoning comes to 3200 dollars....game on! I have seen damaged friendships from communications gone bad.


Here is how we approached it. We do all of our homework...to the best of our ability before we have a sit down dinner all together. We spreadsheet everything and make copies. We put every item on there that we can think of. But then we ask the group, this is key, how shall we handle unexpected expenses? What if someone puts a steak knife through the leather seating? No one remembers who did it or when...alcoholic haze! There was a new license required by the maritime agency for too many blondes on one boat. It is always fun to hear the mental gymnastics people go through while wrangling with this sort of question. But the group eventually will come to some sort of agreement how to handle these unforeseen expenses. That is very important. The group must come to some sort of agreement. Maybe they will say let's put 500 dollars extra/couple into the cruising kitty. Then pay out of that kitty.


They must also understand, clearly, that you have exercised due diligence. Do not set yourself for failure by selling yourself as an expert in bareboat chartering. Tell them how many hours you have spent, whom you talked with, what other resources you have enlisted into getting a fair estimate. But most definitely I would say something to the effect.. "our friendships are important and don't want any damages due to miscalculations caused by misunderstandings, unforeseen costs that were undiscovered, or just things that went wrong due to mother nature or inexperience.


They call them credit card captains and it is not an unfair sleight. Many videos of inexperienced sailors who take on big boats full of vacationing friends and do stupid things. They didn't set their hook correctly and drag across other people's hooks. Watch youtube...it has many scenarios. These are the ways that things can wrong on a charter by a group of friends. It can get costly when you put your bow 6 inches into the interior of a Swan.

[sixfootglass]

Thanks again guys. Alan, good suggestion to manage expectations and have some meetings beforehand where everyone going on the trip agrees on how work the expenses.

I will look at BVI yacht charters as well. I think I'm going to make a spreadsheet as you have suggested and call a few different companies to see what each of them includes/doesn't include in their pricing.

[Mark Stillwell]

We have used VI Sailing the last few times we've sailed. Give them your dates, approximate boat size and budget and they give you options from several companies.

We have chartered with several companies and keep coming back to Sunsail for value and service.

As others noted, add mooring, meals shore and play toys to your list.

Also check flight costs. We used to fly into Tortola. This June, we flew into St. Thomas and spent 3 days (2 nights) and caught fast ferry for less cost than flying into Tortola.

The only other advise is to pack light. If you have to check a bag, you have too much!

Caribbean Sailing, Virgin Island Sailing Vacations and BVI Yacht Charters.