Tips for planning a yacht charter

Yacht charter planning tips / Fountaine Pajot Victoria 67

The most important strategy for describing a successful itinerary is this: Don't over-plan!

Keep in mind that the itinerary is a suggested travel plan... Keep your expectations reasonable. Make a rough list of islands, ports, or anchorages that you would like to visit, rather than places you think you must visit. On any charter, the weather can interfere with even the most ideal plans, so most of the route templates from charter companies carry a variation of this refusal: "All routes are dependent on wind and weather conditions." Start by making a wish list, but be prepared to compromise. After you arrive at your destination, nature may have other plans, so be prepared to tune in accordingly.

Researching your destination in advance is part of every charterand of course, if you are a skipper, it is wise to prepare as much information as possible about the region you are sailing to, but keep in mind that you will also have plenty of free time on board the boat to explore along the way.

If you want to immerse yourself, start by buying at least a large-scale nautical map and cruise guides or pilot books for the areas you will be sailing.

Pay particular attention to the area's prevailing winds, seasonal and local weather conditions, including possible anomalies, navigational hazards and - very important - distances between ports or anchorages.

Don't rely on standard popular travel guides to provide ideas for where to go and what to see. Most of them offer vivid descriptions of places that might not be accessible by a sailboat, and guide and mile maps are often incomplete or unreliable.

Always keep in mind the actual distances between ports and islands, not only in terms of nautical miles, but also in terms of the time it will take to go from point A to point B at your boat's average cruising speed - sail and engine. Also consider the number of full days you will spend on the high seas and when you should return to the closest radius to your arrival point at the end of the charter.

During the planning stages, almost everyone on the crew has a wishlist. Cross out overly ambitious desires right away. For example, instead of making a wish list for ports and islands throughout the region, focus on one smaller coastal area or island group:

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Even with a limited list, you probably won't be able to see everything there is to see on a typical weekly charter. so once you pick an area and read a little about it, tweak this list. If you like, make a double wishlist based on the prevailing weather conditions. If route A is not possible during the week, route B may greet you more cheerfully. You may even find that the weather allows you to visit parts of both lists.

Rely on the knowledge of your charter company representatives when planning your trip. The offered routes are based on many years of experience in the charter area, and reliable information about different regions. The charter company knows which trip is best to plan for your specific time window. They know the capabilities of their yachts and also know which regions to avoid due to navigation or other hazards.

Pay particular attention to pre-instruction about weather, navigation, routes. Listen to company advice on what to do - and more importantly, what should never be done, and that the crew on board should never argue with a decision made by the captain, as his decisions are based on safety.

Yacht Charter Planning Tips / Fountaine Pajot MY37

Upon arrival at your destination, remember that you are on vacation. You are not currently coordinating your work team, so turn off the daily scheduler. Relax, soak up the sun, enjoy the voyage, sounds, and local attractions. Don't get so focused on visiting all the places on your list or where to run tomorrow - that you forget to enjoy where you are now.

Evaluate the moments that should never be planned in advance: leaping dolphins in front of the yacht, a bird perched aft, a perfect sunset over a shining blue sea or an ancient cove that has suddenly appeared, making the wind conditions the perfect place to drop anchor.

Maneuverable and roomy catamarans Lucia 40 and Helia 44 evolution from Fountaine pajot one of the most comfortable cruising catamarans, and the perfect choice for charter, with four spacious cabins and private bathrooms, and a panoramic view that will allow you to truly enjoy the views while traveling. These cruise yachts will provide comfortable handling and excellent navigational capabilities, which are especially good for a novice crew.

Where to go on a charter yacht?

We will be happy to help you choose a region for charter and book a yacht

15.08.2017