Expert Advice

Five Tips for a Safer Charter

by Zuzana Prochazka, Posted April 26, 2013

There’s nothing quite so liberating as being on charter. Not only are you on vacation, you’re on a sailing vacation, with the express mission to explore, enjoy and relax. Except, of course, when things get serious.

Forty-one Years of Bareboat Chartering in the Caribbean

by Rod MacIlvaine, Posted September 14, 2012

On Christmas Day 1969, after we’d opened presents, with wrapping paper still strewn across the floor, my father made an announcement: “Our big present this year is a trip to the Virgin Islands.” I was ecstatic.

Crewed Yachts for Bareboaters

by Laurie Fullerton, Posted May 22, 2012

Any bareboat skipper who’s experienced a restless night at anchor knows that bareboating can sometimes be stressful. And while some veteran bareboaters positively enjoy planning trips and controlling ships, others know how glorious it can be to give up the helm and embrace the vacation. That’s when they try out crewed yacht chartering.

The Family Way

by Peter Nielsen, Posted March 11, 2011

Before I actually took my family on a flotilla vacation, I couldn’t understand why anyone would take their family on a flotilla vacation. The mere thought of sailing along in a group of a dozen boats, being herded like sheep into marinas by some officious lead skipper, not to mention the forced jollity with total strangers, filled me with horror. After all, one of the reasons I go sailing is to

School's in Session

by Rebecca Waters, Posted November 11, 2010

If your goal is to be able to charter a boat in your dream destination, nothing will prepare you better than a sailing course taught on a charter boat. Working on a charter boat, your instructor can walk you through the entire charter process, from chart briefing and provisioning to the final return. And who’s to say your class can’t be in that dream locale?“We use charter boats to teach

Secrets of the Virgin Islands

by Meredith Laitos, Posted September 24, 2010

In the October issue of SAIL, we take you on charter adventures in the Spanish, U.S. and British Virgin Islands. You may have sailed there a dozen times before, but there are always new gems to discover. We asked our panel of Island Experts to divulge their best Virgin Island charter secrets. Here's what they came up with

Better Than Google

by Meredith Laitos, Posted June 9, 2010

Thanks to sites like craigslist, ebay and amazon, we are better equipped than ever to make informed decisions when it comes to what we buy. Rather than blindly purchasing items and services promoted in catchy ad campaigns, we can now make our purchases after studying reviews and information posted by those who know the products first-hand.Nowhere is this more true than in the world of

Insider Tips from the BVI

by John Glynn, Posted June 2, 2010

After fairly busy Winter and Spring seasons in the BVI, things have slowed down a bit lately. In the wake of months like February, March, and April, when anchorages are full of families on school holidays, May and June are a time for couples to get together (often with like-minded couples) and charter a boat or go on a sailing vacation at a fraction of the peak-season cost.While May and

Caribbean for Newbies

by Sail Staff, Posted January 7, 2010

The question came up every year: “Whadya think about chartering in the Caribbean?” And every year the answer was the same: “Nah.”My wife, Jennifer, and I sail our Caliber 38, Catamount, in the northern latitudes, on the fresh waters of Georgian Bay on Lake Huron. The idea of chartering in the Caribbean raised many different questions: Isn’t everything so close you don’t really

Build up your charter confidence

by Meredith Laitos, Posted August 24, 2009

Chartering on a crewed boat can be great fun, but taking charge of a bareboat in an exotic location leads to a whole new level of enjoyment. Unfortunately, many otherwise competent sailors are nervous that they don’t have the skills to skipper a large monohull or catamaran in a charter environment. If you’ve been waiting to take the leap to bareboating, here is your perfect springboard: Fair Wind