Sailing Boat rentals
FAQ answers
What qualifications do I need to charter
a bareboat sailing boat?
To charter a sailing yacht it is necessary for the skipper (some
countries, like Greece, require two qualified crew members) to have a
sailing certificate proving his competence. If no such certificates are
issued in your home country, you will be required to present a reference
from your yacht club verifying your ability to sail.
You may also be required to submit a sailing resume that will enable us
to assess your ability to sail in safety. The charter agency reserves
the right to insist that charterers hire a professional skipper if their
sailing skills are not judged sufficient by their staff.
If I need to hire a professional skipper?
Usually charter agencies are is in the position to select, recommend and
hire on your behalf a professional skipper for as many days as you wish.
Even if you have experienced sailing, you may still require the services
of a professional skipper to make your cruise more relaxing and benefit
from the skippers’ local knowledge. There is a set daily fee (€
120-150 per day) for the professional skipper, regardless of the number
of people on board. Please remember that the professional skipper needs
to be provided with his own cabin, as he is obliged to sleep on board.
I have chartered a vessel with skipper.
Do I still need to leave a deposit?
With most of the agencies, yes. The charter companies are only
suggesting skippers and makes no commission on their payment, which you
do. Your charter is still a bare boat charter -in distinction with
a crewed vessel charter- and therefore you are in full responsible
towards the company for the vessel you are hiring.
Which days of the week can I begin and end my
charter?
Sailing boat charters begin and end on Saturdays for multiples of seven
days. In the low season period depending on yacht availability
this may be flexible. In this case they will try to accommodate your
wishes for different days of the week and uneven periods of time, such
as a ten or twelve-day charter.
What is the charters’ schedule?
All charters begin at 17:00 on the day of departure (normally Saturdays)
and typically end at 09:00 on the day of arrival (normally Saturdays).
However you will be kindly asked to return to base on the last evening
of your charter (normally Friday evening). The companies/yacht
owners requires this time between charters to do the necessary
cleaning/maintenance/service of the vessels.
What does the charter fee include?
Yacht prices are per yacht, per week, depending on time of the year,
regardless of the number of people aboard (subject to the maximum number
of berths). In most cases charter fees include the cost of yacht
insurance, end cleaning and VAT.
Are there any additional charges?
The following additional charges may apply:
• Deposit - The security deposit you need to leave with the agency/yacht
owner.
• Fuel - The yacht should be delivered topped up with fuel.
• Port or Marina fees - This is a daily-base fee, which applies to
almost all ports with varied costs.
• Optional - Any optional extras that you might have specifically
requested. (See price list)
Should I have a travel insurance?
In your own interest, you are strongly advised to
buy suitable travel insurance before leaving home,
including cancellation insurance to protect your booking deposit.
What types of security deposits are
available?
You will need to leave with the agency a refundable deposit to cover any
loss or damage during the trip, that is not covered by the vessel's
insurance. The amount of this deposit varies with size and value
of the yacht and it may be paid in cash, traveller's cheques or major
credit card prior to embarkation (personal cheques usually are not
acceptable).
Another type of security deposit is a non refundable premium.
Usually it is a percentage of the total charter fee (10% -15%) and you
should add it on top of the other costs of your holiday, as you will
not get this amount back upon returning the vessel to the owners.
The Refundable Security Deposit covers:
• Loss of or damage to the vessel or its tender or to third parties.
• Loss of or damage to the equipment listed in the inventory and given
to the charterer at check-in.
• Costs incurred if the vessel is returned in an extremely dirty
condition.
• Cost of returning the boat to her prearranged harbour if the charterer
fails to do so by the scheduled date and time.
• Cost of refueling, if the boat is returned without refilled tanks.
The payment of the Refundable Security Deposit, is designed to cover
only one incident of a substantial nature at any one time, viz: in case
of loss or damage to equipment of significant value, such as outboard
engine or dinghy, the charterer will have the right to an immediate
replacement whilst on charter, provided that you will make a new
Refundable Security Deposit immediately upon receipt of replacement or
repair.
What should I bring with me?
Every charter vessel is supposed to be fully equipped for charter. Apart
from provisioning, stowing your personal possessions, you could step
aboard your vessel and leave the dock. The
Inventory List
indicates how fully you can expect your yacht to be equipped. The
equipment varies depending on the size and the type of the yacht but you
need to take very little
with you.
Shall I expect a boat briefing?
Most of the companies are offering the charterer and his or her party
general briefing covering the local cruising grounds. Questions about
navigation, anchorages, prevailing conditions, or any part of the
desired itinerary can be answered. A more specific boat briefing aboard
the yacht will then be given, covering all the operating systems,
including rigging, electrical system, water system, windlass, stove,
dinghy, outboard and emergency systems.
In case I want to cancel my sailing boat charter?
Every company has its' own cancellation policy to bareboat yachts
depending on the time-interval between the booking confirmation and the
cancellation date. The most common cancellation fees are:
a. In case of cancellation 6 months and over prior to
embarkation, a cancellation fee of 20% of the total charter cost will
apply.
b.
In case of cancellation between 1 and 6 months prior to embarkation,
a cancellation fee of 35% of the total charter cost will apply.
c.
In case of cancellation between 30 days and embarkation, a
cancellation fee of 50% of the total charter cost will apply.
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