Overlooked Things You Must Consider Before You Set Foot on Your Charter Boat
Let’s say a group of four sailing friends from the States fly off to the U.S. B.V.I.’s for a week-long wonderful charter of a 42 foot monohull, touring islands and discovering legends. It sounds perfect, right? How could it go wrong? Exactly 8 days later, the group arrives home. One had just a so-so time, and the rest had a terrible time. Why? They forgot one of the most important things you need to do before even stepping aboard that sailboat: choosing a Captain.
It may seem almost obvious, but it is important that the Captain be elected far in advance of the ship leaving the dock. At home, while charter plans are being drawn up is best. It avoids fist fights on the wharf in front of strangers. If you have a feeling that you are about to sail with a Captain Bligh, on the H.M.S. Bounty, maybe you should develop a prior commitment.
Usually the person with the most sailing or boating experience will be best as the fearless leader. It also could be the person who is paying for the whole clambake and is used to being “in charge” but does not have a lot of nautical experience Not a problem, in that case it means that the “Captain”, making overall decisions, while the “Skipper” is running the ship. Hopefully you or one of the other members of your charter party has at least some boating experience. If not, you may wish to employ the “Skipper”. Your charter company can help you do that.
Then there is the handling of the Galley. Many times there can be alternating Chefs, so that nobody is put into the “Galley Slave” category and is left behind to peel potatoes while everybody else goes ashore to pillage and plunder.
Provisioning is extremely important and should be decided early in the game. “Carnivores” when surrounded by only “Vegans” will eventually mutiny and take over the ship and set a course for the nearest “Cheeseburgers in Paradise”! Or worse yet, they will kill and eat the Vegans. We’re joking here, but truthfully, these are the things that really start to agitate people when you are many miles from civilization. To avoid this, agree in principle to an appropriate (balanced) bill ‘o fare so the charter company will have a fair chance of provisioning the boat correctly. By the way, unless your charter includes provisioning in the cost, it will be extra.
Finally, as always, be careful in your choice of ship (charter) mates. Life aboard ship knocks down defenses and exposes personality traits in people that aren’t important ashore, but can lead to all kinds of nasty things aboard ships.
It is just as important for you to turn up your “tolerance” level. Just remember “the landlovers don’t realize how nautically ignorant they really are”. If you are the elected “Captain” you must be a benevolent dictator . If you are not the captain, stow your ego and your captains hat.
REMEMBER, THE OBJECT OF A CHARTER IS TO HAVE FUN!!
Fred
Great advice. People look at the chartering advertisements, see all the idyllic locations, see the photo-cliches of boats apparently suspended in mid-air in sandy bays, and think it is all wonderful. The reality is that sailing is cold, wet, tiring and often very hard work. We sail in a HOSTILE environment. You are literally both out of your element and out of your depth; get it wrong and you could DIE. Perhaps that is the thrill, keeping control of potentially dangerous situations and still having the time of your life! Something landlubbers just do not understand. A good skipper is a Micro-Manager. Agreed?
Yawl have a good time,
Brian
Brian, thank you for your wise words. Well spoken! I am madly prepping two 30 foot sailboats for sale in the next few months, so have been slow returning e mails…….Sail on Mate
Captain Fred