How to Charter a Sailboat

Are you planning to charter a sailboat for your next vacation? Here's a guide to help you make the right chartering decisions.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Decide what time of year you want to charter a sailboat and what location you want to charter from. Rates are lower in Florida and the Caribbean during summer. Next, figure out how many people will be aboard.

2. Decide on how many days you want to charter the boat on your vacation. Some charter companies offer day-sailers under about 28-feet long that can be chartered on a daily basis. Bareboat and crewed charters typically have a minimum of 3 or 5 days, and rates per day drop as the term lengthens.

3. Figure out whether you and your party want a bareboat, with no crew or provisions, or if you want a crewed charter with a captain and chef with meals included. Determine whether you or somebody else in your charter group has the qualifications for being the "captain" of the boat. If nobody in your group is experienced, you will have to stick to a day-sailer, or pay a licensed captain’s daily fee.

4. Find a boat charter or rental company on the Internet by running a search on "sailboat rentals" plus the name of the location you want. For example "boat rentals Miami" should give you a good list of boat rental companies in the south Florida area. Compare boats, terms and prices, and choose a rental that fits your needs.

5. Find out what all the terms of the charter are, including charter deposit, security deposit, cancellation terms, hours for boarding and return, and taxes. If all the terms aren’t agreeable, look for another company. Before you make the reservation, try to get a deposit from everybody in your group, so they can’t cancel and leave you responsible for the entire deposit.

6. Make your reservation after confirming the dates with your party and getting deposits. Ask about the availability of cancellation insurance, if there's a chance you may cancel. Use your credit card to make the required deposit, and keep printed records of the transaction.

Tips & Warnings

• If you need a captain, the cost will typically run $150 to $250 per day.
• Some charter companies require a damage waiver insurance fee, which can range from $25 to $100 per day depending on the size of the yacht. Other companies require a security deposit which can range from $150 to $3,000.
• If you have a large party, charter cancellation insurance is a good idea.

Resources

• Chartering Resource