5 tips for your first yacht charter by Gregory

The first yacht charter is a great and very exciting event! Whether you’re a beginner or an old sailor, we encourage you to learn or remind yourself of the most important rules that will enable you to safely experience an unforgettable adventure on the water!

Start with a good plan

Plan well your first charter. From the point of departure, through the route and nature of the cruise(e.g. whether you’re interested in monuments or you want to enjoy nature). It’s a good thing if the cruise is not too demanding and takes place in an area with a well-developed sailing infrastructure (for starters, Central Croatia or the Saronic Gulf of Greece). You will always find refuge in case the weather breaks down. The type of boat will also be important here. Sailing yacht, motor yacht or – if you feel up to it – catamaran? Remember that the best yachts are already booked at the turn of January and February – then you have the opportunity to choose from a wide range of yachts and at reasonable prices.

Choose a suitable date!

Our experience so far shows that the best time for yachting is before or just after the seasonal peak. In July and August there are plenty of tourists in the harbors, the coves are becoming overcrowded and it is becoming more and more difficult to find the right place to moor. In many places (for example in Croatia) in June or September there are excellent sailing conditions – the temperature remains high, which is conducive to all summer activities, and there are not as many tourists during these months as during the high season.

Marina z jachtami

Choose more recent yachts, but not necessarily the newest.

Newer yachts are better equipped, and their accessories and electronics are much easier to handle. Also there is less risk of defects. And why not completely new? It would seem that everything there should work perfectly – unfortunately not always. New yachts are still “getting there”, there may be problems caused by the production process. With the time, the defects are removed, and the yacht will be at the “peak of its condition”. On older yachts, for example, 10-years-old , there may be problems resulting from their use. A 2-5 years old yacht is a good idea. The choice of a yacht operator is also important here.

Take a smaller boat 

The choice you have to make is not only the place of your charter, the date and age of your yacht, but also its size. Everyone would like to spend time on a large boat, where comfort is at the highest level. For the crew it’s a great advantage, but for a skipper – especially a beginner – not always. Instead of comfort, decide to choose something smaller (up to about 40 feet). Such a yacht is easier to navigate, requires a little less attention and is easier to handle. With time, when you gain experience you will switch to bigger boats. When you do it gradually – you won’t even feel the difference. Before you realise it, you might be sailing a 55-foot yacht, maybe across the ocean, who knows? ?

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Take with you a person with experience.

On your first charter, it is worth having a more experienced person on board.  It’ll make it easier to allocate tasks and it will have a positive effect on the crew’s morale – they will feel more comfortable. And you’ll always have someone to consult with. If there is no such person, it would be good that at least among the crew there would be people with less experience (e.g. someone who sailed on lakes), contrary to appearances, the operation of sea yachts is very similar (knots, rope work etc.). Finally, do not be afraid of it. Marine yachts are a bit bigger than inland ones, but on the water it doesn’t matter much, and in marinas there is enough room for maneuvering – sometimes much more than needed.

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