| Foreword by Jeffrey D. Briggs |
| Why charter in the Pacific NW, British Columbia and Alaska? |
Why charter in the Pacific Northwest, British Columbia and Alaska? Simply, few places on earth combine the safety of cruising protected waters with the sheer natural beauty found in this region. The diversity of cruising destinations is awe inspiring. The verdant islands and cozy harbors of the San Juan Islands and the Canadian Gulf Islands beckon from nearby Anacortes and Bellingham. The quaint British Columbia capital, Victoria, and the bustling metropolitan area of Vancouver, B.C., are only an easy afternoon sail away. The more rugged and isolated Desolation and Barkley Sounds are well within reach if you have a couple of weeks.
Chartering serves as a means to cruise destinations you would never have a chance to see from your own boat. If you're a day sailor or a club sailor, chartering gets you into a larger boat for more extended cruising. And compared to owning a boat, chartering is cheap. If you're unfamiliar with the Pacific Northwest, a good charter company can help you arrange an itinerary that fits your vacation time and experience level or furnish you with a skipper/guide. The basic ingredients will be the same: island hopping, leisurely cruising through sparkling blue water, anchoring in sheltered coves under a star-filled night sky, but mostly, it's about stepping into the slow pace of island time. When considering a charter vacation, you have two basic options: bareboat or skippered. Like everything with boats, there are advantages and disadvantages to either choice, and there are variations of each. |
| Cruise-And-Learn | You also may want to consider a cruise-and-learn charter, which, in effect, is a variation of the skippered charter. Instead of being a guest, however, you are an active part of the crew, taking part in all aspects of the trip, from trimming sails to navigating to cooking. The goal is to teach you how to sail. The skipper acts as instructor. If future charter plans include bareboat-ing, a cruise-and-learn is an excellent way to prepare for the day when you just throw off the dock lines and head out on your own. |
| Price |
How much does it cost to charter? Once you choose a boat, the charter company will give you an exact price. Be sure to ask about liability insurance, security deposits and other costs that may not be included in the quoted price. These may include cleaning charges, fuel, chase boats and sales tax. Add your transportation costs to the boat's location, the price of an evening or two ashore, some Northwest gifts for the kids and you can determine pretty closely the costs of a charter vacation.
Once you divide the total cost by the number people on the boat, you'll find that chartering a boat can be a relatively inexpensive, as well as fun, vacation. |
| Booking |
The advice from the charter companies was unanimous: Book as early as you can. Many repeat charter customers reserve their boats a year in advance, but the busiest time for making reservations is right now, late winter through early spring. The best boats tend to get booked first for the prime cruising season, which usually starts in mid-June and runs through the summer until about mid-September. Check with the charter company for its exact dates; they vary from company to company.
Also, some companies have what is called a "shoulder season," a time between the prime and off seasons. June and September are often the "shoulder" months. Companies with this feature charge separate rates during these times. If your vacation is not dependent on children being on summer break, you may want to consider an off-season charter. If your schedule allows, there are several reasons to consider a cruise between mid-September to mid-June. The first is obvious: you save money, up to 25 percent off the prime season rate with some companies. Several companies offer an off-season, ten-day charter package for the prime-season seven-day price. In May and October, you can still get great weather, the anchorages and marinas are less crowded and the wind blows more frequently. Finally, you may want to consider making your reservation through a charter broker. If, like much of today's society, you've got limited free time to research the charter companies, a charter broker will do it for you. A charter broker acts much like a travel agent, an independent, unbiased source who has contacts with several different charter companies. It is his or her job to match your needs and schedule with the right boat. |
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On the following pages of the "Charter Guide", the charter companies (along with alternatives such as Yacht Lease programs, sailing schools and sailing clubs) are listed and the availability of the following services: Lessons; Provisioning; Skipper.
One other option you may want to consider is contacting a private owner who has put his or her boat into charter. In the back of the magazine, the "Charter" or "Timeshare" section of the Classified Ads lists private boats available for charter.
Go to Charter Companies Listings... ...return to 48° North title page |