Another alternative is to charter a boat with a skipper for the firstfew days so that he or she can help you in the details of sailing. Some charter companies also offer a complimentary skipper to get you acquainted onto your first anchorage.  In case you are planning to sail a catamaran,but have no prior experience with it, it will help if you have sailed a mono hull. 

If your party is less than 3 people, or you have little experience you may join a flotilla and get a sailing certificate along with your charter.  Flotillas are also ideal for singles.  Call us for world-wideFlotilla details.

What size of yacht is suitable for me?
If you are thinking of chartering a bareboat you have a wide variety to choose from.  Most boats are between 30 to 60 feet in length overall (LOA).  What you select depends on your group size.  If you have 4-6 people in your group then more than likely a 40 to 45 feet boat is considered good sized.  Or, if there are 8-10 people in your group you can choose a boat that has four cabins, crew quarters & a salon,the latter two which you may be able to use as sleeping areas.  And, you have a choice between a mono hull and a catamaran.  We attend a number of boat shows annually, and are very familiar with the boat layouts and many small details that makes your chartering easier.  Your personal interests play an important role in our suggestions of boats to you when you contact us.  An in-depth knowledge of the boats and your tastes allow us to suggest the right size yacht for you to make your vacation fun from the start. 

How do I reserve a yacht?
Once we know what kind of yacht is suitable for your group and a destination that your group would like to go sailing, reservation is very simple. All we need is your name, address and a phone number and we can hold aboat for one week from that day.  This allows you and your group enough time to discuss the charter and reserve airline tickets.  Here, again,we can be your one-stop-shop to get the lowest fare price for your airline reservations. 

Depending upon the charter company that we recommend and you select, usually a deposit of 25% of the charter fee paid in US dollars is required for confirmation if the chartering date is greater than 90 days. Within 90 days of the charter date, a 50% deposit is required, and within50 days of the charter date, a full payment is required to confirm the charter.  Unless you pay the deposit the charter price cannot be guaranteed; so we encourage you to do so as soon as you and your group have made up your mind. 

Is travel insurance essential?
This is a frequently asked question.  Once you confirm a charter with us we strongly recommend all our clients to purchase a travel insurance policy.  Most of the time one books a charter at least 6 to 8 months in advance, sometimes more, and it is difficult to predict what circumstances await you between then and the time of charter.  Specific information is available with the insuring company and we will be glad to give you details. 

Boatz 'n Yachtz offers the most comprehensive travel insurance through Travel Guard®.  Insurance can be purchased within 7 days of your initial payment and will cover your pre-existing medical conditions.  It is meant to protect you and/or the members of your charter group from losing any deposit in case of cancellation, as most of the charter companies have a non-refundable policy for cancellations within 50 days of charter.  There is also a cancellation fee for charters cancelled before 50 days of charter; to avoid this fee we again strongly recommend the purchase of a travel insurance policy as a means of financial protection for you.  Besides cancellations it will cover a host of other important aspects of travel.  Please visit our Travel Insurance page to learn more.

Security Insurance: is it mandatory?
Security insurance covers damage to the boat while chartering, excluding negligence.  Therefore, it is required.   In its absence, some charter companies require you to pay a refundable security deposit. This is generally done for charters which last for more than a month. In that case, you are generally responsible for 1% of the price of the boat hull when damage occurs. 

Security insurance costs between twenty five and thirty five US dollars per day, per boat with a deductible on dinghy and outboard.  For more information, call us. 

Provisioning: what do I expect?  And, what is a Starter Kit?
If you arrive late at night and do not have much time to arrange your own provisioning, or if you just want to sail around and not be bothered about little details, then it is wise to arrange for provisioning when booking your charter.  It cost around fifteen to twenty five US dollars per person, per day depending upon which island you are chartering from. You can also customize your provisionings if you have special needs suchas a requirement for diet or low salt food.  Ask us about the menu selections we have.  A Starter Kit comes with basic cooking items such as coffee, tea, ketchup, oil, mustard, sugar, vinegar etc. in addition to supplies such as charcoal, disposable wipes, food storage bags, papercups, napkins, and plates.  It costs from fifty to a hundred US dollars per charter depending on how many persons you have aboard (for example,in Tortola a Starter Kit for five people will cost you sixty US dollars). 

How do I get information on the area whereI am going to sail?
When you confirm a charter with us we will send you all the relevant documents to sign such as: the Charter Agreement, the Sailing Resume (to be filled out), the Provisioning Form, the Beverage Form, the Island Charter Prep. Sheet, the Typical 7/10 Days Island Itineraries and a copy of thethe "Cruising Guide" if available (note: the Cruising Guide is not availablefor South Pacific destinations; here, we can provide you with a travel guide to make your sailing vacation smoother). 

You can always ask us for more information, if you like.  Information such as where to refill your scuba tanks while sailing in the BVI may be readily available. Or, you may simply like to know how to activate the cellular phone on the boat and whether you know the phone number in advance so that you can forward that number to your loved ones who may be staying behind at home.  We will provide all that information and also help you get ready in any other way we can so as to make your vacation a smooth sailing one. 

What is the best way to book an airline reservation?
As we mention in our Airline Reservations page we have an affiliated travel agency, Compass Travel Service, that will try to find you the best deal possible in the market.  All we need to know is the number of people traveling and what their departure and arrival locations/dates would be.  From making airline reservations to delivering tickets and making hotel & rental car arrangements, we will assist you in every step of the way. 

If you are flying from the US, American Airlines is the major service provider to the Caribbean Islands.  Many other airlines, including United Airlines, Continental Airlines, US Airlines, North West Airlines and Delta Airlines also have services from United States to San Juan, PR, Europe, the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean region.  American Eagle and LIAT has connecting flights from San Juan to almost all islands inthe Caribbean.  Air France, British Airways, KLM, Lufthansa, Iberia and BWIA serve the various Caribbean Islands from Europe as well.  If you are flying from the United States or from any other part of the world we can arrange your travel needs.