Charter Notes
Shopping for Charters at the Sailboat Show by Eva Hill
W
ith October come exploring and can offer two inevitabilities practical advice. If you’re in Annapolis: the apnot sure whether Tahiti proach of cooler weather or Tonga is right for and the U.S. Sailboat you, they can provide Show. As cold weather the information to help makes me dream of you make your decision. tropical escapes, the If you’re torn between presence of most of the February and April for a major charter companies sailing trip in St. Marat the boat show happily tin, they can assess your coincides with my desires expertise in light of typito ply warmer waters for cal weather conditions a week or so. Having and help you narrow shopped for, and even down dates. Some of booked, charter vacations the companies will even during the boat show, I have boats onsite, so you offer the following sugget a chance to try them gestions to help prospecon for size. tive charterers make the Consider Alternatives. most of their time at the While you should have a boat show. sense of what you want Do Your Homework. in your charter vacaWhile you don’t need to tion, don’t be afraid to have all the answers— listen to the suggestions that’s what you’re going offered by the experts. to the show for!—it’s a Last year, I went to good idea to have a clue the boat show seriously of what you’re looking considering breaking for in a sailing vacaout of the Caribbean tion. An idea of a sailing and sailing in Greece. I destination and the type talked to a charter broof boat you’d like to sail, ker about what I hoped as well as a budget, are to get out of that sail important. How many and my travel style and crew you will have, as walked away planning a well as the time of year, trip to Turkey instead, are also essential, as those as it offered everything I factors will determine the wanted and less (includdirection of your quest. ing less crowds, less polAlso, remember that the lution, and less money). The charter companies offer lots of special deals at the boat show. If you are charter company reps at Alas, the economy has ready to commit, you can save serious bucks. Photo by Bob Grieser the show are salespeople; scotched those plans, if you are thinking of a barebones bareboat in the Virgin but the next time I think about the Med, I’ll be thinking Islands, you won’t find yourself steered to a luxury crewed Turkey (or Croatia) instead of Greece. catamaran in the French Riviera. Take Names. Building a rapport with the individuals with Ask Questions! This is your chance to ask the experts. whom you’ll be dealing is a good way to smooth out some While the company reps will be putting a positive spin of the bumps in the road that are part of any trip. Having on their offerings, they are also experienced pros, many someone whose name you can call on can be invaluable. of whom have sailed the islands you’re thinking about Several years ago, I spent lots of time with a rep from a 98 October 2009 SpinSheet
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