Bareboat or Skippered

Editor

Rotterdam, Netherlands

Created on Jul 1, 2018

Even if you’re an experienced sailor, this is a question you might want to ask yourself every now and then. Costs, privacy, security and the advantages of having a local skipper are all factors you would consider before you make your decision. Here’s a quick evaluation you can check out in case you might want to take a different course this time.

For captains, a charter holiday can mean a lot of things. It’s a challenge, it’s an adventure, it’s a learning opportunity and well… it’s a lot of physical work and responsibility. When you know you’re responsible for the boat and the people on board as well as making sure that all the daily work of the boat is taken care of, it may not be easy to sit back and relax. But then again, rest may not be what you’re looking for. It’s all about weighing your situation and deciding what’s right for you this time.

Budget?

This is the basic question. If you hire a skipper and/or a crew, your charter fee is obviously going to increase. And you are not going to have the privacy you’re accustomed to when you’re the captain of your ship. But there’s always a bright side to paying more: You’ll have more free time to spend with your family or friends and get some proper rest. Your holiday is going to start the minute you get on board, you won’t have to do any previous arrangements and inspections like inventory check.

Local skipper?

You know that an experienced local skipper can get you safely to the shore as you sit back and relax. You will have someone else to rely on in case of an emergency. At the same time, you can learn a lot from a local skipper about mooring or docking in the Mediterranean and perhaps even discover some hidden beauties only locals know about. Valuable sailing advice and coaching can also be a big plus if you feel like you have more to learn. But remember, it’s mostly about chemistry and breaking the language barrier.

Just the crew?

You can always hire a crewed boat and skipper it yourself. This way, you’ll have less physical work with all the advantages and responsibilities of being the captain. But again, it’s a costly service and you won’t have as much privacy. You should also remember that chemistry is at work again.

Challenge?

You know that sailing abilities can improve dramatically when you’re in total control of a boat - especially in waters unknown to you. The Mediterranean is one of the most friendly seas where you can accept the challenge because the weather is mostly easy. If you feel you need to get some skippering exercise and feel the adventure, do your research, get all the sailing information you can get, set your legal documents right and sail away. Remember that your charter operator will be more than happy to help you every step of the way.