Tag: charter

Cruising Through Greece

Cruising through Greece is like stepping back in time

The charts spread out on the nav desk are intimidating. There’s so much to see in the southern Aegean Sea with more than 200 islands in 1,000 square miles of water. Our challenge is to determine how many places we can explore in just two weeks. We decide to try for a dozen—an ambitious goal given the distances and amount to see and do on the spectacular Cyclades Islands of Greece where, it seems, time has stood still for millennia. Cruising through Greece is an unending pleasure.

Med-Style

We head south out of Lavrion just as the northerly winds pick up. Med mooring (docking a boat end-on as opposed to alongside) in 35 knots teaches us what a treat the Meltemi wind can be. As if it’s not hard enough to reverse into a gap that looks half the needed size, the wicked Greek Meltemi adds to the fun of our arrival at Mykonos Island. We face down some Croatian charterers for the last quay space, tie up and wait for the Meltemi to blow itself out.

Mykonos is where the beautiful people come to party, some on the superyachts that dot the large bay. The island seems to burst out of the sea, spilling chic eateries, artsy galleries, decorated staircases, and classic Greek island architecture in every direction. The town is made up of narrow alleys where tiny restaurants are shoehorned into every corner. Fashion boutiques carry everything from designer dresses to handmade flip-flops that are so beautifully arrayed, it nearly makes a shopper out of even me. Souvlaki (the popular Greek fast food of meat on a skewer) wafts on the breeze that curls around alley corners, and every door is a work of art.

The Meltemi wasn’t letting up so we book ferry tickets to Delos, the neighboring island, all of which is an active archeological dig. There are no tavernas, no discos, no shops, and most importantly, no anchoring, which is why you take a ferry.

Ancient History

Delos is the antithesis to Mykonos. It’s the birthplace of the twin gods Artemis and Apollo and was a hopping place back in 1500-1200 BC. Today, however, it’s a place to contemplate the ages and how even hearty civilizations can disappear. The island’s ancient homes, shops, and temples are amazingly well preserved. We walk along the Terrace of Lions that looks out over the Sacred Lake (drained in 1926 by anthropologists trying to eradicate mosquitos). It’s downright otherworldly. The site steps back a few centuries and you’ll want to dust off memories of high school mythology classes to take it all in. Much of the once-colorful mosaics are left exposed to the elements, which must give museum curators around the world nightmares.

After three days, we dislodge our anchor from an underwater cable and say goodbye to Mykonos just in time to ride the last of the Meltemi to Milos, an island made famous by the discovery of the Venus de Milo, which was unearthed there by a farmer in 1820.

We tie up in the town of Adamas and stroll the circular quay lined with captains hawking the next day’s excursions. They’re all gorgeous, Zorba-the-Greek types and they promise an unforgettable cruise to the western island sites, which are chock-full of caves, rock formations, and sheer cliffs. I walk from one handsome, sunburnt salesman to the next, eye their vessels and learn about the must-see stops.

The Greeks have a bit of a flirtation with the definition of vessel capacity limits, and owners of 45-foot sailboats promise full-day tours “with room for at least 20 people.” We’re seven in 56 feet, and that’s plenty. The highlight of every vendor’s Oscar-worthy presentation is a photo of the amazing lunch that would be served. I pour over their brochures and maps and realize we can do it on our own.

Seclusion for the Win

The next morning, we wait two hours and then follow the tourist boats on their trek to visit the highlights. The delay was a stroke of genius as we arrive at each stop just as the local boats pull anchor to move on, leaving us alone to enjoy the peace and quiet. We dinghy into the topless Sykia cave, which is a treat since no one is there but our own echo. And lunch? Well, our morning’s visit to a small grocery store makes for our own brochure-worthy feast.

Following the trail south, we turn the corner to Kleftiko, an unreal playground ringed with caves and arches that can only be visited by boat and explored by dinghy. There’s no bad place to point the camera, so we lose track of time and decide to stay the night. Protected from the northern wind by steep cliffs, we have the peaceful anchorage to ourselves after all the tourist boats head back to town.

In the morning, we continue on our circumnavigation of Milos and find Sarakiniko Beach. Made up of white sand, tall cliffs and hundreds of caves, the moonscape of Sarakiniko can be visited by land as well as by boat.

Sheer, white cliffs fall into the blue-green water, dotted by pink caves that lure you in for a swim. We have a unique vantage point as we’re the only boat anchored out and are photographed by the visitors deposited on the beach by tourist buses from Adamas.

Jump In

Young guys and gals dare each other to jump off the 60-foot cliffs above, but I opt for a long swim instead and wonder if Odysseus himself may have been lured here by sirens. That afternoon, we circle back to town and find one more space on the quay for another Med moor, this one executed in windless bliss.

Here, the islands and days flow by and too soon, it’s time to head back north, so we scour the charts to find one more island before returning to Athens. We settle on Kea, which turns out to be a great find. A weekend destination for Athenian yachties, Kea is often overlooked by charter boats and that’s a mistake.

The island benefits from frequent rainfall (by Greek standards) so it’s more verdant than the rest of the Cyclades and is covered by row upon row of olive tree terraces and beautiful vineyards; the countryside is more akin to Italy. Like most villages in the Cyclades, Kea’s town of Ioulida is built into a mountainside and practically vertical, which creates unbeatable views and memorable sunsets. We hike to the famous Stone Lion of Kea and its weird and enigmatic smile.

During our somewhat irregular and incomplete circumnavigation of the Cyclades, we learn that there are at least three different ways to spell every island and town name, which makes sailing and driving rental cars interesting. The old town on every island is called Hora or Chora, which doesn’t help. Greek names are a mystery, even when written in an alphabet we could recognize. In the native language, it’s quite literally, all Greek to us.

We visit seven of the thirty islands and barely scratch the surface of all there is to see. Our choice of anchorages often involves keeping a distance from the thumping discos that, in Greece, can go on until dawn. Otherwise, we were immersed in the history that we can’t even ponder on this side of the Atlantic, and we revel in the natural beauty of the water, the beaches, the countryside, and the people. Friendly and helpful, the villagers outside the main towns are genuinely unfazed by tourism. They just go about their lives, less hurried and harried, and only the advertising of free Wi-Fi in every taverna suggests that it’s not 1200 BC.

Cruiser Resources

  • May through July and again September through October are good times to charter in the Mediterranean but beware of August when all of Europe is on vacation.
  • The Moorings has a selection of powercats for charter from 43 to 51 feet. You can cover a lot of territory at 15 knots, but fuel is expensive.
  • Provisioning is excellent and affordable everywhere and the restaurants and tavernas are not to be missed. Greece is one of those places where you can go food shopping every day, so keep things fresh by buying small quantities at a time.

By Zuzana Prochazka, Southern Boating October 2018

Photos courtesy of Zuzana Prochazka, The Greek National Tourism Organisation, and Lefteris Papulakis

Cruising Croatia

The unique backdrop provides a bareboat charter unlike any other

There’s more to chartering than palm trees and umbrella drinks, although that’s not bad either. For me, combining history and boating is the ultimate vacation, and there’s no better place to do this than chartering in the Mediterranean. Greece usually comes to mind when you think of strolling through antiquities. But if you haven’t visited Croatia, consider this: delicious cuisine, sensational wine, excellent scenery, fantastic boating, and a depth of history you can’t imagine. This, my friends, is the ultimate charter.

Croatia redefines history altogether. Thirty minutes after deplaning in Split, you may find yourself visiting the old town and Diocletian’s Palace, which is less a palace and more like half the old town itself. A UNESCO Heritage Site, the palace was built by a fourth-century Roman emperor but was repurposed by every generation since. Stand in the central square or peristyle and you’ll see evidence of many civilizations that passed through. Neoclassical architecture mixes with the walls of the temple of Jupiter on one side, and the Cathedral of St. Domnius is on the other. In the middle are Egyptian granite columns and even a sphinx. Point your camera anywhere and you’re bound to capture centuries of history in a single click.

Agana Marina, 30 miles from Split, is home to experienced charter operators The Moorings and Sunsail. Although sailboats vastly outnumber powerboats in the country, The Moorings has a nice selection of large powercats that will cover the territory of 30 Dalmatian islands with ease. Although you’ll be provided a cruising guide, bring your own
charts of the Dalmatian Coast as well as a complete tourist guide like one from Lonely Planet. I like longer charters, especially if I’m going to travel all the way to Europe, but
there’s another reason to think beyond the weeklong vacation. The Dalmatian Coast is spectacular and with a powercat, you can make it all the way from the medieval Trogir Town down to the breathtaking Dubrovnik. The trip is worth the effort—I promise. Sadly, having only one week to work with, our itinerary was ambitious: nine destinations on five
islands. On our first day, we headed out to Vis Town (on Vis Island) and tied up Medmoor
style to the wall. We strolled through the magical Vis then organized a taxi to Komiza, a charming fishing village on the other side of the island. Worth every penny or “kuna”,
the inland tour included a look at vineyards and various caves that harbored partisans during World War II.

The next day we set course for Bisovo, a small island to the west of Vis and home of Modra Spilja (Blue Cave). We caught a mooring in the crowded harbor and boarded a skiff to enter the blue cave; it’s the only way to see it since no dinghies are allowed. Our small boat was loaded to the gunwales with sunburned tourists and without so much as a “Duck!”, the driver jammed us through the mouth of the very low cave and cut the outboard power. Out came a pole he used for propulsion from then on, like an Italian canal gondola.

Everything glowed a bright blue, the result of ambient light bouncing off the white sand below. It was a delightful adventure right down to the equally unnerving egress from the
cave via the same low hole. With plenty of daylight left, we headed for Pakelni Otoci
(loosely translated as Hell Islands). This string of islets clearly serves as the city getaway for local yachties. Beaches and water toys abound here around Sveti Klement Island during the summer, and the various coves are great windbreaks where you can enjoy a sundowner surrounded by natural beauty and no city in sight.

Only minutes from this natural paradise is Hvar Town, the polar opposite of laidback beachcombing. With bustling cafés and a chic, superyacht clientele chauffeured in on six-figure tenders, Hvar is the place to be seen. But even the glitterati bring their hiking shoes to walk up the steep but lovely trail to the fort. The hike is worth it and as a reward
offers spectacular views of the harbor below. Just on the north side of Hvar Island and deep inside an inlet is Stary Grad (Old City) that is much less glitzy than Hvar but exudes an irresistible old-world charm. No longer a part of the dour Eastern Bloc, Croatians are great entrepreneurs; every corner hides a quaint café or gourmet goodies shop that would make Napa Valley foodies drool.

As we made our counterclockwise journey, each subsequent town was more beautiful than the last, and we thought we were rock stars in choosing the best of the best. However, as we pulled into the next few towns like Milna on Brac Island and Maslinica on Solta Island, we realized it wasn’t our superior ability that made each town mesmerizing but that each town simply was mesmerizing. Tiny restaurants were packed into every alley and hotels added exotic flair by positioning curtained lounges on rocky beaches, an aesthetic that was all the more interesting due to the contrast. These hideaways are the perfect place to relax with a glass of rakija, the country’s answer to grappa, or slivovica, a plum brandy that will strip paint off a fence.

Local Knowledge

Each charter destination has its quirks and Croatia is no exception. The first thing you’ll notice is the Croatians’ approach to maritime rules of the road. Despite having to be somehow “certified” to charter here (RYA, European ICC or American Sailing Association’s IPC certificates), it’s the Wild West on the water. Right-of-way rules are mainly driven by testosterone and horsepower. Don’t be surprised to have boats race you to the quay and tie up even as you’re already backing toward the wall, fenders out.

Second, when cruising here in the summer, watch for “The Yacht Week”. The name is deceptive as this sailing odyssey for 20- and 30-somethings lasts all summer and not just a week. It’s a relentless onslaught on both visitors and locals.

With a new batch of porkpie hat-toting crew, licensed skippers ply the local waters, maneuvering from one all-night party to the next. Many charter companies dedicate
a portion of their fleet for the entire summer to this enterprise due to its marketing reach and youth appeal. It’s not unusual to see 20 “The Yacht Week” boats headed for a quay near you since there are several hundred of these charter boats out each week. Whenever
we spotted their long banners flying from backstays or huge stickers emblazoned on hulls, we quickly picked up and went elsewhere. But if you’re 20-something and like to drink, this flotilla may be welcome and the people watching is spectacular. For the rest of us, quieter, more remote anchorages and more cultural destinations may be preferable.

Finally, being of Eastern European descent myself, I found the language decipherable, but for most Canadians, Americans or Brits, Croatian signage may be cause for consternation. Eastern Europeans have an affinity for consonants and island names like Krk have no vowels at all, proving to be tongue-twisters for the uninitiated. Add to that a bounty of accent marks and plural and possessive word endings that change the spelling of a word completely, and you have an alphabet soup. However, most Croatians love to practice their English and will often go out of their way to help you out, especially if
you look particularly lost. English is spoken in most restaurants and shops in tourist
destinations.

The best defense against particularities is humor, so be sure to smile more and judge less and it will all seem amusing. Also, be sure to keep an eye out for telltale banners and clueless navigators to ensure that you have the most comprehensive charter vacation
possible.

By Zuzana Prochazka, Southern Boating December 2017

Sea Trial on the Horizon PC 74

Horizon PC 74

We take a sea trial on the latest and greatest in powercats– the Horizon PC 74. Our editor, Steve, gets up close and personal with this beast of a boat and we glance back at the Annual Horizon Powercat Rendezvous because who doesn’t wish they were in the Bahamas?

Chartering in The Bahamas

Half of the boaters who walk the planks at Boat Harbour Marina in Marsh Harbour, Abaco, to set sail for Guana Cay, Mano-War or any number of islands in the Abacos with Cruise Abaco, do not own a boat or yacht. The other half who may have their own boats choose to go chartering in The Bahamas because their craft is not suited to cross the Gulf Stream.

It might seem counter-intuitive that many active boaters are not boat owners, but Mark Gonsalves, the owner of charter company Cruise Abaco, says the Abacos are filled with many such enthusiasts and that they are the bread and butter of the charter industry. They don’t fly down on private planes to meet up with their mega yachts. They can’t take three months off to spend in Treasure Cay or Hope Town, and not just because they don’t own a second home in The Bahamas as yet. To travel with their families, believe it or not, some still need to take blocked vacation time.

By no means, however, are these cruisers novices on the water. They’ve chartered around the world, whether in the Chesapeake Bay or across Europe, says Gonsalves. They know boats, and they crave a destination that has the best and most modern boats the industry has to offer, one with modern facilities, happening beach bars, upscale restaurants, barefoot-style island food joints, events, and a diverse range of boating
activities. “Everyone wants the latest and greatest. They have dreams of owning their
own boats and they island hop looking at the different marinas. They charter a boat that
they might want to own one day. They are looking for everything the area has to offer,”
says Gonsalves.

Cue the Abacos: the boating capital of The Bahamas, where there is actually no need to bring your own boat. Whatever the reason, whether boaters want the convenience
of leaving their boat behind, or simply don’t own a boat, the Abacos not only has the highest concentration of marinas in The Bahamas, it undoubtedly has the highest concentration of charter boat availability.

Two of the largest international yacht charter companies—Moorings and Sunsail—operate in the Abacos, along with dozens of Bahamian charter companies. There is an abundance
of boats, from small 20-foot day rentals to large catamarans, sailboats and power yachts that are 60-foot plus, and they are all available for captained and barefoot charters. “There are more boats in the Abacos for charter availability because the demand is here. It is not [here only for the] summer but it is here year round, especially in the catamaran areas,” said Stephen Kappler, president of the Association of Bahamas Marinas.

Charter companies often design pre-planned cruise itineraries to make it easy for their clients. A seven-day cruise might include snorkeling in the Sandy Cay Park or the Fowl
Cay Underwater Park; beaching at Tahiti Beach; kayaking around the Tilloo Cay Banks; exploring local settlements like Hope Town and Green Turtle Cay; scuba diving on the Great Abaco Barrier Reef; fly fishing on the flats or deep sea fishing on the ocean side; and of course, bar hopping at Nippers on Guana Cay, the Tipsy Seagull Dockside Pub on Treasure Cay or Cracker P’s Bar and Grill on Lubbers Quarters Cay. On a charter itinerary, boaters with powerboat experience could seize the opportunity to learn how to sail on a single hull vessel or a catamaran.

The Sea of Abaco, a 62-mile saltwater lagoon, is where all of the activity takes place. This marine highway is sandwiched by mainland Great Abaco to the west and a chain of barrier islands running parallel to the east, and it’s easily accessible from the U.S. The Marsh Harbour airport has direct flights from six cities in Florida, including Tampa, West Palm Beach, Orlando, and Jacksonville and direct flights from Atlanta. Treasure Cay has direct flights from Fort Lauderdale, so the proximity factor makes it particularly attractive to boaters.

The boating industry of Abaco has also proven to be a feeder for the second home industry. Kappler, who is also president of the Treasure Cay Property Owners Association,
a residential community of 1,300 homes, says their research shows the average homeowner purchased a property in Treasure Cay after their fourth visit to the Abacos.

Because the Abacos is a unique multi-island destination with a vibrant boating culture and diverse activities, it will always be a draw for boaters who have that insatiable love
for the pristine waters only found in The Bahamas.

Navigational Tips for Chartering in The Bahamas:

Moorings at Lubbers Quarters Cay are free to use for charter companies on a first
come, first serve basis during full moon parties at Cracker P’s Bar and Grill.

When entering the White Sound channel toward Green Turtle Cay, boats that draw
more than six feet should avoid entering the channel at low tide.

The Little Harbour channel leading to the popular Pete’s Pub has gotten slightly
deeper. Previously marked for boats with 6 feet of draft, the sandy bottom channel at high tide can accommodate boats that draw up to 6’5″. Pete’s Pub operates 13
moorings in the area.

There is a hard rock bottom in front of the popular Staniel Cay Yacht Club that is reliably marked on charts. However, there have been several sailboats running aground. Boaters should follow their charts and pay close attention when entering this marina.

By Noelle Nicolls, Southern Boating February 2018

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF THE BAHAMA OUT ISLANDS PROMOTION BOARD

Open for Business

The Moorings & Sunsail announce they’re open for business after hurricanes.

The Moorings and Sunsail, two of the most trusted names in yacht chartering, are pleased to announce the grand reopening of their British Virgin Islands charter base on December 9th, 2017, just three months after the Caribbean’s record-breaking hurricane activity.

Over the past few months, BVI staff members exhibited tremendous strength and dedication, working tirelessly to help restore operations in Road Town, Tortola, and they are eager to invite visitors back to this world-famous sailing destination.

The Moorings and Sunsail are also glad to report a combined fleet of more than 100 yachts ready for chartering. Additionally, an investment of $66.5 million will bring new fleet shipments for both brands with over 130 boats scheduled to arrive in the British Virgin Islands in early 2018.

According to Josie Tucci, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, “The road to recovery has not been easy, but we simply couldn’t be more thrilled about reopening our base in the British Virgin Islands, and in such a timely manner. Tucci goes on to say:

“The humanitarian response from customers, partners, and employees following September’s hurricanes was overwhelming, and the tenacity of the local communities has been nothing short of inspiring. We believe it is this heartfelt combination of commitment and resilience that has helped us come back so strong.”

To continue supporting the future of the tourism industry and to assist with long-term hurricane relief efforts, The Moorings and Sunsail recently joined forces to establish the Caribbean Comeback fundraiser. Created in the spirit of uniting sailors everywhere, 100% of all monetary contributions go toward the British Virgin Islands, St. Martin and Puerto Rico employees, delivering supplies that are needed such as generators, gas stoves, and miscellaneous building materials.

Please consider joining The Moorings and Sunsail in this massive effort. Every contribution, no matter the size, is immensely appreciated. To donate or to learn more about this ongoing campaign, please visit CaribbeanComeback.com

To learn more about best-in-class Sail, Power, and all-inclusive Crewed yacht charter vacations in over 20 dazzling destinations across the globe, visit moorings.com and sunsail.com. The world is waiting and new adventure beckons around every corner. Come aboard, embrace the wind and water, and create your own unforgettable passage.

Media Contact:
Leslie Montenegro
Leslie.Montenegro@thlmarine.com
727.614.7376

Go South for Scuba

If you’re a scuba diving enthusiast, your daydreams may feature a yacht, land-based luxury, racing fish-filled currents, calmer conditions, staggering depths, sunlight-filled shallows, inquisitive marine life or probably some combination of all of these. Whatever your preferred base and dive profile, add these six diving locations in the Southern  Hemisphere to your underwater bucket list.

Raja Ampat, Indonesia

Off Indonesia’s West Papua province, the 15,000-square-mile Raja Ampat archipelago has tremendous marine biodiversity: more than 75 percent of the world’s hard coral species, half of the world’s soft corals, 1,500 fish species, and 700 mollusk species.
Another heartwarming feature is its status as Indonesia’s first shark sanctuary; sea turtles, rays and dugongs are also protected.

While scuba sites are superb throughout the archipelago, Misool in the south has some of the best. Explore swim-throughs and say hello to Papuan scorpionfish at the Dunia Kecil (“small world”) site. Become mesmerized by otherworldly soft coral gardens at Whale Rock, and meet multitudes of fish—barracuda, Spanish mackerel and more—flying through Karang  Bayangan’s currents. Between dives, ease into a lake filled with ethereal jellyfish, their sting so mild it’s undetectable.

WHEN TO GO
October – April

DIVE CHARTER
Beautifully crafted, 167-foot Dunia Baru has seven ensuite cabins and is an ideal base for remote dive adventures. duniabaru.com

Ari Atoll, Maldives

For wonders on a grand scale, head to Ari Atoll, one of 26 natural atolls in the remote and vulnerable 1,190-island Maldives archipelago. Whale sharks cruise its outer edge year-round; if you’re lucky, you’ll swim close to the planet’s biggest fish, awed by their
might and magnificence.  However, this atoll has smaller delights as well. At the Hafsa Thila dive site, for example, hundreds of psychedelically colored anemones and anemonefish create a striking dream world. At nearby sites, giant moray eels, sea turtles, spotted eagle rays, and fish—fusiliers, butterflyfish, tangs, parrotfi sh, and more—add to the enchantment. Migratory reef manta rays are also common, and one manta event is well worth a detour. Between June and November, at high tide during the full and new
moon, up to 200 hungry rays gather for plankton feeding frenzies in Baa Atoll’s Hanifaru Bay, so add this to your scuba itinerary, if possible.

WHEN TO GO
Year-round, although seas tend to be calmest in March.

DIVE CHARTER
128-foot Four Seasons Explorer has 10 staterooms and one suite. Charter her or book a place on a scheduled cruise. fourseasons.com/maldivesfse

Christmas Island, Australia

With a narrow fringing reef harboring 600 species of fish, 88 species of pristine coral, caves, and steep walls plummeting to the deep sea, remote Christmas Island—in the Indian Ocean and closer to Indonesia than the Australian mainland—offers a bounty
of dive sites…64 altogether. These include the Rhoda Wall, which begins at 60 feet and descends to 10 times that; Daniel Roux, a lively coral outcrop; and the Thunderdome
and Thundercliff caves. The former cave has a dark, air-filled chamber in its inner reaches; rise for a breath here and let your imagination toy with its chair-shaped natural formation known as “Neptune’s Seat.” Does a sea goddess rule from here?

WHEN TO GO
November to April for whale sharks; November for the red crab migration; and May to October if you’re visiting via yacht.

LANDBASED EXPLORATION
Christmas Island Wet’n’Dry Adventures offers daily dive trips. divingchristmas.com

Similan and Surin Islands, Thailand

To sample Thailand’s best scuba diving, venture into the Andaman Sea, about 40 miles west of Khao Lak, where 11 granite boulder islands (the Similans) attract boatloads of divers and snorkelers, thanks to the good visibility, intriguing underwater boulders, coral gardens, and other marine life.

Hin Muan Deaw (“whole roll of film rock”), a sea fan and soft coral-covered rock near islands No. 5 and No. 6, and West Ridge (near No. 10), which features a manta cleaning station, are just a couple of must-visit sites. The area’s most exquisite dive, though, is 40 miles north, in Mu Ko Surin National Park. Here, Richelieu Rock—a flat, horseshoe-shaped, sedimentary limestone rock draped in pink, red and purple corals—rewards divers
with a dizzying display of fish as well as turtles, manta rays, moray eels, and scorpionfish.

WHEN TO GO 
The Similan Islands are only open to visitors from November to mid-May with the best visibility between December and March.

DIVE CHARTER
Dunia Baru can include the Similan Islands on charters traveling to or from Myanmar’s Merguiarchipelago. duniabaru.com

Rainbow Reef, Fiji

Fiji is blessed with more than 4,000 square miles of coral reef and more than 1,000 fish species. Dive sites are scattered throughout the 333-island archipelago; however, make Rainbow Reef, in the narrow Somosomo Strait between Vanua Levu and Taveuni, your first stop. Here, about 20 scuba sites are spread along its southern section. The abundance of soft coral is the result of water rushing through the channel during tidal shifts, thus providing nutrients for marine life.

The Great White Wall—a scenic vertical wall of soft, white corals—is the most famous site and is best experienced during low slack tide, when the current is minimal and the soft corals are visible. After descending to 49 feet, you’ll enter a swim-through filled with soldierfish and fairy basslets. Exiting at about 82 feet, turn left and begin drifting along the spectacular wall, which extends to depths of more than 130 feet. Remember to move away from the wall at least once to properly witness its grandeur.

WHEN TO GO
April – October; check with your dive guide for the best tidal window for the Great White Wall.

LANDBASED DIVE LUXURY
Laucala Island, a 40-minute boat ride from the Great White Wall, offers diving day trips and glamorous villas. laucala.com

Lady Elliot Island, Australia

If close scuba encounters with manta rays and sea turtles sound like your version of heaven, book a trip to Lady Elliot Island, a coral cay on the southernmost Great Barrier Reef. Expect to fall in love as reef manta rays dance elegantly around cleaning stations such as Lighthouse Bommie; for the ultimate treat, visit in the Austral winter and early
spring, when humpback whales migrate along Australia’s East Coast. Their song, audible on nearly every dive, will fill your senses. Keep your fins crossed that one swims past before you surface.

WHEN TO GO
July and August

LANDBASED EXPLORATION
Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort offers dives twice daily. ladyelliot.com.au

DIVE CHARTER
Ocean Alliance represents a number of yachts that charter on the Great Barrier Reef. oceanalliance.com

Story and photos by Kara Murphy, Southern Boating September 2017

Two Sailors, One Leopard 43 Powercat

A couple of diehard sailors cross to the dark side only to discover that it’s not so dark after all.

In a way, it was a double conversion. Not only were we blow-boaters on a stinkpot, but one with two hulls at that. It was going to take some getting used to, all this space and speed and simplicity. Welcoming the chance to review a 2016 model power catamaran, we chartered a Moorings 433—a Leopard 43 with three cabins. We picked up our boat at The Moorings charter base in Tortola, quite possibly the busiest in the world. Our brand-new owner’s version was named Rubis (French for ruby), and she was already hinting at her gemlike qualities.

Eager to head into the Sir Francis Drake Channel, we put the twin Yanmar 220-hp diesels to work and topped out at 20 knots. (The Moorings keeps the engines on their charter fleet governed down to 80 percent.) We settled into a cruising speed of 14 knots that still left us with more than half of our original fuel level at the end of the charter. Besides the fuel-sipping engines, part of this catamaran’s efficiency comes from the stepped hulls. They are narrow at the waterline for better hydrodynamics but flare out with a hard chine to create interior volume for the cabins. Unlike monohulls, cats aren’t dragging a heavy keel through the water and can operate with smaller engines. We found our diesel engines under the aft bunks and noticed they were surprisingly quiet and vibration-free.

That first night we experienced one of the greatest benefits of a cat: no rolling at anchor. A cat may wobble in a rough bay but it won’t roll, so flopper-stoppers, gyroscopes, stabilizing fins, and sleepless nights are a distant memory.

The next morning, Rubis schooled us on her many on-deck benefits. Her bow was wide and the hard deck (no trampoline) spanned her entire beam. Picking up a mooring was easy; I could move quickly from side-to-side and brace my hips on the stainless steel railing. I then reached down to work the lines on the cleats with both hands. Once done on the foredeck, I stepped through the full-sized forward door into the salon starting what was going to be our normal traffic pattern around the boat. While open, the door blasted air through the interior and cooled it down much faster than any port or hatch ever could.

Catamarans offer extensive exterior spaces, and people congregate mostly in the cockpit. But the flybridge became our favorite spot when driving, sunning, dining, or watching sunsets. Here, a galley module had a Kenyon electric grill and sink. An option on the Leopard 43 is to add a refrigerator or an icemaker, so the party never has to leave the flybridge. All the way forward was a double sunpad suspended over the forward cockpit. With a railing all around, it was a comfortable and safe place to lounge even when under way.

To starboard was the helm that included a double bench seat and an angled dash with two Raymarine MFDs. The autopilot was mounted behind the wheel and the Fusion stereo head was to the side. A better layout of electronics would have helped the driver and her companion to have easier access to all equipment, including the VHF.

It was best to leave the wheel centered and untouched during slow speed maneuvers like docking and anchoring. Just a light touch, usually with one engine at a time, made Rubis dance; no side thrusters or pod drives were needed. With four-bladed props set 20 feet apart, the boat was ultra responsive and absolutely the easiest I’ve ever driven.

Rubis was so much fun to handle that when we picked up a mooring, we argued as to who got to drive. Often we dropped a mooring right after picking it up in favor of one a few feet over in case the breeze was better. We dropped three times in front of Saba Rock at the Bitter End Yacht Club just because we could.

This 43-foot catamaran felt more like a 52-foot monohull. To maximize the spacious feel, Leopard has flipped the salon layout, with the dinette facing forward and up against the cockpit settee. Open the door and windows between the two to create one large living room. The L-shaped galley in the starboard corner faces forward, and I liked looking ahead when cooking under way. To port was a small navigation desk that we used primarily to store cruising guides. It was also the place for charging phones and cameras since there were four USB ports on the bulkhead.

The master stateroom took up the entire starboard hull. A queen-sized bed aft and a large head forward were separated by a vanity, a chest of drawers and two enormous lockers. I could live aboard this boat without having to give away too many clothes. Two cabins in the port hull shared a head and stall shower. (Something that needed a bit of re-thinking were the head light switches that were not in the heads but rather in the corridors outside.)

Boats are sets of tradeoffs, but I found few things to complain about on the Moorings 433. Being nitpicky, however, I would liked to have had a larger electric winch for the dinghy davit that kept tripping the breaker. The windlass, too, was undersized and tended to spin out. Finally, the boarding ladder on the port transom had a challenging angle and little in the way of handholds on top. But that’s the extent of the complaint list, which is much shorter than just about every other boat I’ve seen.

The B.V.I. are permeated with sailing charter boats. However, power cats are quickly gaining ground. The distances are short and the destinations are plentiful so it’s the perfect place for a powerboat and an even better one for a cat. There was very little wind on our first two days of the trip, and we flew past the sailboats on our way to two and three fun anchorages in a day. We sped to the Baths for an early morning swim, then we SUPed around Sandy Cay near Jost Van Dyke followed by snorkeling at the Indians near Norman Island. We finished up with Painkillers at the Last Resort in Trellis Bay. Did we need to circumnavigate Tortola in a day? No, but we easily could have. One day we even went back for more Painkillers—the best I’ve ever tasted.

The builder, Robertson and Caine, expects to build 30 of these Leopard models per year in South Africa. Some will go to The Moorings since they offer power charters in a dozen locations from the Caribbean to Europe to the Seychelles.

Coming from a world of monohull sailboats, we felt a little guilty about how much we enjoyed our power cat and wondered how we could ever go back to half a boat. This was just too easy, too speedy and way too comfortable. We allowed ourselves to voice the reality. Our boat test was really a try-before-you-buy experiment that succeeded. There, we said it. We’re out in the open now and have fully embraced the dark side, a side with plenty of power and two hulls. Though we fought it for years, we are, in every sense of the word, converts.

—By Zuzana Prochazka, Southern Boating Magazine March 2017

SPECIFICATIONS
LOA: 42′ 8″
Beam: 22′ 1″
Draft: 3′ 1″
Displacement (light): 25,794 lbs.
Fuel/Water: 264/212 U.S. gals.
MSRP (base): $525,000 (as tested)

CONTACT
The Moorings
(888) 952-8420
moorings.com 

Southern Exposure’s Q&A: Raul Bermudez, Vice President Charter Division, MarineMax

SB: What attracted you to work for MarineMax?
RB: The company and the opportunity. MarineMax is a world-class organization. Everyone that works for MarineMax has a great passion for the water and for customer service. Bill McGill, Chairman, President and CEO is an incredible leader who walks the talk. It was also the opportunity of developing their world-class charter business with that same level of passion and service and simultaneously introducing the evolution of true purebred charter powercats to this market and industry with MarineMax Vacations. It was an exciting challenge and I knew it was a perfect fit for my passions and me. It has been less than four years since we launched MarineMax Vacations, and we are now the fastest growing charter company in the world.

SB: What sets your company apart from other competitors in the field? How has it accomplished this and how will it continue to do so?
RB: Our team and our yachts. The entire team of MarineMax and MarineMax Vacations is passionate about providing the world’s best pleasure-boating experience by consistently exceeding the greatest expectations of our customer with the highest level of personal service and product. Aquila Power Cats is the only brand of powerboat we feature in the MarineMax Vacations fleet and was designed by powerboaters for powerboaters. The Aquila power catamarans are true purebred powerboats offering all of the comforts that boaters are used to having on their own personal yachts at home.

We provide services including free Wi-Fi and onboard equipment for living comforts including watermakers on all of our yachts.

SB: How has the company developed and changed over the years?
RB: The boats offered by MarineMax have changed but the MarineMax values have not and that is why MarineMax has survived all of the economic changes. MarineMax is loyal to the customer and the customers are loyal to MarineMax. Bill McGill says that what we offer is all about “changing people’s lives” through boating. With that belief in mind, he took the risk to launch MarineMax Vacations in the B.V.I. to extend the boating season for the MarineMax stores in the northern states by offering an opportunity to go boating on our custom power catamarans in the B.V.I.

SB: Tell us a bit about yourself, your background and what prompted you to enter the marine world?
RB: I am a native of Barranquilla, Colombia, South America, and relocated to the U.S.A. with my family when I was just 12 years old. I graduated from Miami’s Florida International University with a degree in Business and Management of Information Systems. I have been married to my wife, Kelly, for 23 years, and we have four wonderful boating kids ranging in age from 8 to 19.

I was living in Denver, Colorado when I received a call from a recruiter about a career opportunity in Florida with a yacht charter company, The Moorings. It was the middle of winter when I flew from a very cold Denver to a beautiful and warm charter base in the B.V.I. for an interview with the team. They extended me an offer to join them, and as I was overlooking the marina full of yachts, I called my wife and I told her “I can do this. We are moving.” It was an easy decision. I have always loved the water and am an avid fisherman, so it was also a great opportunity that this new job would get us back to warm Florida, too. Two weeks later I was back in Tortola racing in the B.V.I. Spring Regatta with the management group, and I was with that group for more than 12 years.

SB: What do you love most about what you do?
RB: I love “changing people’s lives.” Getting telephone calls and letters from customers telling us about what an incredible experience they had with MarineMax Vacations and hearing how cruising on a MarineMax powercat was their “best vacation ever” is something that just never gets old. It fuels the passion for our team and I. I love going to boat shows and meeting the customers, telling them about our boats and destinations, and then seeing them the following year and hearing all about their vacation as they recap their experience with tremendous smiles on their faces.

SB: We’d love to hear specific examples of how you believe MarineMax has enriched mariners experience on the water. 
RB: From a MarineMax point of view, the focus is on making sure people enjoy their time on the water, and that includes numerous free classes offered at all MarineMax stores including the highly popular Women On Water, Kids in Boating, and Captains Orientation, just to name a few.

When you buy a boat from MarineMax, you become part of the family—they are not just selling you a boat. MarineMax is about developing a lifelong relationship with the customer, and our rendezvous, Getaways and group boating deepens the personal relationships and forms lasting bonds with the customers. I also strongly believe that MarineMax Vacations Charters and what we do enriches mariners’ experience by allowing them to explore places they could not do on their own boats.

SB: Are there any destinations or itineraries that you are particularly fond of?
RB: I am a big fan of the B.V.I. and have been cruising there for more than 15 years. The B.V.I. offers something for everyone and can meet everyone’s idea of excitement and relaxation from peaceful rest to energetic excursions. You can set your itinerary based on who is boating with you—I have a different itinerary when I go with friends versus when I go with the family.

Raul Bermudez relaxing aboard his “Little Raskal.”

SB: What would you recommend among the options you offer?
RB: We offer a wide range of Aquila power catamarans in our charter fleet ranging in size from 38 to 48 feet. Boat selection all depends on the size of the party.

I recommend that if someone has never chartered a yacht in the B.V.I. that they begin planning this experience right away. It’s an experience that gets people hooked immediately—we’ve seen it over the past three years as we have brought new power boaters to the destination. Some have just completed their third charter with us and have booked their next one already.

For returning guests, I recommend they look at our Charter Yacht Ownership Program, which allows an owner to enjoy numerous weeks each year while receiving a monthly check from MarineMax to cover the boat loan. MarineMax handles all service, maintenance, fees, and charter activity.

For those who want a purebred powercat at home, I recommend private ownership of Aquila. They are proven ocean-going vessels that can cross oceans or cruise the Great Loop and provide the best platform for living comforts and efficient performance no matter what the water preference.

SB: Do you own a boat? If so what is the make and name? Where do you like to boat?
RB: I currently do not own a boat but have access to large fleet of them. My last boat was a 2008 SeaRay Sundeck 220, which I purchased from MarineMax Clearwater before I was a team member. The boat name was “Little Raskal”—the initials of all of my family members (Raul, Adam, Sarah, Kelly, Alex, and Loren).

SB: What do you like most about being a mariner?
RB: The feeling you get when you are on the water—the freedom, the wind against your face, the smile on my kids’ faces, the special family time, and the memories we have and continue to create. I love the fact that my kids, including my 19-year-old, actually ask when we are going to go on our next MarineMax power catamaran vacation. They love the MarineMax 484 power cat and they love the B.V.I. marinemaxvacations.com

By Nathalie Gouillou, Southern Exposure, September 2015

The Great Southern Boating Vacation

Southern Boating is going on an adventure and wants to bring you along!

Join us as we cruise through the British Virgin Islands discovering new adventures and cuisine aboard two of the Moorings’ powercat motoryachts. Our family vacation will take us cruising through seven islands before ending back in Tortola.

Mark your calendars because our adventure sets sail August 7th. Here’s our initial itinerary:
Day 1, Cooper Island; Day 2-3, Virgin Gorda Island; Day 4, Anegada Island; Day 5, Marina Cay; Day 6, Cane Garden Bay; Day 7, Great Harbour.

Day One: Cooper Island

Southern Boating Crew at The Moorings Base before leaving the docks

 

Day Two: Virgin Gorda Island

Giant boulders create some amazing adventures to explore and enjoy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day Three: Anegada

Southern Boating proudly flying it’s burgee.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our journey has been extraordinary and we are having a wonderful time. We have been plagued with not so reliable WiFi connections. We’ll keep posting.

Day Four: George Dog Island and Scrub Island

The Moorings PowerSails in front of Pusser’s on our way into Scrub Island.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day Five: Brewer’s Bay and Great Harbor Island

Cruising the west side of Tortola, BVI.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day Six: White Bay, Sandy Cay, and Norman’s Island

Mooring off White Bay and going to visit the Soggy Dollar store.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day Seven: Privateer Bay, Solder Bay, and Tortola

Heading to Privateer Bay to explore the caves.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day Eight: Heading Home

The airport entrance—the vacation is over.

Belize, It’s UnBelizeable!

It’s UnBelizeable!

There is a lengthy list of sensible reasons why Belize belongs on the must-do list when it comes to Caribbean cruising. First, a two-hour flight from the United States to Belize City makes it easy to travel to, English is the official language and it is one of the most affordable destinations in the Caribbean—the U.S. dollar is widely accepted and is worth twice the Belizean dollar. Second (or fourth, depending on how you count), electricity is the same as in the U.S., and you can drink the water. But most of all, besides all of the sensible reasons to visit Belize, the country’s overwhelming draw is the natural beauty of its islands, waters and rainforests, along with its intriguing Mayan culture, all of which are wrapped up in an intoxicatingly relaxed way of life.

Belize is the pioneer of sustainable tourism and, proud of its abundance of natural wonders, it pampers them and shows them off well. Boating on ancient Mayan waterways brings one close to water birds and crocodiles. The country is chock-full of limestone caves and sinkholes to hike and swim in, some of which even contain Mayan treasures. Belize has a baboon sanctuary and one of the only jaguar preserves in the world. Howler monkeys and toucans peer out of its verdant rainforests. With hundreds of offshore islands, beachcombing, diving, snorkeling, and boating are superb.

The more than 321,000 people of Belize come from eight distinct cultures: Maya, Mestizo, Creole, Garifuna, East Indian, German Mennonite, Arab, and Chinese, all of which add their distinct seasoning to the dish of Belizean music, cuisine and art. The Mayan culture is ever present. From 250-900 A.D. the mathematically brilliant Mayan civilization flourished in Central America leaving 1,400 archeological sites in Belize. Day tripping to sites before or after cruising or island hopping is easy since Belize is only 185 miles long and 75 miles wide. Hotels and charter companies are happy to arrange excursions.

Boat travel up winding rivers to both Altun Ha and Lamanai in Northern Belize is a treat. Altun Ha—Mayan for “water of the rock”—was a small but important ceremonial and trading center located 31 miles north of Belize City where archeologists found the largest Mayan carved jade object, a jade head. Lamanai (“submerged crocodile” in Mayan) appears out of the rainforest after a 26-mile boat ride on the New River. It is famous for a stela of a Mayan ruler wearing a crocodile headdress. The Mayans occupied this site for 3,000 years.

Landlubbers are content to stay ashore, but mariners come to life on the water and Belize has plenty of that. Along its entire Caribbean coastline lays the longest unbroken barrier reef in the Western Hemisphere—a UNESCO World Heritage site. More than 100 species of coral and 500 species of fish call the area home. Eight protected marine reserves, including the famous Blue Hole—a 1,000-foot-wide sinkhole in the sea—provide SCUBA divers and snorkelers wondrous guided experiences year round.

Caye Caulker and Ambergris Caye are the largest and most populated islands of Belize. Ambergris Caye, with the town of San Pedro, is a little livelier than Caye Caulker where the motto “Go Slow” says it all. Both places have access to the mainland with $20 round-trip water taxis (45 minutes) and $138 round-trip Tropic Air flights (15 minutes). The charter company TMM is based in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye. Both islands are good places to provision, gas up and top off the water tank. Required diving and snorkel guides are available on both islands for visits to several nearby marine reserves.

Ragamuffin Tours on Caye Caulker offers the unique experience of sailing on an authentic Belizean sailing sloop all day, visiting Hol Chan Reserve, Coral Gardens and Shark Ray Alley sites for only $70. Included meals could be stewed chicken, coconut rice or freshly-made shrimp ceviche washed down with rum punch mixed in an oversized water jug. Dolphins play with the sloop’s bow wave en route to snorkel adventures with nurse sharks, stingrays, sea turtles, blue tangs, moray eels, goatfish, trunk fish, blueheads, butterfly fish, and the list goes on. Ragamuffin insists that all footwear be left at the dock before departure. By the time the pile of flip-flops are returned, life is seen in a better light!

All beaches on Ambergris and Caulker are public and plenty of fish swim just offshore. A favorite place for mingling with people and fish on Caye Caulker is at The Split. This small channel separates the island and it is here that people hang out all day at the Lazy Lizard Bar. Snorkel in the morning with starfish, eat curried lobster, coconut rice and beans with a Belikin Beer for lunch, and then return to the water where a float is the perfect means of transportation.

Life becomes more peaceful as one travels down the coast to the Placencia Peninsula in southern Belize. Uninhabited islands provide dot-to-dot sailing in uncluttered water. From April to June people come to swim with whale sharks, and drums beat during the celebration of the Garifuna in November, but most of the time tranquility is the main attraction.

Chartering a catamaran for a week in Belize is possible through Sunsail and The Moorings based in Placencia, TMM Yacht Charters on Ambergris Caye, and other local charter companies. Whether you bareboat or hire a captain and crew, charter is a great way to experience Belizean waters. Just keep in mind that charter companies insist that bareboaters stay within the barrier reef unless accompanied by a local captain. Navigational aids are sparse and navigation by sight with a bow watch is highly recommended due to “skinny” waters and coral reefs. The place is remote beyond the cayes and communication is sketchy at times on both cellphone and VHF. Gas, water, ice, and provisions should be conserved since replenishment is spotty. On the bright side, the barrier reef protects sailors from ocean swells, and trade winds almost guarantee 20 knots of wind every day. The Cruising Guide to Belize and Mexico’s Caribbean Coast by Freya Rauscher (3rd Edition) is the guide of choice and can be ordered from info@windmillhillbooks.com. Most companies provide copies onboard but TMM and The Moorings give a copy to charters.

Perhaps “Mother Nature’s Best Kept Secret” is less of a secret now. Once this country’s natural playground is experienced it could be said, “It’s unBelizeable!”

Nancy E. Spraker, Southern Boating September 2013

Charters For Everyone

Regardless of your budget or lifestyle, there’s a boat charter ideally suited for you.

Prior to the year 2000, I had the impression that boat charters were of two distinct varieties:

1. Crewed luxury megayachts that only the uber wealthy could afford, or

2. Single-hulled sailboats for experienced yachtsmen qualified to plot a course using only the stars and a compass and who crossed the Atlantic at least once.

I qualified in neither category, but now after two charter trips to the British Virgin Islands (B.V.I.)—the first in 2000 onboard a crewed sailing catamaran with two other couples and the second in 2012 on a power cat courtesy of The Moorings—I’m convinced that just about anyone not only can, but should charter. With over 70 percent of the earth’s surface covered by oceans, our planet’s cruising grounds simply beg for exploration. Most boat owners, however, have neither the range nor the vacation time to reach them. Now, with myriad charter companies and itinerary options available—whether your vacation time and budget are limited or large, or you’ve been cruising for decades or just days—chartering is for everyone.

For those who might feel more comfortable in U.S. waters for their maiden charter, Southwest Florida Yachts, based at Tarpon Point Marina on the Caloosahatchee River in Fort Myers, Florida offers a three-day Basic Powerboating course to brush up on boating skills while at the same time become familiar with your charter boat. A four- or five-day charter is enough time to get your feet wet, explore Sanibel and Captiva Islands, or even venture to Key West. Staying on the hook or mooring balls will make the trip more affordable, but if you start missing land, there are plenty of marinas to duck into, and reservations are easily made since you’re in cell phone range.

On our first charter to the B.V.I. in 2000, even though we were all knowledgeable boat owners and cruised frequently, we opted for an owner-crewed sailing catamaran. Our boat’s owners were well acquainted with all the area had to offer and customized our charter according to our interests: frequent snorkeling, at least one SCUBA dive to the Rhone and several shore excursions. We found the company online through a small, private charter website, but since then, numerous charter companies have established base operations throughout The Bahamas and Caribbean and offer a wide range of boats and options. From most U.S. airports, two flights will get you to your charter operator’s base location. The Moorings based on Tortola has more than 400 charter boats, both sail and power in a variety of sizes and layouts, including the 393 power cat we used with one other couple in 2012 for our first bareboat experience. Prior to boarding our boat, a detailed presentation provided pertinent information and ample opportunity for getting our questions answered. The company assembled all the equipment and information in advance, including prepaid cruising permits, a mandatory cell phone preprogrammed with all the pertinent contacts, and water toys such as a kayak and paddleboard. Having been to the area previously, we knew that line-of-sight navigation was one of the benefits to chartering in the B.V.I., and that the close proximity of islands ensures a host of options for ample entertainment, mooring or snorkeling options. (Advice: When you charter in the B.V.I., save time by flying to Tortola rather than St. Thomas. The flight will cost more, but you’ll save time and money on the hotel and ferry.)

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If you’re a bit on the frugal side, it’s always cheaper to stay on the hook or pick up a mooring ball in the B.V.I., but if you’re not as concerned with pinching pennies on your charter or need to stretch your sea legs, many resorts extend their amenities to marina guests, so it pays to reserve at least one night at their marina for a bit—or a bevy—of pampering. Peter Island Resort & Spa’s idyllic setting on 1,800 acres offers a great deal more than pampering, however, with paved walkways for hikes, a gourmet mountaintop sunset experience, and acclaimed spa, all of which are topped off with fabulous views in nearly every direction. (peterisland.com) If there’s room in your budget for more than one indulgence, save at least one more night for Scrub Island Resort (scrubisland.com), which is conveniently situated close to Tortola’s airport on Beef Island—the resort has an airport water shuttle service. The small island provides a more intimate, relaxed setting than some of the busier islands in the B.V.I., and if you’ve budgeted for a spa visit, save it for Scrub Island, where I had the best massage of my life by Spa Director Emily Lancaster in a spa-cottage by the sea with its own private outdoor mini-pool. If romance is what you’re after, in addition to the two-tiered pool overlooking the marina—with a fun slide we just had to try—a smaller more private pool setting on the other side of the small island is perfect for intimate gatherings and provides an unrestricted island view at ocean’s edge.

For some, the love of bareboat charters has become an annual tradition. Los Angeles-based well-known film producer Alan J. Levi and his wife of 25 years, actress Sondra “Sam” Currie—she plays Zach Galifianakis’ mother in The Hangover film series—have chartered boats for more than two decades. A few years ago they contacted Southern Boating for advice having read an article about chartering in Europe (November 2010 issue) and subsequently planned their own charter vacation à la the canals and rivers surrounding Venice, Italy. “This year our boating experience was totally different than any other in the past 23 years. First, boating down to the Venice Lagoon puts you in ‘open water’ for much of the trip—not just a narrow canal or river,” says Levi, whose film credits include numerous episodes in the Magnum, P.I., Columbo and NCIS television series. “It’s not for the ‘first-timer’, for the navigation in the open water between markers—which jut out of the lagoon—is not anything you might want to venture into if you don’t have a bit of boating experience.”

The Hollywood couple chartered from Le Boat’s Casale, Italy location about 21 miles north of Venice and describes the charter operation there as “quite well equipped, good staff and plenty of boats.” One of the drawbacks, however, is the absence of provisioning services, which Levi said was easily remedied by cruising 10 minutes north to the town of Casier, where two small grocery stores close by provide enough to get the trip started. (After all, what more does one need besides bread and water, cheese and Italian wine?)

The rest of their loosely-planned itinerary included a stopover on the island of Burano, which turned into a three-day visit in order to sample the renowned restaurants and lace shops. After a four-day stop in Venice—which Levi says will guarantee you at least a pound per day added to your waistline—they were treated to the most surprising excursion of their charter at the little fishing village of Chioggia—another not-to-be- missed one-day stop that stretched to four. “There are perhaps 200-250 large fishing boats tied up on both sides of the village, and they depart about 4:30 or 5:00 each morning for the open Adriatic, returning about 7:30 or so with boatloads of fresh catch,” recounts Levi and adds that the fleet serves the entire region with daily fresh fish, including several dozen fish markets in the area. “We tied up our boat in one of the four ‘Reserved for Le Boat’ slots in the marina, right next to a charming little trattoria, which on our first night held a live jazz night from their open boat tied up right next to ours. Between the absolutely marvelous jazz quintet, the 40 or so outdoor tables with over 100 people eating and enjoying the music right there within waving distance, and the owner of the trattoria who asked if he could bring our dinner up to the top deck of our boat for us to enjoy from that vantage point, it was a truly unforgettable experience. And the wine was as fine as the evening!”

The only problem Levi encountered during their entire trip was unrelated to their boat or boating skills. “Because of the extreme drought in Italy (we saw perhaps 30 or more cornfields that were totally burnt out—brown—with not an ear of corn to harvest), the canal and river were both so low with water, that we never make it to our destinations by boat. The waterways were closed,” Levi recalls. Instead, they stopped in a fun town and took a 45-minute bus ride into the towns they wanted to see. Although others accomplished the trip in two weeks or less, Levi chartered for three weeks, which allowed them the time to leisurely explore and led to a number of unexpected encounters they would have missed on a shorter trip.

Keep in mind that certification in boating proficiency is now required by many countries, including most European nations. Best Boat Club (bestboatclub.com) has partnered with two internationally-recognized organizations—US Sailing and US Powerboating—to provide the certifications needed to charter sail or power boats internationally. The entry-level class, Safe Sail- or Powerboat Handling, is designed for people with zero or very limited boat experience and certifies students to operate boats up to 27′. It also qualifies students for Florida’s Boat Smart certificate. Those who have more boating experience can test out of the entry-level class for a fee, which can be applied to the second of three classes required for international certification. Basic Powerboat Cruising teaches skills for navigating boats 28-32′ for longer periods and includes hands-on coursework on board for learning engine and electrical systems. Finally, Inshore Powerboat Cruising and Night Operation prepares students for multi-day and overnight trips within sight of land and includes an International Proficiency Certificate. While many boating “schools” offer boating classes, Director of Training Derek Edwards says the skills you learn from Best Boat Club offer much more. “Our program is certified by U.S. Powerboat and U.S. Sailing, who are very stringent in their requirements for instructors that goes way beyond what a United States Coast Guard license requires,” says Edwards, who adds there is a common misperception that a U.S. Coast Guard license fulfills requirements for chartering regardless of the location. According to Edwards, in the U.S., only the U.S. Powerboat and Sailing programs qualify for international charters.

For those without the time for or interest in classes, however, luxury crewed charters are always an option and—depending on the size and location of the yacht and number of charter guests sharing expenses—can actually be a surprisingly cost-competitive alternative to higher-end cruise ship vacations. The difference is, of course, that your cruising experience is completely customized. Tahiti and other islands in the South Pacific are becoming more popular for yacht charters since many yacht owners want the opportunity to use their yachts in those waters and are interested in offsetting their expenses. Some even offer charters to Antarctica.

Whether you bareboat, hire a captain and small crew, or charter a luxury yacht, enthusiasts like Alan and “Sam”—along with Southern Boating’s editor, publisher and many others—treasure the memories that charters avail: delightful dining at off-the-beaten-path cafés and diners, chance encounters with new friends both above and below the waterline, and cruising the same waters that famous explorers once did. The perfect charter vacation is waiting for you regardless of your lifestyle, experience or budget. Don’t wait—buy a cruising guide, book a charter, connect with your inner Magellan, and create new memories.

 

By Liz Pasch, Southern Boating September 2013

 

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