Crewed Catamaran Charters

Megayacht Kings Ransom for charter

Friday, March 5, 2010 by News SailAway

Croatia Mediterranean sailing catamaran KINGS RANSOM

Kings Ransom is currently what’s hot in mega yacht charters.

This new 76’ catamaran boasts of all the latest advanced technology and is sure to give you the most comfortable luxury cruise vacation ever. This cat comes will full air conditioning in the entire yacht, as well as separate climate controls for all 5 ensuite guest cabins.

The yacht can comfortably house to up to 10 guests, and it has luxurious interiors made of leather and wood in each cabin, not to mention the large amounts of storage space offered.
Beginning 1st May 2010, Kings Ransom will be available for both Croatia Yacht Charters and the Mediterranean Yacht Charters as well.

To book your private luxury yacht charter vacation,
contact 1-800-YACHTCHARTER
by phone via 1-800-YACHTCHARTER or 305-253-7245
by email via info@1800yachtcharter.com
via twitter @yacht_charters (please follow us!)
via our contact form at http://www.1800sailaway.com/contact_us.html

Yachtspeak - nautical phrases for charter guests

Sunday, October 25, 2009 by News SailAway

Taking a vacation by automobile doesn't require any particular vocabulary skills; however, when you go on a private yacht charter, whether it's a Virgin Islands yacht charter or Croatia yacht charter, it's sometimes nice to know some of the terminology used when onboard.

Here are some nautical terms for you that might be helpful to know.

BOW - The forward part of a boat.

STERN - The back of the boat.

BEAM - The greatest width of the boat.

BUOY - An anchored float used for marking a position on the water or a hazard or a shoal and for mooring.

CABIN (or "stateroom") - A compartment (bedroom) for passengers or crew.

CATAMARAN - A twin-hulled boat, with hulls side-by-side. Can be sail or power, but is usually sail.

CHART - A map for use by navigators.

HELM (or "Navigation Station") - The area from where the Captain steers/pilots the boat.

CLEAT - A fitting to which lines are tied. They are usually in somewhat of a "figure8 shape." Cleats are located on the dock and on the boat. (They are often tripped over, if you don't watch your step!)

COCKPIT - An opening in the deck from which the boat is handled. (Visualize a large sailboat - the "steering wheel" of the boat is located in the cockpit.)

DINGHY (also known as a "tender") - A small open boat.

"T/T BOATNAME" - Means "Tender To...[boatname]." NOTE: Most yachts only have 1 tender. Those with more than 1 tender (aka, dinghy) often have "TTT's....or tenders for/to their tenders."

FENDER (also known as a "bumper") - A cushion, placed between boats, or between a boat and a pier, to prevent damage.

Yacht fenders - bumpers - cushions placed between boats, or boat and pier, to prevent damage

GALLEY - The kitchen of a boat.

SAILBOAT - A boat powered by wind through sails (with ancillary engine).

POWERBOAT - A boat powered by engine and fuel.

STINKPOTTER - A powerboat enthusiast.

HEAD - A marine toilet/bathroom.

DAY HEAD - The bathroom that is used by all guests, usually in main area of the boat and not located within a stateroom.

INTRACOASTAL WATERWAY - AKA, "The ICW." Bays, rivers, and canals along the coasts (such as the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts), connected so that vessels may travel without going into the sea. Evening charters in Florida often cruise along the ICW to see the holiday lights of the condos lining the waterway, for example.

KNOT (relating to speed) - A measure of speed equal to one nautical mile (6076 feet) per hour.

LOG - A record of courses or operation, kept by the captain/crew. (Charter guests often fill out an entry in a "guestbook" or "logbook" after a charter, as well, to describe their trip.)

PLANING ("on a plane") - As a boat evens out above the water when it is moving/underway, as opposed to still being partially underneath the water, as in before it starts moving.

PORT - The left side of a boat looking forward. (Also refers to a docking location)

STARBOARD - The right side of a boat, looking forward.

SCREW - A boat's propeller. (A "twin screw" is a boat with 2 propellers.)

UNDERWAY - Vessel in motion.

WAKE - Moving waves, track, or path that a boat leaves behind it, when moving across the water.

YACHT - A boat used for pleasure.

There are many other phrases used by "yachtees," but these are basics that will help you navigate your way when onboard a private yacht!

To book your private luxury yacht charter vacation (and practice your "yachtspeak"),
contact 1-800-YACHTCHARTER
by phone via 1-800-YACHTCHARTER or 305-253-7245
by email via info@1800yachtcharter.com
via twitter @yacht_charters (follow us!)
via our contact form at http://www.1800sailaway.com/contact_us.html

"Les Voiles de Saint Barth" to Attract Perini Navi Yacht Charter Sailboats

Tuesday, September 22, 2009 by News SailAway

For hundreds of years, sailors have been drawn to the Caribbean. For the Perini Navi yacht charter aficionado, that lure continues to this day.

Superyacht builder Perini Navi can proudly boast that a large number of Caribbean yacht charter megayacht vessels were launched from their acclaimed Italian shipyard.

Now, with the advent of a new sail event in 2010, the Perini Navi yacht charter experience will be enhanced by the opportunity to participate in a superyacht race event.

A new regatta, "Les Voiles de Saint Barth," will be held between April 6 and April 11th, 2010. The event is organized by the Saint Barth Yacht Club and Comité Territorial du Tourisme, with the support of Saint Barthélémy's Collectivité.

Perini Navi mega sailing yacht MALTESE FALCON under sail

While classic boats and multihulls will race in this new event, the undoubted stars of the show will be in the superyacht category. The megayacht Caribbean yacht charter vessels, will be led by a flotilla of Perini Navi sailboats.

Expected to participate are MALTESE FALCON, SALUTE, and SELENE.

Up to 10 more Perini Navi sailboats are considering participation.

The inspiration for “Les Voiles de Saint Barth” is to create a regatta for beautiful sailboats to navigate in the local waters in a festive spirit. In the idyllic setting of Saint Barth Island, residents, storekeepers, and water sport professionals are getting ready to welcome these mega yachts and their crews (and the fortunate Caribbean yacht charter customers who participate) to help them discover or rediscover this unique island.

There is no better time to plan sail boat charters in the Caribbean than late spring. From sail boat charters to crewed catamaran charters, a St Barts yacht charter during "Les Voiles de Saint Barth" will bring memories to last a lifetime.

To book your luxury sailing charter, contact 1-800-Yachtcharter or email info@1800yachtcharter.com

10 Reasons for Luxury Yacht Charter Customers to Purchase Travel Insurance

Tuesday, June 23, 2009 by News SailAway

Anyone who has booked a Benetti yacht charter or a Feadship yacht charter vacation knows that charter agents heavily promote trip cancellation insurance.

For mega yacht charter agents, trip cancellation insurance is a substantial profit point. Commissions of 20% of the insurance cost for selling this product for a Feadship yacht charter or a Benetti yacht charter are common.

Charter brokers often offer this coverage to their Caribbean yacht charter customers who fear trip delays due to summer tropical weather disturbances. Mediterranean yacht charter customers also hear the pitch to purchase this coverage, as concerns for lost baggage are common with long, international flights.

Putting aside the fact that someone "profits" from the sale of these policies, a luxury yacht charter customer should give serious consideration to this coverage option. Whether you rent a private yacht, a megayacht, or a superyacht, for a Caribbean yacht charter or elsewhere, or whether you plan crewed catamaran charters or sail boat charters - the facts remain the same: you are spending a lot of money and you may wish to protect your investment!

There are hundreds of circumstances that could cause you to cancel your trip, return home early, or force you to seek emergency medical treatment while traveling. What if you booked a MIPIM yacht or a Monaco Grand Prix yacht for the yearly event in Cannes and Monte Carlo, and suddenly you could not attend?

To demonstrate the importance of purchasing travel insurance, and emergency travel services, here are 10 common examples of what could go wrong.

1. It's 10 p.m. and you and your immediate family arrive at the airport for a connecting flight, only to find that your flight has been cancelled. Who can assist you with finding new flights to get everyone home?

2. Your bag is lost with your insulin inside. You need help to locate your bag as soon as possible and have your emergency prescription filled. Who do you call?

3. It's your first visit to Europe, and your passport and wallet are stolen before you board your Monaco Grand Prix yacht. Where do you turn for emergency cash, and how will you get your passport replaced?

4. You're involved in an accident during your Benetti yacht charter, and adequate medical treatment is not available. Who will help arrange and pay for a medical evacuation?

5. Your sister-in-law becomes seriously ill and you must cancel your MIPIM yacht trip. What happens to your non-refundable deposits or pre-payments?

Reason for purchasing travel insurance for your MIPIM yacht charter - illness

6. You arrive for your Feadship yacht charter in Jamaica, and your luggage doesn't. If it's lost, who will help you find it? If it's delayed, who will pay for your necessities? If it's stolen, who will pay to replace it?

Reason for travel insurance - lost luggage

7. Your luxury sailing charter tour operator goes bankrupt. Who will pay for your non-refundable expenses? Who will help get you to your destination?

8. You're walking down a street in Rio and twist your ankle. Who can help you find an English-speaking physician?

9. Three weeks before your scheduled arrival for your Croatia yacht charter, a terrorist incident occurs in the city that you are planning to visit. Who will pay if you want to cancel your trip?

10. You are at a beach resort in the Florida Keys during your luxury sailing charter vacation, and you are forced to evacuate due to an approaching hurricane. Who will help you evacuate and who will reimburse your lost vacation investment?

There are so many circumstances where your vacation may be interrupted. It's important to understand your options to safeguard your holiday investment. Remember travel insurance is optionaland should be analyzed before each vacation begins.

Bareboat or crewed yacht charter?

Wednesday, June 17, 2009 by News SailAway

Yacht charter vacations fall into two categories - bareboat charter and crewed charter.

A bareboat charter is where you rent a sailboat or powerboat that has no crew. It is similar to renting a car that you drive yourself. Bareboat charters are for experienced sailors or yachtsmen and can be "self-drive" (where you do all the work and driving), or you can hire a skipper to drive the boat for you for either part of the trip or for the entire trip.

Crewed charters are where you rent a sailboat or powerboat that has a crew that consists of a captain/skipper to drive the boat and any number of other members. Additional crew members can be such positions as hostess/stewardess (waits on the charter guests), chef (prepares all meals), first mate (helps with the operation of the vessel), and engineer (handles the engines), for example.

The largest yachts (megayachts and superyachts) can have as many as 18 crew members, and some even have more crew members than guests onboard at any time!

Charter guests select bareboat yacht charters for a number of reasons; bareboats are more affordable than crewed yachts, an independent customer can pilot the yacht him/herself, or the customer owns the same kind of boat and wants to enjoy it in a different location than he/she does at home, for example. Florida yacht charters are often bareboat charters, as guests like to experience sail boat charters and pilot the boat around the islands of the Florida Keys. Bareboaters will often participate in Virgin Islands Yacht Charter flotillas, where multiple Beneteau sailboats or Robertson and Caine catamarans will sail together throughout the islands, stopping in port to enjoy the Caribbean flair of such popular Virgin Island landmarks as Pusser's or Foxy's, or visiting the must-visit, no dock, swim-up Soggy Dollar Bar in the British Virgin Islands (aptly named Soggy Dollar because once you swim up to it, your dollars are soggy - thanks Charles Tobias)!

Soggy Dollar no dock/swim-up bar in the British Virgin Islands - Pusser's Painkillers

On the other hand, charter guests select crewed yacht charter vacations because they are celebrating a special occasion or enjoying a corporate event, they want to enjoy a vacation where they don't have to do any work, or they have a large group of people and want to spend a special vacation with them without having to do any of the vacation planning once underway. Corporate events include such things as Monaco Grand Prix yacht charters, where a company will rent a megayacht to be used as a meeting place (and floating hotel), as well as its being a perfect venue for entertaining clients and for watching the Monaco Grand Prix race. Crewed yachts are often selected for unique first-time vacation destinations like a Croatia yacht charter or Greece yacht charters, as captains and crewmembers know the waters, the locals, and the area.