Yacht Charters Offer Intimate Voyage Alternative

Sailing the deep, blue waters of an ocean on holiday is a dream come true for many. But, some prefer to do so on a much smaller scale than most cruise ships allow. More rugged and especially private, yacht charter trips are a great alternative for vacationers.

The key to finding a great yacht charter trip, however, is doing some homework. The following are some steps to consider before booking a trip or planning a vacation:

* Destination. This is paramount. If you don't know where you want to go, it will be hard to find a charter. Locations where you can find yacht charter trips include Alaska, the Caribbean, Florida, California, Europe. Pretty much anywhere there's water, you'll find a charter company available.

* Purpose of the trip. Do you simply want to sail away your vacation in a relaxing setting or do some serious sight-seeing and fishing, too? The purpose of the trip will help make it easier for you to find the right charter.

* Overnight stay or not? Are you looking for a two-week charter or a single day out on a fishing boat. This is vital information to have in advance.

* Number of people. A charter boat captain will have a set number of people he or she can allow on board. The number will determine availability of the ship and is vital for booking a trip.

Once you know where you want to go, who you want to bring and what you hope to do, the search for a good charter will become much easier. Look for charter companies in the areas you'd like to visit and do shop prices and features. It's important to know what's included in a package and what's expected of passengers. Some sailing charters, for example, actually rely on passengers to help with the process of sailing. If working doesn't sound fun to you, it's a good idea to know the expectations in advance.

Before booking a charter trip, check the following things:

* Prices. Shop them.

* Inclusions. Will you have to pay extra for food? Port of call trips? Fishing gear and lures? Make sure you understand everything that's included in the price and what is not.

* What to pack or bring. A charter is not a huge cruise line. The trip may require you to actively get involved in the sailing process. If so, you may want to pack accordingly. Captain's attire for a working trip just won't do.

* Amenities on the boat. If it's a basic boat, stripped down of all life's little luxuries, you will want to know this. It may not be the trip for you if a family will be coming along.

* Safety record, years of experience. You want to go on a charter with a captain who knows his or her stuff and the area in which you'll be sailing. This is especially so in areas with treacherous waters, but applies anywhere as things can and do happen.

A yacht charter cruise is a great idea for a vacation that's a little different than an ordinary cruise. Keep in mind, however, the little extras on a regular cruise are not likely to be present and you may, in fact, find yourself doing a little sailing, too. These are perfect vacations for those who want to get away from it all without doing it with 1,000 other people.

More Resources

Yacht charter trips.

http://www.yachtchartertrip.com

Cruise vacations.

http://www.cruisevacationsinfo.com

Solent Sailing & Yacht Charter

The Solent is a magnificent sailing playground on the South coast of England between the mainland and the Isle of Wight. Approximately 30 miles long and 3 to 5 miles wide, it encompasses an amazing variety of geography and sailing conditions. You could choose a quiet natural harbour like Newtown Creek nature reserve or a busy cosmopolitan city like Southampton. Nowhere is more than a few sailing hours apart and it is all protected from the worst of any weather by the Island itself. That's not to say there are no challenges for the yacht sailor and for sailing instruction courses there is no better spot to learn due to the wide variety of navigational obstacles some natural and some man made. To give you an idea, here are some of the obstacles that you may find.

· An historic ship wreck
· Tides in excess of 4 knots
· Dangerous rocks
· Ferries
· A curved ledge with a trap in its hook
· High speed catamarans
· Oil tanker and container ships with moving prohibited zones
· An offshore sandbank suitable for hosting a cricket match
· The biggest yacht race in the world
· Radar speed traps
· Pile moorings
· In excess of 30 marinas
· A National Trust nature reserve
· Hovercraft
· Underwater submarine barriers
· Mid channel defensive forts
· Cross Channel ferries
· Ocean going liners
· Warships & a naval dockyard
· A small boat channel
· Fishing vessels
· Active minesweepers
· Floating dead whales
· Railway sleepers adrift
· Lighthouses, lateral buoys, cardinal buoys, safe water and isolated danger marks
· Locks
· Firing range danger area
· Sand bar
· Chain ferry
· Submerged pipelines marked by a fresnal lens

As a result of this variety, the Solent is a paradise for sailors and Cowes at its centre can rightly describe itself as the home of yachting. The annual Cowes week regatta sees the Solent filled with so many yachts, taking part in so many simultaneous yacht races, that its virtually impossible to navigate a straight course. But it is also this huge variety that enables so many sea schools and yacht charter companies to flourish in the area. It may not be as beautiful as the West Coast of Scotland, but I know where I would rather learn or instruct.

Martin Thomas BSc FCA
Commercially endorsed Yachtmaster & Cruising Instructor
Member of the Royal Institute of Navigation
Member of the Royal Naval & Royal Albert Yacht Club
http://www.solentsail.co.uk

Types of Yacht Insurance Coverages

A yacht insurance coverage is dependent on the policy of the insurance provider. A provider may have a better or less comprehensive yacht insurance policy. Here are some yacht insurance coverages that you may want to keep in mind when buying your own yacht insurance:

* All Risk Coverage
This type of yacht insurance coverage indemnifies you for any loss or "Peril of the Sea" that is not excluded.

* Agreed Value
Before signing up a yacht insurance policy, the value of your yacht is agreed upon. In the event of total loss, you are paid the agreed amount without deducting depreciation value of your yacht.

* Protection and Indemnity
Some yacht insurance coverage provides protection should you get sued for causing damage to properties, people or even the environment.

* Medical Coverage
A good yacht insurance pays for the medical expenses whenever someone gets hurt or injured while in your yacht, or near its premises.

* Personal Property Coverage
Other yacht insurance policies also protect your equipment or personal belongings that are in your yacht. Some yacht insurance provides coverage for the loss of fishing equipment, vessels, clothings. However, yacht insurance does not cover valuables such as money, jewelry or important documents.

* Towing
Yacht insurance policies also include towing coverage. This means that commercial towing services shall be available should your yacht becomes disabled in the middle of the sea and requires assistance to go back to safe harbor.

Though yacht insurance policies cover many of your concerns as a yacht owner, there are also other exclusions in their policies. Some of which are:

* Damages due to illegal, fraudulent or intentional acts by the insured
* Damages caused by war, seizures or nuclear radiation.
* Wear and tear
* Osmosis damage
* Design defects

Brenda Nicolson is an expert in yacht insurance and boat insurance needs. She has an extensive knowledge in the insurance policies, terms and coverages for boats, yachts, and other water crafts. To know more about the author and to gain further information about yacht insurance and boat insurance, visit her website at http://www.yacht-boat-insurance.com
 

For a more in depth information on yacht insurance or boat insurance and for a comprehensive list of boat insurance and yacht insurance providers worldwide, simply go to http://www.yacht-boat-insurance.com

Inflatable Dinghies For Yacht Owners

 

Inflatable dinghies work best as sailing boats or as a tender for a yacht. Yacht owners often prefer a dingy that will inflate because traditional dinghies are famous for scratching the side of a yacht. They are ideal as a tender because they are light weight and buoyant. They can be lifted on and off the yacht easily. An inflatable is best for both easy storage and preventing damage to the side of the ship.

A dinghy is a necessity on a sailing vacation. The best sailing dinghy is an inflatable model. The dinghy takes you ashore and allows you to find the best places to explore, places you couldn’t reach in a full sized sail boat. Better materials and construction methods make these dinghies as durable as non inflatable models.

Storing the dingy is easy with an inflatable model. You can deflate the dinghy and store it on the boat. If you will be using it frequently to go back and forth to the shore, it may be better not to keep inflating and deflating it. This can be a hassle, although it doesn’t take much time to accomplish. You can inflate the dinghy for the first trip ashore and then tow it behind the sail boat for the time you will be anchored near shore. They are as easy to tow as traditional sailing dinghies, and neither type should be towed far from shore because weather conditions can be unpredictable.

Because inflatable dinghies require little storage space when deflated, you can easily bring one with you on your next camping trip. Lightweight dinghies are made to fit in a backpack for easy traveling. The lighter weight boats are smaller and seat fewer people, but for a couple or three people, they work best as portable fishing boats or sail boats. The larger inflatables weigh up to fifty pounds, and are more difficult to carry on a camping trip where you will need to carry the dingy for larger distances.

Kevin Urban is the editor for Inflatable-Boats-N-Kayaks.com, a comprehensive resource on the best inflatable boats and kayaks, inflatable fishing boats, sailing catamarans and dinghies.