The following yacht charter guide provides basic information on 'Bareboat' charters.
You can charter a yacht if you can satisfy the yacht charter management company that you are competent to do so, although some yacht charter companies also offer you the option of a professional skipper. Most yachts charter companies offer boats on a “bareboat” basis. Whereby you provide your own skipper. The yacht charter company will ask for a large deposit and proof of the skippers sailing qualifications. Chartering a yacht will require at least a skipper and one competent crewmember. For larger yacht charters over 40 feet you will be advised to have a skipper and two deckhands.
The amount of yahct charter experience required is also likely to vary according to the value of the yacht to be chartered, and the difficulty of local conditions. In the UK many companies will expect an RYA practical course completion certificate at Day Skipper or Coastal Skipper level as a minimum requirement, although experienced skippers without formal certificates may well be acceptable. In most European countries you will need an ICC before chartering.
Another yacht charter possibility is flotilla sailing. This is where you skipper a yacht in a fleet of boats daysailing between pre-planned ports and anchorages, with a 'lead boat' crewed by the yacht charter company showing you the way. This can be a great introduction to yacht charter, especially for less experienced sailors or novices. Most of the larger Mediterranean charter companies offer flotillas, but it is rarer in UK waters.
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