Story by Chrystal Young / January 29, 2018
Read the contract! How many times in your life have you just clicked the box that says: “I have read and understood these terms” without ever reading or understanding them? Granted, most of the stuff in these documents is legalese but there are also some important details that you need to pay attention to when chartering a boat.
Such as, what time you have access to the boat, what time you need to be back at the dock, what time you need to be off the boat, what the hull insurance includes and what it does not include. If you have any questions, ask before you sign the contract. Especially before you pay the balance or step on the boat. You really don’t want any surprises after you spent a week having a great time sailing.
Snorkel gear: masks, snorkels and fins take up a lot of real estate in your luggage. Find out if the charter company provides those items. However, if you are a snorkel connoisseur, you might want to bring your own mask and snorkel and then borrow the fins from the base. The snorkeling gear available at the base is probably well seasoned, if you know what I mean.
Communication: The VHF radio on the boat is your primary source of communication but it’s limited in range. Some charter companies provide simple phones to contact the base if needed (as well as contact you), some companies refer you to a vendor who will offer a free phone for basic services but pay for extras, some companies leave you hanging.
More and more often there are international data plans available for you to stay connected anywhere. For instance, on a recent charter in Greece, one of our crew members had international “free” data with T-Mobile and was able to get access everywhere we went. Check with your mobile provider because we have also had a guest who went bankrupt when she got the bill for the photos she uploaded on FaceBook while sailing in St. Vincent.
Cruising Guides: Most charter companies will provide a cruising guide. This is a great resource for local knowledge of anchorages as well as services. It will provide VHF hailing channels for services and activities.
Recharging Electronics: Be aware of outlet requirements on board. European versus American. You might need a 12-volt plug and an inverter. Also, if the boat doesn’t have a generator, you will probably not be able to recharge your devices away from shore power. Please note that it is not recommended to run your generator while under way due to wave action.
Don’t be the low hanging fruit. In other words, lock up your boat/dinghy, don’t flash your riches, anchor behind the fleet, leave a lot of lights on at night and be aware of your surroundings. Most of the places you visit will be welcoming and friendly but there is always the one guy!
What if things go wrong? Charter boats are used by a variety of people. Some know what they are doing, some do not. Usually, the boats are turned around the same day you bring them back so there is not a lot of time to fix things, especially if the previous charterer did not disclose a problem, don’t be that guy. If you have a problem with the boat, let the company know as soon as possible. Boats in general have issues, charter boats in principle will always have issues.
If the problem can’t be resolved over the phone and it is preventing you from going anywhere, often they can send someone out. The charter companies have contacts all over the cruising ground to fix things. Will this ruin your vacation? Maybe. Maybe not.
Don’t expect the company to issue a refund or comp you in any way unless there is a major issue that could not be resolved in a reasonable amount of time. Read your contract to find out if they have any type of guarantee for performance of the yacht you charter. The more reputable companies will work with you, the not-so-reputable ones will take your money and run. If you can’t resolve an issue with the local charter base manager, go to the next level of management before you complain on social media. Give them a chance to make it right.
Provisioning: Most charter companies offer a provisioning service but it will cost you. If you factor in the time it takes to shop and taxi fare, it might be worth it. Make a meal plan and a shopping list ahead of time. Small islands ship in most of their supplies so don’t expect to find everything you want. Be ready for substitutions. That’s all part of the charm. Breakfast, lunches and snacks on board are a good start. You will want to enjoy the local cuisine and culture of the area by dining out. Have a back-up plan for dinner on board in case the bay you are anchoring in for the night does not have any services, or during low season when shops are closed.
Aside from the “Sail Fast, Live Slow” t-shirt or hat from Foxy’s, consider local spices or candies. Sea salt from Union Island in the Grenadines, Erica’s Hot Sauce from St. Vincent or organic chocolate from Grenada make great gifts. Buy any alcohol at the duty free shop to ensure that it is airport approved. If it’s over proof, it will be confiscated. Besides, what else are you going to do while waiting for your flight. Some shops even offer free tastings.
Insects & other creatures: Keep uninvited guests off the boat by disposing of any cardboard before you leave the dock. Mosquitos are not much of a problem while under way or at anchor with a breeze. But, when you go ashore, carry your bug repellent with you. If you forget, even the local rum shacks have a spare bottle behind the bar. Sand fleas on the beach are especially a nuisance. Keep fruits covered with a towel to prevent flies. Also, be aware that if you leave your sliding door open at night, bats are known to sneak in and eat your bananas. What a mess!
Check review sites such as Trip Advisor or sailing forums. Some companies will greet you at the airport with a rum punch or a welcome bottle of spirits. Other companies will leave a note on the door with a pile of sheets on the bunk. (Hint: tie a knot in the corner of the sheet to make a custom fit.) When reading reviews, toss out the best & the worst and read between the lines.
Chuck at The Multihull Company is the real deal.
He helped us find our Lagoon 40 after genuinely listening to what we needed, not just what he had to sell. He let us visit the boat multiple times, answered every question honestly, and helped us make a confident decision on a major purchase.
What impressed us most was the post-sale support. Once the paperwork was signed, Chuck was still picking up the phone, offering referrals, and helping us work through the early stages of liveaboard life. That kind of follow-through is rare.
If you are looking for a multihull and want someone who knows the boats and actually cares about the outcome, Chuck is the person to call.
We just purchased a 2025 Nautitech 44 Open with The Multihull Company. The process of getting here has been great, and we could not have asked for a better agent. We worked with Conor, whom we met at the 2025 Cannes Boat Show. We started our search for a cruising catamaran in Florida at the beginning of the year. We spent a couple of months looking at different boats/models within our price range and quickly narrowed it down to what really mattered to us, in part thanks to the wealth of knowledge and expertise our broker provided. When we found a perfect match in Montenegro, Conor and The Multihull Company did not hesitate to continue supporting us and to lead the efforts from start to finish with great care and transparency. Communication and support have been outstanding throughout this entire process. Conor, in particular, showed great compassion and care, going above and beyond to ensure that no stone was left unturned and that we would be able to safely and happily sail off into our big adventure.
A sale well handled. No inflated expectations and an honest opinion throughout. Highly recommended.
Absolutely THE ONLY company to use for buying or selling a catamaran! Our Broker Andrew Hodgdon, was excellent to work with, an experienced catamaran captain with extensive knowledge of sailing catamarans, the ins and outs of the construction, performance, systems, everything involved and life on board catamarans. All of which is invaluable in looking for the right boat for someone to buy or helping market your boat when selling. The Multihull Company is so connected in the catamaran world and used by so many catamaran sailors and searchers that we had an interested buyer before our boat was even listed and a completed sale 60 days after her first showing!!! Thanks Andrew and all of the Multihull team who worked diligently to make it happen so smoothly!
We had a great experience working with Andrew! He was extremely knowledgeable and listened to our needs of what we wanted our next boat to be. He responded quickly to all of our requests and got us to the finish line. Working with Multihull was seamless and we highly recommend using Andrew and Multihull.
Successful relationships cannot exist without it. At The Multihull Company we base every relationship on a firm commitment to earning and retaining our client’s trust.
Advice of any kind is valuable only when grounded in hard-won expertise. It too, must be trustworthy. Trust and expertise define the heart and soul of The Multihull Company. We are a team of skilled professionals who thrive on providing expert, trustworthy advice and service to catamaran and trimaran sailors around the globe.
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