Official Nervous Charterer Thread

[Maytrix]

It seems like you have the ability - just be confident. Our first charter, I told my wife that what I lack in experience, I'll make up for in confidence It worked out great!

And I didn't find Anegada difficult at all. A little nerve racking since the shadows from the clouds kept making me think we were over coral, but as long as you approach correctly so as not to go near the reef on the east, you'll then see the bouys leading into the channel and can follow them in. We turned towards the mooring field after the last green marker and it was fine.

My biggest concern with anchoring is not so much the holding (although its a small one), but its really making sure we anchor over sand and not on coral and are clear enough of other boats and deep enough if we swing.

Sandy Cay or Sandy Spit are two areas that you could get some practice - pretty good room to work on it.

[basssears]

Matt, thanks for starting this thread, I think it's probably helpful to a lot of people who are considering charters or haven't done loads of them.

I have quite a bit of smaller boat experience but will be chartering a 34' for the first time ever and am both excited and nervous (alternately, depending on what scenario I day dream about).

Hopefully I can follow the above advice and not do anything stupid

-- Bass

[Maytrix]

The best advice, especially when manuevering the boat in tight quarters or docking is to take it slow.

Our last day our past trip we brought the boat back to the Sunsail dock and as we pulled close to the dock and I started to negotiate manuevering, the guy on the docks asked if he should come on board to dock - I told him no thanks, I can do it.

Took me 15 minutes or so, since the wind was not helping and this dock has mooring balls in front which I had to watch out for, but I got her in. Just took my time doing so.

So do the same and everything will be ok.