first time chartering

[dub420sailor]

Hello Everyone,

I am completely new to the world of chartering boats and I am not sure where to start. I want to charter a bare boat (small keelboat 25-30 ft), but I have no idea where to begin. Do I need to get ASA certified? What's required? I'm sure people don't just send others out with their boat with no proof of experience. Is it possible to charter a boat for just a few days?

[armandolio]

Charter companies will request your sailing resume. Certifications certainly help. While they are not in the business to reject customers, you need to convince them that you have the necessary experience to safely handle the boat.

Yes you can charter for just a few days. This varies by location.

[MSN2Travelers]

Formal certification does indicate you have had some form of formal training. However, there is no substitute for experience. Most charter companies will ask for your sailing resume. Your experience as skipper and/or crew all counts. If you are going to a destination that calls for nights on the hook, they may ask for your experience with various anchors and the types of bottoms where you dropped the hook.

Quite often, the charter company will allow you to book a boat 5 foot or so bigger than the boats you already have experience with.

Best thing for you is to contact a local charter company, tell them you are interested in chartering a boat and ask what information they require.

Here is a sample from a company I have chartered from - http://superiorcharters.com/pdf/SCI_Resume.pdf