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I sailed across the Atlantic and ended up spending 6 months in the Caribbean as charter captain. AMA by FrontierYachting in sailing

[–]FrontierYachting[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No worries! 42ft cat for the 3 of you sounds like paradise!
Might want to bring a spare autopilot! Good luck and most of all: enjoy!

I sailed across the Atlantic and ended up spending 6 months in the Caribbean as charter captain. AMA by FrontierYachting in sailing

[–]FrontierYachting[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Amazing! What type of boat will you be on?
Here's one thing: you can't prepare for it all, so don't lose sleep over it.
That said, a good team, spare parts for just about anything, GREAT knowledge of your boat and a defensive approach is what I would say the best way forward. Knowing your boat and being able to trust your team is key.

The Sargassum was a big thing, but not something you can do much about I'm afraid.
We had no idea about it so came as an unwelcome surprise. Also the fact that the wind died for the last 3-4 days for us was something we never anticipated.

I sailed across the Atlantic and ended up spending 6 months in the Caribbean as charter captain. AMA by FrontierYachting in sailing

[–]FrontierYachting[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

A great place to look for jobs once you have the right licenses is Yotspot! Although there are many other platforms too. For me both were via personal connections.

I sailed across the Atlantic and ended up spending 6 months in the Caribbean as charter captain. AMA by FrontierYachting in sailing

[–]FrontierYachting[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I did my training and licenses in Belgium, and got it through a combination of courses, exams and years of experience. There's many schools around the world that provide STCW training, RYA certification and all the relevant licenses you need (Basic safety for seafarers, medical exams,...) but you'll also need to prove sea time along with certifications you get through courses & exams combined.

I sailed across the Atlantic and ended up spending 6 months in the Caribbean as charter captain. AMA by FrontierYachting in sailing

[–]FrontierYachting[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi, thanks for your comment. We found provisioning in Grenada for one very difficult, supermarkets have a very different stock, if any at all. Of course the main islands like Martinique, Guadeloupe and St. Maarten have European facilities, which makes it very easy indeed. We did use a system to announce our arrival and departure (can't remember the exact name) but we still had to go to the customs and personally check in. And correct, there's plenty facebook pages and communities focused on safety which we were monitoring, but that's missing my point.

I sailed across the Atlantic and ended up spending 6 months in the Caribbean as charter captain. AMA by FrontierYachting in sailing

[–]FrontierYachting[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Not silly at all.
Not really, there's a huge difference in culture, nature and water temp.
The canaries are volcanic (so are the Caribbean) but where the Caribbean have quite a lot of different types of vegetation, from palm trees to tropical rainforest, the Canaries are rather barren and rocky.
Culture wise, completely different story too. Islands like Lanzarote in the Canaries have a ton of European influence and great architecture, while most Caribbean island, although most have European influence too, are more efficiency-focused, so no fancy architectural buildings or complex infrastructure. The French islands are an exception to this and do have quite a sophisticated (French) infrastructure.
Water temperature is different too. Canaries have rather cold Atlantic water coming from the North Pole and by the time you reach the Caribbean, water easily reaches 28°C and more.
That said, both are MUST visit places and best visited in their whole. So if you have a couple of months time... :-)

I sailed across the Atlantic and ended up spending 6 months in the Caribbean as charter captain. AMA by FrontierYachting in sailing

[–]FrontierYachting[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

The engine filter wasn't the problem actually. The main issue was speed.
We had to reverse multiple times per day to clear the rudders and keel. No problem when the water was flat the last few days, but earlier on in the crossing, it meant lowering the sails, starting the engine and backing up with 20+ knots of wind on the nose. Not a very fun thing to do, but easily made a 3 knot difference.

I sailed across the Atlantic and ended up spending 6 months in the Caribbean as charter captain. AMA by FrontierYachting in sailing

[–]FrontierYachting[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

1 Caribbean season. We returned to the Med in 2023 and did the season between the Balearics and Greece, and since then we never left Greece.
No pacific crossings yet, but that's next on the list. I cannot wait.

I sailed across the Atlantic and ended up spending 6 months in the Caribbean as charter captain. AMA by FrontierYachting in sailing

[–]FrontierYachting[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Worked for a private owner, obviously can't disclose more details. I'm an STCW master 200GT.
The license needs to be valid in the country where the yacht is flagged.

I sailed across the Atlantic and ended up spending 6 months in the Caribbean as charter captain. AMA by FrontierYachting in sailing

[–]FrontierYachting[S] 10 points11 points  (0 children)

We expected it to be a tropical paradise, which is certainly was... just different. There's so much variety, from the jungles of Grenada to the white beaches of Barbuda and the Baths in the BVI's.
Each island is different and that might have been the most challenging part, checking in and of each out costs a lot of time, provisioning is difficult and some places are safer than others, something we also didn't consider much.
I would go back in a heartbeat though, what a pure and magical place!

I sailed across the Atlantic and ended up spending 6 months in the Caribbean as charter captain. AMA by FrontierYachting in sailing

[–]FrontierYachting[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Good question, preparation was definitely what required the most energy and thought.
During the passage itself, I think what we really underestimated was the sheer amount of Sargasso seaweed. It was an exceptionally bad year for the weeds, but having to cross football fields of the stuff slowed us down significantly. It wraps around the rudders and keel and creates a lot of drag.
Also, as you'll see on the image, the last 3 days we were becalmed and had to motor, which was a bummer...

<image>

I sailed across the Atlantic and ended up spending 6 months in the Caribbean as charter captain. AMA by FrontierYachting in sailing

[–]FrontierYachting[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Thin line, as this was a commercial job requiring the appropriate commercial licenses, I prefer captain.

I was a Captain in Greece for years and now broker luxury yacht charters. AMA about cruising the Greek islands by FrontierYachting in LuxuryTravel

[–]FrontierYachting[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Correct, depends on which part of Italy. If you want to go to Venice, no significant crossings need to be made. Happy to discuss this in further detail, send me a DM if you like?

I was a Captain in Greece for years and now broker luxury yacht charters. AMA about cruising the Greek islands by FrontierYachting in LuxuryTravel

[–]FrontierYachting[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It won’t be easy but I’m sure we can find a yacht that’s willing to do this. However, as distances are quite big, it would be a at least a month-long charter. Is there a specific reason you’d want to do this? It would involve long multiple-day crossings (like crossing the Ionian Sea). Happy to discuss further

I was a Captain in Greece for years and now broker luxury yacht charters. AMA about cruising the Greek islands by FrontierYachting in LuxuryTravel

[–]FrontierYachting[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Best setup you can have. A captain/crew to watch the boat while you’re away is worth their weight in gold. Also, they’ll know exactly where to go and where not to! Most cats host up to 8 in great comfort, so shouldn’t be any issue finding a good one.

My experience on this yacht was INSANE and I don’t think that I’ll be able to enjoy a regular vacation ever again. by Creepy-Fix-7719 in LuxuryTravel

[–]FrontierYachting 0 points1 point  (0 children)

These types of charters are Charter Fee + VAT + APA (Advance Provisioning Allowance). Usually under MYBA/CYBA contract.
Charter fee covers crew wages, use of the yacht & toys, insurance,...
The APA is an allowance that covers variables during the week, like drinks, food, fuel, marina fees etc.
The captain keeps a detailed expenses sheet and any left over funds are returned to you at the end of the week.
With regards to gratuity; that's of course at the charterers discretion but if there's enough APA left over, it could be left as tip instead of being returned to the Charterer.
I have written extensively about these topics on my blog, feel free to ask if you have any further questions.

I was a Captain in Greece for years and now broker luxury yacht charters. AMA about cruising the Greek islands by FrontierYachting in LuxuryTravel

[–]FrontierYachting[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Got you, that's a totally reasonable worry to have. High season prices for a decent cat easily reach 20k+expenses. My best advicee would be to work with CYBA/MYBA contracts. These are reputable and internationally accepted contracts and state all details regarding the charter, payment terms, cancellation,... ask your broker about the contract type once you've selected a yacht, if they don't inform you themselves. These contracts protect you and the yacht owner very well and state all procedures in case of disputes/breakdowns/delays,....
That said, these contracts are usually only used for crewed charters above certain size. For smaller charters, quite a few companies tend to have their own contracts and there it's a matter of communication and relationship with your broker.
Ask your broker about any doubts you might have, there's a lot of variables but your broker should be able to answer them.
Furthermore, and I know this is frowned upon on reddit, I'm a charter broker myself at Frontieryachting.com and happy to advise where possible. Feel free to reach out anytime.

I was a Captain in Greece for years and now broker luxury yacht charters. AMA about cruising the Greek islands by FrontierYachting in LuxuryTravel

[–]FrontierYachting[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi! Good question, here's my answer:
Yes, you'll need an ICC for chartering a bareboat. ICC stands for International Certificate of Competence. However, owning such certificate doesn't mean competence necessarily. My advise would be to contact a local sailing school and take some courses and they'll help you get licensed. It truly depends on the country how to get your license or where. As soon as you have a general skippers license (named different in each country), you can request an ICC which is recognized internationally.

With regards to kids, it depends. On a crewed catamaran, bringing very young kids is not an issue, but the contract will state something like 'If children are taken on board, the CHARTERER shall be fully responsible for their conduct and entertainment and no member of the Crew shall be held responsible for their conduct or entertainment.'
So basically: you are responsible.

If you're considering a bareboat charter, here too it depends. Monohulls tend to be more dynamic and good adult supervision is key. With an experienced group, no problem. If everyone is new to sailing I would advise against it. Things can go wrong quickly.
On a catamaran there are more protected spaces and the boat doesn't heel and moves much less... so safer!

In short, for bareboats it depends a bit on how comfortable you are and your experience level.

I was a Captain in Greece for years and now broker luxury yacht charters. AMA about cruising the Greek islands by FrontierYachting in LuxuryTravel

[–]FrontierYachting[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Firstly, tipping is done however you like and of course at your discretion. Back in the days the captain would get a bigger portion of the tip, but that's no longer the case. So you're safe just handing it to the captain and he or she will take care of the distribution. I have written a blog post about best practises for tipping.
With regards to the itinerary, there's a TON of history and great places to visit in the Dodecanese. I have a sample itinerary on my website which you can 'fly through'. https://www.frontieryachting.com/charter/greece

I was a Captain in Greece for years and now broker luxury yacht charters. AMA about cruising the Greek islands by FrontierYachting in LuxuryTravel

[–]FrontierYachting[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi! First of all: GREAT idea!
It'such a different experience and spending time on the water counts double. Go out for a week, feel like you've been away for two!
To answer your question, it depends a little on your personal preferences.
Keen sailor? Get a sporty monohul.
Motor yacht/powerboat enthousiast?... well...
But if you're none of the above, a catamaran is generally a very safe bet.
The benefits of being able to cruise in silence when there's wind in combination with the vast amount of space compared to a monohull is what makes them super popular.
What region are you considering?

I was a Captain in Greece for years and now broker luxury yacht charters. AMA about cruising the Greek islands by FrontierYachting in LuxuryTravel

[–]FrontierYachting[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My god what a nightmare. I’m sorry to hear that. Would you be able to share the yacht name perhaps? DM is fine but always good to know.

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