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Provisioning and Preparation Before You Go Yachting

By Andy Adams

As exotic and exciting as a bareboat yacht charter sounds (and is) it can still be accessible to the yachting novice because the preparations and details are all clearly spelled out and frequently, are reasonably priced too!

For example the Sunsail website explains that yacht sailing is available to all. You don’t need any previous experience to start and the cost is comparable to a villa holiday.

They offer wide range of sailing holiday experiences for all abilities and budgets with 30 worldwide destinations to choose from and captained charters for those who don’t sail.

Sailing is perfect for families, couples, groups of friends or anyone looking for fun out on the water and power boat options are available as well, if that’s your boating preference.

The great thing about chartering is that you’re working with professionals who have worked with countless other people, so probably any question you’ll have, has already been answered before.

We spoke to Guy Phoenix, Manager at Horizon Yacht Charters and he immediately referred us to his website where they have a whole list of Frequently Asked Questions. All of the well-established charter companies offer something similar.

Their goal is to make your trip as relaxing and enjoyable as possible.

Their website quickly tells you who the base owners and operators are that you’ll be working with, the names of other key people to speak to, travel directions on how to get there and all kinds of small details that you might not have even thought of. For example, what are the departure taxes for a person leaving a particular island?

They offer information on their own office hours, taxi transportation around the area or island, what to expect on your arrival at the charter base and even helpful hints about the airlines.

For example, Horizon Yacht Charters suggests that in your carry-on luggage, you pack a change of clothes including shorts, T-shirt, flip-flops, toothbrush, toothpaste and any important medical supplies just in case your luggage is lost by the airline.

They have lots of information about cell phones and communication, food and water provisioning and even specific details about the boats, their inventory of equipment, charts, navigation aids and more.

Video Gallery

Neptunus 650F Review

Neptunus 650F 400

By Andy Adams

Over the years Canadian Yachting has had the pleasure of doing several boat review articles on new Neptunus models and we are familiar with the qualities that Neptunus is famous for. They have all been exceptional yachts, but this is the one I would most want to own myself. It’s a personal choice and a matter of taste as to whether you would prefer to have a sedan express model or a flybridge but in my opinion, the flybridge layout offers some wonderful attributes.

We met with Neptunus Managing Director Jan Willem De Jong this past fall to take the new Neptunus 650F out in Lake Ontario. 

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Destinations

The Other Virgin Islands

Sunset off St John

By Mark Stevens

I was first seduced by the United States Virgin Islands during a ferry ride from St. Thomas to Tortola to begin one of our earliest British Virgin Islands charters nearly twenty years ago.

A perfect sunset off St. John with St. Thomas views for backdrop.

Clearing Pillsbury Sound, surrounded by voluptuous emerald mountains as the ferry sliced through royal blue waters, I was struck by the unspoiled ambiance of St. John, the island gliding past our starboard beam and the irresistible charm of a village called Cruz Bay visible from our quarter stern.

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Lifestyle