A yacht charter is, by nature, a luxury. A bareboat yacht charter naturally requires more capital than a boat moored by the shore. But government has yet to recognize this fact. Laws regulating the luxury trade – such as the Marine Mammal Protection Act – were enacted to honor this.
Once the charter arrangements are made, the details of the vessels to be used are dependent on itineraries set by the charter broker. The type of boat, however, is a primary consideration. Cruising in a small boat affords the best views. There are also restrictions on harbor trips in U.S. waters. If your destination is within the United States, you can transfer to a commercial ferry for your return trip.
Whenever you charter a yacht, you should keep a couple of important points in mind. First, the boat should be in good condition. A yellow flag indicates that the boat needs immediate attention. As the boat is fueled, make sure you have a full tank of fuel when you arrive. Although you may be allowed to fill your tank on the east coast, on the west, you must use your tank and machine tooling only for land travel, and you should have a back-up supply should that fail. Make sure the dinghy can sail with you, and that the boat has a visual sighting. Ask the yacht charter boat agent any particular amenities that you need, such as a drop-down sail, visual sighting for best entry, or other snorkeling equipment.
If you charter a boat in a marine park, the park authorities must first receive a landing permit. These are usually required in order to acquire any kind of landing permit. It will be essential to prove that the use of the premises will not pose any danger to the health or safety of any party on the yacht. This includes steps or activity, or both, must occur within the first thirty minutes of landings. Part of your proof of activity will be the recording of a “horseshoe” in the boat’s log. It’s important to locate the Facility that issues your permit, as it will be able to advise you on the steps you must take to locate the pier, and to ensure that you have all proper documentation to clear customs and immigrations at once. You will also need to bring shore excursion receipts, including a signed affidavit of the number of guests on the yacht. In addition to the receipts, you will need to provide a collection of invoices, airline tickets, or other stubs, should someone purchase more than one of your requested amenities.
Landing at the pier is very important, as you would want to take all possible precautions to ensure the safety of the people on the boat. Therefore, you will want to wait on the pier until you are certain that all people on the boat have suits, and are at the ready. As the owner, you have the right to determine the number of people who will go on the trip, but you cannot make changes to the number of people once you have secured your necessary deposits. If you or an associate bring more people than initially scheduled, you may be subject to a penalty to cover unforeseen circumstances.
Once you have gone through the steps listed above, you can enjoy the fun of a lifetime. I hope you have a good time while you are cruising.
The Yacht Charter Team works hard to make your charter as satisfying as possible.
