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Congratulations – you passed your ASA Bareboat charter sailing courses, and you are ready to plan your first yacht charter vacation.  Maybe a Mediterranean yacht charter odyssey…or perhaps a summer Caribbean yacht charter vacation.  Hmmm…

The choice of an area for your first bareboat charter trip can be a little tricky because there are three primary factors: your sailing experience, your climatic preferences, and your budget. There is no simple way to do this, because your decision will have to combine all 3 factors.

Picture yourself on your first bareboat yacht charter vacation

Before you can analyze the 3 factors, you must sort out the, “time of the year” issue.  After all, this is the one item you probably have the least control, in terms of the kid’s school holidays, vacation time from work, etc. Nevertheless, this is a good place to begin because, depending on the area, the timing will influence your budget.

If you have tight financial constraints, you can find excellent deals and discounts in some areas at low season. For example, the British Virgin Islands in July offer a great sailing experience, and you’ll find rates
reduced as much as 40% compared to high season (February and March).    If you are contemplating a Mediterranean yacht charter, May or September can be delightful and are much cheaper (and much less crowded) than July or August.

Your weather preferences are integral to your decision. Do you like very hot weather, or a more temperate climate? If you like the latter, for example, a Bahamas yacht charter vacation in February is much cooler (and cheaper) than in May.

Regardless of your skills, if this is your very first charter outing in open waters, we strongly suggest you choose an easy sailing area.  ASA sailing certification is good, but nothing takes the place on experience at the helm.  Here are two suggestions (assuming you are interested in a Caribbean yacht charter) guaranteed to provide you with a memorable first charter experience:

The British Virgin Islands (BVI) are easy to get to from the States – only about 2.5 hrs by plane. Here, you’ll find magnificent scenery, plenty of beaches and not-too-bad snorkeling. Mooring balls are everywhere and you can go a whole week without dropping an anchor.  More importantly, you’ll enjoy a phenomenal sailing ground. Island hopping is done in line-of-sight, and the islands layout is such that most little “crossings” are short (1-2 hour sail on average).  Just as important, the anchorages are well protected.  Winds
always seem to be ideal in the BVI, sustained E/SE at 10-12 knots. This idyllic description does not mean you cannot get in trouble, as storm conditions can arise and challenge your  skills. If you apply good
seamanship rules, and listen to the weather forecasts, you’ll do just fine.

The Abaco Islands of the Bahamas are another great destination for first-time yacht charter sailors. The Abaco chain sits as the northern-most islands of the Bahamas. The Sea of Abaco is the shallow water between the islands of Little Abaco and Great Abaco. The Sea of Abaco has many of the same ideal attributes you find in the BVI:  Calm waters, easy line-of-sight navigation, and a relatively free of hazards area with easy anchorages.

Moving beyond the sailing elements of your self-drive charter yacht vacation, don’t forget to give some though to the recreational pursuits that differ from destination to destination.   Are you looking for active night life? Do you want to go shopping?  Do you like to fish?   These are important considerations that can be analyzed once you address the big three: experience, climate preferences, and your budget.