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limey View Drop Down
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Posts: 46 		Post Options Post Options   Quote limey Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Yacht Charter
    Posted: 12 Jan 07 at 9:11pm

Can anyone enlighten me whether (1) an experienced dinghy sailor/racer has all the necessary skills without formal training to charter a yacht. And (2) if its possible to do so without a Yacht Masters or similar certificate
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Posts: 345 		Post Options Post Options   Quote combat wombat Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Jan 07 at 11:27pm
If with a skipper then yes, however without, yacht sailing is quite different.  I started on yachts, and moved to Dinghies - the move was hard.  It is easier to go from dinghies to yachts but you will need training - mooring and driving yachts in marina's takes skill and confidence - there is a lot of expensive hardware at stake if it goes wrong. 

They are also much more dangerous when racing.  The loads are very high on certain lines (ie genoa sheets, genoa car travellers, backstay runners) and from personal experience can cause serious and permanent injuries.  If you are to skipper the boat, you must be aware of all potential problems.  Also, by a yachts nature, you may be going into quite open waters - navigational issues aside, this creates more issues for you and crew. 

Having said all that, it is possible.  The sailing itself is obviously the same, just handled in a different way.  The main obstacle to overcome is seamanship skills, ie maneuvering, anchoring, mooring, navigation, safety etc. 
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Stefan Lloyd View Drop Down
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Posts: 1599 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Stefan Lloyd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Jan 07 at 7:48am

In general charter companies will want you to have either Day Skipper or Coastal Skipper, depending on the area and your intentions. I don't think it is common to ask for full Yachtmaster. They want your business but they also need to satisfy their insurers that they are only chartering to competent customers.

I'm not clear from your post whether you have previous yacht skippering experience. If not, then "an experienced dinghy sailor/racer" does not have "all the necessary skills". It's not about the sailing, with which dinghy sailors should have no problems. It's about navigation, pilotage and what it involved in maneuvering something weighing several tonnes in confined spaces.   



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mike ellis View Drop Down
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Posts: 2339 		Post Options Post Options   Quote mike ellis Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Jan 07 at 10:45pm
yachts are a nightmare to park compared to a dinghy
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tgruitt View Drop Down
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Posts: 2479 		Post Options Post Options   Quote tgruitt Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Jan 07 at 11:37pm
not really, it's a lot less effort parking a yacht in my opinion.
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Posts: 288 		Post Options Post Options   Quote bustinben Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Jan 07 at 8:56am

I'd disagree, it's much harder to stop a yacht. 

Ever tried parking a yacht in a marina in a space that is only 10 foot longer than the boat with a firm breeze blowing you off?

 

You also need pilotage skills, and although a good dinghy sailor = a good yacht sailor pretty quickly, there is a learning curve (mostly to do with management of the loads).  You probably shouldn't be going through that curve on someone elses £60,000 machine without supervision/guidance!
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Posts: 209 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Charlie Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Jan 07 at 9:59am
With the parking thing, yachts tend to have engines, which give you a fine control over speed, plus usually enough crew for enough to jump onto the pier to control the boat in, which you don't have on a dinghy.

But sailing a yacht is very different to sailing a dinghy, and you have the whole navigation thing to contend with that you don't get with a dinghy. Plus running aground with a dinghy tends to be quick to recover, not so with a yacht, as anybody who has had to sit on the end of the boom can agree with.
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tgruitt View Drop Down
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Posts: 2479 		Post Options Post Options   Quote tgruitt Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Jan 07 at 10:32am
Originally posted by bustinben

I'd disagree, it's much harder to stop a yacht. 

Ever tried parking a yacht in a marina in a space that is only 10 foot longer than the boat with a firm breeze blowing you off?

 

You also need pilotage skills, and although a good dinghy sailor = a good yacht sailor pretty quickly, there is a learning curve (mostly to do with management of the loads).  You probably shouldn't be going through that curve on someone elses £60,000 machine without supervision/guidance!



Yep, 40kts, 36kt boat, 5 ft spare either end.

Once you know the basics it becomes easier, I would recommend doing a yacht course though beforehand, it will give you the knowledge and experience that is needed.
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Stefan Lloyd View Drop Down
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Posts: 1599 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Stefan Lloyd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Jan 07 at 11:55am

Originally posted by Charlie

With the parking thing, yachts tend to have engines, which give you a fine control over speed

If you think it is so easy, try it sometime with 30 knots of breeze pushing the yacht around, and maybe some nice strong tide in the mixture. Consider also the fact that the engine pushes the stern sideways at low speeds. It really isn't like "parking" except in easy conditions.
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tgruitt View Drop Down
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Posts: 2479 		Post Options Post Options   Quote tgruitt Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Jan 07 at 4:21pm
Originally posted by Stefan Lloyd

Originally posted by Charlie

With the parking thing, yachts tend to have engines, which give you a fine control over speed

If you think it is so easy, try it sometime with 30 knots of breeze pushing the yacht around, and maybe some nice strong tide in the mixture. Consider also the fact that the engine pushes the stern sideways at low speeds. It really isn't like "parking" except in easy conditions.



Never parked a yacht on our club pontoon then have you!! lol
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