Bareboat carribean

   Anyone here ever chartered a sailing boat in the Carribbean?  

I'm trying to find a boat to rent for a few days in Guadeloupe and there are several companies offering (the same) boats.  But how do I know which company to trust?   So far I've talked to Nautal, 12knots, clickandboat. ... But no idea which are dependable or even really have a boat to rent!

All advice gratefully received.

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NickA Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 30 Mar 05 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 784	Post Options Post Reply Quote NickA Report Post Quote Reply Topic: Bareboat carribean Posted: 28 Jan 19 at 10:40pm
	Anyone here ever chartered a sailing boat in the Carribbean? I'm trying to find a boat to rent for a few days in Guadeloupe and there are several companies offering (the same) boats. But how do I know which company to trust? So far I've talked to Nautal, 12knots, clickandboat. ... But no idea which are dependable or even really have a boat to rent! All advice gratefully received.
	Javelin 558 Contender 2574

iGRF Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 07 Mar 11 Location: Hythe Online Status: Offline Posts: 6499	Post Options Post Reply Quote iGRF Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 29 Jan 19 at 10:56pm
	Took one out of St Maarten for a week a few years ago, trying to remember the name of the company I believe they were based over Whitstable way. Anyway the point being that St Maarten seemed to be a fairly big centre for charter boats and the airport connection wasn't bad, with direct flights. Wouldn't be a bad trip either down to Guadeloupe... Moorings that was the company they were OK, the boat wasn't in bad nick, a bit under powered but then who would rent tourists the real deal.. Edited by iGRF - 29 Jan 19 at 10:57pm
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NickA Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 30 Mar 05 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 784	Post Options Post Reply Quote NickA Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 30 Jan 19 at 10:48am
	Thanks for that grmf. "The Moorings" look very good - but they only have quite big boats left (42ft +) for my dates and the nearest to Guadaloupe is Martinique ... which would be fine, but the crew wants to go to Guadaloupe (apparently it's where they film "death in paradise" !) and doesn't want an open sea passage. Hey ho. Next time. Meanwhile click&boat seem good; called me back from france and discussed needs, itinerary and qualifications - they mostly want to handle full week charters but there are exceptions. Most of the boats they have are BIG; a 36fter would be more than enough for me, but their idea of small is a Beneteau 383. 12knots.com seem to be legit (just a very low UK presence - they're based in the US), they were very responsive and helpful and will do charters by the day ... click2boat could see they were holding a boat I was after and I can track the boat sailing round Martinique from its MSSI! So almost certainly for real .... though sending money to the US is worrying somehow. Edited by NickA - 31 Jan 19 at 6:52pm
	Javelin 558 Contender 2574

Old bloke Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Posting king Joined: 03 Nov 17 Online Status: Offline Posts: 121	Post Options Post Reply Quote Old bloke Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 30 Jan 19 at 11:21am
	We've found Horizon and Dream Yacht Charters to be our sweet point between new boat/ maximum support, but expensive, ie Moorings or Sunsail,and the cheap and nasty end. The Caribbean is open sea and windy and a bigger boat than you would have in the med is a good idea. Guadeloupe isa great sailing area but there are no direct flights from the UK . So its either Air France from Paris or Liat from Antigua

NickA Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 30 Mar 05 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 784	Post Options Post Reply Quote NickA Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 30 Jan 19 at 6:36pm
	as a Caribbean newbie, I intend to hang around the Guadaloupe coast rather than head out to St Lucia. And there is a great youtube of the Pogo30 I fancy borrowing being delivered across the Atlantic from La Rochelle! Dream Yachts have HUGE things. Even Horizon offers full crew and COOK! They do look promising for more basic bare boating, but they don't do Guadaloupe sadly. Click&boat is actually a peer to peer rental agency - you register with some details and a sailing CV then message yacht owners direct; the owners check you out and make an offer. AirBnB for boats basically. Then confusingly click&boat's office phone and email with completely different offers and boats! ..... thanks for the advice.
	Javelin 558 Contender 2574

Old bloke Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Posting king Joined: 03 Nov 17 Online Status: Offline Posts: 121	Post Options Post Reply Quote Old bloke Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 31 Jan 19 at 9:02am
	Nick, if you look at an atlas the Caribbean islands are small dots in a big ocean. It's great, but it's big winds and big waves even inside the archipelago. There is a reason they don't have little boats

aye-aye-captain Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Newbie Joined: 31 Jan 19 Online Status: Offline Posts: 3	Post Options Post Reply Quote aye-aye-captain Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 31 Jan 19 at 10:22am
	Can't agree more with Old Bloke, you definitely need a "big" boat there. Actually, finding a RIB or else (Beneteau Flyer, ..) in this area it's pretty rare. I work for Samboat which is the direct competitors of Nautal and stuff and I've been looking at our offer for Guadeloupe. Except for a few small boats, most of them are Lagoon, Oceanis or Bavaria etc.
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NickA Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 30 Mar 05 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 784	Post Options Post Reply Quote NickA Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 31 Jan 19 at 6:47pm
	All you seasoned salty keel boaters are going to rip me to shreds now ... I finally settled on a Beneteau 343 on the basis that it was affordable and available. We've been out in the F6+ Meltemi in Turkey in a Beneteau 321 (with three kids), and back and forth between Greece and Turkey in a 37fter and that went OK (baring one broach)..... anyway, some bloke just sailed round the world in a 36fter ... though he did pitch pole it and nearly die! And that Pogo30 is still cruising towards St Lucia across open sea. I'll only be doing a few days of coastal cruising after all ......(famous last words). If I survive the experience, I'll report back. The boat came from clickandboat who put me in touch with an owner with a small rental fleet in pointe a pitre. It's the first I've heard of Samboat .. just been to cruise your web site and found the same 343 I've just rented. I shall be in touch next time. Cheers people. Edited by NickA - 31 Jan 19 at 6:51pm
	Javelin 558 Contender 2574

craiggo Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 01 Apr 04 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 1810	Post Options Post Reply Quote craiggo Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 31 Jan 19 at 8:24pm
	We used Sunsail out of St. Vincent. I don't believe they are are operating from there anymore. At the time they were happy to accept previous passages and experience, as the only yacht qualification I had was comp crew. That said we soon realised that we were far more competent than most of the clowns who turned up having just completed their yacht masters.
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aye-aye-captain Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Newbie Joined: 31 Jan 19 Online Status: Offline Posts: 3	Post Options Post Reply Quote aye-aye-captain Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 01 Feb 19 at 8:31am
	@NickA I don't know if you sailed in Guadeloupe before but if not, you should definitely aim to spend a couple of days around Marie Galante and La Désirade. Beautiful and unspoiled spots. :)
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