Boat charter 101 — How to pick a perfect vessel for your boating holiday
Boat picking is no easy task. Size, budget, and vision of a perfect holiday are just some things to consider while booking a charter boat.
Here are some questions to help you pick a boat:
- How many cabins do we need? Remember everybody needs privacy! How many heads?
- Are there any children onboard? Some boats have features suitable for kids, for example, a hydraulic bathing platform.
- Are you into an active holiday or you prefer to relax?
- Budget? A boat charter sounds expensive, but when compared to a hotel booking for a family of 5... a boat charter takes the win.
- What features are important to you? For example, the aircon comes in handy on those hot summer days.
- Do I need a crew? Bareboating can be adventurous, but chartering a crew boat will ease your mind about everything.
- What about water toys? Jet-ski, Seabob, paddleboard?
Now when you have the answers let's nitpick the boat selection. Here are the main boat types available for boat charter:
Motorboat
A motorboat is a smaller vessel up to 10 meters in length. Can be more of a leisure boat suitable only for one-day trips and can have a cabin and be suitable for a longer time on the water. Compared to a yacht a definitely a money-saving option. Consider adding towing toys, wakeboards to sparkle some joy to your boating holiday. Despite the size, they are also pretty fast and will get you where you wanna go in no time.
Fishing boats
Recreational fishing boats are essentially motorboats equipped with fishing equipment. Some boats are for example equipped for big game fishing, for example tuna & swordfish. Best is to charter a crewed fishing boat. The crew already knows all the best fishing spots, the weather conditions, and the best bays to spend the night in.
Sailboat
The exciting thing about sailboats is that they have 2 drives. One is powered by a motor and the other by sails. It does require some serious skills to sail away. The sailboat is sucked by the low pressure and it moves forward. What a clever usage of physic laws.
The best thing about sailing is that there is no engine sound. Cruising around and hearing just the wind and the waves. It's so relaxing. Make sure you choose your mooring place carefully, sailboats are not the best choice for shallow waters. If you prefer a more active holiday, sailing is the way to go. Gather a crew, appoint roles and sail away to new adventures.
Laura Dekker was the youngest person that sailed the world ever. Only 16 years of age, brave Laura in 2012 finished her 512 days long sail in a 12-meter long boat called Guppy.
Catamaran
Invented somewhere in the Pacific, these vessels were formerly used for fishing. Adding a second hull made the vessel more stable and the fisherman could stand more securely while throwing nets into the water.
Nowadays they primarily serve as leisure boats.
A catamaran is a multi-hull vessel. Same size multiple hulls connected with a bridge offer an abundance of place. Due to the large beam length tends to be very stable on the water. As well they are more suitable for shallow waters since they have no keel like sailboats. An ideal boat for a family trip.
Motor yacht
A luxury hotel on water. Every vessel beyond 12 meters is considered to be a yacht. You can charter a yacht with a Capitan or if you have a valid license can drive it by yourself. There are several kinds of motor yachts. Perhaps the Flybridge type yacht is the most popular version for charter. Multiple decks give more space to enjoy. Some have exterior kitchenettes and grill areas. More luxurious yachts offer for example a jacuzzi aboard. Motor yacht production has come a long way. Teak laid flooring, marble bathrooms, designer furniture, hi-tech gadgets, coupled with state-of-the-art design. So if you are into a more luxurious type of holiday, this is the way to go!
Did you ever wonder why the speed of a boat is measured in knots? One mile per hour is a knot. Seamen used to measure the speed of the boat by throwing rope with even knots in the water. The number of knots during a period of time would be considered the speed of the vessel.
Superyacht
So what makes a difference between a yacht and a superyacht? Size! Every boat beyond 24 meters in length is considered to be in a superyacht category. When a superyacht race has begun between the rich and famous, they got bigger by the year. So after a while, it became necessary to add a new category- Megayacht.
Superyacht and Megayachts are always crewed. Starting with Capitan, hostess, chef, and multiple deckhands. They will tend to your every need and pamper you like royalty.
Even though superyachts most of the time look like a bigger and more luxurious sister of a motor yacht, sometimes the design resembles something that came out of this world. An endless budget gives endless possibilities. Superyachts are always custom-made with attention to detail. Planing and building of a superyacht sometimes can last for several years.
The biggest megayacht in the world up to the present time is the Azzam. Built in 2013 it is still holding the record with a length of 590 feet. But not for long. There are a few more waiting end of construction. So better watch your back Azzam!
The perfect pick
Hope we helped you to pick the perfect boat! But to tell you the truth you can't go wrong. Sailboat, catamaran, and yacht are all made in essence for the same thing - enjoyment. Freedom to explore combined with the comfort of a home. A home with a hell of a view!
Boat bookings for summer 2022
Summer 2022 is loading. Hope we helped you make your choice! Check out our website getboat.com and find that perfect boat! No better day than today to book your summer holiday! Sailboat weakly rents start from 10 000,00 € per week.
