Life hacking yachting: typical mistakes of newcomers to charter

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Today, within the framework of the yachting topic, we would like to warn beginners against the most common mistakes. Some psychological moments have already been on the blog, let's move on to the harsh everyday realities. If you are going to try charter on a rented boat, or at least considering such an opportunity, then you are surely convinced: you can find tons of articles on the web about the positive aspects of sailing, and there is very little information about the pitfalls that beginners can expect. You read rave reviews on the forums, look at a blonde in a swimsuit sunbathing on the deck (as in the photo below) - and you think: well, what problems could there be? And here are the ones.

Acceptance and return of the boat

Let's talk about a returnable deposit and how not to lose it. When making a charter, you pay a security deposit - a deposit that will be returned to you later if the boat arrives at the port safe and sound. Or they will not return (partially or completely) if they find any damage. On the positive side, if you damaged the boat for more than the amount of the deposit, you will still only be charged for it.

How is damage determined? At the very beginning, even before going to sea, you need to go through a standard procedure: it is called check-in, acceptance. You will be given a list, a list of property and damage already on the yacht, if any. The boat must be inspected and signed on the checklist. Take your time with this. You can, of course, blindly trust the skipper, who accepts the boat from your side, and obediently nod your head. Most likely, he will do everything in the best possible way. But it's better to make sure of something yourself.

On most yachts, you will be allowed to be on board while the company manager and skipper inspect everything. Of course, without being a professional, it is impossible to reveal some of the subtleties: let it remain on the skipper's conscience. By the way, the opinion about the universal conspiracy of skippers and boat owners, who maliciously profit from the carelessness of beginners, is mistaken in 99.9% of cases. No normal skipper goes to sea if he finds a breakdown or lack of equipment on the yacht. Of course, you don't need to be too meticulous, but it is useful to check the main points or at least just know.

The checklist consists of a detailed list of the inside property on the yacht (from blankets and pillows to navigation devices) - indoor - and the same list of everything that is on the deck and in lockers (boxes under the seats) - outdoor. With the first item, problems usually do not arise: it is not a great science to count things from a list and check for documentation. Nevertheless, it would be nice to inspect and touch everything inside. And the latrine, too, of course. If you do not know what kind of set of letters is written in this or that paragraph, ask the manager / skipper again.

The second part is more difficult. We need to check the sails, grooves, deck, winch, motor, instruments and a thousand other little things. Follow the skipper and watch as he checks. Together with him (or after him) inspect the deck for scratches, stains and damage. Open the lockers and check the list. Check the operation of all devices: turn on and off, do not hesitate to ask questions. Make sure with your own eyes that all electrical systems and batteries are working properly while the yacht is still on shore power. Then test the offline work. Let the engine start (it should start immediately and easily). Count the side ends and fenders (everything that the land man usually calls the word "rope"). Ask for a diving log to look for damage to the underwater section and consult with the skipper. No magazine? Indicate that the underwater area has not been inspected. Do not skip a single item, try the manager for every question that you have. Record all deviations in writing. You should also be given a short briefing on the specifics of being on board. Even if someone from the company goes on a yacht not for the first time, a briefing should be held for everyone.

Acceptance is carried out during daylight hours, if you arrive late and do not have time until the evening, it is better to spend the night on the yacht, and in the morning return to the check.

It seems that everything is terribly difficult and scary? This is not so: there is a professional next to you, who will be responsible for you on the way, and the yacht is actually not that big, although it is stuffed with electronics and devices at most. Just be careful.

It seems to me that it is better to be known as a bore, a meticulous beginner and a pedant than after a swim, passing a check-out (boat delivery), with scandals to prove that “this scratch has already been here, this is not us, it is itself”, and then lose your money … And if during the check-in the skipper was your ally in inspecting and searching for damage, now your company has a chance to be left alone with problems if he did not share the costs with you initially and was not involved in breakdowns.

A few more notes about the deposit. You can give it in cash or use a card. In the latter case, be careful: after delivery, the card may not be unlocked immediately. There is also a non-refundable deposit (150-300 euros), which you will no longer see and which must be spelled out in the contract.

An example and a small dictionary.

We buy correctly

So, you accepted the yacht, finished all the formalities and go to the nearest supermarket to shop. A common beginner's mistake is to buy little drinking water and a bunch of unnecessary products. But it is necessary exactly the opposite. There will be a lot of water: acclimatization, morning effects from various "excesses", cooking, unforeseen intestinal disorders. By the way, do not take too much alcohol at once. The first days are getting used to, you do not know how the body will react. Anyway, taking a boat on a charter so that you can drink all the way without drying out is not ok, is it? But most of the pickles have every chance of being in the trash, do not buy unusual and difficult to prepare food. Sailing does not promote good digestion at all. See what your skipper buys (or, if he didn't go with you, what he indicated on his list). Yes, the skipper also needs to eat, and at your expense. Do not shop like at the North Pole, anyway, in the next day or two you will land on the shore, where there are also shops and supermarkets.

Better take care of the little things: salt, sugar, dishwashing detergent (it can also come in handy at gas stations if the diesel fuel drips), the necessary medications just in case (including pills / plasters for seasickness, but we'll talk about it next time), sunscreen (and more, the illusion of coolness and a pleasant breeze is often created on the yacht, but in fact the sun is hot), etc.

If you plan to work at least a little on the yacht, to help the skipper, then be sure to buy special gloves, or make sure they will be given to you. Without them, you simply will not be allowed to do many things, for example, work with sheets (the ropes that control the sail). Speaking of equipment, make sure you have the right shoes. Firstly, it should not spoil the deck, that is, the sole should be light, even, no heels or dirty materials. Secondly, it will be better if the shoes cover your toes: the deck is full of sharp corners and various devices that are easy to injure, especially when pitching. However, this is already a topic for a separate article - what to take with you on the yacht. Let's continue talking about everyday problems and warnings.

A short list of NEVER for a beginner on a yacht

1. If something falls overboard while walking, never jump after it, even if it is a person. You will be told how to behave in such cases at the briefing before boarding.

2. Never play around with your walkie-talkie. Do not shout there "Hello everyone!" and stuff like that. Do not click channels. Do not press the red MOB (Man Overboard, Alert) button for no reason. The Coast Guard works well and it can be very harsh to penalize a false call. In England, if a helicopter arrives - 40 thousand commercials.

3. Never walk barefoot on the deck while pitching.

4. Never rest on the winch or touch it at all - this is one of the main sources of injury on a yacht, even for experienced yachtsmen.

5. Never obstruct the skipper's view during difficult maneuvers or when approaching / exiting a parking lot.

6. Never hang things on rails (guardrails around the side) or leave them on deck. Everything will blow away and wash away at the most unexpected moment.

7. Never throw garbage into the open sea, do not make a garbage dump out of the sea. For this they can be fined.

8. If the skipper is calm, never panic because you thought something was going wrong.

9. Never jump on deck (yours or someone else's) with people inside. This gives the impression of a bomb exploding. Plus, it could end up in trauma for you.

10. Be careful in the galley kitchen. Never leave lockers open (everything will fall and break when rolling). Do not cook hot, if the yacht is under sail, you can burn yourself great.

11. Never waste fresh water, its supply is limited and restoration costs money. Do not try to fill the fresh water tank yourself at the first parking lot. Wrong with the tank - pour water into diesel fuel.

12. Never use the latrine while standing. Even without comment, just don't do it.

13. Never throw foreign objects into the latrine, this is not a city toilet.

Caption: Throw in the toilet only what has been previously eaten.

So, we have covered the most common problems faced by beginners. Of course, the list is not complete, but the volume of a readable article, unfortunately, is limited. Next time we will look at the topic of seasickness and digestive problems on a yacht in more detail, we will devote a separate article to this. In the meantime, I wish everyone a fair wind, good luck at sea and on land, and I hope that this information was useful to you.