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In article ,
wrote:
Jere wrote:
Doing specialized course work is pretty much wasted money except for
your personal comfort.
What do you mean exactly? All of the big sailing schools I've
researched offer a bareboat charter course. How else am I going to
get the experience I need (short of having a buddy with a 35' boat,
which I don't).
Most charterers lie on their resumes. It's expected. Courses can be
meaningless. We chartered with a couple who had recently "successfully"
"completed" all of that outfit's charter courses on the same type of
boat we chartered, then done a couple weeks' charter. Couldn't trust
either of them to get anything right.
The captain familiarizing you with your charter boat will make the final
estimation of your capabilities. If your questions are good and your
preps are fairly organized, you're cleared. If not, they "suggest" a
friendly skipper who will be with you for as long as it takes
'Course, the first time in an area, I will request a local captain for
the first day so we can pick his/her brains on where and when to go for
what *we* want to do. Often, that cost can be applied directly to your
next charter -- once is rarely enough.
Once you've demonstrated your skills by returning the boat in pretty
much the same shape, you're set for just about anything anywhere.
Our Xan is only 28' & 7000#, but we can charter any boat: Monohull to
51', Cats to 49' so far.
Taking a course will help you be more comfortable and give you a bit of
info, but you *will* pause as you first back several million dollars'
worth of fiberglass away from the dock.
--
Jere Lull
Xan-a-Deux ('73 Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD)
Xan's Pages: http://members.dca.net/jerelull/X-Main.html
Our BVI FAQs (290+ pics) http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/
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