WORLD W
are run by experienced charterers. Some clients fill a whole boat with their own friends and join a flotilla just for fun. Others might agree to take on the role of captain, then let the charter firm fill the cabins. If you like to mix and mingle with new acquaintances from different countries, joining a mixed-national crew can be a fantastic experience. If you've never captained your own charter boat, but would like to someday, crewing on a flotilla can serve as great preparation. Be aware also that sometimes the lead boat will carry a bona fide sailing instructor. In the Aegean and Adriatic, a single flotilla might include 20 boats or more. Of course, in destinations such as Greece and Turkey the norm is to Med-moor to the seawalls of ancient ports and villages, so you're typically in the middle of an intensely social scene anyway — even if you're on your own boat. Here in the Bay Area, just about ev-
MODERN SAILING
Make New Friends in Exotic Places by Flotilla Chartering If you've been frustrated by trying to get friends and family members to commit to a charter vacation, we can relate. Given the unholy demands of the workaday world and the complexity of getting would-be sailing partners to align their vacation times, it sometimes seems impossible to nail down a travel plan. But it doesn't have to be that way. Rather than abandoning your dreams of a much-needed sailing vacation in some exotic locale, why not simply book a berth or cabin on a flotilla charter? Although you may not be familiar with the concept, flotillas have been hugely popular among Europeans for decades, especially in the Aegean and Adriatic seas — that is Greece, Turkey and Croatia. Similarly, 'cabin charters' are big in the popular charter venues such as the British Virgin Islands, the Bahamas, Grenada and elsewhere. These are sometimes run on a single boat, but often as part of a flotilla. (Check the websites of Sunsail, The Moorings and Dream Yacht Charters for options.) If you relish being aboard the only boat in a secluded anchorage, flotillas may not be for you, but if you're open to making new friends, on an active, funfocused adventure, you might want to give it a try. Big flotillas are typically set up with a lead boat run by a paid skipper, while some if not all other boats in the fleet Club Nautique members and friends head ashore at Anegada, the British Virgins' least developed island. Right: Snorkeling fun.
CLUB NAUTIQUE
CLUB NAUTIQUE
e report this month on a Creative Alternative to Recruiting Your Own Charter Crew.
ery sailing school — most call themselves clubs — offers flotilla charter trips both locally and abroad. They serve as a nice perk for Club staff, while giving 'added value' to club member ship. In most cases non-members can sign up also. Pricing is typically allinclusive, and most clubs hold pre-de-
parture planning parties, which help break the ice with potential crewmates. We checked in with the Bay Area clubs and found that among them, there's an enticing menu of flotillas offered in the coming months.
Club Nautique (Sausalito and Alameda) has done many flotillas, near and far. The following trips are currently on the company's calendar: • August 5-7 — Petaluma River cruise to the downtown turning basin. • October 19-23 — Bodega Bay flotilla. • September 3-17 — Croatia flotilla aboard six monohulls. For more info, call the club directly, (415) 332-8001, and check out the website: www.clubnautique.net Modern Sailing School & Club (Sausalito) also has a long history of running flotillas, both locally and overseas. Currently on their calendar are: • September 17-27 — Greece (Leg
