world of chartering

We report this month on a Creative Alternative to Recruiting Your Own Charter Crew.

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 fl otilla charter? Although you may not be familiar with the concept, fl otillas 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 fl otilla. (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, fl otillas 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 fl otillas are typically set up with a lead boat run by a paid skipper, while some if not all other boats in the fl eet are run by experienced charterers. Some clients fi ll a whole boat with their own friends and join a fl otilla just for fun. Others might agree to take on the role of captain, then let the charter fi rm fi ll 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 fl otilla can serve as great preparation. Be aware also that sometimes the lead boat will carry a bona fi de sailing instructor. In the Aegean and Adriatic, a single fl otilla 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-

Club Nautique members and friends head ashore at Anegada, the British Virgins' least developed island. Right: Snorkeling fun.

ery sailing school — most call themselves clubs — offers fl otilla charter trips both locally and abroad. They serve as a nice perk for Club staff, while giving 'added value' to club membership. In most cases non-members can sign up also. Pricing is typically allinclusive, and most clubs hold pre-de-

CLUB NAUTIQUE

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 MODERN SAILING an enticing menu of fl otillas offered in the coming months. Club Nautique (Sausalito and Alameda) has done many fl otillas, 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 fl otilla. • September 3-17 — Croatia fl otilla 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 fl otillas, both locally and overseas. Currently on their calendar are: • September 17-27 — Greece (Leg

one will be: • July 1 — The Sea of Cortez, out of La Paz Call (510) 2327999 for details or see www. tradewindssailing. com.

Wind Toys (Santa Rosa and Sausalito), which caters primarily to Hobie and other small-boat sailors, isn't a sailing school, but has a very loyal following. Owners John Schulthess and Monique Boucher actually got married during a Tahiti bareboat charter with Dream Yacht Charters, and they recently bought a Lagoon 440 that they'll soon place at Dream's La Paz

If an overseas fl otilla is not in the cards for you this year, consider a close-to-home fl otilla like this one, up the Petaluma River.

One) aboard two monohulls. • September 28-October 8 (Leg Two), also aboard two monohulls. • Summer 2017 — Tahiti. Club members and friends have recently done the Spanish Virgin Islands (adjacent to Puerto Rico.) Other relatively recent trips went to the Bahamas, Maine and The Grenadines. For trip info, call (800) 995-1668, or visit: www.modernsailing.com.

OCSC (in Berkeley) is a huge club that offers many trips. Currently on the docket are: • September 17-October 1 — Croatia aboard a mix of fi ve monohulls and fi ve multihulls (waitlist only on this one). • February 7-17, 2017 — Leeward Antilles (St. Martin, etc.), fi ve to 10 boats. • September 9-23, 2017 — Greece. (The club typically runs fl otillas to Turkey or Croatia in September, and elsewhere in the winter, such as to the BVI, Belize or the St. Martin areas. For details, call (800) 223-2984 or see: http://ocscsailing.com/contact.

Being close to Silicon Valley, Spinnaker Sailing Club (of Redwood City) also sees lots of eager adventurers. They ran a 14-day fl otilla in Tahiti last month, aboard two monohulls and three cats. Upcoming trips include: • December 1-11 — British Virgins aboard four cats and 2 monohulls. (The club has done a BVI cruise in December for 30 years!) • April, 2017 — The Grenadines. • September, 2017 — Tahiti • December 2017 — BVI

Tradewinds Sailing School & Club (Richmond) has also offered many overseas fl otillas over the years. Their next base. In the meantime, they're running a September 12-16 charter out of La Paz aboard a sistership, with members of the Santa Rosa Sailing Club aboard. Call (707) 542-7245 for details on this and future trips, or see www.windtoys.net.

Modern sailboats berth near Bodrum's ancient fortress along the immensely popular Turquoise Coast of Turkey.

Although J World (Alameda, San Diego and LATITUDE / ANDY Puerto Vallarta) does not offer fl otilla charters, the following two trips are well worth considering for those interested in getting handson offshore experience. Having raced to Hawaii in the Pacific Cup, the club's well-known Santa Cruz 50 Hula Girl will depart Oahu for San Francisco in early August. With instructors aboard as mentors, this two-week nonstop passage will give crew members essential offshore experience, so they can feel more confi dent when they venture offshore on their own boats someday. "Everyone is an active member of the crew, and gets to share in all the responsibilities of onboard life. From navigating to standing watches, from trimming sails to helming the boat, you can learn by doing," says the J World website. "Your trip

Sailing the dreamy lagoons of Tahiti's Leeward Islands is a feast for the senses. Trade winds blow across the lagoons, but the water is fl at.

will take you along the sailing ship route, heading north from the islands until you can cut across the top of the Pacifi c High. This will get you into the steady west and northwest winds that will be your ticket for the fi nal ride home." J World is also offering crew spots for the 23rd annual Baja Ha-Ha rally (from San Diego to Cabo San Lucas), beginning October 30. As we often say, the very best way to prepare for this 750-mile, mostly downwind cruise, is to crew for a highly experienced skipper fi rst. That way, when it comes time to do the rally on your own boat, you will be much more confi dent, and you'll know exactly what you do, and do not, need gear-wise. "The camaraderie and friendliness of the group is renowned," says J World of typical BHH fl eets. During the past two decades roughly 3,000 boats have done the rally, with more than 10,000 sailors aboard. For details on both trips call (800) 910-1101, or see the website: http://sailing-jworld.com. There's a big world out there, and we think signing onto a fl otilla cruise or offshore passage is a great way to explore some of its best parts under sail. — andy

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