SailStarYour first charter as skipper
The order things happen in, from booking to the last transfer.
Months before
Check what the charter company asks of the skipper. Most bases want a recognised skipper licence and a VHF radio certificate on board.
Work out the budget per person: the charter, fuel, marinas, food and drink. Friends say yes faster to a number.
Weeks before
Send the crew list. The base needs names, dates of birth and passport details, often weeks ahead.
Ask about diets and allergies before planning the food. Agree how the kitty and the deposit work.
Check-in day
Go through the boat with the base's checklist and photograph every area. Count the safety equipment.
Give the safety briefing before you leave the pontoon: life jackets, the fire extinguishers, the gas, the heads and man overboard.
On the way
Keep the log, write down the engine hours, and log costs as they happen, not at the end.
Plan the last night close to the base. Most bases want the boat back the evening before or early on the last morning, with a full tank.
Check-out and after
Be there for the inspection and compare with your check-in photos. Agree in writing what's kept.
Settle up the same day, while everyone remembers who paid for the last dinner.