You ask…What is a Boat CHARTER?
You may have heard the term, boat charter, related to boats, but what does that mean?
The short and sweet answer is that it means you are renting a boat.
But there are many different ways you can do this, and each has different responsibilities and advantages. Lets walk through them.
First, is whether you charter a boat to operate yourself or you charter a boat with a Captain who handles the operation of the vessel for you.
What is a Bare Boat Charter?
Boating is fun, but a big responsibility when you are at the helm. If you are chartering a boat for you to operate, that is called a Bare Boat Charter. It gets its name from the fact that you get only the Boat to rent. So, it is a Bare Boat! You will get the boat and only the equipment necessary to operated it safely.
You will probably need to prove to the Charter Company or the Owner of the boat that you can safely operate it. They will ask to see if you are certified by one of the major sailing organizations. There are two certifying organizations that operate in the US. One is the American Sailing Association or ASA and the other is US Sailing. They both offer excellent sail instruction. Internationally, there are similar organizations that operate in the EU, the UK and Canada. At the end of the course you will receive certification of passing to meet the requirements of Bareboat operations. The certificate sticker can be placed in your log book which is a perfect place for you to keep ongoing track of your sailing experience. The certificate record is also stored with the Organization for independent verification.
You may be asked by the charter company or boat owner to confirm your ability to handle the boat you are chartering by doing a short check out ride. Can you dock the boat? Handle the sails? Know the basic emergency procedures?
We all get rusty if we are not sailing regularly. So this is a good opportunity to refresh your skills. Try to be realistic about what you can handle. If you regularly sail a sailboat that is under 30 ft long, you may or may not be able to sail a large 50 foot sailboat. Overreaching your skills is a sure way to get into trouble.
Charter boats also come in various degrees of maintenance. Each charter company is very different in its level of maintenance. The equipment onboard also varies widely. Some charter companies only supply the minimum, others have fully decked out equipment and supplies. Check the charter agreement for what to expect and check out the boat carefully before you finalize the terms.
What kinds of boats are available for bareboat charters? All kinds!
-Sailboats come in different lengths and configurations. The usual range is 30 to 45 feet, but larger and smaller boats are available.
-Powerboats are fun and great for fishing.
-Catamarans are a favorite way to cruise islands. They are comfortable and are usually rented by the number of cabins. Make sure you have handled a catamaran before taking one of these beauties on a trip.
If you are in command of a Bare Boat, you can have your friends and family to be on board and can share costs. But no one can pay you to take them out. This is considered paying passenger (s) and you must be a licensed Captain to take out paying passengers. Should the Coast Guard become aware of your passengers, then they can cite you and require you to pay substantial penalties if you are acting like a licensed Captain but don’t have the proper credentials.
Do I need a Captained Charter?
What is a Captained Charter?
Do you have no sailing experience? Or, do you have some experience but want to be pampered? Are you looking to have the experience of a truly unique boat and adventure? Then a Captained Charter is for you!
Here’s where you can really have fun on the water! Money is the only limit to what you can experience!
What kinds of experiences await you with a Captained Charter?
So what type of Experience does your heart desire?
Here are a few Charter types that are available in the San Francisco Bay area and there are more!
Sailing
Megayacht
Fishing
Power Boat
Catmaran
Water skiing
Diving
Vintage Vessels
Naval Vessels
Ocean Adventures
Scientific Explorations
Tall Ships
With a Captained Charter, you get a maintained vessel, a trained and licensed Captain. You also get the Captain’s knowledge about the boat, the area you are sailing in, and other information on the world of boating and being on the water.
The US Coast Guard insures the Training all Captains and the Safety of all Vessels used as a business.
The Coast Guard regulates both the Vessels and the Captains for any commercial boat operation. They regulate the Ferries, cargo vessels and small sailboats, powerboats and everything in between. All commercial vessels are operated by Licensed Captains.
For Vessels, there are 2 basic types: Uninspected Vessels and Inspected Vessels. Uninspected Vessels are just that, the US Coast Guard does not inspect them.
An Uninspected Vessel is defined as being less than 100 Tons and carrying no more than 6 passengers for hire. These are most of the small sail and powerboat charters you are likely to see. An Uninspected Vessel can also be over 100 tons and carry no more than 12 passengers for hire. This is likely to be a mega yacht.
Also, as the vessels get bigger and more complicated to handle, The Coast Guard wants to make sure the vessels are safe, seaworthy and well maintained. They will inspect the vessel annually and make sure the condition meets safety requirements. This is an Inspected Vessel it may be a passenger vessel or carry liquids (tanker) or cargo.
The inspection is very thorough covering all the systems on the boat. The Coast Guard inspectors completely comb through the boat looking for rust, rot, leaks and problem areas. They will issue a list of items to fix or improve and the boat cannot be used until the items are fixed and often re-inspected.
In addition, there is required safety equipment that must be on board and working. Radios, horn/bells/whistles, flares for signaling, personal flotation devices (life jackets), fire extinguishers, navigation lighting and more! It is so much safer to be on the water in a maintained boat with all the proper gear should something happen.
Whether the Vessel is inspected or Uninspected, the person in command of the vessel must be a Licensed Captain.
To become a Licensed Captain, there are requirements of substantial coursework, with completion of tests and also requirements for time on the water. Every Captain must have 360 days on the water, and a day is defined as 4 hours. You must have time that is within the last 90 days, and a third must be on a vessel similar to the one you will be Captain.
There are many levels of License. The first is the OUPV (Operator of Uninspected Passenger Vessel) or popularly called the 6-pack license. This allows a Captain to take out up to 6 paying passengers. This is for either Sailing or Power Boating. Other licenses include a Towing endorsement if you will be towing vessels. 25 Gross Tons, 50 Gross Tons and 100 Gross Tons. Up to a Master Captain license
The OUPV or 6-pack is the most common license. A Captain with this level of license can take out up to 6 paying guests on a boat. The boat must be less than 100 Gross Tons, but the number of people is limited to no more than 6 plus the Captain.
This is the Captain and the Vessel that you will get for a fun sail, fishing trip and other day adventures.
The next level for a Captain is to be able to take out bigger and more complex vessels, the Captain’s level of training and expertise must improve and this is reflected in the type of license. An Inspected Vessel requires a Captain to have an advanced license.
All of the commercial vessels you see, whether they are small boats or huge cargo ships and cruise lines are all are Captained by trained and licensed Captains.
In addition to the Captain, bigger more complicated vessels require a crew. The amount of crew depends on the size and complexity of the vessel. Being aboard a boat as a crew person is one of the best ways to learn and experience vessel operations on the way to getting your Captain’s license.
Bay Lights Charters and the Tall Ship Gas Light is ready to take you on a Charter!
Our Captain is fully licensed and experienced in operating a variety of vessels and Charter operations.
Gas Light is a beautiful, well-maintained, Inspected Vessel that creates pleasure for all the passengers.
This Tall Ship is a modern built vessel of the historic scow schooners that operated in the San Francisco Bay in the late 1800’s hauling cargo.
This is a Charter you will not easily forget! We sail San Francisco Bay and show you a perspective on the area you can only get from the water!