Eight reasons why we were glad to have a captain.
Could hiring a captain for your next charter unlock the perfect vacation? From selecting the best anchorages to stress-free docking, and from avoiding tourist traps to dining with the locals, the case for hiring a skipper goes far beyond whether you’re qualified to bareboat charter. After a recent one-week charter for a family vacation in the British Virgin Islands (BVI) with a captain aboard our SunSail 454L catamaran, I offer these eight reasons why having a pro aboard paid off in spades for us.
1. Route planning and guidance.
A skilled captain will help you determine a route based on your group’s specific goals and interests, taking into account the weather, water conditions, and the amount of time you have. Our captain started by asking where we most wanted to go and what types of activities we most wanted to do. Secluded anchorages or lively nightlife? Cook aboard or eat out? Sunbathing or hiking and swimming? Our group of six had varying interests, and our captain made sure that everyone got to experience what most interested them. These activities included hiking, jogging, snorkeling, swimming, nightlife, dining on local fare, and experiencing the islands’ famous rock formations (The Baths and the Caves) as well as visiting some of the well-known waterfront bars (and back flips off the deck at the Willy T, for one of us).
Beyond route selection, a captain can help keep you on schedule. On Anegada, we met a couple who had previously bareboated in the BVI multiple times, but on this trip they had hired a captain and first mate/chef. Why? They had their adult children and their spouses with them. The couple told us, “We enjoy bareboating, but for this trip our priority is to relax with the kids and show them our favorite spots. We didn’t want to be concerned with driving the boat, watching the weather, cooking, etc. Without the captain, we’d probably still be two islands back; he’s keeping us on track to visit all the places we want to share with our family. We’re halfway through the trip and can say a crewed charter was an excellent decision.”
2. Insider knowledge and tips.
Where are the most secluded anchorages? Which bays have the best views of the sunset? Will there be a current where we snorkel and which way will it push us? Are any areas experiencing sargassum? How about jellyfish? Which bays have flat water for paddleboarding? Which beach bars are daytime hot spots, and which ones are better for nightlife? Where can I go for a hike or take a jog? Where are the best places to cast a line for fishing? Where are the best spots to reprovision? Your captain will have the answers to all these questions and more.
3. Lightening the load. Charter boats have a reputation for being ridden hard and put away wet. Regardless of whether that stereotype is deserved, boats are boats, and stuff sometimes breaks: bilges leak, heads back up, electronics unexpectedly go kaput, and AC units conk out at the most inopportune times.
If you experience such issues, a captain will step up and relieve you of troubleshooting and handling repairs. First, he or she will probably be capable of monitoring or fixing small issues. On this trip our boat had a couple of minor issues. Our captain was on top of them, so much so that we were not even aware of them until the end of the charter when we asked about any issues he had handled behind the scenes. Second, captains can phone a friend. We noticed that our captain occasionally fielded calls from fellow captains seeking his advice for simple repairs; using their phones for pictures or video they walked through how to fix minor issues.
If a more serious problem requires the charter base to send a mechanic, the captain can wait for the base to send help, while your vacation goes on uninterrupted as you head off to snorkel, paddle, bar-hop, or whatever adventure is calling your name.
4. A designated driver.
With a captain at the helm, there's no need to worry about who's driving. Everyone aboard can relax with a cold drink, dive into a good book, or even sneak in an afternoon nap while underway. Another advantage of having a captain is the freedom for your group to split up without worrying about who gets the dinghy. Just as valuable, your captain can serve as an on-call dinghy driver, making it easy to get back to the boat safely after an evening ashore, especially after dark.
5. Help with the water toys.
Okay, I don’t want to sound spoiled, but it is awfully nice to have someone ask, “Which water toys will you be using today,” untie the paddleboards, floats, and kayaks from the bow, put them in the water for you, and put them away when you’re done. At the end of the day, we helped bring the gear back onboard, and in doing so picked up our captain’s efficient techniques for corralling and lifting the toys onto the boat deck.
6. Shoreside excursions and reservations.
Our captain handled all the reservations, taking the logistics completely off our plate and allowing us to be in the moment. He recommended restaurants, made reservations when needed, and even steered us toward local all-you-can-eat seafood buffets and lobster specials. At Anegada, he reserved a rental car for us and suggested some must-see stops around the island.
Years of local cruising experience gave our captain an excellent feel for the rhythm of local docking and anchorage scenes. He knew when it made sense to reserve ahead and when it didn't, frequently helping us snag coveted first-come, first-served mooring balls. You may have heard about the 7 a.m. wakeup calls to snag a BoatyBall? Yep, he was our man, allowing us to sleep in and still have an orange ball reserved for us.
7. Driving and parking the boat.
Sailors like to sail. That’s a fact, but if you are chartering, you are likely on vacation and not in your home waters. Is your goal to improve your sailing skills or to relax, take in the views, and explore new places? If it’s the latter, a captain will allow you to take it easy without worrying about tides and currents, sand bars and coral reefs, or channel markers and boat traffic.
Anchoring and docking can be some of the biggest stress points of sailing in unfamiliar territory. A local captain will know if the bottom is sandy, rocky, or muddy. They will be familiar with the local winds and currents. They’ll know the dockhands at the marinas. And perhaps most helpful, they’ve got experience leaving and returning to your charter base, which on turnover days can be chaotic with so many vessels departing or arriving in the same time window.
And, of course, none of this is to say that you can’t pull some lines or steer the boat when you want to. We did!
8. The adult in charge.
Many people are leery of about having a stranger aboard, and we were too. Will they be “weird?” Will it change the group chemistry? For us, hiring a captain enhanced our trip. Were we lucky? Maybe. Our captain was very professional, and, frankly, saved us from bickering among ourselves about how to do things and when and where to go.
Good communication helped. He asked a lot of questions to get to know us. In fact, he said that for him, the most challenging groups are the ones that are hesitant to tell him their likes and dislikes; those groups make it challenging to tailor the agenda to meet the group’s expectations.
Our captain did an excellent job of being friendly and available without inserting himself into our fun, disappearing at the right moments and reappearing at just the right time. I’d say the experience was in some ways analogous to hiring professional movers. Yes, you give up a bit of control and privacy, but, wow, are you thankful for the assistance.
With our captain as the “adult in charge,” we could rest, enjoy our family time, and soak up all the beauty and outdoor fun that they BVI have offer.
by Beth Crabtree
