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Top Questions

To charter a yacht bareboat or on flotilla, you should have an RYA Day Skipper qualification or RYA International Certificate of Competence (ICC) and be assisted by at least one competent crew.

For charters in Croatia, one member of the crew will also need a VHF licence.

RYA qualifications can be obtained by RYA sailing schools in the UK such as Hamilton Sailing or Torbay Sea School or alternatively choose from one of our overseas centres in Gibraltar, Greece or Turkey.

For Caribbean and Tropical charters, formal qualifications are not compulsory, however, you should be Day Skipper standard and be assisted by at least one competent crew. A brief sailing resume should be provided to outline your experience.

In Greece, Turkey and Croatia you have a choice of bareboat yacht charter or flotilla sailing holidays, providing maximum choice at all experience levels.

Add a skipper to any of our bareboat yachts if you don’t have the experience to charter bareboat or if you would like a helping hand with a larger yacht or a guide to a new cruising area. The skipper will be a competent local sailor and perfectly capable of sailing the yacht. He will encourage you to get involved as crew, although he is not an instructor. You will have to allocate a cabin for the skipper's use and provide him with food and drink.

Teenagers really enjoy sailing holidays. There's plenty they can join in as crew but there's still plenty of time to relax on deck with a book or i-pod. Teach them a few useful knots at the start of the holiday and delegate specific tasks so they know what their role is, eg when mooring up who's doing anchor, fenders, stern mooring lines? Get them involved in chart plotting, helming and setting the sails. Even a washing up rota seems more fun onboard a yacht! Take a friend along or join a flotilla if they want company.

Younger children love being onboard a yacht. Under 12s aren't much help as crew but they really enjoy all the activity of sailing along, going ashore in the dinghy and falling asleep in a cabin. Do take a life-jacket for under 8s - as well as wearing it on the yacht, they'll need it swimming off the yacht and in the dinghy.

Toddlers are the most difficult crew members. If possible invite another person, couple or family along so there is at least one adult who can be in charge of young children with no other crew jobs to distract them, especially coming in and out of harbour. Child netting can be fitted as an optional extra and will be attached along the side rails, but it does not fully enclose the deck area so cannot be considered an enclosed playpen.

Lifejackets are provided on all charter yachts. Check you have child / junior jackets before you leave the marina. Young children should wear a lifejacket at all times above deck and in the dinghy (especially at night!). For children under 8, we recommend taking their own lifejacket that you know fits and that he/she likes wearing.

Your choice of destination may depend on various factors:

Do you want to sail on flotilla? You may want the security of sailing with other yachts and with flotilla staff who are onhand to give assistance. You may want to meet other families with children. We have flotillas in Greece, Turkey, Croatia and France, so there's one to match your sailing experience.

Are you looking for somewhere sheltered? The children may be younger or the family may not be so experienced. The Ionian in Greece is a family favourite for its gentler winds, shorter distances and picturesque bays for swimming.

Perhaps the children are older and you want to visit somewhere interesting? Greece, Turkey, Croatia and Italy all have ancient histories to explore. Sailing on the French Riviera gives an opportunity to practice speaking French.

The Caribbean is an idyllic holiday destination for all the family. The sailing is best October through to June. The British Virgin Islands provide safe, sheltered cruising with white sandy beaches and superb snorkelling.

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