Charter prices vary widely. They depend on the size of the boat, the degree of luxury it offers and whether it's a "crewed" yacht or you're going "bareboat."
Crewed means the company supplies the boat, the crew and the food. A bareboat charter just gets you the boat."Crewed yachts are the floating hotel mentality," said Jim Araiza during a telephone interview. He is co-owner of Sailaway, a yacht charter company based in Miami that offers boats in locations around the world. "You have a professional skipper and an on-board cook. Crew members are there to peel your grapes, so to speak. They serve as your concierge and your guide. It's a complete package."
Bareboating, on the other hand, is like renting a car from Hertz or Avis. You do the driving. You're responsible for the cooking and cleaning and someone in your group must be competent at handling the boat. "A family can go dirt cheap," said Araiza. "In essence, it's an RV."
You must also choose between a sailing vessel and a motor yacht. Motor yachts are more expensive.
And then there's the season. Winter is high season for the Caribbean. Off-season rates, which knock off 10 to 15 percent, kick in after Easter and run through mid December.
According to Sailaway, the average price of a 35-foot bareboat sailboat that would hold two to four people is around $250 per night in low season. Over the Christmas holidays, that same boat would cost $475 a night.
The average price would be $200 a night per person (assuming eight passengers) on a standard sailboat with a crew.
Most boats are rented by the week.
In the Caribbean, said Araiza, summer sailors forsake the Virgin Islands and head south to the Grenadines, which are outside the hurricane belt and where temperatures are usually cooler. The hurricane season begins as early as July.
The Bahamas are also a good summer option, according to Araiza. There are secluded, uninhabited islands, and the weather is pleasant.
On the other hand, summer is high season for the coast of New England and the Mediterranean.
Where would Araiza go this time of year? The Virgin Islands. "The crowds are gone, summer hasn't hit so it's still cool and it's the beginning of summer rates."
As for finding a charter company, here are a few of the sites turned up by a search on the Web:
www.1800sailaway.com
www.bareboat.com
www.charterlink.com
www.ed-hamilton.com/core.html
www.admirals.com
www.bviyachtcharters.com
www.iyc.vi
www.samnvick.com
www.wwmarine.com