spent at Albury’s canvas shop to buy bags and gifts.
Chartering Tips
Besides, Man o’War is a dry island (no alcohol sold or,
theoretically, consumed), so we couldn’t even enjoy How to get there: Several airlines fly and ship them in an ice chest to save on
a pub. We anchored in the eastern harbour for lunch,
from Miami, Ft. lauderdale and Palm the often exorbitant island prices. enjoy
Beach airports direct to Marsh Harbour happy hour on your boat, because rum
and decided to return to the Moorings base that night,
in the Bahamas. is dirt cheap but prices can be $6 to $10
since our charter ended the next morning and we had per drink in a shoreside pub. Besides,
an early flight home.
Cost: The season is the key, with the you’ve got a better view on your own
It had been a relaxing charter, with none of
most expensive season during the boat. Shop airfares for discounts, or use
Christmas holidays and from late frequent flier miles to keep travel costs
the muscle needed to handle the lines on sailing
February to July, while the low season down.
charters (even our anchor windlass was electric!), the
is mid-August to mid-October. In the
comfortably protected Sea of Abaco hadn’t challenged
prime season, our 372 is $760 a day, What to take: everyone takes too
dropping to $610 for the mid season much, so pare down. In a soft-sided
our skills, and we could recommend it to novice
and $540 for the low. A good way to easy-to-store duffel, pack a couple of
charterers wholeheartedly. save is to book immediately before swimsuits (so one can dry), t-shirts,
Moorings offers three powerboats: our 372
or after a more expensive season, deck shoes, beach sandals, and a light
when you’ll get the same weather at a jacket for cool days in the off season.
catamaran, the 341 which is a charter version of the
discount. Add in provisioning, either at In the Abacos, you’ll live in a swimsuit,
nifty Luhrs lobsterboat-styled express cruiser that is a store or through the Moorings plans but bring a nice shirt and shorts if you
perfect for a couple, and the 454, a larger catamaran
that provide several choices ranging want to dine ashore. You’ll need a good
with four staterooms, each with private heads and
from $20 to $45 per day depending hat, polarized sunglasses to see into the
on the number of meals. You should water, and strong sunscreen to prevent
showers. In addition to the Abacos base at Marsh
probably take insurance at $35 a day, burns. Take tons of film and/or batteries
Harbour, The Moorings has a new base in St Thomas,
and our fuel cost for the week was for the camera, some CDs for the stereo,
where charterers can explore the US and British Virgin
less than $75. If you want to tie up to and a canvas tote to carry cameras or
a mooring buoy or in a marina rather gear ashore (and conchs back).
Islands, which are a bit more demanding of boating
than anchoring, expect to pay from $10
skills than the Bahamas. to $40 per night plus electricity and Must Read: let me immodestly suggest
Whether your interests lie in snorkelling through
water. Chartering A Boat, written by yours
truly, Chris Caswell, and published
crystal clear waters among squadrons of brilliant
How to Save $$: In addition to by Sheridan House, at bookstores
tropical fish, hunting conch shells on beaches where
chartering in the off season, we save by everywhere.
yours are the first footprints, or simply relaxing at
taking a lot of our own food. We stock
anchor with a trashy paperback, The Moorings and the
up on steaks, chicken, fish and shrimp Contact:
www.Moorings.com
at discount stores, freeze them hard,
Abacos have just what you want. We’ll be back soon.
MARCH 2009 YACHTWORLD.COM 29
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