EDITOR'S NOTE: Today, we offer Part Seven of a seven-day series on boat-related vacations that leave the steering, cooking and maintenance to somebody else. For more about this series and why we did it, please see the Room 13 blog.
Even if you own a boat, there are times when you want to take a vacation without it. You may want to explore unfamiliar waters in a different part of the world, or simply play around with a vessel that is totally different. The answer, of course, is to charter.
The world of charter vessels is vast, allowing even boaters with modest experience to live aboard and operate a rented boat–anything from houseboats and canal boats to large power or sailing craft–almost anywhere in the world.
Choosing a charter is a process that will be different for everyone, based on the vessel and location you want, how many people are going, your level of boating experience and how much you want to spend. Thankfully, there are scores of books and web sites available to guide your decision, and no shortage of worthwhile boats and destinations.
But booking a charter is only the first step. How you prepare for that trip, meaning what you pack and how you provision the boat, can have a major impact on the quality of your trip.
While crewed vacations are available, what we are talking about here is bare boat chartering, meaning it will be up to you to outfit the boat with the supplies you want for your vacation. You are the captain, cook, housekeeper and cruise director, and you'll be the one stocking the shelves.
Keep in mind that "bare" is the operative word. Vessels in bareboat fleets are swept clean between rentals. Usually linens and galley gear are taken ashore for a thorough wash–even the salt shaker is emptied and scrubbed. It's likely you won't find so much as a twist tie or a stale Twinkie to munch while you unpack. If any paper is left on the toilet roll, consider yourself lucky. So your first chore will be to provision the boat.
PROVISIONING
It's best to arrive a day or two before the charter begins in order to unwind, eyeball the vessel–and its storage capacity–and scope out a place to buy supplies.
Most charter companies offer a provisioning service, which can be a convenient way to have enough food for the first day waiting for you when you arrive. But you don't want to miss the fun of shopping at your destination, and it can be cheaper than having the boat stocked.
To avoid wasting a day of your charter rounding up supplies, have a list ready to go. Think through meals, snacks and drinks in advance, and take stock of the resources on the boat. Does the boat have a coffee maker? If so, you'll need both coffee and filters. Does it have a bean grinder? If not, you'll need ground coffee.
Try to keep provisioning simple. Even if you're a gourmet cook, the galley will be unfamiliar and there is no guarantee that the weather and the appliances will cooperate (boat stoves can be downright prickly).
It also pays to be thorough, because the opportunities to shop en route can be limited–and expensive. Don't forget items such as marine toilette paper (hard to overbuy), charcoal and lighter, condiments, spices and cleaning supplies. And you can never have too many trash bags, which can also be used to store laundry and to keep gear clean and dry during dinghy transfers.
