Posted By: Michel_Benarrosh
New innovative charter company - 04/01/2016 03:02 AM
Hi everybody
In the course of the meetings I had at the Miami Boat Show with charter companies for sailonline.com, I learned that a new charter company will launch at the beginning of the next high season - probably November. Some charter brokers have actually started to take bookings already (Liane, maybe you heard about it?)
From what I already know, it will be a totally new concept inspired by super low costs airlines or car rental companies. The name of the company (at least temporarily) will be "Spirit Charters".
The boats will be 10 to 20 years old. Basically nothing will work on the boats except some crucial components, i.e.: the engine will be serviceable; the sails will not be more than 6/8 years old; 1 head and 1 sink will work for sure but usually with cold water only; and a bunch of old life jackets. That's it...
Other usual equipment like electronics, VHF, light bulbs, cockpit cushions, will have been removed or most probably will not work anyway.
Lastly, charter equipment, like bed sheets, towels, cutlery, pots and pans etc - (sorry no Nespresso machine here...) will be available for a fee and will be worn out stuff. A 7 foot dinghy with oars (no outboard) will be provided for a fee as well. So better bring your own handheld VHF, GPS, sleeping bags, coffee mugs etc... This is re-defining the concept of what we call a bare boat!!
The good news is that the company management have set an incredibly low pricing structure: they are talking about a 5-cabin (mattresses included) 50ft monohull for about $1,295 per week, which will put the weekly rate at around $250 per couple!!.... A 40 footer should be $995 a week, if you can believe that...
I should have a banner up on sailonline in the next 2 or 3 weeks. I will keep everyone posted as it develops.
In the course of the meetings I had at the Miami Boat Show with charter companies for sailonline.com, I learned that a new charter company will launch at the beginning of the next high season - probably November. Some charter brokers have actually started to take bookings already (Liane, maybe you heard about it?)
From what I already know, it will be a totally new concept inspired by super low costs airlines or car rental companies. The name of the company (at least temporarily) will be "Spirit Charters".
The boats will be 10 to 20 years old. Basically nothing will work on the boats except some crucial components, i.e.: the engine will be serviceable; the sails will not be more than 6/8 years old; 1 head and 1 sink will work for sure but usually with cold water only; and a bunch of old life jackets. That's it...
Other usual equipment like electronics, VHF, light bulbs, cockpit cushions, will have been removed or most probably will not work anyway.
Lastly, charter equipment, like bed sheets, towels, cutlery, pots and pans etc - (sorry no Nespresso machine here...) will be available for a fee and will be worn out stuff. A 7 foot dinghy with oars (no outboard) will be provided for a fee as well. So better bring your own handheld VHF, GPS, sleeping bags, coffee mugs etc... This is re-defining the concept of what we call a bare boat!!
The good news is that the company management have set an incredibly low pricing structure: they are talking about a 5-cabin (mattresses included) 50ft monohull for about $1,295 per week, which will put the weekly rate at around $250 per couple!!.... A 40 footer should be $995 a week, if you can believe that...
I should have a banner up on sailonline in the next 2 or 3 weeks. I will keep everyone posted as it develops.