You can look good lounging on your hotel terrace, but you can look fabulous arriving by yacht. The question is how to achieve this without a)blowing the bank, b)getting sea-sick, and c) falling off.

First, yachts don’t need to be expensive. Consider how much you’ll otherwise spend on a hotel. Look at the number of berths on a boat and make sure you fill them. Split down the costs and surprise yourself. The numbers in your party and the berths on the boat are the most important factor. On the whole you’ll find the bigger your party the better rate you can get. A recently booked skippered charter out of Athens for a group of 10 on a 65ft sailing yacht, including all the food and drink (maybe not all the drink), all taxes, fuel and annoying extras came in at 71EURO per head. Not bad.

What else? If you don’t have a yachtie member of your party who can drive the boat then you can easily hire a local skipper for around GBP100/day. If there’s 6 of you that’s about GBP17 per day – not too distressing for a professional tour guide every day and one who’ll take care of the yacht for you.

What about that sick feeling you get as soon as the wind picks up and you’re supposed to be having a ‘good sail’? Well, there are places where you can avoid this. For example the east coast of Greece is almost entirely protected by the Greek mainland mountains, which also create a reliable afternoon sea breeze to waft you gently into the next port. The breeze takes half the day to develop so you can get in some proper sun-bathing time in the morning or just visit the picturesque town you’ve berthed in, then you can go for a sail (little waves only) in the afternoon. And best of all, once the sun goes down, so does the wind. Just in time to enjoy a gin and tonic sundowner, not a hair out of place. Who’s the yachtie now?

If you holiday in the winter then top up on the tan in those long, wan winter months by visiting to the British Virgin islands. Protected waters, sunny, food and drink at every stop, blue waters and bath-temperature seas. Not to mention stunningly beautiful coral reefs. A trip to the BVIs in November or December followed by skiing in March (or the other way around) must be the ultimate ‘winter blues’ remedy.

Any other top tips? Well, for the Caribbean I can recommend a catamaran, not a monohull, charter. It’s cat country out there. Cat’s are faster, more stable, have more space and have a much more ‘normal’ layout if you’re not used to yachts. The Med is slightly different. There a catamaran can be more trouble than its worth when you arrive when trying to find a space in those tightly packed meditteranean town quays. Still, it is possible and if you’re keen for a cat and also hiring a skipper then you can let him worry about those kind of details. A good local skipper will find the space in every town quay however packed it may look.

So next time you come back from holiday, don’t say “i’m just back from holiday”, try “i’ve been holidaying on my yacht”. Well, it is yours for a week or two. Now how does that sound?

Jamaica’s beach resorts are, of course, its most popular tourist destination.  Seven Mile Beach at Negril, on the island’s westernmost point, is famous for its rugged cliffs and unforgettable sunsets.  Negril, however, lacks a harbor, so your sailing cruise ship will have to leave from one of Jamaica’s three ports-of-call.

Jamaica’s northern coast is where you find Mo’ (for Montego) Bay and Ocho Rios, its two busiest resort towns.  Montego Bay is home to the “Hip Strip,” formerly known as Gloucester Avenue, where you will find plenty of shops, restaurants, and clubs.  If you want a natural healing experience, you could head for the mineral springs at Montego Bay’s Doctor’s Cave Beach.

A more family-friendly port-of-call, Ocho Rios is home to one of Jamaica’s biggest craft markets, along with an abundance of duty-free shops and a generally more relaxed lifestyle.  Perhaps the most stunning of all Jamaica’s three ports-of-call, however, is its smallest one.  Port Antonio, on Jamaica’s north east coast was, in days gone by, a magnet for Hollywood elite and the favorite hideaway for Errol Flynn.  

Far removed from its three most popular ports of call is Jamaica’s capital city of Kingston, which is also the largest English-speaking city in the Caribbean.  Jamaica has a rather turbulent history, beginning with its reputation for harboring pirates centuries ago.

Most Jamaican sailing cruises are scheduled between January and March, which is also Jamaica’s peak tourist season.  You probably will not be able to book a Jamaica sailing cruise between July and November, when the heat, heavy rains, and possible cyclone conditions make it too dangerous to sail.

When making arrangements for your Jamaica sailing cruise, pay attention to the legal details.  Once you have reached Jamaica, you will have to let customs know that you have arrived and give them access to your ship for inspection.  They will ask you, or whoever is managing your Jamaica sailing cruise, to supply information which includes your cruise ship’s registration, team list and affirmation, a record of the ship’s stores, and your departure permission. While many amateur sailors arrive at Jamaica in their own yachts, the great majority of tourists taking Jamaican sailing cruise vacations simply rent their boats.  Most of these sailing cruises last between seven and 10 days, departing from Montego Bay, the site of Jamaica’s airport. Negril, however, is another ideal departure point for a Jamaica sailing cruise.

You have a choice of three different types of ships for your Jamaican sailing cruise.  There are crewed charters, skippered bareboats, and, if you are an accomplished sailor, bareboats.  If you’re new to Jamaica, getting a skippered or crewed boat will ensure that your sailing cruise hits the largest number of attractions.  Having a crew on board will also give you as much free time as you like to enjoy Jamaica’s remarkable beauty!

Tips for Sail Cleaning

Keeping your sail spotless and free from dirt is the first step in sail maintenance and key in extending the life of the sail. Usually, windsurfing sails are made of Dacron or nylon and can be cleaned in the following way:

1. Choose a clean and smooth work area to spread your sail for cleaning.

2. Do not use very strong soaps or detergents as they can be harsh on the sail cloth. It is recommended to use mild soaps like ivory soaps or detergents with neutral ph factor would remove the dirt and sand gently. While scrubbing, remember to scrub along the seams with a soft bristle scrub/brush. This would help in removing the dirt without damaging the sail.

3. Always use fresh water to rinse the sail. Using warm water is also a good idea, especially if the sail has some hardened sand or salt residue.

4. One of the most common problems that plague windsurfing sails is mildew, a fungal growth. Sails are often damaged by mildew if they are stored without removing the dirt and are not completely dried. To remove mildew, soak the sail in a solution of bleach (1%) and cold water for two hours and then scrub the stained area with a soft brush. Rinse with clean water and then leave it to dry in a sunny spot. Yet another great way to remove mildew is to soak it in a solution of bleach and water and then rinse and dry it. Then again apply lemon and salt on the stain and leave it to dry for sometime and then rinse it with warm water.

5. It is also a good idea to use disinfectants to remove mildew on Dacron and nylon sails.

6. To remove tougher stains like oil, grease or wax, scrub the stained area with acetone and rinse it. Again scrub it with mild soap or detergent and again rinse it with warm water. Acetone is a great cleansing agent and very effective on tough stains. However, make sure that all the acetone is rinsed out while cleaning the sail.

7. If you have not used your windsurfing kit for a long time, the sail can develop rust stains, which can be difficult to get rid of. For such stains, it is recommended to use oxalic or hydrochloric acid to thoroughly cleanse the sail area. Soak the sail in a solution of warm water and hydrochloric acid (2%) for sometime and then rinse thoroughly with clean water. If using oxalic acid, soak the sail for 15-30minutes before rinsing it.

8. After washing the sail, make sure that it is completely dry before storing it away.

These few simple guidelines can go a long way in keeping your sail clean and in supreme conditions for several years to come.

A bareboat charter in Caribbean island provide you the, the types of adventures like tranquility and exotic. It gives you the freedom for exploration of the islands. There is no limitation for the exploring the island and they also provide extended trips on day-to-day basics. The other ventures that can be enjoyed on the island are swimming, the tourist on charter boat can do snorkeling, diving, fishing and hiking.

The British islands are supposed to be the best islands as it has clear, clam water, proximity and short distance from the destination. All these factors make this most suitable for the bareboat sailing charter.

Caribbean sailing charter are not for the sailing as you have to show them the proof that you can handle the boat. You don’t need to show the license as many companies over their take number of experiences as your license. These islands have trainer on bareboat sailing charter which will provide you full information and training on charter.

Whenever you are taking, training on bareboat sailing charter you need to have an experienced trainer and this training is designed for the whole family. The course lasts for about a week. While booking bareboat charter you don’t worry about the liners, kitchen equipment or anything else requires as it comes with all the equipments in their bare charges.

One of the best place for bareboat sailing charter is Tortola one of the biggest volcanic island of china the reasons it is the ideal destination for sailing charter:

• The weather conditions of Tortola is being sunny, breezy and warm which makes it more favorable for sailing.
• It has beautiful scenery around itself as it has mountains surrounding it with spectacular sights.
• The water surrounding the Caribbean are clear blue and calm. The famous things of Tortola is white sand beaches and palm trees. Some of the beaches have restaurant and any other activities.
• They are also famous for scuba diving, fishing, snorkeling.
• Docking and exploring the islands are also major attraction. You can drop from the boat and explore the islands and in the village you can see local people seeking jewelry, soaps, crafts and many more things.
• You can come to these islands for adventurous vacation or relaxing vacation it depends totally on you as you can enjoy and have wonder full vacation in both the ways. As on one side you can enjoy by exploring under water caves and on the other side you can relax and enjoy the style and beauty of the island.
• The people of island are warm and welcoming.

The residents of island are very pleasant and they appreciate your time spending during vacations in their beautiful part of the world. Reasons you why you want to visit them again and again.