April 17, 2009, Newsletter Issue #97: Charters Require Different Sailing Techniques

Tip of the Week

If you want to book a private boat charter, you have your pick of locations: Greece, France, Tortola, Belize, Tahiti and more. But, you should be aware--if you are at the helm--that different countries may require different sailing techniques to sail successfully. One area in which you'll need to be particularly careful is in anchoring. When you complete the tasks needed for a sailboat rental, your mind is likely to be focused on safety--GPS systems, mooring lines, operating the basic sailing mechanisms. And, you should be focused on safety. But, sometimes that leads to a lack of focus in other key areas.

Anchoring problems often occur in the night when sailors are sleepy. An example is wrapping the dinghy painter around the propeller. If this occurs, the bow of the boat can be pulled under the water to the point where the engine stalls. You might be an expert at anchoring your own sailboat, but a rental might be a different story so cover all details on anchoring before you leave the dock.

When on a charter boat, try to choose a place to anchor that is alongside another boat with similar characteristics. Also, in protected waters when there is a breeze on a hot night, consider taking the anchor line to the stern from the bow so the stern will head into the wind. This will allow the sleeping area to be cooled. Remember, these kinds of tricks may not be on the mind of the person renting the boat, so you must take responsibility to ask about different situations and how they affect the boat you charter.

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