Which boat for which holiday?
You can easily understand that the right choice of boat is essential for a successful vacation. Because the multihull you are going to use for a week or two (or even more) will be your home, your means of transport, your leisure base and your lounge, for enjoying the evenings...
In the charter fleets today, we find an abundant offer, ranging from sporty cats to ultra-comfortable yachts, via ocean cruising trimarans. Boats from 16 to 144 feet, offering performance worthy of racing boats or the comfort of a luxury villa.
So how do you choose, and be sure of not making a mistake? Sport multihulls allow you to have fun on raids, and are intended for a very specialized clientele looking for ‘close’ contact with nature. Catamarans or trimarans, the boats offered are spartan but fast, and above all offer excitement which is unknown in cruising boats. Can you imagine yourself on the trapeze of a Hobie, racing down the waves in the Indian Ocean, or ready to reach an uninhabited atoll in the middle of the Pacific? Another pleasure that these raids offer is that you sail as a flotilla, and racing is never far from the adventure. And when night falls, you land on a beach and relive the day’s sailing with your new friends around the camp fire, before heading off to your tent.
But if you are looking for a little more comfort and privacy, you must turn towards cruising multihulls. From around thirty feet to...44 feet long, there is something for all tastes, and above all, all budgets.
Holidays in a cat - pure pleasure for old and young alike!
The catamaran, your best friend
Around twenty years ago, the majority of boats to be found in the charter fleets were monohulls. But faced with the continually increasing demand from charter customers for convivial, easy to handle boats aboard which around ten people can live comfortably, the charter companies adapted. And today, catamarans are certainly in the majority in many fleets, and often the most numerous in the anchorages in the Tobago Cays or the BVI...
We have to say it – for charter, catamarans only offer advantages: with two hulls, the cockpit – sometimes even the forward and aft cockpits – the saloon and a possible flybridge, there is maximum privacy and the comfort for from 4 to 12 people (or more) is unique. In this configuration, you don’t get on top of one another, and everyone can find a place to drink an aperitif or relax, depending on their wishes at that moment: a new and incredible situation aboard a boat... A catamaran’s platform allows you to both enjoy the anchorage and be reassured whilst sailing – the boat doesn’t heel, and the stability is comforting for crew who haven’t quite got their sea legs. And in the West Indies, the Seychelles, Polynesia or even Asia, there are no problems with marina berths: every evening you are in a perfect anchorage!
In the catamaran family, we find some very comfortable boats, and others, more high-performance, which allow you to envisage some nice passages of several hundred miles in the tradewinds, if you feel like it.
Lagoon, Fountaine-Pajot, Leopard, Bali, Catana or Nautitech are the most numerous in the charter fleets. But you can find almost all the makes, and it is often a good idea to charter the kind of boat you would like to buy, to validate your choice.
The biggest builders are offering particularly successful boats, so you can enjoy your cruising vacation to the full.
Whatever, to enjoy your cruise to the full, you will have to be careful with certain essential aspects – according to the crew and each person’s wishes. The number of cabins, heads, as well as (and even especially) the water tanks must be well defined before the departure. Sleeping in the forepeak of a 38-footer is not pleasant, even if you are not very big! And what can we say about a boat with 8 people aboard which only carries 400 liters of fresh water, when you know that the shortest shower uses at least 60 liters of water? Do you really want to go and fill up with water every two days?
Water is the most critical element aboard a charter boat. A crew of 8 people, regular sailors, will only consume 100 liters per day, if they are careful. So imagine the efforts you will have to make so as not to have to go and fill up in a marina every three days. Hence the importance of having a watermaker aboard.
For everyone’s pleasure and the crew’s comfort, be sure that the boat has really useable davits. As we are in this area, insist on a semi-rigid dinghy, with a good motor. This is a plus, both in terms of comfort and safety. Find out about the deck plan as well: as a family crew, it’s always easier to be able to reduce sail without having to go to the mast foot.
As for the comfort aboard, find out about the cold storage, and how many engine hours are necessary daily to keep the batteries charged. Having to do more than two hours’ motoring every day quickly becomes an ordeal...
Finally, the choice of boat is really important, because if your crew feels comfortable and safe aboard, your holiday will inevitably go well...
The new areas thought up by the builders (such as the forward cockpit) allow everyone to find their space, even with 8 or 10 people on a 40-footer!
A trimaran to have fun?
Although in the multihull family catamarans are in the majority in the charter fleets, we are now finding a few cruising trimarans which meet a particular demand for boats which are seaworthy, pleasant and fun to helm, but also, in the biggest of them, offer good privacy and real cruising comfort. These trimarans, with a huge platform, are particularly well-suited to cruising in the West Indian channels, where the sea can be rough and unpleasant. Whether a sporty trimaran of around thirty feet, or a comfortable 45-foot (or more) cruising boat, the trimaran family is starting to be found in certain charter fleets. Obviously you won’t find as many different private areas as on a catamaran, but when it comes to pleasure at the helm, the trimaran wins!
Corsair and Dragonfly offer both comfort and performance, whilst the Neels (45 and 65, whilst awaiting the 51) can easily compete with cruising cats when it comes to living areas aboard…
The motor catamaran is a particularly attractive alternative for a week’s vacation.
Sail or motor, sometimes you have to choose
The boating world has for a long time been binary: on the one hand the sailing boats, and on the other, the motor boats. But since a few years ago, and thanks to efforts from the builders, genuine links between the two worlds exist. In the multihull world, it’s quite common to go from a sailing boat to a motor boat and vice-versa, depending on the choice of holiday destination or a crew which is more or less used to the maneuvers and joys of sailing. In fact in areas with little wind, why charter a sailing boat when you can have the same comfort aboard with a motor catamaran. And what can we say about the motor monohull regulars who discover the wonderful, stable, comfortable, roll-free, huge world of multihulls? Not to mention that as the icing on the cake, a catamaran consumes much less than its single-hulled counterpart, at the same speed. Certain builders talk of a 40% saving. A strong argument when you are choosing a boat for your vacation, if you envisage some fairly long passages (France – Corsica; Martinique-Grenadines; Saint Martin-BVI…).
And what a pleasure it is to no longer be dependent on the wind direction when choosing your destination: motor catamarans are simple to maneuver, and will please families and friends who are not accustomed to life at sea.
In short, in many cases, chartering a motor multihull can be a very judicious choice.
Fun to helm, and just as comfortable as a cat, the cruising trimaran is starting to find a place in the charter fleets.
Skipper and hostess for a perfect vacation
Cat or tri, sail or motor, the choice is already huge. But there is also a range of multihulls which are particularly appealing: the top of the range boats, which will welcome you for a perfect holiday in optimal comfort. Aboard these catamarans (or trimarans) of over 60 feet, you will often find a professional skipper, who will have you taking part in the sail handling – only if you want to – and a hostess capable of preparing refined dishes, even on the other side of the world. Here we are closer to luxury hotel service than to a classic charter.
The biggest of these boats possess numerous ‘toys’, which allow you to have fun in the anchorage (windsurfers, SUPs, jet skis and even…a pocket submarine). These big boats are also capable of cruising fast during the night, thus offering you a new view of a new lagoon every morning. Magic!
Aboard, the areas are impressive: (almost) like at home.
Before leaving
To each his (or her) cat, to each his (or her) holiday? Certainly. But the choice of boat (range, size and number of hulls) is not enough to guarantee an exceptional vacation. The choice of charter company is of course crucial. The quality of the maintenance of the boats in its fleet, their availability to advise you on choosing the right boat, as well as provisioning, the options available, and above all the departure briefing are the basics. In fact, what will your cruise in the most beautiful lagoon in the world be like, if you don’t know where the best anchorages are, or the places where you can swim with manta rays? And let’s not mention a recalcitrant engine, a mainsail slide at the end of its life, or heads which block at the slightest use…
In short, make enquiries before signing the order form, and don’t hesitate to ask to talk to the head of the base you intend to visit. He and he alone will be your contact, and you must have confidence in him (or her). He or she lives locally and has a good knowledge of the boats as well as the ‘right places’, and will be able to give you good advice!
Although the big international charter companies offer obvious guarantees, don’t forget that certain more modest charter companies will be able to meet special requests more easily and/or offer original boats which focus more on performance, or diving, etc. Multihulls World’s faithful readers will remember the marriage organized aboard two catamarans in the Grenadines by a couple and their friends. An adventure which was possible thanks to the help and understanding of a Martinique-based charter company, which listens to its clientele…
A last point, but not the least - once you have defined your dates, chosen your charter company and the boat of your dreams, you will have to prepare your cruise.
Let’s skip over the organization of getting there, all you have to do is buy your air tickets (even though it’s not always that simple…).
When you arrive at the company’s base, you will be given a comprehensive briefing, explaining in detail the places not to be missed, and where you are not allowed to go. But to have a really good time, and avoid the crowds in charter boats, nothing is better than finding your own little hidden places. This allows you to avoid the anchorages which are too crowded, as well as discover some unique places, which correspond exactly to your expectations. You like diving, you are a windsurfing enthusiast, you love typical little restaurants… It’s up to you to organize your trip according to your wishes, but without for all that neglecting the weather conditions or your cat’s capabilities.
To do this, ask your charter company to send you in advance the ‘road book’ for your future destination. Then a bit of time spent on the internet will give you some other good information (from competing charter companies, on the Multihulls World website, under the heading ‘charter’, etc.).
After a few hours’ preparation, you will be perfectly familiar with your destination, and will be able to draw up a good program, and above all you will be able to modify it if necessary, according to the local weather conditions.
And what can we say about the volumes aboard the biggest cats? We are really in the field of luxury hotels!
Finally, to be certain of having a successful cruise, never forget the importance of food aboard. We have lost count of the number of mutinies aboard charter boats, after a week of tasteless or too repetitive meals. To avoid this pitfall, get your crew together and draw up a list of recipes each person can make successfully. Prepare the list of ingredients necessary and the quantity per person, according to the length of the cruise and the possibilities of obtaining supplies. Draw up a menu plan at the same time, starting with the most perishable food stuffs, and finishing with the more ‘long-lasting’ ingredients. To help your crew get their ‘sea legs’, avoid dishes which are too greasy, too spicy or too distinctive for the first few days. But don’t forget the white sliced bread and the cola nut-based soda, which help difficult digestion…
As for the quantities, don’t forget that we eat rather less at meal times during a cruise, but we spend a lot of time nibbling. Every time we come out of the water, or during passages, a little snack is always welcome. So take lots of bread, and lots of snacks for the children.
As for drinks, you must plan on a minimum of 1.5 liters of water per day and per person. And above all you must force yourself to drink it, to avoid dehydration, especially in the hot, tropical sun.
Take great care with the provisioning, as it is sometimes hard to obtain certain foodstuffs, even the basics, in certain cruising areas.
Certain charter companies offer a provisioning service, ranging from the basic essentials (dustbin bags, washing-up liquid, toilet paper, salt, pepper, mustard, pasta, etc.) to the organization of your meals day by day. A solution which makes both your life and the preparation of your next holiday much easier!
Certain charter companies offer different boats. What would you say to a week in an Outremer 5X?
WHERE AND WHEN TO LEAVE
Caribbean: from the Grenadines to the Bahamas
From December to June
Pacific/Indian:
- Seychelles - Thailand
From May to October
- Polynesia – New Caledonia
From March to October
- Maldives
From January to April
Mediterranean
From May to October
But all these destinations can be visited all the year round… Especially as in the off-season, the tariffs are often very attractive.
DON’T FORGET
Aboard your cat you will have all the regulation equipment! All very well, but that’s not enough: the VHF is fine, but your mobile phone is also very useful - however check the cost of the communications and data you will be billed for, before you leave. Don’t forget to load the charts of the area onto your smartphone or tablet. You will thus have a real GPS plotter and will be able to bring all your tracks back home with you. Essential for the slideshow evenings with your friends! I never leave without my binoculars – those supplied by certain charter companies are sometimes hardly useable. The same goes for the knife – a good quality multifunction tool should be in every sailor’s bag. And for your comfort and pleasure, don’t hesitate to take your own mask, fins and snorkel, and your fishing lures…
