Crossing the line
Earlier this year I wrote a post entitled 10 tips for spotting a charter boat. To say that it garnered a bit of a response is somewhat of an understatement. In fact, several lurkers came out of the woodwork to berate me for what they perceived as my writing negatively about charterers. If they had read the post more closely, and with a bit less emotion, they would have noticed that the majority of the post related to spotting the boat, not the sailors themselves. Regardless, many of the comments were funny, and I smiled as I read them over again today.
One of the reasons for our friend Michael’s visit is that he is actively searching for a catamaran to purchase. He’s narrowed his focus down to a Leopard 4600 and it just so happens that there is one of those big beautiful boats in the Moorings fleet here in Grenada. Not only that but he has arranged for the 3 of us to take it out for several days. Sweet!
One comment on the post I mentioned referred to me as a cruising snob. Seriously? Me? Well here is a chance for payback. This particular snob is going to cross the line from full-time live-aboard cruiser to… gasp… charterer! This could be interesting. Will people make fun of us?
Will observers be able to brand us as “typical” charterers based upon the above-linked post’s criteria? No doubt some of the things I wrote about will apply, although unless we pick up a few hitchhikers, I doubt we’ll be able to muster the telltale 5-6 people on the tramp that are needed for anchoring. Seriously, this should be a fun experiment!
Yeah, we’ve already scoped out the boat.
There’s a bit more room on this tramp to work out I think!
Mike, not a chance of you being spotted as a charterer. I’ve seen plenty of captains on a charter boat who obviously know what they’re doing and I default to the thought that they must be moving the boat for the charter company.
Don’t worry, you’ll not be able to create the spectacle that creates people laughing at you.
I’m jealous. That boat is at the top of my ‘wish’ list.
🙂
There are of course many charterers who have professional crew on board instead of bareboating.
You should take him to Tobago Cays, if he’s never been. Just sayin’.
Not enough time. We only have 4 days.
Have fun! I little large for us and not ICW friendly due to mast height. We feel an older 43 is perfect.. Maybe we could cut down a 45 or 47 mast and add a roachy sail like they do these days.
Yeah, definitely not ICW friendly. Nor is our friends’ Lagoon 44.
I had to go back and read the “10 things” post. Smiled all over again.
Most people have no idea how to live a low energy use life. My mostley off-grid home goes to mostly on-grid with visitors, even though there’s no real reason for it. People don’t need 45 minute showers and to do a full load of laundry just because they unfolded a shirt because they might wear it.
I’m curious to see how much of the spot the charter boat game is due to lack of seamanship or just getting used to a different boat.
Enjoy living large!
A little of both I suspect.
I totally understand the charter issue. We once rented a 40 foot house boat up north in the Trent Severn waterway in Ontario. I smashed a prop for $250.00 lost an anchor and squashed a small runabout at the dock. (credit card captain) Since then we have learned to sail and taken every course know to man. It has always been a thorn in our side watching 40 foot billboards loaded with two and three families plowing through the lakes with no regard for safety. Now put your self in a lock only to be followed in by a barge loaded with screaming kids frantic wifes and two fat guys saying I got this. Oh, towing a seadoo and fishing rod still in troll mode. We hear you!
hehe… fun times.
That thing is pretty darn big! Going to be tough getting back on ZTC after a few days on that thing. But have a whole bunch of fun!!!
Hopefully he is not taking Rebecca.. She will be spoiled rotten simply because of the Galley up feature, my only dislike on the PDQ32.
There are pros and cons of the galley down to be sure. Some love it, others hate it.
You may be right.
My only dislike is galley down takes you out of the conversation space. I am sure you are having fun either way!
That is the major drawback. It also takes the mess out of view though too which for some offsets that. Pros and Cons. I know Rebecca will like the Galley Up.
Cool! Where are you guys going to be chartering? Term charters, day trips or both?
We only have the boat for 4 days.
Naahhh! Too tan and a Stag in one hand instead of a Heineken = not a charterer.
🙂
Thanks “Hurricane” Kirk.
Oh oh. You do realize your courting disaster here, don’t you? One foot-itis is hard enough to ward off as it is – this is just asking for it.
I see a new (bigger) boat in your future.
Just sayin’. 😀
Do you see a bigger bank account in our future? That is the critical piece.
So, as a charter boat owner I have to weigh in here. It’s a real shame that the assumption when you see a charter boat pull up to a mooring or anchor field is that you are in for some entertainment, provided there is enough distance between you and their chosen spot, but it is the sad reality. In fact, we often indulge in “check out what this fool is doing” until we realize that next week that could be our boat! When we spend time on our boat I feel like the first reaction is “Uh-oh, look out!” and then there is puzzlement because with only two of us aboard we don’t measure up with with pre-requisite 5-on-the-tramp (and I have to admit we’re pretty slick at picking up a mooring or setting the anchor.) Sometimes I wish we could cover up our charter-boat labels since we don’t relate well with the charter crowd and cruisers have a hard time accepting us as newbies to their circle – we’re caught in a no-man’s land in the middle.
Oh well, just a few more years of charterers paying off our boat loan and then we’re set to join the cruising lifestyle.
As always, love the blog and I’ll be interested to see how you feel about sailing around with the charter label.
I can see that. That’s why I think our experience on this boat will be interesting.
Welcome to my world! I still laugh at the post!!!
I live to entertain you. 🙂
Any chance you could give a write up on the performance of the Leopard? Wind speed and direction, boat speed etc. thanks
You mean you actually expect us to “sail?”
I very much look forward to your daily reports and pics.
It will be interesting, probably for all of us to hear your perspective on it.
I would also like to hear your comments on the boat, both convenience and performance.
Please!
Mike
Let’s hope daily reports are possible. We will not have our Wirie with us.
I guess if you don’t sail it will satisfy my thoughts on the Leopards sailing abilities!