Before you charter a boat with Whitsunday Rent a Yacht, a lot goes on behind the scenes.
We aim for a seamless start and experience throughout your bareboat holiday. But, for this to happen, our team undergoes thorough procedures in the lead-up to your charter, ensuring your boat is safe and ship-shape ready for you to enjoy.
In this post, we share a little about the different teams we have working through Whitsunday Rent a Yacht and touch on the main tasks they complete in between charters.
About Whitsunday Rent A Yacht
When you charter a boat with Whitsunday Rent a Yacht, you’ll get first-class communication and concierge service from a professional vessel management team.
We’ve been operating since 1978, making us the longest-established Australian-owned bareboat charter company. We have the closest and most direct access to the Islands with a private jetty in beautiful Shute Harbour, only 10 minutes from Airlie Beach.
The Whitsunday Rent a Yacht Team
The Whitsunday Rent a Yacht team are comprised of professional locals who enjoy sharing our region with guests. We take great pride in our teams’ standards and are grateful for their commitment to safety, giving our guests peace of mind and a memorable boating experience.
The Office Team
From sales and reservations support to accounts, marketing and management, our team in the office keeps the communication going and the procedures flowing!
When you book with us, you will chat with one of our friendly sales team members, who can also support you with any questions or concerns. The sales team will make suggestions so you get the most out of your booking; things like booking extra training time, equipment, insurance and travel logistics can all be addressed.
The sales team communicate any requirements and requests to our maintenance team, who follow through and action anything you need to be prepared on your vessel.
The Maintenance Team
Our maintenance team work from our private jetty and slipway. These highly trained and professional people prepare your boat for charter and check over it on return. The maintenance team are boating experts with years of experience in the industry.
Cleaners are an integral and valued part of our team. While guests may not notice the work that’s done to a boat engine, they will see a clean bathroom! Everyone likes their accommodation to sparkle on arrival. Setting a high cleaning standard is an essential aspect of our business.
Contractors, such as divers, are brought into our maintenance team if specific tasks are required outside of the original team’s skillset.
Our Briefers & Sail Guides
Our Briefers and Sail Guides are highly trained, passionate sailing men/women with years of personal and professional experience. Each individual has a great story to tell and a unique backlog of expertise and experience to share as you find your sea legs.
Everyone who takes a charter boat out will undergo a 3-4 hour briefing with a Briefer who will ensure you feel safe and comfortable operating your vessel. Sail Guides are an additional service for those who would like support operating their boat while on charter.
Charter Boat Owners
All of the boats in our fleet are privately owned by investors. Boat owners place their vessels in our fleet, and we manage it for them, giving them a return each time their boat is hired. Our team maintain and market the vessel for the owner, ensuring it is kept in top mechanical condition and to the rigorous safety guidelines for commercial vessels.
The advantage of bareboat investment is the owner is still given private access to their boat with the stunning Whitsundays as their holiday playground.
Our Managing Director has close relationships and lines of communication with our boat owners. It’s a partnership.
Our maintenance procedures & preparing your boat for charter
Maintenance is also safety and something we take very seriously.
Some of the processes we follow to maintain and prepare your vessel include:
- Scheduled maintenance, such as engine servicing
- Regular inspection by AMSA (safety authority) to confirm compliance with safety standards and to assist with continuous improvements
- Annual out-of-water maintenance
- A contract diver checks your vessel following a charter to ensure it’s safe and undamaged for the following guests.
- We work closely with boat owners on any equipment upgrades
- Maintenance & safety checks between charters
- Cleaning before and after a boat has been chartered
- Rigorous documentation of our regular inspections and maintenance.
Safety measures while you’re chartering on the water
First-time charters may feel daunted and have safety concerns. We strive to support guests new to bareboating and ask that you communicate any concerns with our team so we can accommodate them.
Safety procedures during your charter include:
- On-call support throughout your charter.
- Mandatory morning and afternoon schedules radio calls to ensure you are safe and your plans suit the conditions.
- Our base is the closest mainland port to the Islands. We can send out a support boat quickly if needed.
- Recommendations to book a Sail Guide if your crew is assessed as needing more support.
- Option to berth at Hamilton Island Marina in unfavourable weather
We suggest reading this post: How to prepare a crew of beginner sailors
We strive to work to the highest standard possible, and at the same time, are always looking for ways to improve our service and procedures.
Your safety is our priority, and ensuring you have a “trip of a lifetime” during your boat charter around the Whitsundays motivates us all.
To learn more about charter boat availability and prices, please head to our online booking system or, as always, call us.
