For some, the idea of a skipper yourself yacht charter can seem daunting. However, with a sense of adventure, a willingness to learn, and some preparation, chartering a yacht and sailing yourself around the stunning Whitsunday Islands is quite achievable.
Below, we’ll go over the foundations of bareboating for those who have never skippered a yacht before, and we share a story from a group of friends who hired a cat and cruised for four days without any previous sailing experience.
Why is a skipper yourself yacht charter called a bareboat charter?
The term bareboat refers to a hired boat without a professional crew.
When chartering with Whitsunday Rent a Yacht, you can hire a monohull sailing yacht, catamaran, or power-catamaran. All of these will come fully equipped with everything you need to live aboard comfortably and safely. All you need to bring are your food, beverages, and personal items.
License requirements
You don’t need a license or qualification to charter a yacht in the Whitsunday Islands. The Whitsunday Islands are considered one of the safest sailing grounds in the world. This is due to their proximity to the mainland, and the outer Great Barrier Reef prevents large ocean swells from impacting them.
Preparation and training
Everyone who hires a bareboat in the Whitsundays receives a comprehensive 3-4 hour boating briefing before taking the boat out on their own.
Each group’s capabilities are assessed before they’re allowed to take the yacht out. If the briefer feels that a group is not ready for unassisted boating, they will recommend adding a sail guide or booking more training time.
To learn more about what’s covered in our briefing, visit this post on sailing the Whitsundays for the first time.
Sail Guide Option
Sail guides are an additional service that can be added to a bareboat charter. A sail guide is a professional skipper who assists your crew in running the boat themselves. Please note that they are not there to be the Skipper.
You can add a sail guide to your crew for your first night or even the duration of your trip. Sail Guides require their own cabin, and you are responsible for providing their meals.
To sail or to motor
All of the boats in our fleet have motors. You can choose to put the sails up or not. Fuel consumption is charged after your charter.
Support before and throughout your charter
When reserving your Skipper Yourself yacht charter, we recommend telling our sales team if you are a first timer. They will be able to recommend preparation tips.
Every morning and afternoon all guests are required to radio our base, informing headquarters where you are anchored and what your plans are. These calls are a great opportunity to get itinerary tips, ask questions or shout out for more support. Of course, you can radio base any time you need, these scheduled calls are simply a safety requirement.
Help is never far away in the Whitsundays
Help is never far away; the Whitsunday Islands are not far from our base at Shute Harbour, so if you ever need assistance, we’re able to send out a speedy “chaser” boat.
Speaking of the chaser boat, we just got a brand new one StingWRAY. She’s epic!
Modern comforts and space
Adventure doesn’t mean “roughing it”. Sailing on a catamaran or yacht with private cabins, equipped kitchen and shared living spaces while enjoying tropical island views is akin to living in a floating hotel (and in some cases, it’s cheaper per head than a hotel!)
Anchorages and Navigation in the Whitsundays
Cruising time between the islands is under two hours, meaning you’re able to spend lots of time exploring the beaches and walking trails.
All navigation in the Whitsundays can be done as line of site. This means, you an see where you want to go and you point the baot towards it!
Each anchorage requires special consideration as there are reefs, tides and hidden rocks to be mindful of. You will be briefed on the few areas high-risk areas by your trainer, and of course, everything you need to know will be on your boat in your copy of 100 Magic Miles.
Bad weather contingencies
The Whitsundays have a subtropical climate, so the weather is mostly sunny, with a wet season. But, like anywhere, weather conditions can be unpredictable, so we recommend having a backup plan in case the weather is not ideal during your charter.
When the weather isn’t perfect, you will have several protected anchorage options to shelter in. There are many land-based activities to enjoy, such as hiking, and of course, you can opt to spend a night or two on your boat at the protected Hamilton Island marina.
A stop-off at Hamilton Island gives you access to the resort
A first sail around the Whitsunday Islands would only be complete with a night at the Hamilton Island Marina. Bareboats can book a berth, giving them access to the Island’s resort facilities, including several free pools, restaurants, shops, hikes and attractions.
Tips for chartering a yacht as a group
- Allocating a skipper and first-mate in your crew before your charter gives them time for research. Having a couple of crew members responsible for boat operations removes the pressure and ensures everything is noted in the briefing.
- Role allocation can continue beyond the Skipper and first mate. Other roles you may like to allocate in your group include food and meal organisation, radio scheds twice a day, navigation and itinerary planning.
- Book a sleep-aboard the night before your charter to allow time for everyone to arrive and settle in. A sleep-aboard lets your group familiarise with the boat and gives everyone a chance to check or get supplies. Those who sleep aboard can also start their sleeping earlier, allowing for more training if needed.
Group Charter Preparation Tips
Before your bareboat holiday, there are some things you can do to prepare.
- Check out local sailing schools in your area. Some places provide short bareboat preparation courses that give you a certificate, which reduces your briefing time.
- We highly recommend you visit this post on preparing a crew of beginner sailors and this one on tips for chartering as a group.
- Look at the book 100 Magic Miles, it has everything you need to know about sailing the Whitsunday Islands. All boats come with a copy of this book to refer to throughout your charter.
- Consider provisioning with a local company
Learn from those who have sailed before: Interview
When Elara and a group of friends decided they wanted to charter a yacht in the Whitsundays, they were excited to find out how easy it would be. Even though none of them had ever managed a boat let alone a 40′ yacht before!
How does your group of girlfriends know each other?
We all know each other playing netball in Alice Springs and have known each other for around 20 years (give or take a few).
We have lived half of all our lives in Alice Springs. I moved to Perth 18 months ago after 21 years in Alice Springs.
We are Elara (me 46), Corrina (47), Robin (51), Sally (63).
Why did you decide to hire a yacht for a girls trip?
For the last seven years, we have travelled to many places, whether just two of us, three, or a big group (Vegas, Mexico, Cruising, Sri Lanka, New York, Tough Mudder in Melbourne, and many more).
I came up with the idea to sail the Whitsundays mostly from watching Reality TV. I watched a lot of “Below Deck” and wondered how much it would cost to do it in Australia. Then Google reviews gave me Whitsunday Rent A Yacht. I had to email to make sure we didn’t need a license, and I was so excited when they confirmed that you didn’t need experience.
Hang on, backtrack a second… What’s Below Deck?
Ha! Below Deck is an American reality TV show which follows people who work and travel on superyachts. It’s pretty amazing to see what some of these people have to do to sustain their careers, and of course, there’s lots of cheesy reality TV drama. They recently filmed in the Whitsundays, so watch this space!
Did you have any apprehension about sailing as a girls-only group in the Whitsundays?
I didn’t. I didn’t think it would be easy, but I like challenges and learning new things.
The others mostly had apprehension and wanted to hire a Skipper, but I wouldn’t allow it. Hahaha. I chatted to friends with boating experience, and they were a little concerned (I think more because of our cheeky behaviour), but people who knew me well knew I could handle it.
Did anyone in your crew have boating experience?
None. I had driven a dingy a few times, but that’s about it.
How did you find cruising in a catamaran without any boating experience?
Hiring a catamaran in the Whitsundays wasn’t easy, but it wasn’t hard. I think we had a mindset that it would be extremely difficult, but it was easier than we thought.
I didn’t realise the constant concentration required for being a skipper, but I found it peaceful.
Where did you go around the Islands, and what activities did you enjoy?
We went to Sandy Bay, Hill Inlet & Tongue Bay, Whitehaven Beach and Hamilton Island.
We swam, took the dinghy to shore and did walks along the beach. We loved spending time on Betty Beach, just near Whitehaven.
Our trip was full of relaxing, laughing, chatting and staring at the ocean; when from Alice Springs, the sea is appreciated.
Did you have any issues you needed to overcome?
We had to overcome miscommunication early on when mooring and anchoring. I am seriously glad I was hooked on “Below Deck” as the hand signals they used were very helpful to pass onto the others. Hand signals made everything clear because it can be difficult to hear voices.
Once, when we anchored, we had to do it again because we had forgotten that the tide would keep moving us, and we started to get too close to the next boat. But re-anchoring wasn’t hard, and we did well.
We had a bit of dinghy trouble, but we ended up working it out by not overthinking and staying calm.
I was only nervous when I had to park at Hamilton Island marina due to all the expensive boats, but it was pretty easy with fantastic guidance from the Hamo guy.
What was the best thing about your trip?
Everything! The experience is something I say to everyone “you must experience this”. I loved the boat, the places we saw and went to. We had good food, good wine, good music and incredible company. It was great having a cabin each. I suggest splurging and enjoying the luxury.
What advice would you give women wanting to charter a yacht in the Whitsundays for the first time?
You can do whatever you set your mind to.
Pick a leader to make the decisions and when it is a serious time, listen to the leader and everyone else stick to their tasks. We had the Skipper who would read the charts in the morning, someone in charge of the anchor, someone in charge of mooring, and the 4th person did radio calls and did hand signals for anchor and mooring time.
Give it a go! It is a must-do in life! Just remember that they wouldn’t let you take the yacht out if they thought it would turn out badly.
Is there anything else you want to share?
We just did four nights, seven nights I think would be perfect, even longer.
We booked three extra hours of training in addition to the standard four-hour briefing, which was helpful.
It's All About Me, Leopard 40
Elara’s group chartered in May on It’s All About Me, a Leopard 40 with four cabins and two bathrooms.
They booked four nights and added a sleep aboard the night before their charter.
Sailing around Australia’s Whitsunday Islands is the perfect mix of adventure and comfort. There’s no reason a skipper yourself yacht charter shouldn’t be on your radar for your next group holiday.
To find rates and availability, check out our online booking system or get in touch with our friendly staff.
