Charter News
NEWS and NOTES on SAILING-VACATION OPPORTUNITIES
SAILTIME COMES TO ALABAMA’S MOBILE BAY
Sailtime Group, a fractional-boat-membership club, has opened a base along Alabama’s Gulf coast in the city of Fairhope. The base is situated at the municipal pier near the mouth of Fly Creek on the eastern shore of Mobile Bay.
Members can choose from a fleet of two sailboats and two powerboats. Sail models are a Beneteau Oceanis 30.1 and a Colgate 26; powerboats include a Jeanneau with twin Yamaha engines and a Sea Hunt 234 center-console runabout.
Included in membership fees are insurance, home dockage and regular boat maintenance. Franchise owner Christopher Jones has also added sailing instruction through the curriculum of the American Sailing Association. Founded in 2001 in Austin, Texas, Sailtime maintains a total of 29 bases in North America, Spain and Australia. For details, contact the company (sailtime.com/alabama).
ANOTHER SHARED OPTION
The Catamaran Company, with a base in the British Virgin Islands, has developed a fractional-yacht-ownership program. The arrangement, which includes five ownership shares in Bali-model multihulls at $99,000 each, offers participants periods of usage and relief from maintenance and servicing responsibilities. The annual operating costs such as insurance, dockage, annual haulout, and scheduled maintenance are largely covered by income from chartering the yacht. There are potential tax benefits as well. For details, contact the company (catamarans.com).
THE MOORINGS IN KEY WEST
Key West, Florida, is the newest base location for the Moorings, in partnership with Florida Yachts Charters. Sailors can book bareboat and skippered charter vacations from Stock Island Marina and Oceans Edge Resort & Marina aboard catamarans, monohulls and power cats. For details, contact the company (moorings.com).
BELIZE FLEET ADDITION
Nowhere, a 50-foot Fountaine Pajot Saba catamaran, has been added to the Belize Sailing Vacations fleet. The multihull’s expansive proportions include six air-conditioned cabins that include five with queensize bunks and one with a double bunk. The boat can accommodate nine adults or a party of 10 with children. The company is also offering resort packages that combine land and sea adventures. For details, contact the company (belizesailingvacations.com).
FLOTILLAS AHEAD
Upcoming Colgate Sailing Adventures flotillas through Offshore Sailing School include these destinations: St. Martin, January 22-29, 2022; Thailand, April 23-May 3, 2022; Croatia, June 18-28, 2022; Seychelles, August 20-30, 2022. For details, contact the company (offshoresailing.com).
CABIN OPENINGS IN THE PACIFIC, MED
Dream Yacht Charters has openings in its 2021 book-by-cabin program in Spain’s Balearic Islands in September and in the Society Islands of French Polynesia in November. The Balearic Islands charter offers a discount of 20 percent, while the Society Islands charter offers an incentive of 10 percent off the full rate. For dates and details, contact the company (dreamyachtcharter.com).
CRUISE MONTENEGRO WITH ASA
Join the ASA and flotilla leaders Jean and Mila De Keyser of Med Sailing Adventures on a cruise to Montenegro. This round-trip journey begins in Dubrovnik, Croatia, and stops in several locations in Montenegro, including the medieval walled city of Kotor. The trip, which runs September 25-October 2, starts at $1,750 per person for a double cabin aboard a monohull. Catamarans are also available. For more information, contact the company (asa.com/flotillas).