Sailing for beginners: How to make your first charter a success!

1. choose a district that matches the experience

Off to the sunny south is the motto for many crews on their first charter. However, the Mediterranean also has areas that can be challenging, such as the entire Aegean Sea due to the Meltemis in summer. The local Baltic Sea can also have its pitfalls in a bad summer. There are areas that make it easy for beginners due to manageable weather risks, dense infrastructure and short distances. These include Croatia, the Ionian Sea from Lefkas or Mallorca. The booking period is also important: the early pre-season up to mid-May and from the end of September can be more challenging with unstable weather conditions in many areas. On the other hand, in the absolute high season from July to around mid-August, it can get quite crowded in some areas. If you want a marina berth, you have to arrive in the early afternoon or even spend the night at anchor. This applies to Mallorca, popular harbours in Dalmatia, Sardinia and Corsica, for example.

Read also:

• Sailing for beginners: how to get out on the water
• Entry: These licences are for basic and advanced training in sailing
• What beginners should learn before their first trip

2. keep an eye on ancillary costs

What many charter novices sometimes underestimate are the costs that can be added to an offer: flat-rate charter fees, compulsory deposit insurance, final cleaning, surcharges for towels, bed linen or outboard motors, area fees such as the Croatian permit or national park fees. Airport transfers have also risen dramatically in recent years due to the sharp increase in taxi prices. This can quickly add up to 500, 600 or even more euros. Sometimes this is the difference between a supposedly cheap offer and an "expensive" one.

3. do not go for lowest-price charters

Anyone skippering for the first time has enough to do with the premiere. A poorly maintained yacht is the last thing the crew needs. So don't necessarily hunt for the cheapest boat on the internet, but rather contact an established charter agency and make it clear that you are a first-timer and want a really well-maintained boat from a reputable company that is known to provide good service. This is usually reflected in the quality of the check-in at the base. If you want to save money, there are 10-20 per cent early booking discounts almost everywhere before the turn of the year.

4. short distances on the last day

Another classic problem is that too many miles are planned for the last day, possibly high upwind. Poorly furling sails and disappointing tacking angles sometimes make this more time-consuming than expected. Returning to the bases is often sometime in the late afternoon. Unexpectedly bad or flat weather then puts the crew under unnecessary time pressure on the way back to base. In addition, there is a long queue at the petrol station in some harbours, especially in the high season. It's already stressful. It's better to plan a manageable route and perhaps make a nice swimming stop just before the base.

5. bring the mooring line to tension

In Mediterranean marinas, mooring lines at the bow are standard, but often only one. If you simply sail into the gap, hand over the stern lines, leave a rather short distance directly to the crossing and then only push the mooring line through by hand, there may not be enough tension for any stronger onshore winds that may set in.

It is better to let the boat slide forwards another metre or two when both stern lines and the mast are clear for mooring. Set the stern lines to slip. Then tie up the mooring ring and bring it under tension with the engine backwards until the distance is correct and the stern lines are tied up. If the resistance of the mooring ring is too great, release the throttle and loosen the mooring ring slightly.

6. get tips from a professional

If you have little practical experience and have perhaps only obtained a recreational boating licence or SKS from a standing start, you can book a skipper training course before a trip. These are available as extended weekend events or week-long trips. Together with other beginners, you can practise harbour manoeuvres, reefing or anchoring correctly. Things that are sometimes neglected during training. Without the pressure of the exam in the background, such courses are less stressful than many people think. They are almost always money well spent, costing around 500 to 700 euros. With many charter companies, you can also book a skipper for the first day who will go out with you, explain the boat and practise. This usually costs around 250 euros.

7. check the weather daily

In areas such as Croatia, the Balearic Islands or Italy, strong winds or storm fronts occur from time to time, even in the middle of summer, causing chaos and damage to yachts, especially in anchor bays. It should not be forgotten that the ever-increasing air and water temperatures also bring more energy into the atmosphere.

Sometimes crews are caught out when they are lulled by the seemingly beautiful, stable summer weather and have not seen or taken seriously enough the severe weather warnings that are almost always available in advance. Therefore, a daily check of the forecast for the coming days is a must.

8. do not choose a boat that is too large

It's tempting: you've made the right impression, a bunch of friends want to join you, so it has to be a four-cabin yacht over the 45-foot limit. But those who have only been co-sailors or have only chartered boats well under 40 feet often fail to realise the challenges that larger yachts bring with them. In the harbours, the space for manoeuvring is much tighter, there is usually much more technology on board and greater forces are at work everywhere. Due to their volume, modern charter yachts of this size are quite a handful. Although the handling is basically the same, the size can also be intimidating. It is better to start below the 40-foot limit.

9. appoint a co-skipper, not too many inexperienced crew members

If you are skippering for the first time, you should not only have completely inexperienced fellow sailors on board who may not be seaworthy. Ideally, there should also be a fellow sailor on board who has already sailed on trips like the one you are planning or, ideally, has a licence themselves. This crew member is then chosen as the (unofficial) co-skipper and also takes part in the check-in. Decisions about navigation and routing can then be discussed. However, one thing must be clear: only one person can be the skipper, as this person ultimately bears sole responsibility.

10. distribute tasks among the crew

A common mistake made by beginner skippers on a charter is to put all the responsibility on their own shoulders. However, many tasks can be distributed among the crew at the beginning of the trip. Is there enough water in the tanks? Are all relevant sea valves and hatches properly closed after the start? Is everything safely stowed below deck? Have the holding tanks been emptied on the high seas if necessary? Do provisions need to be bought? The novice skipper does not have to think about such things in addition to his many unfamiliar tasks.

11. take out skipper liability and bonding insurance

A scratch when mooring, a bent railing support, damage caused by operating errors: inexperienced skippers must be aware of their responsibility. They are responsible for returning the boat and crew unharmed. It is therefore advisable to take out skipper's liability insurance (usually for less than 100 euros), which covers risks that are difficult to calculate. And as bail amounts have been increasing worldwide for years, the crew should take out bail insurance and share the costs.

12. all defects in the handover protocol

Anyone who notices scratches, flaws in the gelcoat, sink marks in the bow or stern pulpit or missing equipment at check-in should definitely write these down in the handover report. Because sometimes the charter base staff play down supposedly minor issues. The damage was caused by the pre-crew and is known. If another colleague comes on board at check-out and takes a closer look, they can only go by what is written in the log. This always leads to unpleasant discussions. Therefore: It is better to enter too much than too little and ask for a copy of the log signed by the base crew.

13. prepare for check-in

During the first independent charter check-in of a lifetime, the skipper is bombarded with a lot of information: the boat's special features, technical equipment, instruments, what is stowed where - often a lot is different than on the training yacht. Explanations from the base staff, sometimes under time pressure in English, a lot goes in one ear and out the other. Therefore: Have your co-skipper with you and write down important facts or dictate them into your smartphone, because four eyes see more than two. A personalised check-in list can also be very helpful; there are many templates available on the internet.

14. have a plan B for the route you have planned

Before the trip, every crew has an idea of where they want to go: short trips or long ones, into the harbour or lots of anchoring, the planned highlights of the trip. But sometimes it just doesn't work out: too much wind or none at all, from the wrong direction, thunderstorms, crowded harbours, no more buoys available, the crew wants to stay somewhere longer - whatever. As a skipper, you should remain flexible and have a plan B in mind, especially for longer passages or late arrivals. Having to stick to a sailing plan in the face of adverse conditions can also put a strain on the mood on board.

15 Don't stress too much if you make a mistake

Don't forget: sailing is an experience-based sport. Every new skipper makes mistakes, be it in manoeuvres, handling the equipment or dealing with the crew. Even the best have done so. Of course, the first gelcoat scratch hurts, the first completely botched manoeuvre is unpleasant. The important thing is to take a deep breath and stay calm. And learn from your mistakes. Afterwards, discuss with the crew what went wrong, don't apportion blame one-sidedly and think positively about how things can go better next time. For example, abort a manoeuvre that goes wrong in good time if it can still be done safely. Then your fellow sailors will be happy to join you again.

16. check-in for crew

Once the skipper has taken over the boat, he sometimes has a lot on his mind and forgets that his fellow sailors also need to be at an acceptable level for the trip. What does everyone need to know? Of course, emergency equipment, personal safety equipment and general safety rules for the skipper. But also: How do the toilets work, what stopcocks are there, where are the gas valves? How do the radio (DSC), hatches and anchor controls work? The trick for the skipper is to correctly assess the experience level of his fellow sailors and instruct them accordingly. It is best to think about this before the trip. Checklists for this can also be found on www.yacht.de.

17. have an open ear for your fellow sailors

Yachts can act like social magnifying glasses: tensions often arise more quickly in confined spaces than on land. One person doesn't like the fact that another never washes up, the next wants longer swimming stops, others don't like sailing in bad weather. A good skipper pays attention to disagreements and pointed remarks and tries to resolve conflicts at an early stage. In order to avoid clashes between crew members and perhaps the skipper at some point - especially in the second week of the charter - you should ask around before making decisions about the time of departure, daily schedules or similar. Not everyone's needs are always compatible, but if everyone feels seen and heard, that's half the battle.

18. coordinate and prepare manoeuvres well, clear allocation of roles

If the moorings or other manoeuvres are poorly planned, charter crews involuntarily become the main actors in the harbour cinema. Sometimes crews come into the harbour without fenders, lines and boat hooks ready, or everyone stands around on deck at a loss and doesn't really know what exactly they have to do. You should therefore give the crew precise instructions before the manoeuvre: What kind of manoeuvre is about to take place? Who will be doing which task? Which lines and fenders are needed? It is also often apparent that the skipper or crew do not know what effect the wind will have during the manoeuvre. What are the important windward lines? Does the manoeuvre have to be quick because the wind is unfavourable? Then, of course, put the best people in the critical positions. And as the skipper, be prepared for where the boat will drift when it comes to a standstill.

19. anchor carefully

A classic case: you only want to anchor for a quick swim and because you want to continue afterwards, anchoring is a bit careless. And then the crew wants to stay longer after all. But in the meantime, the bay has become more crowded. If the wind picks up or shifts, this can quickly lead to slipping harnesses. Therefore, always anchor as if you want to stay: put in enough chain for the water depth, bring in the iron gently and then pull once at a speed of around 2,000 rpm to see if it holds and the land bearing is correct.

20. inform about challenges in the district

The differences between the charter destinations can be greater than some skippers think: Baltic Sea sailors suddenly have to moor with the stern and know how to handle mooring lines in the Mediterranean, Greek novices have to use the anchor in the middle of the harbour, in Italy there are many harbours with floating docks, in Scandinavia even stern buoys. In the Mediterranean, you often have to register in marinas by radio. In addition to such labelling issues, however, there are also practical matters, such as the weather: bora in Croatia, meltemi in Greece, mistral in France and Italy - all of these occur even during the most beautiful holiday season. A good skipper therefore checks websites and printed area guides in advance to be prepared.