There’s no question that sailboats require a lot of kit, and that reality often makes gift giving for the sailors in our lives as easy as a trip through the latest gear catalogue or a clean sweep of the specials at the fall shows. But the best gifts are about doing stuff, rather than getting stuff, about experiences rather than material goodies. Giving someone the opportunity to become a better sailor or spending time on the water with people we love are two of the best gifts you can give or get, and we’ve focused on short-term chartering and sailing education as two great ways to make those things happen during this gift-giving season. Often, the two go hand in hand, as many charter operations are linked to sailing schools in which people can learn the basics and then try them on a charter. What follows is by no means an exhaustive list, but it’s a good place to start getting inspired.
Closer-to-Home Chartering
Most people hear “charter” and immediately think bareboat in blue water, island time, BVI, or pick your exotic, faraway destination. Which is all great, of course, but trips like these do require a commitment of time, money, airplanes, and logistics that make it harder to knock one out as a surprise gift. What if you could find a closer-to-home charter option that’s easier to plan and carry out and doesn’t hit the wallet as hard? Turns out, there are many possibilities.
“Most of our people don’t go to BVI; they’re coming here to relax. They want to take some family time,” says Lana Lohe, head of customer service at Dream Yacht Charter’s Annapolis base. Boats available for charter here include monohulls from 40 to 46 feet and multihulls up to 50 feet. “We get a lot of people from New York, DC, Virginia—people who are tired of being in the city, and they just want to be
