Enter your email address:
Delivered by FeedBurner
Any information shared on Free Money Finance does not constitute financial advice. The Website is intended to provide general information only and does not attempt to give you advice that relates to your specific circumstances. You are advised to discuss your specific requirements with an independent financial adviser. Per FTC guidelines, this website may be compensated by companies mentioned through advertising, affiliate programs or otherwise. All posts are © 2005-2011, Free Money Finance. var linkwithin_site_id = 29040;
« Winning My Battle with Debt with Contests |Main| Star Money Articles and Carnivals for the Week of Sept 19 »Taking a Private Boat VacationA few weeks ago my kids and I were watching House Hunters on Vacation when the family had the normal choice of which of three places to stay in for a week. Only one of the choices was non-traditional. Instead of a house it was a large yacht -- complete with its own crew (two people, I believe). We all immediately said how cool the ship was and that we would pick it if the choice was ours. So we were happy when the family selected it as well.
Given that experience, I was interested to read Smart Money's take on private boat vacations. The basic idea is that people rent boats -- either with or without a crew -- and spend their vacations on them instead of in a hotel.
I actually considered this option as I've looked at our Caribbean vacation. It might be something we do one day, but I think the cruise will work better for now. Why? Because the "renting a ship" idea is:
Limits what you can do (you have fewer choices of non-boating activities)
Won't get to as many of the islands we'd like to see
That said, there are a lot of pros to renting your own boat (and crew -- I wouldn't rent just the boat since I know little about boating) such as flexibility to go where you want when you want, a week on the water (CLOSE to the water -- not like on a cruise liner), and so forth. In addition, with the poor economy Smart Money says that boat operators are more willing to negotiate, making this a more reasonable option price-wise.
Has anyone ever taken a boat vacation (or looked at doing so)? What did/didn't you like about it? Any tips for the rest of us?
You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.
I have not done this and have no tips, but this is totally my dream. I'm looking to get a sailing certification soon, and want to rent boats locally for recreation thereafter, but I'd absolutely love to go spend a week or 2 sailing the Caribbean in a 40-foot boat once I get some experience.
Posted by:Jonathan |September 22, 2011 at 06:52 PMVacationing on a boat? Count me in!! This sounds great!
Posted by:The Calculator Dude |September 22, 2011 at 10:19 PMA friend did this. Four families on a nice boat on a fishing-oriented trip somewhere in either northern Minnesota or Canada (if I remember correctly). They LOVED it.
I believe that he said it came out at about the same cost as a cabin on a lake in the same area.
Posted by:Mike |September 23, 2011 at 03:38 AMI did this! In the 1990's out in Seattle, I rented a large sailboat with 7 other graduate students for a week. We sailed up into the Straits of Juan de Fuca (Canada) and back. I think the rental cost was something about $800 per person--around $6500 in 1991.
It was really an adventure, but looking back now I think we were not aware of the potential dangers! I'm not sure I would do this again.
The Straits are really beautiful but are also home to major shipping traffic that smaller craft have to avoid, thousands of tiny islands and shoals, channels and currents that make navigation treacherous, and water that is very cold making survival problematic if you capsize. Also storms are common. A couple of my friends were experienced sailors and I guess they had some charts and things and had thought it through--I sure didn't--I was just along for the ride.
But we had a problem with the boat's motor not being in good condition--typical rental I guess. The motor failed altogether one night as we were trying to navigate against the wind around a point, during a storm. We couldn't make it around the point, or to any harbor, with just sails in the gale, so we dropped anchor and, after waiting in the dark for about 4 hours on a bucking boat in 30 foot seas for the storm to die down (it didn't), we finally had to radio for rescue by the coast guard. Thankfully the radio worked at least and they came and towed us in to safety. Besides the danger it put us in, it took us 2 days to get the motor repaired before we could going again.
If I ever did this again, it better be a really new boat! Hiring at least one crew member with the boat would be a good idea too.
Posted by:KH |September 23, 2011 at 04:54 AMI have not tried to rent a boat, but I have been on both Caribbean and Bahamas cruises. I don't go for too much adventure so I think I would prefer it rather than the boat experience.
Posted by:Cherleen @ yesiamcheap |September 23, 2011 at 08:57 PM Verify your Comment Previewing your CommentPosted by: |This is only a preview. Your comment has not yet been posted.
Your comment could not be posted. Error type: Your comment has been posted. Post another comment The letters and numbers you entered did not match the image. Please try again. As a final step before posting your comment, enter the letters and numbers you see in the image below. This prevents automated programs from posting comments.
Having trouble reading this image? View an alternate.
Your Information
(Name is required. Email address will not be displayed with the comment.)
Name is required to post a comment
Please enter a valid email address
Invalid URL
Site Sponsors
Popular Deals
Best Cash Back Credit CardsBest Credit Card Deals and Bonuses
$600 Cash Bonus Credit Card
$200 Bonus on Top-Rated Cash Back Credit Card
$100 Bonus + 6% Cash Back on Groceries
About FMFAbout FMF
Ad & Affiliate Policy
Advertise on FMF
Archives and Categories
Ask a Question
Contact Me
FMF on Facebook
Newsletter
Policies at FMF
Reviews of FMF
Subscribe by RSS
Subscribe via Email
Troll Bait
Twitter Site
Write for FMF
Recent PostsFinancial Strategy #1: Planning for RetirementReader Profile: RoseStar Money Articles and Carnivals for the Week of Sept 19Taking a Private Boat VacationWinning My Battle with Debt with Contests Over 50% of Americans in Bad Financial ShapeReader Profile: GBIs Your Wallet Too Fat?Merit Alone May Not Get You that PromotionOne Fee It May be Worth PayingRecent CommentsDoctor Help on Help a Reader: Late Doctor Bill08graduate on Reader Profile: RoseTan on Win $50 from SmartyPig!Tan on Win Another a Box of Books!Tan Nguyen on Win a Box of Books!Mark on Reader Profile: GBKaseyD on Reader Profile: RoseMark on Reader Profile: RoseCherleen @ yesiamcheap on Taking a Private Boat Vacationkrantcents on Star Money Articles and Carnivals for the Week of Sept 19ArchivesSeptember 2011August 2011July 2011June 2011May 2011April 2011March 2011February 2011January 2011December 2010More...Money Blogs20 Something Finance
2million
Accumulating Money
All Financial Matters
Best of Money Carnival
Bargain Babe
BBB Consumer News and Opinion
Best of Money Carnival
Blogging Away Debt
Budgeting in the Fun Stuff
Build Your Own House
Canadian Capitalist
Canadian Finance Blog
Canadian Financial Stuff
CheapScholar
Clever Dude
Don't Mess With Taxes
Eliminate The Muda
Everybody Loves Your Money
Everyday Tips and Thoughts
Everything Finance
Finally Frugal
Finance Professor
Financial Highway
Financial Rounds
Free By 50
Frugal Confessions
FX Madness
Generation X Finance
Graduated Learning
Green Panda Treehouse
How to Manage Money Tips
It's Your Money
Live Real, Now
Make Love, Not Debt
Mapgirl's Fiscal Challenge
Marotta on Money
Master Your Card
Mighty Bargain Hunter
Money Reasons
Money Smart Life
Money Tips Network
Mortgage Loan Information
My 1st Million at 33
My Budget 360
My Dollar Plan
My Financial Journey
My Personal Finance Journey
My Wealth Builder
No Credit Needed
PFBlogs
Provident Planning
Roth IRA Blog
Saving Money Today
Shoeboxed
Sound Mind Investing
Stop Buying Crap
The Dividend Guy
The Penny Saved
The Simple Dollar
The Sun’s Financial Diary
Tight Fisted Miser
Top Money and Finance Tips
Tough Money Love
Very Smart Investing
Wealth from the Bible
Wise Bread
Stats
document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + (document.location.protocol == "https:" ? "https://sb" : "http://b") + ".scorecardresearch.com/beacon.js'%3E%3C/script%3E"));COMSCORE.beacon({ c1: 2, c2: "6035669", c3: "", c4: "http://www.freemoneyfinance.com/2011/09/taking-a-private-boat-vacation.html", c5: "", c6: "", c15: ""});
No comments:
Post a Comment