sailscotland 2020

CHARTER AND SAILING SCHOOLS

class service to their customers. Booking through an ASYC member should give you peace of mind and, in the unlikely event of there being a problem with your holiday, they provide a free arbitration service. A typical bareboat or skippered charter duration is 7 days, with the changeover day usually being a Friday or Saturday. Multiple week bookings are welcomed by most companies and allow the sailor to venture further west and north to more remote waters. High season tends to run from May until August. Most companies are also keen to promote long weekend charters which are mainly available during the less busy times of the season (March, April, September, October). It is worth noting that demand in the summer months is high and you usually need to book early to get the yacht of your choice. The majority of yacht charter companies also offer skippered charters. A bareboat charter with skipper might appeal to a group of competent sailors who are new to Scottish waters or to newly qualified skippers or mixed-ability groups. On a

skippered charter, the charter group will usually organise their own provisioning of the yacht and ensure that the skipper is catered for and there is plenty of space for him/her to sleep. For those who prefer a dedicated skipper to organise everything and to have first- class food included in your holiday, please refer to the Sailing Holidays section of this magazine. Scotland is one of the safest places to sail. A significant difference between Scottish charter companies and those further afield is that all charter boats operating in UK coastal waters have to be ‘coded’ by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. This means that a vessel has to maintain a high standard of safety equipment on board, such as life jackets, life raft, flares and fire extinguishers, with the further condition that the equipment is regularly serviced. Coding also provides a means by which different vessels are categorised as to the distance they may be sailed from a recognised safe haven or harbour. Most charter boats in Scotland are coded to MCA Category 2, which means that they can sail up to 60nm from a safe haven.

Others may be coded to Category 1, allowing them to undertake passages of 120nm. A few are Category 0 which allows them to cross oceans. All of the cruising areas in this brochure are reachable in a yacht which is coded to Category 2. Crews wishing to venture further afield, perhaps to the Faroes or Norway, will need a boat which is coded to Category 1. Sail Scotland’s yacht charter member companies are always delighted to welcome newcomers to sailing or to the area and to discuss their specific requirements with them. It’s all about making your sailing dreams come true! For more details of which services each individual yacht charter company offers please refer to the list at the back of this brochure. RYA COURSES Joining an RYA course in Scotland offers you the opportunity to learn new skills in an iconic sailing area. It also equips you with the qualifications required to hire a yacht as a skipper on a bareboat charter. As you expand your skills and knowledge, you’re sure to find

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