I have been a diligent charterer ever since I had my first sailing experiences in the eighties. From the simple and open Falk to the bulbous Bavaria family yacht, everything has been included over the last few decades. Whether a 3-week cruise in the Mediterranean or a short weekend holiday in Friesland. With and without family.
The rituals at the beginning and end of the charter usually repeat themselves. Takeover with inventory list – maybe a complaint, then lose as little time as possible, go shopping, pack the boat and off you go. In the worst case scenario, you end up with an old boat with a maintenance backlog or, as happened to me once in Greece, with poorly sealed damage to the hull. If you haven’t already planned at home, at least the first few days of the trip are left to chance.
After setting off, you realise that the required set of charts, or today the electronic nautical chart data, is not on board for the planned sailing area. The radio has a loose connection or the autopilot gives up the ghost on day 2. Perhaps the mainsail is still jammed on the furler because the reefing system has not been serviced….
The return then becomes a real stress. Maybe the arrival didn’t work out as planned, the weather, a bascule bridge or you simply overslept. The other charterers were quicker and now you’re sitting there, packing your wet clothes into the car and waiting for the inspection. Maybe the black water tank is clogged. And then the diver is also late… Worried about the deposit and then straight into the car and onto the motorway. Some of the relaxation I’ve gained is already gone again.
In the meantime I have decided on a project, the boat – the SUN – has been bought and now has to be transferred from Brittany to Bremen in the 2024 season. The boat is about 30 years old and has been somewhat neglected in recent years. So I will now be travelling to Brittany at Easter and, together with my good friend Bodo, preparing the transfer trip, which is planned for May ’24. From anti-fouling and engine maintenance to new electrics and navigation electronics, we have a lot planned. I have also already invested heavily in safety technology. The list of work is already quite long. I’m looking forward to seeing what we achieve. In the meantime, I’ve accumulated a lot of tools and materials. We’ll have to use the van to get everything to the boat.