Please read our frequently asked questions and find an answer that will help you in your search for a vessel. Should you have any further questions, please feel free to contact us (via telephone, WhatsApp, chat..).
01. Which vessel type and size should I choose?
The choice of the vessel depends entirely on your wishes and preferences. Our offer includes the following vessel types:
- Sailing boats – excellent for both friends, or family and active vacation
- Catamarans – very stable and comfortable, ensure fast sailing
- Gulets – use the power of engine and sails to move; rented exclusively with the crew “captain”
Before choosing a vessel, please bear in mind the following details:
- How many people will be on board?
- Does your group consist of pairs who can share the same cabin or do some crew members require a separate cabin?
- Do you prefer comfort?
- Do you require a skipper or not? If you need skipper’s services, please bear in mind that the skipper sleeps on board as well, so one of the berths (either in the saloon area or in a cabin) should be reserved for him.
02. Sailing boat or catamaran?
The choice depends on your wishes and preferences. A Catamaran is an excellent choice for those with no sailing experience or for those who feel somewhat insecure sailing. It has two hulls, hence providing greater stability. Catamarans don’t lean more than 5° and offer greater comfort, spacious saloon area and cabins and somewhat faster sailing, since they have two engines. Modern catamarans have shallow draft in order to make the access to land and bays easier.
03. How do I book a vessel?
You can consult via mail about the vessel choice – we will prepare an offer for you, based upon your request. Should you prefer to choose a vessel on your own, you can do so by using our Online Database system.
After having chosen a vessel, we can reserve it for you for several days, with no obligation, giving you time to organize your travel plans (buying plane tickets, etc.) and arrange everything with your crew members.
04. Can I charter a vessel for less than a week?
Sailing yacht charters usually begin and end on Saturdays.
However, should you desire to take a several days long sailing trip in the off season (October – April), this can be organized and the price is then calculated according to the number of days spent on board.
During the high-season (in June, July and August, as well as the beginning of September and the end of May), we cannot deviate from our weekly charter system (Saturday – Saturday charter), since these are the busiest months for the charter companies and most weeks are sold out well in advance (therefore, the price is unlikely to be flexible and you would usually be charged for a full week of charter).
05. Do I have to hire a professional skipper?
If you have no sailing experience at all, or if you do not possess an officially recognized sailing licence, you are obliged to hire a skipper.
Even if you have experience in sailing but are not sure in your manoeuvring skills, it is strongly recommended to hire a professional skipper for at least several days, in order to make your cruise more relaxing. You can also benefit from the skippers’ local knowledge – they are well acquainted with the Mediterran region and will be able to suggest you the most interesting places for swimming and fun, as well as numerous restaurants.
We can reserve the skipper for you.
06. What qualifications do I need for a bareboat charter?
In the event of a bareboat charter (without the SailingEurope skipper) the client skipper must be in possession of a certificate of competence in order to charter a boat. It is also a legal requirement for one member of the crew to be qualified for the operation with the VHF station (posessing the VHF licence).
07. I have a licence for motor boats, is it valid for sailing yachts as well?
A licence issued for navigating motor boats can be accepted valid if it is clearly indicated that it can be used for navigating sailing boats as well. By all means send us a copy via email, so that we can check its validity with Spanish authorities.
E.g. licences issued in Italy can be used either for sailing boats only, or for motor boats only, or for both vessel types.
08. Are skipper’s services included in price?
Skipper’s services are paid separately from the charter fee. The guests are obliged to pay them (also those of a hostess or a cook) as well as food and drink for the skipper or the other crew members. Except in the Plans where it´s specified in the description.
09. Where does the skipper sleep?
In most cases the skipper sleeps in the salon area. However, it is strongly recommended to charter a bigger boat and provide the skipper with his own cabin. Since he is in charge of the day-to-day running of the yacht, as well as the security of people on board, he should be well-rested – apart from that, the guests will have more comfort and a free salon area to hang out.
Every vessel is registered for a certain number of people (the law does not allow this number to be exceeded) – if this number does not include a berth in the salon area, the skipper is required to have his own cabin.
10. Besides the charter fee, are there additional costs I should budget for?
Please check the additional costs for a sailing vacation at our conditions boats page.
11. Where should I berth, in a marina or in bays?
If you have enough electricity, water and food, you can spend the night in one of the numerous, well secluded bays along the Ibiza coast. If using the services of a skipper, you won’t have any problems finding the securest bays, since the skippers are well acquainted with the Mediterranean region. If navigating a vessel on your own, please feel free to contact us for help – we’ll gladly give you our suggestions about the safe bays in the maritime zone where you go sailing. You could also ask the personnel of the charter agency for some suggestions during your check-in procedure in the marina.
12. Technical equipment on board?
If having reserved a vessel through our website, please check the additional information on vessel equipment for every single boat in our offer. Should you need any further assistance, just contact us and we’ll send you a document quoting all the equipment on your chosen boat.
All boats in our offer have safety and navigation equipment as well as navigation maps.
13. Is bed linen, cutlery, etc. provided on board?
Bed linen (sheets, blankets, pillows) is provided on every vessel. Only few charter agencies provide towels as well, so by all means take your own with you (both beach towels).
Kitchen is equipped with stove, oven, fridge, sink, cooking utensils and cutlery.
Cleaning agents, dish cloths, etc. are not provided on board, but can be bought in stores in the marinas before boarding.
14. Which places should I visit?
If you don’t know which places to visit, please check some of our suggested routes and info on departure points of the vessels in our offer. We can also provide you with additional information about cultural sights, beaches, etc.
15. Children on board?
Children can go sailing with you from an early age – there is no age limit, however, their stay on board should be closely monitored by adults. Be sure to choose the safest cabin for a child (e.g. the front cabin) and a place for him/her to play. You can also put a safety net along the sides of the boat and children should by all means wear life vests. You should bring baby food along, since it cannot be bought in every supermarket within the marina. You should also consider choosing shorter routes and visiting marinas more frequently in order to provide safer berthing as well as comfort.
16. When should I return the vessel to the marina?
The vessels are returned to the base on Friday afternoon/evening with an overnight on board till Saturday morning between 8am and 9am, when the check-out procedure is done. At that time the guests should leave the boat, so that it can be cleaned and prepared for new guests. The vessel can also be returned to the base on Saturday, but make sure it is before 9am, in order for guests to have enough time to fill the tank before leaving the vessel
17. What happens if we are stuck elsewhere due to bad weather and fail to get the boat back in time?
We expect all our charterers to keep an eye on weather forecasts, via VHF every few hours on channel 16 and on display in every port or marina. This is a normal responsibility of a skipper when sailing anywhere. We would then expect an appropriate course of action in order to get the boat back, but do not want or expect the skipper to sail in conditions which are beyond the capabilities of the crew or the boat. We would , in these circumstances expect the skipper to contact us as soon as the situation arises, and we will arrange a professional skipper to bring the boat back to our base at the charterers’ cost.