Formal qualifications aren't required to hire a bareboat in Queensland, however some nautical knowledge is. On the morning of departure at 8:30am, the two most experienced people will be briefed on the safe operation of the vessel, passage planning, navigation and hazzards to be aware of and a practical assessment on laying and picking up the anchor, picking up, securing and dropping moorings and hoisting, tacking and dropping the sails (if applicable). This can take up to 4 hours, so having some nautical experience will help demonstrate to us your competence in operating the vessel in a safe manner.
For $200, you can hire your briefer for an additional 2 hours if you have some experience but has been quite some time since you have handled a vessel, or you can have a full time sail guide for the duration of your charter for $375 per day (private cabin and catering provided by the charter guests).
Partnering with NAVatHOMEAustralia, the Introductory Navigation and Skipper Course is the perfect introduction to helming your own yacht around the Whitsundays. Covering basic navigation fundamentals and chartwork, tidal height calculations, use of on board safety equipment and weather systems, this online course can be used to prepare for your charter and later upgrade to a Royal Yachting Association (RYA) accredited Day Skipper.
Take our informal test below and see how you score on your level of experience.
