Tell me what crew you are, I’ll tell you what boat you sail with

Choosing the right boat to charter for your needs is not super easy. You must first evaluate who you are going on vacation with, then choose the right type of boat. We have identified four types of crew: family with children, family with older children, couples, group of friends, to help you figure out which boat is right for you. If, once you finish this article, you still have any doubts, click here to find the proposals and references of 26 of the most reliable charter companies we have selected for you!

FAMILY WITH CHILDREN
First tip, avoid letting children sleep on the dinette couches. In case there are not enough cabins, it will be better for an adult to use these bunks. The dinette is the usual nighttime outlet for those who suffer from insomnia, the skipper who wants to check if the anchor is holding well or not, and those who want to get up late reading without disturbing their cabin mate. In general then to spend a cheerful evening in the dinette without time nagging. The ideal family boat with young children must then have a large and functional kitchen area.
This type of crew eats more frequently on board since children at a certain time in the evening inevitably collapse from sleep and any transshipments by tender can become problematic. As far as the deck is concerned, it is essential that there is a wide swim platform at the stern that facilitates rising from the sea. Needed, it goes without saying, is a bimini top (the fixed awning that shelters from the sun and/or rain) that covers the cockpit well. Better then a boat with simplified equipment. The fewer blocks, rails, and lines on deck, the less chance of falls and accidents for children. Theoretically, the ideal boat is a catamaran, which, in addition, has no heel in sailing.

FAMILY WITH OLDER CHILDREN
Ideal situation to widen the choice as much as possible. Given the intimacy among household members, overcrowding may take a back seat. You can prioritize the spaciousness of individual rooms instead of having many separate small cabins. You may favor a sport boat, which allows high performance at the expense perhaps of some comfort.

THE COUPLES.
Golden rule, each couple must have its own cabin with its own toilet room. Then pay attention to the size of each cabin. Almost always one is different from the other. It is good that by carefully looking at the interior floor plan, you choose the occupants of each in advance. Then watch out for the bunks, they can be single or double. In case there are two single berth cabins, we suggest you take turns or …draw lots.

A GROUP OF FRIENDS
This is usually the situation where you cram the boat to its maximum capacity. With fewer requirements and a greater spirit of adaptation, you can aim for a more spartan boat with lower costs or a truly sporty one if you want to enjoy sailing. The advice is to favor a hull with a large cockpit, where you can all sit and have fun and, why not, sleep under the stars with a light sleeping bag. Experience shows that a vacation with a group of friends choosing two smaller boats instead of one larger one is a good choice. Crew members can be swapped, in case of different sailing choices or in the times of living on board, help each other in case of breakdown, engage in impromptu “match racing.”

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