CHOOSE YOUR BOAT
A rubber dinghy or even a small motor boat is the perfect choice for those who want to enjoy a fast and fun sea excursion, in a short time it will be possible to reach the nearest bay and start the holiday immediately. A sailing boat is recommended for those wishing to explore the islands and the coast, while enjoying the sea in all its facets and with a pinch of adventure between anchoring and sailing. A catamaran is the ideal choice for those who want stability, the comfort of large spaces and liveability on board.
In Sicily it is possible to enjoy the good weather almost 365 days a year, however the ideal period is from April to October, both for the stability of the weather and for the winds that accompany the navigation of sailboats and catamarans. The choice of the exact period will then depend on various factors: for those looking for warm temperatures and nightlife, July and August are the ideal months. The spring and autumn period are suitable for those looking for more tranquility, more affordable prices and pleasant temperatures.
Maxi-ribs and small motor boats are perfect for day or even half day excursions and they are also the most easily rented for short periods. Sailboats and catamarans, on the other hand, are rented generally for weekly cruises, but during the low season it is possible to rent even for short periods, though the itineraries to the Egadi or Aeolian islands are better suited for a medium-long holiday duration, exploring the coast of Sicily is a good option. In general the standard period of a weekly boarding on sailboat and catamrans runs from Saturday afternoon to the following Saturday morning, with the return on Friday evening for check-out operations.
No, it is not always necessary! If you want to rent a rib or small motor boat, for example, it is not necessary up to a certain length and engine power. Many rubber and small motor boats can be driven without a license. You must just be of legal age. Even sailing boats under ten meters or with engines under 40 HP can be rented without a license. For sailing boats, catamarans and larger inflatables, however, a nautical license is required to take command. However, not having a license is not an obstacle to a sailing holiday, we can in fact reccommend the service of a professional skipper who will navigate in your stead.
Yes, it is possible! What you search for is a cabin charter vacation. A type of rental, which is typical of the world of chartering of sailing boats or catamarans. In the case of cabin charter, it is possible to book a single cabin or even a single berth on board in a shared cabin. Not all offer cabin charters, however it is possible to find this type of boarding throughout the summer season, both on sailing boats and on catamarans with departures from the main Sicilian ports. In the case of a cabin charter, a skipper will always be on board, for the management of the boat and the organization of the group. However, there are also luxury cabin charters, which offer cabin charter on particularly luxurious boats with a crew made up of skipper, hostesse and sometimes also a chef.
It is possible to put an option, which means that you can ask to keep a preference on the chosen boat for a few days, usually for a maximum of three. During this period, it will be possible to decide on whether to book, find flights and generally organize the voyage, without risking losing the booking priority over others who might make a similar request. Asking for an option does not imply a monetary commitment, however it must also be taken in consideration that the selected boat will be rendered unavailable for other bookings over the period of the option.
With the e-mail confirming your booking, you will receive the contract for the boat, a pro-forma invoice with all the payment details and bank details. In addition, you will also receive information on the port of embarkation, direct contacts for the staff at the base, files to fill in for the crew list and other useful information for your arrival at the pick up point.
Additional costs are listed as mandatory extras, extras on request and services. The list of mandatory extras and upon request can be found in the data sheet of each boat. In addition, you must take into account the costs of mooring, fuel and food during the holiday, which are not included in the rental price.
Some extras can be paid on the spot with Visa, MasterCard or cash, while others can only be paid in cash.
A security deposit, is mandatory for the rental of a sailboat or catamaran, while it is not for the rental of small dinghies and motor boats and is mostly not requested by cabin charters. It is to be left in the form of a pre-authorization on a credit card to ensure coverage of any damage to the boat. The deposit will be unlocked automatically or manually, after the final disembarkation and the final check-out of the boat. The security deposit can be paid by pre-authorization on a credit card Visa or MasterCard, or also left partly in cash.
Making an insurance on the security deposit is a good alternative to the simple security deposit. Infact in some cases, it is possible to ask to take out an additional insurance to lower the deposit. In this case a sum will be paid, usually 10% of the initial deposit, which will be non-reimbursable and the pre-authorization on the credit card will be reduced to 20% of the security deposit. This also means that the maximum amount of compensation to the shipowning company in the event of damage will be reduced. The sum left by credit card, as a security deposit for the boat, will always be refundable at the end of the holiday, unless there has been damage to the boat attributable to the guests and not due to a technical failure.
Payments are to be made mainly by bank transfer, however in some cases it is also possible to proceed with credit card.
Contact our customer service at +39 3920307143 or by e-mail at info@sicilyseasearch.it. We will assist you immediately.
ON DEPARTURE
If your holiday will take place on a rubber dinghy, then you will only need to bring a few things with you, such as sunscreen, sunglasses, a pair of summer shoes with rubber soles, a spare swimsuit, a beach towel – unless you requested it as an extra to be found on board – and if the day extends until sunset, then you will need to have a warmer, long-sleeved garment with you. At sea, it is always a little colder than on land after sunset, due to the evening thermal excursion. The same also applies to a sailing or catamaran holiday, bring everything you need for a summer holiday with you! Swimwear and flip-flops, cover-ups and some outfits for evening walks in the islands, where however the looks are always very casual. It will not be necessary to bring with you shoes with heels – with which in any case you cannot board a boat or walk on the cobbled streets of the islands – and not even an entire collection of shirts and ties, since even the most exclusive clubs allow more casual looks, which are much more frequent and practical on the islands than the more chic alternatives. Also bring sunscreen, eco-friendly shampoos and soaps with you. The sea will thank you!
The airports of Sicily are located in Palermo, Catania and Trapani. They are all very well served by airlines and depending on the embarkation base it is preferable to choose one rather than the other, although in the absence of alternatives the distances are still feasible. For the base of Palermo, the reference airport is Falcone-Borsellino in Punta Raisi, about 30 minutes away from the center. If you have to get to the base in Marsala, on the other hand, the closest airport is Trapani-Birgi, just 20 minutes away by car. For the base of Portorosa, the reference airports are Palermo Punta Raisi and Catania Fontanarossa. At any time we can also organize a transfer from the airport to the departure base for you.
The boarding time depends on the type of boat chosen and is usually indicated in the contract, or also specified in the offer of the baot. For dinghies, it is usually 9.30 am on the chosen day: delivery, check-in or boat explanation – is generally very fast, both because dinghies and small motor boats do not require long explanations, and because otherwise there will be a skipper who will take care of everything. The delivery of sailing boats and catamarans, on the other hand, is contractually scheduled from 18:00, although check-in usually begin in the early afternoon. It is also possible to anticipate boarding by requesting the priority boarding service, with delivery starting at 14:00, against the payment of a supplement. With check-in sailing companies intend the procedure of technical explanation of the boat and control check of the equipment, it is usually reserved for sailboat and catamaran, especially in bareboat rent formula, and takes a longer time depending on the complexity and size of the chosen boat.
The return to the dock for the rrubber and small motor boats is scheduled for 18.00 o’clock, however it is possible to request to postpone the return to 20.00 o’clock, as a maximum delay, upon payment of a supplement. The return to the base for rental sailing boats and catamarans is expected by 17.00 o’clock on the Friday before the last day of the holiday. The boat must be returned to the dock with a full tank of diesel to be done at the bunkering station of the port of disembarkation. Upon return to the base, a technical check-out of the boat will be carried out, the presence on board of all the equipment delivered at check-in will be checked, the general condition of the boat and all technical and mechanical equipment will be checked. After the overnight stay, the final disembarkation is expected by 8:30 the following morning (Saturday). However, the departure ports also offer the opportunity to enjoy a last evening in company and then unfortunately it will be necessary to pack your bags, collect your personal belongings for the return to life on land before your next boat holiday!
As for the inflatable boats and small motor boats, the berth at the departure base is always included, moreover the boats must always be returned to the dock by evening. For sailing boats and catamarans, the first and last night of mooring at the departure bases are included in the rental price. All other nights are not included and the payment and the request for the berth must be made directly to the relevant marina staff, just like during the rest of the charter tour.
On board the boats there is no type of food, no cleaning detergents or other consumable items. Therefore, before leaving for a vacation, especially if it is a medium-long term vacation, it will be necessary to visit a supermarket to stock up on drinks and food, in nautical terms, to make provisions. In all marinas there are supermarkets and various shops where you can make purchases before departure, mostly even with some form of pick-up delivery service. However, if you do not wish to waste time queuing for purchases, you can take advantage of the galley service: you will receive a Provisioning List – i.e. a shopping list – where you can indicate what you want to buy with the relative quantities, and comfortably receive everything directly on board before your departure, paying only a small supplement on the total purchased.
The answer is yes! Even if it is always preferable to carry luggage that can be easily folded, such as bags or soft fabric and not bulky luggage, also because the wheels of suitcases and rigid suitcases in general can damage the wood of the boats. In any case, the departure bases have a deposit, where it is possible to stock rigid luggage accordingly to the available space at the moment of departure. However, it is advisable to consult the staff at the base in advance to confirm how much deposit space you can take up per single boat.
All bases have free parking spaces in the streets adjacent to the access. Some also have internal spots in the marinas, both free and with a fee. There is also the possibility to reserve a parking space in paid parking spaces near or inside the marinas. Contact us to find out about parking availabilities, specific rates and to book a spot for you vehicle.
NAVIGATING
All electronic devices, such as phones, tablets, notebooks and the like, but also electrical appliances such as hairdryers, straighteners, beard trimmers etc … can be charged just like at home when the boat is moored in port and connected to the 220V electricity. In addition, some boats are equipped with inverters and therefore give you the possibility of having 220V current even at sea or in the harbor, finally most of the boats are equipped with USB ports to recharge phones and tablets at any time with 12V electricity. Clearly, the use of the inverter or 12V current involves the use of electricity stored in the batteries, so you must always use everything sparingly and above all go by engine for some time to recharge the energy consumed. If you need to use a lot of electricity even at sea, report it in your request and we will offer you a boat with an inverter or a generator on board.
Night navigation is not prohibited, however in regards to rubber dinghies and small motor boats, there is the obligation to bring them back to the pick-up marina by sunset, which is also the deadline of the contract. Even if a contract has been stipulated for several days, the obligation stands to either bring the boat back or communicate in whihc harbour it will be spending the night, unless there is a cabin on board in which you might spend the night while at anchor. As for sailing boats and catamarans, on the other hand, night navigation is a possibility to cover longer distances, but the utmost attention and vigilance is to be recommended, especially if you do not know the route. In fact, near the coast there are often poorly marked fishing nets, debris and other obstacles, which could cause the loss of a propeller or other problems.
Sailboats and catamarans are also equipped with a kitchen and for this reason, among the equipment of the boat, there is also everything needed for cooking: crockery, kitchen utensils, cutlery and plates of all kinds. As well as the mocha for Italian-style coffee and filters for northern European long coffees. On some boats and catamarans it is also possible to request electric coffee machines, which work via the generator. You will not find anything edible on board, nor detergents or cleaning accessories, which must be purchased before departure.
Pillows and blankets are present on board, as equipment of the boat. In particular in sailing boats and catamarans, there will be so many as up to the maximum number of transportable people. It is however possible to request additional pillows and blankets, at no extra cost to the rental. Sheets and pillow covers are not part of the boat’s equipment, but are an extra upon request. You can decide to bring your own sheets with you for the holiday or you can buy them at the base, it is not possible not to foresee any of these options, the white mattresses and pillows are easily damaged and in the case of stains you will be asked for compensation.
The boats are rented in bareboat mode – this means that, in addition to basic equipment, safety equipment and spare technical material, there is not much else on board. Just like for the sheets in the cabins, you can buy a set of bath towels for each crew member, unless you prefer to bring your own. This kind of extras can be purchased directly at check-in, for a small additional cost. In addition to towels, you can also request beach towels. Soaps, shampoos and other such are to be purchased by customers before departure at the local stores or brought from home. Also, you will not find a hair dryer on board.
Although in the summer seasons the weather tends to be beautiful, unexpected bad weather can happen. In the case of a daily rental of a dinghy, the reservation will usually be moved to the earliest possible date. As pertains to holidays on a sailing boat or catamaran, since these are longer, a date shift due to bad weather is not contractually provided for. It will therefore be necessary to take shelter in the nearest port and spend time discovering that place. Weather warnings are always reported by the teams at the departure bases, even via instant messaging and our team can recommend the best ports, bays and places to make your stay safe and enjoy your holiday even if the weather is contrary!
You still have questions?
Contact us!
We are available to answer your questions, meet your particular needs and clarify any doubts.
