We don’t know how to say this nicely, so – we’ll just say it. We’ve never really understood the appeal of the “standard” charter vacation. Most crewed sailing charters around the globe, whether in the San Juan Islands, the Mediterranean or The Caribbean all strive to get as many bodies on board as possible (in order to make as much money as possible). Unfortunately, this never really fun for anybody – not the crew and certainly not the guests. (The rare exception is if the entire boat is chartered by one big family for a reunion or something… But even then, put enough family members in a small box for a week and see what happens.)
Since we own our boat free and clear, and we have “real jobs” most of the year, we aren’t really in the charter business to make money, but to share our summer lifestyle with others. While the average 50 foot “sardine can” charters cram 10 complete strangers on board together for a week (8 guests plus 2 crew), we do things a little differently – living up to our name, Manonash, the annihilation of a conditioned mind. Instead, we primarily cater to one exclusive couple at a time – just you and (one of) us! (90% of the time, Steve takes guests out alone – but, every once in a while, we are luck to have Meg join the boat as her schedule allows…)
It’s not that there’s anything wrong with the way other charter companies operate – there’s sort of an expected “norm” within the industry. We’ve tried it over the years (both as guests and as hosts) and it was never really very enjoyable for a number of reason. People ask us all the time how we’re “different” from the average charters in the San Juans, so – we’ve put together a few general comparisons to illustrate why we do things the way we do…
1. Sleeping Arrangements
“STANDARD” CHARTER EXPERIENCE: Here’s a view of the sleeping arrangements aboard the average 50 foot charter. 10 hot, sweaty, smelly, snoring bodies – all crammed into bunks below deck, sleeping right next to each other (separated only by a thin bulkhead), with their heads right next to their very own toilets (completely with potentially smelly holding tanks under their beds). One of the things we found over the years was that you never get a good night sleep because, with 10 people on board, somebody is always having to use the head – all night long.
MANONASH EXPERIENCE: Our exclusive guests enjoy a full residential queen sized bed with huge windows, opening hatches. The only head is across the boat, with the holding tank separated into a exterior compartment. The only other body on board is the captain, in the opposite corner. (He rarely snores.)
2. During The Day
“STANDARD” DAYTIME EXPERIENCE:
Where do 10 bodies fit in a salon for meals, games, or… when it rains? Unfortunately, there simply isn’t enough room for everyone – people are always standing around, running into each other, playing footsies, etc… Hopefully the weather is nice so you can go to shore for a little elbow room.
MANONASH EXPERIENCE:
Lots of room left over. ;-)
3. Going “Down Below”
“STANDARD” CHARTER EXPERIENCE: There is something quite “cozy” about the salon of a monohull when you are crossing an ocean – deep in the belly, away from the elements, away from the sun… However, for a week of summer cruising, going down a ladder backwards into a dark cave every time you’d like to refill your glass of wine can be… awkward (if not dangerous). Likewise, shut off from the horizon, it’s easy to get pretty seasick down below with a group of strangers staring at each other while avoiding a rainstorm outside. Claustrophobia can become a reality pretty quickly.
MANONASH EXPERIENCE: No ladders, no caves… Even on the rainiest of days, you can pass freely – indoors and out, without ever losing sight of the amazing views. (We loved our monohulls over the years, but will never go back.)
4. Meal Time
“STANDARD” CHARTER EXPERIENCE: Many charters do a wonderful job catering for their guests with well prepared meals. Unfortunately, often times, the more “full” the charter is, the more the crew is required to cut corners in order to prepare meals for ten people at a time – in very small galleys. As you can imagine, this type of cruising leads to a lot of hot dogs, canned soups, and Costco casseroles – purely out of necessity – there’s only so much room in the fridge or in the oven to feed ten people. We love hot dogs and potato salad as much as the next guy. We just prefer to “stand in line” for our dinner at the ballpark. ;-)
MANONASH EXPERIENCE: We are both “foodies” (as is evident by the growing waistline) and go out of our way each week to create unique menus using only the freshest ingredients. Because we are only cooking for 2-3 guests at a time, we have the luxury of creating very complex (and very different) meals each day. You won’t have to stand in line, just relax in the cockpit with a glass of wine and hors d’oeuvres while we make something special – just for you! (Of course, if you really want a hot dog, that can be arranged as well.)
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