Sunsail Charter UK

vjmehra said:
However unfortunate as it may be, if the decision is to not go out, I would expect a refund/re-schedule.
Click to expand...

Lets be clear - you are looking for bad weather cancellation insurance. Then get it. Its available. Stop complaining.

Charter companies do not include it in their price (except a few for winter charters) to keep prices as low as possible.

I am sure many charter companies will negotiate an extra fee to give you the option you request.

The charter company has an obligation to the owner to ensure that the boat goes out with competent skippers for the weather expected.

My first boat a 36' Dufour classic was with Hamble school of yachting and I was amazed at the conditions it sometimes set out in on a sunday night. But an important part of the 5 day YM course was mile building. Personally I also think the students got better experience in bad weather and hopefully for many it was confidence building. Book a weekend charter with them to do a cross channel and I am sure they would go in a F7 and possibly a F8 if you specifically asked for heavy weather sailing tuition!
 
Last edited:
Why would I not complain? Sunsail are being unreasonable.

On the plus side a number of kind people following this thread have sent me numerous links to other charter companies that don't expect you to pay for not being able to go out in the event of extreme weather.

I still find it odd, especially given the economic climate, but each to their own, its their business and if they can afford to lose customers so easily thats their decision.
 
If you think Sunsail are being unreasonable, you should take a look at the general field of commercial chartering. Just a simple example will point you in the direction that maritime charter law has had for ever. If I charter a vessel to move cargo from port A to port B, I will agree to load and discharge the cargo within a set time period after the vessels presentation at the port. Failure to do so will lead me being charged for the extra time involved with almost no ability to argue that the cause of the delay wasn't my fault. The only circumstances where I would not be charged would be if the problem were down the vessel or her crew.

There is little difference in the terms used in bare boat or skippered charter. You as the charterer take on fully responsibility for the vessel when she is under charter to you. Doesn't matter if you have a skipper or not, that's the way it is: the risk is yours, not the owners or operators.

If you wish to protect yourself against the varieries of the weather, then, just like every other charterer you'll have to take out insurance to cover the potential loss. Its not as if this is something sprung on you at the quayside when you arrived, so you have time to put insurance in place for your trip.
 
Or simply just choose a more reasonable charter company, which seems to be the better option at the mo :-)

The PM's I've received suggest that Sunsail's policy is not the norm (or at least there are a decent number that do not subscribe to this approach).
 
The point is that you are chartering a yacht - not paying to go sailing. These are different things.

If the weather is poor you can still use the yacht, just in the marina.

So the risk you are worrying about is not about if you get to use the yacht or not, its how far you want to sail it.

At the other end of the scale, with a RYA course you are paying for the tuition. If the weather prevents tuition then its only fair that you get rescheduled.
 
Listen to the advice

Hi VJMehra,

You posted a question on this forum about Sunsail's charter terms. The vast majority of many replies tell you that these terms are fairly normal in yacht chartering, indeed dealing with heavy weather, if necessary by staying in port is all part of sailing.

Sunsail are being open and honest with you about their terms and offered you good advice to seek insurance if you don't wish to carry the risk yourself. There's no point in Sunsail trying to offer you what insurance companies can do better - you'd end up eith Easyjet style rip-off travel insurance.

Of course, you're welcome to find another charter company which will guarantee the weather but, if they do, they're either pretty pricey or about to go bust. I have no torch to bear for either Sunsail or any other charter company.

Just listen to the advice from the overwhelming majority of posters here - this forum is packed with experienced sailors, both owners and charterers.

Peter
 
I appreciate all the advice and comments here, I may not agree with everything, but that doesn't mean its not useful to read and learn as I am still inexperienced when it comes to sailing/chartering.

That said, I have found an alternative company that seem to offer fair prices and whilst no-one is claiming they can guarantee perfect weather, they are able to offer far fairer terms than Sunsail.
 
vjmehra said:
I appreciate all the advice and comments here, I may not agree with everything, but that doesn't mean its not useful to read and learn as I am still inexperienced when it comes to sailing/chartering.

That said, I have found an alternative company that seem to offer fair prices and whilst no-one is claiming they can guarantee perfect weather, they are able to offer far fairer terms than Sunsail.
Click to expand...

Let us know how you get on - too often on these forums, we don't get to hear the outcome! Hope the weather is kind to you.
 
vjmehra said:
I appreciate all the advice and comments here, I may not agree with everything, but that doesn't mean its not useful to read and learn as I am still inexperienced when it comes to sailing/chartering.

That said, I have found an alternative company that seem to offer fair prices and whilst no-one is claiming they can guarantee perfect weather, they are able to offer far fairer terms than Sunsail.
Click to expand...

Which company is it, would be useful
 
SimbaDog said:
If you booked a hire car for a week & it snowed every day stopping you driving, would you expect the company to give you a refund? :confused:
Click to expand...

If the snow was so bad the car was stuck in the pound, yes I would.

If a dive charter is blown out, it's refunds all round. I would accept a re-schedule if it was convenient, but skippers who didn't refund were not booked again.

By the same token, I would expect the yacht charter company to offer a reasonably priced insurance to cover cover cancellation in the case of serious weather - say £40 for a weekend. Then if you didn't take the cover, you either sit in the marina all weeken or stay in bed.

I think Commodore Yachting offer insurance.

Di
 
One further point that may not have been considered is that Sunsail's base of operations is Port Solent and, short of a full blown hurricane, there is no reason whatever why the boat could not sail down the harbour to Gosport or Haslar or Gunwharf. Out into the Solent may be a different matter but Sunsail would surely have fulfilled their side of the contract in leaving Port Solent. Granted that maybe not what the OP was hoping for but they would have gone sailing.
 
Whilst you may well be right, I just object to their stance, call it a moral objection if you will, but I don't like the fact that if I were to agree to their terms I put myself at too great a risk.
 
vjmehra said:
Whilst you may well be right, I just object to their stance, call it a moral objection if you will, but I don't like the fact that if I were to agree to their terms I put myself at too great a risk.
Click to expand...

On the other hand they clearly felt your demands put them at too much of a risk. at the end of the day if you have two risk averse entities there will never be an agreement. Just a little thought, if you actually ever buy a boat will you demand that it is certified for all weather conditions so you will never be denied the opportunity to use it.
 
How is that the same?

If I hire a boat for skippered charter I am paying for a service.

If I buy my own boat I am paying for a physical object.

If I pay for a ticket to watch the cricket I expect a refund in the event of rain.

If I buy a cricket bat and ball I don't expect the manufacturer to give me a refund in the event of rain as I still own the physical goods.

Or are you simply asking about CE categories, i.e. would I chose to opt for CE cat A over a cat C or B?
 
vjmehra said:
How is that the same?

If I hire a boat for skippered charter I am paying for a service.

If I buy my own boat I am paying for a physical object.

If I pay for a ticket to watch the cricket I expect a refund in the event of rain.

If I buy a cricket bat and ball I don't expect the manufacturer to give me a refund in the event of rain as I still own the physical goods.

Or are you simply asking about CE categories, i.e. would I chose to opt for CE cat A over a cat C or B?
Click to expand...

I would suggest if you pay for a charter boat and a skipper, that is exactly what you pay for, you have not bought the weather too. Equally the company you buy from cannot buy the weather either so why should you demand the compensate you for something they have no control over. Or are you suggesting if you charter the boat with a skipper you should be taken out what ever the weather is.
 
Feel free to point out where I've said I would be expected to be taken out regardless of the weather?

I'm pretty sure I've stated that I expect a service I've paid for to be provided, or alternative arrangements made reschedule/refund.

I think I've made a fairly clear distinction between a service and a physical object here, which you seem to be deliberately ignoring.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top