Whitsundays Yacht Charter recommendations and experiences please

[PeppaPig]

Hello folks, we are considering a mid October charter in Australia in the Whitsundays for a special anniversary - other than the obvious Sunsail option does anyone have experience of a quality outfit down there please? We would be aiming for 2-3 weeks on the boat which I think would be plenty of time to nose around the cluster of islands. I would be keen to glean info on what you thought of the boats/area etc. too. The usual anticipatory gratitude lays in wait - thanks.

 

[iain789]

I chartered from this company in 2012. http://www.charteryachtsaustralia.com.au/ Seemed very professional and the yacht was in good condition. We only had one week, but managed to cover a fair amount of ground.

Be prepared for Australian prices! Everything is much more expensive than Europe. In contrast to European bareboat charters, everything is much more controlled. Despite my ICC (and 40+ years' experience) they insisted on taking me out for a trial sail to see if I knew how to handle a boat. Marinas are few and far between, and expensive, but if you choose to go into one, you may be boarded at the entrance and your boat may be driven to its berth and moored by marina staff. Most overnight stops will be at anchor and you will have to be anchored by 1600. You will have to report in by VHF each morning to advise the charter company of your intended route, and in the evening to advise them of your arrival. Hamilton Island is a very artificial resort island, with everyone going around in golf buggies, and free shuttle buses to the hotels. I don't know why, but it made me think of "Prisoner".

We picked up our boat at Abel Point Marina, Airlie Beach, and the boat was already fully provisioned for us. (They advised this, as there are no supermarkets close by, and they liked us to be away from the marina by late morning - charter started at 0900). Again more expense, but the quality of the provisions was excellent. There are plenty of good anchorages, but the charter company will be keen to advise you where they would like you to go, depending on the weather conditions. You shuld have a look at this website http://100magicmiles.com/ and if possible have a look at the book "100 magic miles" before you go. The snorkelling is great. Enjoy!

 

[Hadenough]

We chartered from Moorings on Hamilton Island. Agree that it is a weird place place but it is a good central location to start from. You will have plenty of time over two weeks. As Iain said get them to provision the boat, much easier, If you pre-arrange they will also re-provision you by RIB. We had a minor pump breakdown but again they were with us in an hour in their RIB. I wasn't taken for a test sail (1998 and 2000) but they do like to park the boats for you on your return. We anchored or moored every night and only returned to the marina at the end. Great place to sail, have a blast!

 

[Ional]

We went in March 2007. Chartered from Sunsail, Hamilton Island. It was a holiday we will never forget, not for good reasons.

We knew it was the end of the wet season, only it wasn't. We knew it was jelly fish season, so no swimming except wearing a kind of black nylon stocking.....not cool in any way. It rained lots, heavy showers, day and night. It blew force 6-7 all week, from a generally South direction. Lots of anchorages out because of the wind. Being salt blasted even in a swimsuit...it was boiling, with no sprayhood, just a bimini was not fun downwind!

The boat was 'tired' and very damp, we had lots of problems.....Provisions, bought from Sunsail, most put in the fridge, were frozen solid when we anchored the first night, even the fruit and veg!!! It was dark at 6pm, yes I know its the tropics, and always raining at this time, so no BBQ. Cooking, with hatch shut, like hell as about 30C in cabin.

Boat needed tlc. The front hatch leaked, radio stopped working so we could not contact base and had to sail back from the furthest N Island. Loo did not flush but kept filling to overflow onto floor (electric pump) so we had to bail with the only container on board, a saucepan. At base everything was mended within half a day, by lovely friendly boys, who took control in the marina as in previous posts. In the end we gave up, got a golf buggy and drove to a swimming pool to cool off.

The Whitsunday Islands in this area we found a bit boring, lots of green vegetation, all humming and poisonous. Nowhere to walk, resorts you can visit frankly pretty grim. The mainland sounds a better option for starting a cruise.

Never go in March. October, everyone in Australia told us afterwards is the time, so you should have a ball! We got 10% off our next Sunsail holiday, but we were put off chartering, we love our boat. Cold and wet in the Uk is fine!

 

[jamesjermain]

I chartered with Queensland Yacht Charters a few years ago and they were absolutely first class. The then owners have since sold the business but were continuing as consultants. If Suzette and her husband are still involved I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them.

The Whitsundays themselves are another matter. You can get round the whole archipelago in a week to 10 days and, while there are numerous sheltered and unspoiled anchorages there is a sameness about a lot of it. There are four, perhaps five must-see places and that's about it. Strict conservation rules means that, except for Hamilton Island and Airlie Beach there are no facilities of any kind in the islands - no beach bars, no restaurants no nothing except for a couple of ancient aboriginal heritage sites. Once you leave base you are on your own so stock up well before leaving

The Islands had been on my must-do-before-I-die list; I wont say I was disappointed but nor was I overwhelmed.

 

[alan_d]

Went a few years ago with Whitsunday Rent-a-Yacht http://www.rentayacht.com.au/, very happy with them. Great area if you like peace and solitude (we do), but most nights were spent off uninhabited islands, so you have to be self-sufficient with supplies. We got a victualing package at the start of the cruise.

 

[affinite]

Ive lost the phone no of the excellent charter Co we used out of Airlie beach however Ive still got the phone no of the lifeboat.
Dont ask me how I know :livid:

 

[DanTribe]

We went with Cumberland from Airlie Beach a few years ago and had a brilliant time.
The boat was a Beneteau 311 and in good condition. I understand that all the boats are privately owned so condition could vary although they are vetted by Cumberland. We used their provisioning service, recomend that, saves frigging about when you want to go sailing.
Some small gripes. They made us tow an oversize rib with a ton of oysters growing on the bottom.
Weird regulations about use of moorings, could only use for 2 hours unless you were there at 5pm then you could stay overnight.
the popular spots were overun by boatloads of backpacker trippers who looked as if they were hating the experience.
Hamilton Island is an experience, but reminds me of Tracy Island from Thunderbirds.

 

[island163]

We went with Whitsunday Rent-a-Yacht in May this year. Although they were very good if we were to do it again we would probably go for a charter company based on Hamilton Island. Most local flights seem to go to Hamilton Island and then you are transferred by ferry to Shute Harbour (Whitsunday Rent-a-Yacht) or Airlie Beach for other charter companies. That ferry passage all adds to time away from sailing! If conditions are interesting, we had some days with 30 knots of breeze and rain showers, it's easier to get to sheltered anchorages from Hamilton Island than it is from mainland harbours. Crossing the Whitsunday passage from the mainland to whitsunday or hook islands can be pretty lumpy which my wife and daughter did not appreciate. Wherever you charter from you will need a provisioning package as apart from the odd resort there are no other developments in the Whitsundays. Apart from being warm it's not like chartering in Europe where you can sail from one small town/taverna to the next. The pilot guide "100 Magic Miles" is well worth looking at as it gives detailed guides to best places to anchor, pick up a buoy and also the best places to snorkel etc.

 

[Mariner69]

Two years ago, February, we went on the "WHITSUNDAY MAGIC" an old Turkish schooner. Pulled on one halyard during the 4 days/nights on-board; don't want too much yachtie. Diving on the reef. Superb food, excellent cocktails. Air-conditioned cabins. About five couples from around the world, like an Agatha Christie novel but without the murder! Best rest I have had for years.

 

[ytd]

I've been 4 times. It's a nice school holiday break from the southern winter. Everything previous posters have mentioned is true except there are good signposted bushwalks on whitsunday island and south molle island. The sailing and snorkelling is much better than greece or turkey but there are no bayside tavernas or bars and prices are higher. Wind against tide passages can be lumpy but no worse than a meltemi. There is a big mall with supermarket at cannonvale about 5km from airlie beach so you will need a taxi. Cheaper and more flexible than pre provisioning but it takes time. Flying into hamilton island is only quicker is you use sunsail or moorings. All the other companies are based on the mainland and Proserpine airport is quicker and cheaper for them. We also got a boat in need of tlc from sunsail. 4 of the 5 clutches on the boat broke during the test/familiarisation sail. They have lots of new boats in their fleet but maybe they are reserved for corporate charters. Best time is june to oct with sept and oct the hottest. In the "old days" the winds during this time were always SE trades at 15-25 knots which meant you could plan passages to avoid beats through a big chop. But now there seem to be calm and rainy days breaking up the trades.

 

[Neeves]

If you are planning to be there for 3 weeks it might be an idea to find out if you can extend the geography south to the Percy Islands and up to Cumberland.

Jonathan

 

[PeppaPig]

Thanks to one and all for taking the time to respond with very useful information. After much cogitation we have switched entirely and booked a couple of weeks with Dream yacht Charters in Grenada earlier in the year and gone for a cheapy copule of weeks in Greece later on to spread the joy through the year. I think the Whitsundays will be another time. Quite fancy Tonga too.........