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Chartering the Power Yacht or Sailboat
Bow to Stern Discoveries of Hidden Treasure
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Business New Haven
6/18/2001
By: Susan Cornell
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Wish “Bon Voyage” to the traditional company picnic with the launch of corporate teambuilding or call “Ahoy” to simple time offshore.
Your spouse returns from a daysail on a yacht and insists that he or she labored arduously at a business meeting. From the spouse's perspective, it was a mentally draining and physically challenging day at work (although fun and personally rewarding). From your point of view, he or she is a tanned partier who just had the perk of a lifetime.
Meetings, corporate team-building, product launches, incentive rewards, management training, improving organizational effectiveness, boosting morale and productivity and pleasure - all are well-founded business reasons for chartering power yachts and sailboats. Chartering possibilities can include not just yachts and sailboats, but schooners, paddleboats, riverboats, casino cruises and leisure boats.
There are companies that provide corporate team-building exercises exclusively and others that provide strictly adventure travel. Chartering companies offer possibilities ranging from coastal cruising with gourmet cooking to staging one's own regatta on a champion 12-meter racing yacht.
There are bare-boat companies (meaning those who rent the yacht sails it themselves) and fully crewed yachts (meaning the charter comes with a captain and/or crew and often includes a chef). You can throw yourself a birthday party on a chartered yacht (some will organize and execute every detail, from the balloons to the magician aboard), or you may sail aboard a vessel whose crew is trained in leadership development and Myers-Briggs Type Indicators.
Sail training is picking up a few knots as a means of providing corporate team building exercises. Sail training is not learning how to sail; it is learning from sailing. A ship at sea has been described as a microcosm of the planet. The way the crew works on board is much like life in the larger world, except that the consequences of actions on board are immediately apparent.
Explains Pamela Dewell Smith, executive director of the American Sail Training Association: “Aboard a sail training vessel, as in life, our small piece is a critical part of the whole. The quality of work, and the spirit in which we do it, has a profound effect on the well-being of everyone else aboard. Leadership, paradoxically, is arrived at by learning to take direction - becoming a team player, pulling your share of the load, being absolutely responsible. Dependable. And, learning to depend on the responsibility of others.”
Adds Smith, “Sail training really teaches the qualities of stewardship, resourcefulness, pride, humility, bravery, strength and grace.” Tell that to your skeptical spouse who thought you were on a booze cruise.
The sailing experience is a metaphor for operating a complex business. The forces that affect what executives face in running a business parallel the forces that sailors must cope with - variable winds, equipment problems, treacherous waters. Through living aboard a ship, businesspeople can develop individual leadership skills while learning how to function as a team player.
The experience can help crew members capitalize on one another's diverse strengths and respond to the challenging and unpredictable conditions - often in confined quarters. Corporate team-building activities demand commitment, communication skills, timely responsiveness, conflict resolution, cooperation and effective decision-making as crewmembers interact to achieve mutual goals. The skills honed for sailing are the same as those required for success onshore in the business world.
Business boaters are finding that a yacht can provide an effective medium for launching management training and organizational-effectiveness exercises for several reasons. Results are more quickly apparent than in either the classroom or in the business scenario; yachts illustrate the synergy of groups; and the environment helps to create a fresh outlook on solving problems.
The crew assignments and the itineraries of team building events vary by the trainers and the commissioned charter company. Some instructors, such as those on the S.V. Shearwater, an 82-foot, 1929 yacht docked at the North Cove Marina in Manhattan, divide groups into a number of different teams. These teams will initially be assigned to various stations including bow watch, sail handling, navigation, helm and captain. Teams train their replacements and then rotate through successive stations. Consider training co-workers in a post not yet mastered and variable winds, and the learning atmosphere necessitates teamwork.
Other team-building charters, such as the one operated by Voyager Cruises in Mystic, employs two stations. On Mystic Voyager's Argia, a 19th-century gaff-rigged schooner that cruises Fishers Island Sound, crewmembers are responsible for either sail-raising or navigation. Acknowledges Voyager Cruises manager Amy Blumberg, “It is difficult to raise a big, many-thousand-pound sail. Teams must haul hand over hand in unison. Most people who work in offices aren't used to this much physical labor. And it requires considerable coordination.”
The second station is charged with navigation and steering. Says Blumberg: “Mathematics are required to figure out where you have to go. You need a lot of different members. So, there are the grunts as well as the planning and execution people responsible for docking or getting to an island.”
Says Brian Blank of Old Saybrook, chairman of the Newport Yacht Charter Association: “For corporate charters, most people charter America's Cup 12-meters. While most sail out of Newport, some businesses have had them brought to Greenwich [or other locations].”
Corporate charters, he adds, “are great for photo shoots. Some even hire helicopters for the photos.” Naturally, it is less expensive for participants to travel to Newport than it is to bring the 12s to Connecticut, as sailing the boats from Newport takes a couple of days. And crew is included, which adds another expense.
Blank advises visiting the Web site www.newportcharters.com to get a sense of all of the options available “when people aren't exactly sure what they are looking for.” He adds, “The charter association is great because, if you're not a sailor, you have the advantage of seeing the picture and the layout, and then determining if the party would fit.”
Moreover, if the boat is already booked, group members can suggest other options. Blank says that those in the association “help each other out and the consumer benefits.” Blank also advises going “right to the owners, not the middlemen.” For corporate charters, he cites two top companies in Newport: America's Cup and Seascope Systems. He adds that Ted Turner's yacht, Courageous, is also available for chartering via the Museum of Yachting (although the Courageous accommodates just six people).
The American Sail Training Association (ASTA) represents 240 vessels, a number of which offer corporate training. ASTA is a non-profit organization devoted to the development, support and promotion of sail training and education under sail. It is the oldest of 19 national affiliates of the International Sail Training Association. ASTA annually organizes Tall Ships events, a National Conference on Sail Training and Tall Ships, and in conjunction with the International Sail Training Association (ISTA), an International Safety Forum attended by tall ship captains from throughout the world.
ASTA's mission is to “encourage character building through sail training, promote sail training to the American public and support education under sail.” ASTA's professional membership represents virtually all of the ships engaged in sail training in North America. Individual members hail from every U.S. state, Canada and around the globe.
The H.M.S. Rose, home port Bridgeport, at one time was used for sail training. In fact, a former national training director at ChaseManhattan Bank left this position to pursue his dream of turning the Rose into a vehicle for corporate education systems.
However, explains Jan Williams, the Rose Foundation's director: “We will not be doing any more sail training for a while as we have sold the Rose to a major movie company to make the Aubrey/Maturin novel by Patrick O'Brian. We expect she'll be back in the sail training business in a few years.”
Charters may also be arranged for weddings, cocktail parties, family vacations or fishing trips. The purpose of the excursion has a great deal to do with deciding upon the type of boat to charter. The next consideration is the length of time available and the number of people involved. Accommodations for training, dining, personal needs and perhaps sleeping should be assessed vis-à-vis the compatibility and needs of your own crew.
As with any meeting, training session, party or vacation, charters can range from simple to sumptuous - from a BYOB picnic to haute cuisine. Prices range accordingly. A third consideration is the amount of money you wish to spend. The prospective boater should request a cost estimate from the company or charter broker outlining all potential expenses. These may include dockage, catering, repositioning of the boat, galley fees, fuel and miscellaneous services.
You can chart the course for any occasion, business or personal, with dozens of companies servicing Long Island Sound and Newport. Take a “three-hour tour” or a week with the family. “Learn the ropes” or relax. Raise the sails to help your company raise its sales, or just cruise the waters for pleasure. The amenities and prices are as different as a Sunfish and a Cunard liner. The key is to consider is your personal destination, whether it is to provide incentive rewards for employees or simple relaxation - and then to navigate through the possibilities.
ASTA Members Offering Corporate Saliing Adventures
America's Cup Charters - America's Cup Corporate Charters offer yacht racing, corporate team-building and incentive rewards. Its yachts sail out of Newport and cruise within Narragansett Bay or to Martha's Vineyard or Block Island. The company's specialty is orchestrating regattas of its fleet of 12-meter yachts. Even for racing, no sailing background is necessary (truly a unique alternative to a business luncheon and a memorable way to entertain clients via racing them - unless the outcome is mutiny). Incentive rewards of team gear can be offered as an achievement gift for company performance.
America's Cup Charters also offer private charters and individual sails - the entire boat need not be chartered. The company promises to deliver the finest corporate outing in the Northeast. ASTA vessels include: American Eagle, Columbia, Heritage, Intrepid, Nefertiti and Weatherly.
360 Thames Street. Newport, R.I. 401-849-5868, www.americascupcharters.com.
Seascope Systems - Seascope Systems has 25 years of experience customizing outings along the New England coast for groups of two to 500 people. Its vessels are rare and classic; the private collection is artwork to some, trophies to others. Seascope's expertise ranges from team-building to entertaining clients. Additionally, motivational speaking is often done for clients chartering the fleet. The yachts have been selected as the finest in Newport by both the TV show Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous and Town & Country magazine. ASTA vessels include: Northern Light and Gleam.
P.O. Box 1218. Easterner/SASA Charters Inc. Newport, R.I. 800-420-7766, www.seascopenewport.com.
Providence Maritime Heritage Foundation - The corporate leadership training and development firm Team New England leads adventure team-building programs for managers, executives and supervisors aboard the sloop Providence, a replica of the tall ship once sailed by John Paul Jones. Key business success factors including a spirit of cooperation, flexibility, shared vision and speed of response are honed as team members sail the Narragansett Bay.
P.O. Box 1261. Providence, R.I. 401-274-7447, www.sloopprovidence.org.
ASTA Member Vessels for Non-Business Voyages
Home Port Bridgeport
Black Pearl (www.tallshipblackpearl.org, 203-225-9171)
Home Port Mystic
Brilliant (www.mysticseaport.org/brilliant, 860-572-5323)
Joseph Conrad (www.mysticseaport.org/sailing, 860-572-5323)
Mystic Whaler (www.mysticwhaler.com, 860-536-4218)
Home Port New Haven
Amistad (www.amistadamerica.org, 860-536-6003)
Quinnipiack (www.pages.cthome.net/schooner, 203-865-1737)
Home Port Newport, R.I.
Abaco (843-842-2432)
Adirondack II (www.scaranoboat.com, 800-701-7245)
Aurora (www.newportexperience.com, 401-849-6999)
Coronet (www.iyrs.org, 401-848-5777)
Evangelyn. (www.aisbinc.org, 401-849-5034)
Fiddler (401-272-2510)
Narragansett (www.aisbinc.org, 401-849-5034)
Tree of Life (www.schoonertreeoflife.com, 401-847-0444)
Home Port Old Saybrook
Adventuress (formerly Isabelle), (917-991-2386)
Home Port Redding
Uncommon School (www.uncommonschool.org, 203-938-9297)
Home Port Stamford
Soundwaters (www.soundwaters.org, 203-323-1978)
Home Port Stratford
USS/USCG Glacier (www.glaciersociety.org, 203-377-4414)
Home Port Wickford, R.I.
Brandaris (401-294-1481)
Cape Rose (formerly Danielle Louise), (www.sailintowellness.com, 401-419-6155)
Corporate Chartering Companies Serving Connecticut
East Coast Yacht Charters - Sails from Stamford, New York , Newport and other points. Vessels include yachts, sailboats, schooners, leisure boats, casino cruises and riverboats. ECYC hosts product launches, corporate team events, business meetings and other occasions (e.g., engagement parties, intimate dinner cruises). Company represents 420 vessels from Maine to Florida. 800-278-7178.
Hout Bay Marine - The S.V. Shearwater is a 1929-vintage, 82-foot yacht. Hout Bay Marine specializes in corporate and private charters sailing out of New York and Long Island Sound, including Stamford. The vessel is certified for 49 passengers and provides fine dining and upscale sailing charters for corporations and private parties. There is a strong emphasis on team-building to boost productivity and morale as well as to increase organizational effectiveness. Corporate entertainment can take the form of dinner sails, cocktail sunset sails, staff team-building day sails or pleasure trips. North Cove Marina. Battery Park City, N.Y. (800-544-1224)
Museum of Yachting - Two-time America's Cup winner and Rhode Island's state yacht, Courageous, is available for chartering. This legendary 12-meter who has beckoned America's top sailors. Courageous will accommodate a crew of six. Fort Adams State Park. Newport, R.I. (401-847-1018)
Mystic Whaler Cruises - The Mystic Whaler is a recreation of a New England schooner offering one-, two-, three- and five-day sailing adventures as well as evening dinner cruises. Passengers are encouraged to lend a hand in sailing the 110-foot vessel. The ship holds 65 passengers and has hosted numerous company picnics. Each event is catered to the individual group; for example, a group may opt for a daysail, a twilight dinner cruise with hors d'oeuvres or a New England feast. She is an ASTA member. P.O. Box 189. Mystic (800-697-8420)
Nautical Holidays - Arranges event and meeting planning on yachts from one to 600 guests. Client provides information such as the number of guests and the location for boarding, and Nautical Holidays handles the details from arranging for bands, florists, provisions and magicians. Creating “yachting events extraordinaire” with a perfectly executed charter is the company's niche. 203-637-0270
Port Yacht Charters - Founded by sailors to offer vacationers the opportunity to consider luxury private yacht charters as an alternative to land-based resorts. Although PYC makes arrangements worldwide, they “do quite a bit of work here in the Northeast for corporate work. This not only includes the hire of a yacht for a meeting or outing, but what is referred to as 'term charter.' This is when a smaller group takes a yacht for multiple days. Such bookings are mostly for pleasure but often they are sales incentives or even a raffle type winning prize,” says owner Ken Hecht. 9 Belleview Avenue. Port Washington, N.Y. (800-213-0465)
Voyager Cruises - The Argia is a gaff-rigged schooner closely modeled after the coasting schooners of the 19th century. Sailing out of Mystic, Argia accommodates business gatherings, incentive awards and non-business events. The traditional windjammer cruises Fishers Island Sound mornings and afternoons and offers sunset cruises. The company's primary focuses are preserving nautical and maritime history and team-building. Vessel accommodates up to 49 persons. Chartering ranges from $450 to $1,800 depending on day and time of year. 73 Steamboat Wharf, Mystic (860-536-0416)
Who Else Charters
Who Where Contact
America's Cup Challengers Enfield 860-741-6604
Atlantic Navigation Noank 800-749-7245
Classic Yacht Charters Mystic 860-741-6604
Fish Charters Inc. Niantic 203-739-3611
Gemini Yacht Charters Norwalk 203-852-8173
King Yacht Charters Noank 800-521-7552
Manhattan Yacht Charters Fairfield 203-256-8730
Masons Island Marina Mystic 860-536-2608
Mystic Yacht Charters Noank 800-873-2692
Norwalk Sailing School Georgetown 203-852-1857
Port Yacht Charters Port Washington, N.Y. 800 213-0465
Sail the Sounds West Mystic 860-536-5486
Schooner Larinda Marstons Mills, Mass. 508-428-8728
Tortola Marine Management Norwalk 800-633-0155
Trade Wind Gloucester, Mass. 800-825-7245
Trophy Hunter Noank 203-536-4460
Other Bare Boat and Crewed Chartering Companies Serving Connecticut (Focus on Recreation)
Atlantis Yacht Charters - Offers bareboat and fully crewed, day- to month-long charters on sail, power or sport-fishing boats from New England to Florida to the Caribbean. P.O. Box 1333. Newport, R.I. (401-845-9944)
Bareboat Sailing Charters - Endless Summer, Summer Wind and Summer Magicare are all 42-foot Beneteaus that cruise from Newport to your chosen destination: Cape Cod, Nantucket, Block Island, Cuttyhunk, Greenport and Sag Harbor are all within reach. The yachts are completely equipped, can be sailed or motored, and sleep nine in two staterooms. 6 Maplewood Road. Old Saybrook (800-661-4013)
Gemini Yacht Charters - The Almeisan is a ketch that sleeps eight and is available only to qualified skippers. Vessel sails Long Island Sound from Norwalk. 21 Cottage Street, Norwalk (203-852-8173)
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