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FAQ's

Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions not answered below. Here are answers to the most common questions:

  1. How long in advance should we book?
  2. How do we book?
  3. What are the Rates?
  4. Where do we meet with the Yacht?
  5. What time should we be at the Dock?
  6. What should we bring with us?
  7. What should we wear?
  8. What do we do when Boarding the yacht?
  9. What's expected while we are sailing?
  10. Do we get to help sailing the boat?
  11. What happens if the weather turns bad?
  12. What if we need to cancel a reservation?

1. It's best to make the booking as soon as possible, to ensure you can get your preferred day and time. Please complete our Booking Inquiry form, and we will get in touch with you within 24 hours, or you can call 1-877-SAILNYC. If more than 1 week in advance, you are required to make a 50% deposit, and the balance in cash at time of boarding. If less than 1 week, the full amount is payable.

2. Bookings are best made by emailing us your requirements in advance, or if you are more comfortable dealing with a human, please call 1-877-SAILNYC.

3. Rates vary according to the duration, time of day, number of passengers, and are difference for all out Yachts. There are premiums for special Holidays such as 4th July, New Years' day etc. Minimum rates apply for taking a Yacht out, whether there are 2 or more passengers, and there is a minimum of 2 hours Sail time. Obviously the rate per person per hour is much lower for a large number of passengers.

4. Each Yacht typically has its own home port, and all are easily accessible by car, subway or train, and a short walk to the slip. We can also pick-up and drop-off in any of the available Marinas, whcih we have to check in advance for space, and make a reservation.

5. Please make sure you have plenty of time in hand so that you can arrive at the dock or pick-up point well ahead of time, feeling relaxed and unhurried, to enjoy your cruise to the maximum. You can board no earlier than 15 - 30 minutes prior to departure time, which should give you enough time to stow your personal items, listen to the Captain's safety instructions, and get ready to enjoy the cruise.

6. This is an awesome opportunity to take some magnificent pictures of the Manhattan skyline, and all the other sights the Harbor has to offer, so bring your cameras and vidcams. If you want to partake of some alcoholic beverages, some Yachts have cash bars, and others you will have to bring your own beer and wine. If you or any of your party may be prone to seasickness, remember to take a tablet at least an hour or two before the cruise, or take any other precautionary measure you may think suitable.

7. No matter how nice or warm a day it is, bear in mind there is always a cool breeze while sailing out on the water, which adds to the chill factor, so make sure to bring layered clothing so that you can cover up if it starts getting a little chilly! Bring a hat, sunscreen, gloves if you have them and want to help pulling up the sails. If it looks like rain, bring a raincoat or weatherproof jacket. The Captain makes the final decision about the weather, and a little rain never hurt anyone :-)

8. On some of teh smaller sailboats, you will be asked to remove your high heeled, dark-soled or hard-soled shoes and leave them at the dock, so if you don't have light-soled boat shoes, be prepared to go barefoot on the boat, to protect the fiber glass. You will be welcomed aboard by the Captain or crew, so please step aboard, and stow your personal items where you are told, help yourself to a drink and/or snacks, and get ready to leave the dock.

9. Once you step aboard, you are subjecting yourself totally to the Captain's authority - there can only be one Captain on a boat, for safety and security reasons, so please put your pride in your pocket and obey the Captain's instructions. No back-seat driving or second-guessing! If you would like to get involved in hoisting the sails, moving to the fore-deck, or even taking the helm, please ask the Captain before you do anything.

10. Some of our passengers are experienced sailors, and want to get involved in all aspects of sailing the Yachts - all you have to do is talk to the captain, who will make the decision based on current conditions, and his own judgement. On the otehr hand, if you just want to lay back and relax, take pictures, etc., it's all up to you.

11. Usually we will not make a decision to cancel a sail until the day of the sail, unless we have a severe storm warning in advance. If we have time, we will notify you by phone in advance, but in some cases, the decision may only be made a short time before the Yacht leaves the Dock. In such a situation the Captain will make the decision at his sole discretion, and in that case you may elect to postpone the sail to another available time slot, or get a full refund, less any commissions which may have been paid to an agent or broker.

12. Cancellation policies vary from boat to boat, depending on the size and event being planned, so make sure to enquire prior to making the booking!