WELCOME TO OUR INTERACTIVE MICROSITE – SAILING VACATIONS WITH FOOTLOOSE CHARTERS! Text Version.
1. The Right Equipment, the Lowest Price
Take your friends and family out on an unforgettable getaway with Footloose Sailing Charters. We offer bareboat sailing vacations for incredible value in the sparkling blue waters of the Caribbean and South Pacific. We provide former Moorings and Sunsail yachts at the lowest cost, so you can have a fun and affordable time away. Check out our competitive rates and great value.
What’s Included on Your Charter Yacht?
Electronics and navigational charts
Double staterooms
Fully appointed galleys
Cockpits with Bimini tops and barbecue grills
Snorkeling gear
Dinghies with outboards
VHF radio, AM/FM radio, CD player and cockpit speakers
Roller Furling Genoa
Electric Anchor Windlass
Complete linens including towels
Initial ice and water
Complimentary housekeeping supplies
Diver, Snorkel & Dinghy Safety System
Chart and Yacht Briefings
More of What's Included
2. We Make Sailing Easy For You
Footloose Charters in-house travel agency can help you plan and prepare your sailing vacation, from your meals to air travel at the lowest rates and even arrange a skipper or cook if you need one. Our friendly base staff are local experts and will provide you with chart and yacht briefings before departure so you can relax as your boat leaves the dock.
First Steps!
Resume: To learn which Footloose sailboats you are already qualified to sail, just complete and submit our online Sailing Resume.
Skipper/Cook: If you don’t sail or just want to sit back and relax, hire a professional skipper to captain the boat. Or skip galley duties and add a cook, for gourmet meals with a local flavor.
Sleep Aboard: To set sail on your vacation early, choose our Sleep Aboard option for the evening you arrive. We’ll schedule afternoon chart and yacht briefings so you can set sail the next morning.
Other Services: Choose which other services you’d like for your yacht charter, such as provisioning, fishing gear or water toys, then call us to reserve your yacht and help arrange your travel at the lowest rates.
Provisioning: Don’t waste time schlepping around the supermarket when we can do it for you! Ask for our generous yacht provisioning packages starting at only $25 per person per day.
We Get Your Charter Started With
Our Complimentary Care Package: Includes household necessities such as ice, paper towels, garbage bags, matches, soap, toilet roll, sponge and dishwashing liquid.
Chart/Yacht Briefings: Get the insider tips on the best anchorages, restaurants and beaches. We also guide you through your yacht’s operation and equipment so you can navigate with confidence.
3. Choose Your Destination
British Virgin Islands - If ever there was a perfect sailing area, it’s the British Virgin Islands in the Caribbean. Thanks to line-of-sight navigation and constant trade winds, sailing conditions are ideal year-round. The waters are warm and crystal clear, perfect for snorkeling, swimming, windsurfing or kayaking. With a cruising area 32 miles long and numerous islands, the BVI provide an infinite variety of land and sea adventures for your Caribbean sailing vacation.
Sample 7 Day Itinerary
DAY 1: Snorkel the caves at the Bight on Norman Island. Lunch at Peter Island and sail on to Marina Cay or Trellis Bay.
DAY 2: Cruise up Sir Francis Drake Channel to the famous Baths at Virgin Gorda. Explore the hidden trail in the boulders, and after lunch sail to Gorda Sound, home to the Bitter End Yacht Club.
DAY 3: On to Anegada, a coral island that offers long sandy beaches and is surrounded by a horseshoe shaped reef for plentiful snorkeling. Or, stay an extra day in Gorda Sound and enjoy hiking or wind surfing in Eustatia Sound.
DAY 4: Sail to Cane Garden Bay and stroll along the beautiful crescent shaped beach where island restaurants and bars border the sandy shore.
DAY 5: Tiny Sandy Cay is your next stop. Sun, swim and have lunch on the beach. Sail on to Jost Van Dyke for the night, for good times at Foxy’s or the Soggy Dollar Bar.
DAY 6: Sail south and stop for lunch at Salt Island and dive or snorkel the wreck of The Rhone.
DAY 7: Sail back to Road Town Harbor for a noon check-in.
Travel Notes
The Footloose Sailing Charters base is located in Tortola in the British Virgin Islands, a short flight from Puerto Rico or a ferry ride from St. Thomas. The airport is at Beef Island, 30 minutes from our base.
Sailing Conditions - The BVI offers sheltered waters and simple navigation. Winds generally blow northeast to southeast at 10-25 knots. In the winter months, the winds can be stronger and blow more northeasterly. The tidal range is about 12 inches.
Year round temperatures range between 75°-88°F (24°-31°C).
St Vincent and the Grenadines - Our newest Footloose Charters base is located at the Lagoon Hotel and Marina on the southern tip of St. Vincent in the southern Caribbean. This is a delightful, protected anchorage, perfectly positioned for your sail south to the Grenadines and for trips around the island itself, including the famous Soufriere volcano, the Falls of Baleine or the lush Botanical Gardens.
Sample 7 Day Itinerary
DAY 1: It’s a short sail to Bequia and Admiralty Bay, once home to square-rigged warships. Go ashore for a taste of Bequia's charming island attitude.
DAY 2: Look out for dolphin, flying fish and possible whale on your way to Charlestown Bay, where giant starfish rest on the seabed.
DAY 3: Just over an hour of sailing and you're in the stunning Tobago Cays, protected by a horseshoe reef, famous for snorkeling and diving, where visibility is over 100ft!
DAY 4: Enjoy a beautiful 1 1/2 hours sail to the privately owned island of Petit St. Vincent, home to the best Piña Coladas in the Caribbean!
DAY 5: Next stop Clifton Harbor on Union Island, a bustling port that serves as the center of yachting in the area, with bars, restaurants, fruit and vegetable traders and more.
DAY 6: Head up to Mustique, a playground for entertainment legends. Don’t miss the Wednesday "jump-up" at Basil's Bar! During the day, take a horseback ride or rent a jeep to get the best views of this tropical jewel.
DAY 7: A glorious 3-4 hour upwind sail back to the base gives you time to savor your new memories!
Travel Notes
The full service Footloose Charters base is a 15 minute taxi ride from the airport and offers a restaurant, hotel and bar, outdoor pool, supermarket and laundry service.
Sailing Conditions - Constant breezes on the water make even the warmest summer temperature comfortable. Winds are nearly always from the SE to NE at 10 to 25 knots. During the winter months swells may make northern or eastern anchorages less comfortable. Average temperatures range from 75° to 80°F (24° to 30°C).
New Zealand - The new hot destination for adventure travelers of all ages, New Zealand is a truly unique sailing destination of sparkling island-studded bays, cobalt blue seas edged with long silvery beaches, pockets of sub-tropical forest and towns immersed in history and charm. Sail from one of our two Footloose bases, in Auckland ‘City of Sails’ to the South, or Bay of Islands, a pristine maritime park.
Sample 10 Day Itinerary from Bay of Islands
Day 1: Depart for Russell, the first settlement in New Zealand. Anchor and dine at the historic Duke of Marlborough hotel.
Day 2: Take a leisurely sail to Robertson Island’s beautiful twin lagoons, site of Captain Cook’s first landing here. Overnight at Motorua Island.
Day 3: Leaving early, sail north through the Cavalli Passage to Whangaroa Harbor, Stephenson Island. Dine at Kingfish Lodge.
Day 4: Whangaroa is steeped in Maori and European history. Explore the mystic coves, overlooked by lush green volcanic cliffs and rare native kauri trees.
Day 5: Set sail for the Cavalli Islands for a dive rendezvous or snorkel around the rocky outcrops. Head south for the Bay of Islands, looking out for dolphins.
Day 6: Swim from the beautiful beaches, fish, or walk the island trails. Anchor overnight in tranquil Omakiwi Cove, with its pine forested shoreline.
Day 7: Head through Albert Channel for Oke Bay, surrounded by high cliffs and good anchorages inshore. Walk up the hill to the Maori cemetery for beautiful sunsets.
Day 8: Head for Whangamumu Harbor, sailing past Cape Brett. There are spectacular sea views along the southern end of the peninsula.
Day 9: Set sail for Albert Channel and fish off Cape Brett, while viewing the famous 'hole in the rock' and lighthouse.
Day 10: Sail across to Marsden Cross historical site in Rangihoua Bay, passing by the volcanic Black Rock. Sail back to Russell for dinner.
Final Morning: Take a short time to explore Russell and return to Footloose by noon.
Travel Notes
Either Footloose Charters base is just 40 minutes from the airport.
Sailing Conditions - The weather is changeable, with land and sea breezes during the day. There are plenty of safe, sheltered anchorages for all wind directions, and good weather forecast facilities. Tides have a 6 ft (2 m) rise and fall. In the summer, between November and April, expect temperatures of 75° to 86°F (23° to 30°C).
Tonga - The idyllic Kingdom of Tonga in the South Pacific is a brilliant blue expanse where 64 islands glitter to create a cruising ground with line-of-sight sailing, spectacular snorkeling and soft, unspoiled beaches. “The Friendly Islands” is the honorary title offered by Captain Cook in 1777 and today’s visitors are quick to agree. The warm welcome of these enchanting people is matched only by the appeal of virtually effortless yacht cruising.
Sample 10 Day Itinerary
Day 1: Sail to Port Mourelle on Kapa Island.
Day 2: Snorkel the north side of Ava Island then sail to Nuku and anchor off Fale Vai.
Day 3: Sail out the Faihava Pass to Hunga Lagoon, where the fishing is excellent.
Day 4: Enjoy a short sail to Foeata for snorkeling. Sail to Vaka’eitu for the night.
Day 5: Sail south for a day trip to Luaa Fuleheu or Luahaipu, both beautiful and uninhabited. Sail back to Vaka’eitu and snorkel the reef.
Day 6: Enjoy a leisurely sail to Euakafa and then on to Tapana (Hinakauea Beach) for a Polynesian Feast and traditional Tongan Dance.
Day 7: Sail to remote Maninita Bird Sanctuary for lunch and snorkeling. After lunch head north to Kenutu and anchor overnight.
Day 8: Leave early for Fanua Tapu Pass. Anchor on the north side of Taunga and snorkel the reefs of Tauta.
Day 9: Navigate carefully through the reefs to visit Mafana and Olo’ua.
Day 10: Sail around Taunga for snorkeling between Ngau and Pau. Head on to Swallows Cave on Kapa.
Final Morning: Return to Vava'u to check-in with Footloose Charters before noon.
Travel Notes
The Footloose Charters base is situated on the waterfront minutes away from the main town of Neiafu, in the Vava’u group of islands, and a 15-minute ride from the airport.
Sailing Conditions - Southeast trade winds of 15-25 knots can be expected from May - September. In the summer, breezes are lighter, 10-20 knots from the northeast. Seas are flat and crystal-clear. Tonga's climate is pleasant and slightly cooler than that of most tropical areas. The mean annual temperature is 75ºF (24ºC).
4. TRY OUR BOATS, VIRTUALLY
The Footloose Sailing Charters fleet consists of former Moorings and Sunsail bareboat yachts, very well maintained and fully equipped, every sailboat is designed for ease of handling, comfort and performance. Choose from monohulls or catamarans, with features such as full electronics, furling genoa, electric windlass, mainsail stack pack system, linens and towels, even dinghy and outboard for a hassle-free sailing vacation.
360° Virtual Tours
www.footloosecharters.com
info@footloosecharters.com
Footloose Sailing Charters USA/Canada 1-888-788-0549
Footloose Sailiing Charters France 0800 803030
Footloose Sailing Charters Germany 0800 6935080
Footloose Sailing Charters UK 01227 776677
|