More Details on the Sailing Trips
Arrival and Departure Information
Our journey to the Caribbean begins on the beautiful island of Martinique, which is easily accessible thanks to its international flight connections.
Find affordable flight prices at:
You can reach the marina in Fort-de-France with a convenient bus or taxi transfer. The quickest way is by taxi for approximately €40.
Alternatively, there is also a public bus service that goes directly from the airport to the city center. From the city center, it is just a few minutes to the yacht. The skipper will welcome you on board with a refreshing welcome drink. After stowing your luggage in the cabin, there is an opportunity to visit a traditional Caribbean restaurant together to get to know each other better and exchange stories.
Information
Language on board:
German or English
Smoking:
No smoking on board!
Sailing Experience:
No sailing experience is required, the skipper can perform all maneuvers alone.If you prefer to be an active crew member rather than a passenger, the skipper will gladly help you expand your skills. Those looking to evolve into a responsible skipper will encounter all situations necessary for independent yacht handling. Whether it's anchoring, docking, provisioning, servicing and maintenance, navigation, weather knowledge, and more.
Food and Drinks:
We will try to balance the culinary delights of Caribbean restaurants and onboard cooking financially. Therefore, we will organize food shopping for breakfast, lunch, and a few dinners. Whether vegetarian, fish, or meat dishes are prepared on board will be decided with the crew members. The key is to use fresh ingredients!
By the way, the skipper is also a trained chef and will assist anyone who can't cook. Alternatively, there are always restaurants available.
Accommodations:
We prefer anchoring in serene coves. This allows us to go ashore with the dinghy and significantly reduce the shared cash for harbor and marina fees. In case of bad weather conditions, we usually head into a harbor or marina.
Curfew
Generally, sleeping on a sailing yacht is excellent. In case crew members are unable to sleep because others want to keep conversing "quietly," the following recommendation is made: General quiet time starts at 11:00 p.m. unless the entire crew decides on a later "curfew."
Alcohol on Board
Enjoying a glass of wine with dinner, a beer in the evening, and occasionally another one is not an issue. However, if someone is drunk and goes overboard unnoticed at night... it could become a problem.
Seasickness
Consuming a lot of alcohol, skipping meals, and maybe reading a book below deck increases the chances of getting seasick. This should be avoided in general.
There are various ways to prevent seasickness from the outset. It is advantageous to avoid high seas initially (e.g. departing the following day), drink ginger with fruit juice, consume sufficient vitamin C, and take medications similar to motion sickness pills, which are very reliable. It is also helpful to take the helm at the first signs of discomfort. Even lying down in the bunk usually alleviates the symptoms after half an hour. The fear of seasickness is mostly unfounded, and the longer we stay on board, the less frequently it occurs.
Ship`s Kitty
For decades, managing a ship's kitty has been a staple of sailing trips. The kitty is established by the fellow sailors at the beginning of a sailing trip and serves to cover ongoing costs. The crew selects a purse holder who pays at the marina offices, national park authorities, gas stations, and grocery stores.
Contribution for Skipper
Generally, the skipper is provided for. The crew shares their meals onboard with him and covers the food expenses in restaurants (excluding drinks). The skipper himself does not contribute to the kitty.
The kitty covers costs that concern the entire crew: groceries (excluding alcohol), mooring fees in marinas, ports, or at buoys, diesel consumption, gas, national park fees, costs for gasoline for outboard engines. An estimated amount of about €20 per day per person can be expected.
Guidelines for restaurant visits:
Restaurant visits will not be covered by the onboard account to avoid any discrepancies from the outset. Each person is free to eat and drink according to their wishes and needs and will settle their bill themselves afterwards.
Skipper Herbert
At the top of the list is the safety of the crew and maintaining a calm atmosphere.
My countless sailing trips have shown me that the skills of a skipper should go far beyond just safely leading a yacht: Ideally, a skipper should also be a team leader, tour guide, food & beverage manager, interpreter, mechanic, medic, plumber, electrician, electronics expert, and cook. Nowadays, it is also advantageous for a skipper to be a social media expert, photographer, filmmaker, and webmaster.
Communication with the crew should always be polite and competent. Helpfulness (even on little sleep) should not be just an empty word but a lived reality. Even under high pressure and in stressful situations, a friendly and dedicated attitude should be at the forefront. It is essential to have a certain level of decision-making flexibility, providing quick alternative solutions (for example, in case of sudden weather changes). A good skipper is someone who enjoys continuous learning and sees criticism as a part of the learning process.
When facing any kind of problem, the skipper should use his skills, experience, and creative potential to quickly solve any challenge with the help of his "improvisational skills."
In short:
A good skipper leads his crew to success with enthusiasm in every situation and maintains calm and composure even in stressful times. That's why I appreciate every crew member who supports me or helps me deepen my abilities.
"Because anyone who stops wanting to get better stops being good." – Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach
How did I get into sailing?
In 2006, my neighbor invited me on a sailing trip to Croatia. I thought it would be a boring week since I preferred more active sports like whitewater kayaking, rock climbing, skiing, and mountain biking. After a week of sailing with light winds and calm seas, I also got to experience crossing the Kvarner Bay with wind speeds up to 40 knots. That was about 6 hours of "active sport." During that time, I gained a lot of trust in the yacht (Hunter 30) and was proud of our performance.
Encouraged by this experience, I got my skipper certifications the same year and have since sailed the following sailboats for one or more weeks in Croatia, Greece, Italy, Spain, and the Balearic Islands:
Monohulls: Dufour 560 Grand Large
Bavaria 56, 55, 50, 47, 46, 44, 42, 40, 38
Oceanis 50, 49 DS, 461
Dufour 382 Grand Large
Catamarans: Privilege 49 S
Nautitech Open 46
Lagoon 400, 2x 440, 2x 420, 3x 450
Bali 4.0
In June 2021, I set sail on a Bavaria 46 from the Canary Islands to Madeira and then to the Azores. After 3 months, we returned to the Canary Islands and continued our journey to the Caribbean via the Cape Verde Islands.
Thanks to my amazing crew, the transatlantic crossing was a truly special and unforgettable experience for me.
Since then, I have been spending most of my time in the Caribbean, where I have had the pleasure of meeting many warm and helpful people, discovering numerous excellent restaurants, exploring breathtakingly beautiful bays, and finding convenient shopping opportunities. Now, my guests and fellow sailors can benefit from all these experiences.
Thierry
February 2024
11-day dream cruise to the Grenadines. Herbert is very professional, attentive, a great cook, with a genuine sense of humor. The boat is very comfortable and well-equipped. Herbert caters to the wishes and expectations of his guests, adapting to each individual's level. We will gladly sail with him again. Fred and Thierry.
Claude
February 2024
Herbert is a fantastic host. Friendly, attentive to all needs, always looking for ways to offer his passengers more, see more, and experience every opportunity. He is a great chef. Carlotta is a good sailboat, comfortable yet powerful (we reached over 9 knots during our week on board). Highly recommended.
Luca
February 2024
Herbert was a great captain, wanting us to enjoy our short trip to the fullest and allowed us to choose the preferred route. We spent half a day dedicated to learning sailing maneuvers. He is very experienced in sailing in the Caribbean. The cleanliness rating is due to him having us on board last minute, likely with little time for a thorough cleaning. Highly recommended.
Sophia
January 2024
We had a wonderful time with Herbert on his sailboat, enjoying it so much that we decided to go for another island exploration with him the following day! Herbert was incredibly attentive and accommodating during the trip planning process. Onboard, we were impressed by his professionalism and consideration. I highly recommend him and would book with him again anytime!
Mathieu
December 2023
Welcoming you aboard Carlotta, Herbert embodies the kindness and exceptional availability of a generous, exciting man who is always ready to please you. Sailing alongside him is a fascinating lesson, and his patience with the children is exemplary. We had a very successful family week that we will never forget. Thanks again, and of course, we can only highly recommend Herbert!
Mark
December 2023
We had a fantastic day with Herbert sailing around Martinique on his boat in the sea. He is a great skipper, making us feel very welcome and safe. Additionally, he is a really kind man. I would recommend Herbert to anyone considering a skipper charter in the region.ValérieSeptember 2023Great captain, accompanied by a great day, worthy of a fairytale. The food was good and very enjoyable. I can definitely recommend this captain and his sailboat Carlotta.
Matthieu
August 2023
A fantastic day with the family with Herbert and his friend Nick. Herbert speaks excellent English. He goes above and beyond for your comfort, explaining everything about the boat's operation and navigation. He cooks wonderfully. We loved it. Everything was perfect.