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SaW(!) Vacations Skipper/First Mate Program Terms & Conditions

We are excited to introduce to you our SaW! Skipper/First Mate Program, which will allow you to take an active role in operating our vacations at a great discount. The benefits of becoming a part of the program are tremendous - to list a few:

  • Enhance your skipper skills and experience

  • Be part of a flotilla led by SaW Vacations experts

  • Enjoy sailing in different conditions and on different boats

  • Sail off-season where it’s nice and warm :-)

  • Meet new sailing friends from all over the world

  • Have a lot of fun - for less $$!

Whether you are a skipper or aspire to be one - taking your first step with our sailing vacations makes a lot of sense. You can take an active role in planning and running a boat under our guidance and/or supervision. And we all know that there’s no better way to become a better sailor than to actually do it!

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SaW! Vacations Facts:

  • SaW! Vacations started to run sailing vacations 6 years ago, and so far our crews have sailed in the Caribbean sea, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Mediterranean in multiple destinations.

  • Over 150 guests have sailed with us on 10 different vacations.

  • Many of our guests are return-clients or have heard of us through word-of-mouth - we believe we’re doing something right to earn these guests back!

  • Most of our guests are traveling solo and join a shared captained boat.

 

Skipper and First Mate Terms & Conditions:

  • Qualified Skippers and First Mates will register with a Sailing Vacation of their choice and will be required to pay the initial deposit and all related fees.

  • Should a person be interested in serving as a skipper/first mate on one of the flotilla boats, they will need to send an application to SaW! Vacations.

  • SaW! Vacations will decide at their discretion whether the applicant is qualified to be a skipper/first mate and will inform the applicant if a position is available for them.

  • Once approved, skippers/first mates will be eligible for a discount on their accommodation based on their role - see details below.

  • Skippers and first mates will be confirmed on a first-come, first-served basis and at SaW! Vacations discretion. For example: If all skipper positions are already occupied, then the applicant will either be offered a first mate position (if available) or join as a regular guest at full price. In the event more boats are added to the flotilla, SaW! Vacations may offer the applicant the opportunity to serve as skipper/first mate on its own discretion.

  • Skippers must be approved by the charter company and might be subject to a checkout conducted at the base by the charter company’s representative.

  • Unless otherwise specified - the discounted rate applies for crew cabin accommodation only. In case the skipper/first mate is interested in staying in a guest cabin - they can choose to do so at an additional cost - see details below.

  • Skippers and Mates can get an additional discount if they bring 1-4 guests on board - $100/booked referral.

  • Skipper/first mate’s spouse or a +1 is eligible for a discounted crew cabin accommodations or full price in guest cabin.

  • Skipper/first mate will be sign a SaW! Vacations Charterer Agreement and follow the Sailing Vacation Skipper Protocol enclosed.

  • Skippers will be signing a charterer agreement with the charter company at the base upon checking in to the boat.

  • The charter boat is covered by damage waiver insurance and SaW! Vacations will pay the damage waiver deposit.

  • To clarify - the nature of the relationship between the skipper/first mate with SaW! Vacations is a customer and a service provider. The skipper/first mate is not being hired or employed by SaW(!) Vacations.

  • The skipper/first mate program applies to shared boats only. Skippers who wish to charter a boat with their own crew - should request a quote for a full boat charter.

 

Pricing - based on prices specified on www.sawvacations.com :

 

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Compliance with government/charter companies’ requirements

Sailing Resume

All charter companies require submission of a sailing resume and 2 reference contacts for both the skipper and the co-skipper/first mate.

One’s experience should include:

  • Number of years and number of days a year captaining/skippering a sailboat - monohull/catamaran

  • Crewing experience

  • Boat size you’ve been skippering (experience on cruising boats larger than 30’ is a MUST!)

  • Boats owned (not a must)

  • Previously chartered boats

  • Experience sailing on lakes/inshore, coastal, offshore

  • Experience sailing on day/night sail

Please note - the above experience is not necessary, but of course the more experience the better.

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Sailing certification

Most destinations outside of the US, Canada and the Caribbean require by law skippers to have an international sailing certificate. Most American certifications (such as: ASA 104, US Sailing Bareboat or even a USCG license) are not recognized as international certifications.

Should you need to obtain an international sailing certificate - we can help! You can take an online theoretical course and then get checked out on a one-day on-the-water assessment with a NauticEd certified instructor. Read below for more information.

 

NauticEd - SLC Certification

*NOTE: The International Sailing License and Credentials (SLC) is the American equivalent of the International Certificate of Competence (ICC). Your NauticEd SLC certification will be accepted in countries where there is a legal requirement to hold an ICC certification.

In order to become an SLC approved sailor you will need the following:

  1. THEORY: pass the NauticEd Bareboat Charter Master bundle of multimedia courses online and a special SLC exam. These courses cover all the theory associated with large sailboat management such as: maneuvering, chart and electronic navigation, tides, rules, anchoring and mooring, docking, and provisioning

  2. PRACTICAL: pass a one-day on-the-water assessment of practical sailing and knowledge skills administered by a specially appointed SLC instructor

  3. EXPERIENCE: have at least 50 days of sailing experience logged in your FREE NauticEd electronic logbook, 25 of which must be on a vessel greater than 28 feet (8.5 m) and 25 of which must be as master of the vessel. In addition, 10 days experience must have been logged in the past two years

  4. GOVERNMENT: obtain a government approved boating license. For the USA, you must obtain the NASBLA state boating license which is available for FREE here (Please note: NJ State safe boating course IS NOT NASBLA Approved!)

Once all the above had been completed, approved and signed off by a Sailors NYC SLC certified instructor - you will be able to print out your internationally recognized NauticEd SLC license.

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