Enjoying Water Activities While Aboard Your Yacht

A charter yacht vacation is wonderful for numerous reasons; you travel in style and luxury,
sleep in well-appointed accommodations, eat delicious meals made with fresh ingredients, visit
different destinations and possibly different countries without toting luggage everywhere,
unpacking only once, and the inviting ocean becomes your playground. To take full advantage
of your magnificent aqua blue playground, charter yachts offer wide selections of activities to
help you enjoy your time on, in, and under the water. The water activities provided aboard
yachts vary but can accommodate all ability levels and range from the adventurous to the more
sedate, allowing both timid sailors and thrill-seekers alike to get out and explore your
surroundings.

Some of the more placid activities include floating about in an inflatable lounge chair, stand-up
paddle-boarding (SUP), kayaking, or snorkeling around the moored yacht. Most charter vessels
provide a variety of inflatables, SUPs, sea kayaks, and snorkeling equipment, as well as the
necessary safety gear and personal flotation devices (PFDs).

Stand-up paddleboards (SUPs) are wonderful activities, and it does not require much training
to successfully maneuver these watercraft. SUPs allow you to travel short distances easily and
explore your anchorage as you wish. You might paddle through the mangroves, into coastal
rivers and estuaries, or over to a neighboring yacht for a visit. Take off by yourself for some
relaxing time away from the group or grab a buddy to explore your haven together. For less
assured guests, you might want to view one of the many instructional YouTube videos for
techniques on balancing a SUP and using the paddle properly. Most of the paddles on charter
yachts are adjustable which is important because having the appropriate length paddle is key
to a comfortable experience.

The best SUPs for beginners are the inflatable type which are also the easiest to stow away,
important for maximizing deck space on your vessel. Most inflatable SUPs have wider decks to
accommodate a buddy, indulge in yoga, or if you are in an area where fishing is permitted,
provide room for fishing equipment (also provided on many chartered yachts). SUPs can be
either relaxing or invigorating depending on your aspirations.

For longer excursions or a sit-down experience, kayaks still require balancing skills but they are
more stable. As with a SUP, the appropriate technique and “fit” will make for a more satisfying
trip. Ensure your rear-end snugs firmly against the seat-back, the balls of your feet are on the
footpads so that your knees are slightly bent, and the outsides of your legs are up against the
sides of the cockpit. As with SUPs, kayaking can be relaxing personal time or with tandem
kayaks, a calm getaway from the group with a partner.

Under the waters of your wet and wonderful playground, you could don the provided mask,
fins, and snorkel and swim around the protected waters surrounding your yacht. If you are a
confident swimmer, head to the coral reefs or rocky shore formations to view more underwater
color and sea life. Natation within your own private aquarium is a very relaxing and scenic
activity.

If you are a certified scuba diver or wish to more deeply examine the undersea world, some
yachts have their own compressed air tanks. More often, your charter yacht crew can set up
rendezvous diving opportunities where scuba diving operators pick you up at your yacht and
take you to appropriate dive sites in your area. See the article, Scuba Diving During your
Charter: Experiencing What is Beneath the Boat for more information about this specialized
water activity.

For the more venturesome, your charter yacht’s dinghy, Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB), or tender
can provide a variety of overwater activities. You can sport around the anchorage in these
versatile vessels and explore or just enjoy the wind in your hair as you open up the throttle and
cut through the sea. Depending on the power, you can also utilize the RIB or tender to engage
in a variety of towable activities. Many charter yachts provide equipment for pull-behind water
sports such as tubing, kneeboarding, water skiing, wakeboarding, and the newly popular wake
foiling. Wake foiling is the latest towing fad where the rider is pulled behind the boat on a board
that hovers above the water via a foil. This activity is becoming the newest rage because it
does not require wake or waves and only needs a boat that can go around 10 mph to get
started. If you are a former slalom water skier, wake foiling has a similar learning curve.

For more extreme motorized water sports, technology has enabled the introduction of e-foiling
and jet surfing. For the daring adventurer, these audacious activities are performed on jet-powered boards that propel the rider over the water and can reach up to 35 mph. Having their
own propulsion, means they do not require wind or waves in order to carve the board or catch
air. Because of the power and expense of the equipment, riders should be highly skilled in the
pull-behind or wave-driven sports before attempting the self-propelled boards.

If you prefer adventurous water sports fueled by nature, wind-surfing and surfing are available
aboard several charter vessels depending on conditions such as consistent winds and rideable
waves. And while the equipment is not typically provided aboard your chartered yacht, the
fashionable sport of kiteboarding is an amazing activity for the daring charterer and can be
accommodated through local kiteboarding operators. Some destinations even have world-class kiteboarding instructors if you are inclined to learn this sensational wind-driven sport.

Aboard a chartered yacht, the sea is your playground, beckoning you to step off the deck and
enjoy the water. From relaxing to invigorating, there are water activities to suit everyone in your
group. If you would like to enjoy any of the activities included in this article, your yacht broker
will ensure that the yacht you select for your vacation can accommodate your interests.