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Chartering in the Bahamas: paperwork, clearance and shallow water
Short answer
To charter in the Bahamas the base will normally want proof of skippering experience and often a
qualification such as Day Skipper or the ICC.
Clearance and permits for the yacht are usually the base's job; the challenges are shallow water,
eyeball navigation and hurricanes.
Chartering in the Bahamas usually means the Abacos or the Exumas: long chains of cays with short hops, sheltered anchorages and very clear, shallow water. Most bases are there or in Nassau. The yacht is registered locally, so clearance and cruising permits for the boat are normally handled by the charter company. Clearance is only your job if you arrive on a boat from abroad, in which case you report to customs and immigration at the first port of entry. The base will tell you which paperwork it needs from the skipper, and the Foreign Office travel advice pages cover entry for the crew.
Bases normally want proof of skippering experience, many also a qualification such as RYA Day Skipper or Yachtmaster, the ICC or an equivalent national certificate, and some a VHF licence. A detailed sailing CV sent before booking is common. What makes the Bahamas different is the water: between the cays it is often only a few metres deep, with sandbanks and coral heads in the way, and the charts are not accurate everywhere. You read the water by its colour, which only works with the sun high and ideally behind you. Many bases rule out sailing after dark and limit the cruising area.
Plan around the hurricane season, which officially runs in the Atlantic from 1 June to 30 November, with the highest risk in late summer and autumn. Before you book, get written confirmation of which qualifications the base accepts, how far the cruising area extends and what happens after a grounding, because hull, rudder and propeller damage is a typical risk in shallow water. Respect the rules of protected areas such as the Exumas park, where fishing and anchoring may be restricted. You are personally liable for damage you cause to others with the charter yacht, so make sure your own skipper liability insurance applies in the Caribbean and the Atlantic.
Worth remembering
Papers
skippering experience, often Day Skipper, ICC or equivalent
Water
shallow, eyeball navigation, good light only
In the Bahamas the light sets the route: if you can read the colour of the water, you get through safely.
Questions
What owners ask us about this
Do I have to clear the charter yacht into the Bahamas myself?
Normally not. The yacht is registered locally and the charter company handles its permits. Clearance is only your job if you arrive on a boat from abroad.
Which papers does a Bahamas charter base ask for?
Usually proof of skippering experience, often a qualification such as Day Skipper, Yachtmaster or the ICC, and sometimes a VHF licence. Get written confirmation of what the base accepts before you book.
Why do Bahamas bases often ban sailing after dark?
Because you navigate by eye in the shallows. Sandbanks and coral heads show only in the colour of the water, and that needs good light.
Related
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