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There are many good reasons to own a boat. Its fun, it’s sporting, it’s romantic and it’s adventurous. It bonds family and friends together for special memories. There’s that irresistible pull of the ocean that says, “Let’s go!” And, of course, there’s a certain prestige in owning a well maintained yacht. However there are also many reasons not to. The costs associated with maintaining your own yacht are high, and so is the time commitment required. Mortgage, maintenance, dockage, insurance, upgrades, storage and cleaning are a year-round personal and financial commitment. Fractional Sailing programs remove all of the negative aspects of boating and allow you to enjoy your time on the water with friends and family. Fractional Sailing is day to day access to a new luxury sailboat in your local waterway; it makes sailing practical, cost effective and simple. Program members may take a new sailing yacht out for a few hours after work, getaway for a weekend, or cruise for an entire week. If you’re looking for a flexible, no commitment way to sail your luxury dream yacht then you’ve found it in fractional sailing. OK, now that we have your attention, let’s take a look at some of the highlights of fractional sailing programs. Most programs allow you to sail a beautiful new sailboat in your local waterways and allow morning, afternoon, evening, overnight, weekend and week long time slots. The more established programs use proprietary scheduling technology, usually accessed via the internet, to allow members to book time on their sailboat. To help keep member costs down most programs also employ some type of electronic check-in and check-out system at the boat that removes the need for a staff member on the dock. Members incur no maintenance, bank notes, slip fees, or insurance costs; they simply pay one low annual or monthly fee to the management company. A typical program will allow for seven guaranteed uses per month, plus as available use, and is generally all inclusive for less than a typical owner would pay for slip fees and fuel alone. If the program is structured correctly there should be no commitments and no buying or selling, make sure you have an experienced professional management team working for you. With the right Fractional Sailing program you will find yourself in top of the line facilities sailing on a fully loaded sailboat: roller furling jibs and main sails, modern electronics, flat panel TV’s with DVD players, electric heads, and powerful reliable diesel engines are just some of the features you can expect to find. Most yacht owners realistically sail their boats 2-3 times per month. The cost of ownership is high; slip fees are $250-$450 per month, the bank note varies depending on the quality of the yacht but can range from $300 to well into the thousands, maintenance is expensive and time consuming, quality comprehensive insurance is difficult to obtain and expensive, the list goes on and on; fuel, pump-out, bottom paint, haul outs….. Previously the only alternative to ownership was chartering. Chartering a yacht in a destination vacation area is usually an enjoyable experience, however it is still expensive, and you are only on the water for the duration of your vacation. Fractional Sailing programs give you the ability to sail in your local waterways for a day, evening, half day, weekend, week or even just a few hours all season long. All the hassles, worries and expenses associated with yacht ownership are handled by the management company. Check out your local Fractional Sailing program today! Summary: Fractional Sailing Programs remove all of the negative aspects of boating and allow you to enjoy your time on the water with friends and family. Fractional Sailing is day to day access to a new luxury sailboat in your local waterway, it makes sailing practical, cost effective and simple. About the author : Ian Treibick is a US Coast Guard licensed Master Mariner, lifelong sailor, and founder of WindPath’s sailing school, a US based fractional sailing company offering Catalina Yachts to its members. Visit http://www.WindPath.com for more information on learning to sail.
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