Read the words in context
These definitions explain common usage across the directory. An operator’s contract, vessel manual and briefing control the meaning for a particular booking.
- Bareboat charter
- A charter where the customer operates the vessel without a professional skipper supplied as part of the booking, subject to the operator’s approval and terms.
- Beam
- The vessel’s width at its widest point. A catamaran’s beam contributes to space and affects marina handling.
- Berth
- A sleeping place aboard. A berth may be fixed in a cabin or created by converting another space.
- Bridle
- A line arrangement often used on a catamaran to distribute anchoring load between the two bows.
- Cabin
- An enclosed sleeping room. One cabin can contain one or more berths.
- Charter bond
- Security held under the operator’s terms for potential damage or other liabilities. It is separate from the charter price.
- Cockpit
- An outdoor working or social area, commonly at the stern and sometimes forward as well.
- Damage waiver
- An optional product that may reduce specified financial exposure without removing every liability or exclusion.
- Day guest capacity
- The permitted number of people aboard for a day trip. It is different from the number who can sleep aboard.
- Draft
- The depth of the vessel below the waterline. It influences where the boat can safely navigate.
- Flybridge
- An elevated helm and seating area above the main deck, common on some power catamarans.
- Fully crewed
- A package with a skipper and additional crew or service staff. The exact roles and service level vary by operator.
- Galley
- The boat’s kitchen area. Confirm appliances, cold storage and equipment for the exact vessel.
- Handover
- The operator’s check-in, vessel orientation and local-area briefing before a bareboat or overnight charter departs.
- Head
- The marine term for a toilet or bathroom compartment.
- Helm
- The steering and control position used by the skipper.
- Insurance excess
- The amount payable under an insurance arrangement when an accepted claim occurs, subject to the policy and charter terms.
- LOA
- Length overall: the vessel’s end-to-end length, usually stated in metres or feet.
- Marine-park zone
- A legally defined area with rules for activities such as fishing, anchoring or access. Always use current official maps.
- Minimum charter duration
- The shortest booking period accepted for a package or date. A nightly rate may still require several nights.
- No-anchoring area
- A mapped area where anchoring is restricted, often to protect reef, seagrass or infrastructure.
- Price basis
- The unit attached to a published amount, such as per hour, day, night or package.
- Public mooring
- Installed mooring infrastructure available under local rules and vessel limits. Occupancy is generally not guaranteed.
- Sailing résumé
- A summary of recent vessel, navigation and skippering experience used by an operator to assess a bareboat request.
- Saloon
- The main enclosed living and dining area aboard. On some boats its seating converts into berths.
- Scope
- The relationship between anchor rode let out and the depth of water. The skipper chooses it for the conditions and vessel.
- Skippered charter
- A charter supplied with a professional skipper. Ask whether other crew are included and where crew sleep on overnight trips.
- Substitution
- Replacement of the named vessel under circumstances described in the operator’s terms.
- Tender
- A smaller boat carried or towed by the charter vessel for transfers or short trips.
- Weather hold
- An informal expression for a delay while conditions or an operational decision are reviewed; the contractual outcome depends on written terms.
USE THE LANGUAGE
Turn a definition into a question.
Ask the operator how the term applies to the named vessel, dates and package. The answer should be specific enough to appear in the written quote.
Open the quote checklist