Sunsail has fleets of modern, well-maintained yachts of every kind and family-friendly beach clubs in 39 locations around the world. They offer yacht charters plus the chance to own your own yacht and will even manage it for you.
Charter World Yacht Charters (www.charterworld.com.au, Tel. +61 3 9521 0033)
Australian agency for yacht charters in the Whitsundays, Pacific, Caribbean, Mediterranean and Asia. Useful website with suggested itineraries as well.
Offers 7-day sailing tours discovering tiny islands and secluded coves hidden in the Adriatic.
Sailing Europe (www.SailingEurope.com, Tel. +385 1 488 22 09)
Offer organized and inexpensive sailing vacations with a personal touch in Croatia, Greece, Italy, Montenegro, Slovenia and Spain. Book a boat or book a cabin.
Learn to sail in Croatia or take a sailing vacation with this operator.
Spetses Yachting Club Holidays (www.spetsesyc.gr, Tel. + 30 22980 73400)
Rent a boat, join an excursion or sailing trip from this Greek yacht club.
Do-It-Yourself Options
Nothing beats standing at the helm of your own yacht to cruise the Aeolian Islands or round the Cornish coast. It's the ultimate in this kind of adventure travel. You will need to understand how to operate and man your craft, how to read maps, adjust the rigging, hoist the sails and any other tasks. You will also need a crew. The more people onboard also means more cramped spaces so think carefully about who is coming along and how likely or able they will be to help.
Most yachts have kitchens, toilets and bedrooms and will need people to clean or man them. Work out the tasks of each crew member or a system of rotation. To decide where you want to go ask at sailing and yachting clubs for advice, shops selling sailing equipment or other boaters.
If you own a yacht consider joining a yacht partnership whereby you can choose to sail your own yacht or, at no additional cost, use an equivalent model from a base elsewhere in the world. This means you never cover the same ground twice.
