# Vancouver BC Charter Company Recommendations



## Bob Scott (Oct 24, 2018)

Looking for recommendations for charter companies in Vancouver BC for summer 2019.


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## MacBlaze (Jan 18, 2016)

In Vancouver proper you have two choices: Blue Pacific and Coopers. Coopers has a bigger range of sailboats as Blue Pacific has tended towards powerboats over the past few years. Coopers is the biggest charter Company in the Canadian PNW with three bases (Vancouver, Sidney and Powell River). I have chartered from them and they are great people and the boats well looked after. I also did one cruise and learn a long time ago through Blue Pacific and it was great.

Nanaimo Yacht Charters works out of Nanaimo. (disclaimer: I have my boat in charter with them) It has direct flights, is a quick ferry ride from Vancouver or, my favourite, take a Seair float plane to within a hundred yards of the base. We did a lot of chartering with them and I think they are a great operation and lovely people. Nanaimo is centrally located to Gulf Islands, Sunshine Coast or Desolation Sound.

Sidney has Island Cruising. While I have never heard anything bad about them I have heard they dance to the their own drummer—nice selection of boats though. They are the Canadian Moorings franchise holder and have a lot of cats as well. Not so well situated if you want to go north but good for the Gulf Islands or the San Juans.

Desolation Sound Yacht Charters is out of Comox. A perfect place to pop over to Desolation from. I know a lot of people who have had good experiences there.

There are also a bunch of charter companies out of the U.S... Bellingham etc but I don't know much about them.

Hope this helps.


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## Bob Scott (Oct 24, 2018)

Super helpful, MacBlaze, thanks. I've chartered our of Bellingham maybe 5-6 times, always with San Juan Sailing. Can't say enough about their boat selection, quality and the people but we are trying to get a bit further north this trip. Thanks again.


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## MacBlaze (Jan 18, 2016)

Well let me know if you have any other questions. Its a great cruising ground...currently we are planning to head off late April and the month of May to take in Desolation before the crowds hit.


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## Uricanejack (Nov 17, 2012)

I was an instructor for Cooper. I used to Charter from Cooper. I was always happy with my Charter.
It is possible to get from Thier Vancouver base to Desolation and back in a weeks charter. I have done so. Gulf Islands is easier. 
Depends where you want to go?


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## midwesterner (Dec 14, 2015)

In June of 2016 we chartered a Hunter 31 from Cooper Boating's Vancouver Granville Island base. I only have the one experience, with the that one company, but they were great. The booking people were nice, and helpful. They know the area well and advised me on the perfect week long itinerary. 

The boat was in good shape and well equipped. The morning before we sailed, they promptly fixed a couple of things that weren't working and had it done before we had finished putting our groceries away. During the charter, I found a number of little things wrong that most people would probably not mention, and I made a detailed list. The morning after our return (We paid extra to spend the last night on the boat) a fleet manager called out to me from the dock, and asked my permission to come aboard. He asked if we had a good time and asked if we had any problems. I told him that we had hit a log and that the knot meter had quit working. He told me that their diver had already been in the water that morning, while we were still sleeping, and said the hull was in good shape, with no damage. He said that the knot meter probably needed a new trip wheel and that there would be no charge for replacing something that minor, as they considered it "normal wear and tear". I gave him my nit-picky detailed list of every loose screw and a burned out cockpit dome light bulb, and he thanked me for it. He said, "Thank you for making this list. Some of these are things we might not catch, and this helps us make sure that we can fix them all for the next people who take this boat out". 

During the week we sailed to Gambier Island and anchored in a bay near the Halkett Bay Marine Provincial Park. We picked up a mooring at Plumper Cove Marine Provincial Park. We spent a night at Ganges Marina on Salt Spring Island. We spent a night at Lady Smith south of Nanaimo. It was a great time. I can recommend that area and that charter company.


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