# Chartering BVI? Stay far away from Conch Chrs



## familyofun

We are booking our charter right now for this winter and I get a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach when I recall what we went through last winter with the charter company "Conch Charters" in BVI. To keep it short and sweet:

1) The boat was a wreck
2) The boat was filthy and stunk, including the linens, pillows, etc
3) The employees were of zero assistance via phone or radio once we left the mooring. i.e. when a piece of equipment failed to work.
4) They attack the boat like pirates when you return and the hunt is on for something to charge you with from your damage deposit. And they WILL charge you without hesitation!!! (there go your big savings!) NOT a pleasant way to end a vacation.

You may feel great on booking for saving a bit of cashola, but you will not feel so great when you see the trade off. At least on land you can pack your bags and go to a different hotel. Not so easy when you are afloat.

After you read this, you will see a flurry of comments refuting what I've just written- trust me...these comments have a ring of familiarity to them...ie: the company owners, perhaps, employees??? 
Have a great vacation and be VERY CAREFUL who you book with!!!


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## KindOfBlue

Of course you are going to get refuting comments. Your first point says that the boat was a wreck. Most wrecks that I have heard of are below the surface of the water and people go scuba diving to view them. 

I have chartered with them before and I haven't gone back. I understand that your experience with them wasn't up to your expectations, but your post is such a exagerated rant that I am not sure that anyone will find it helpful.


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## rockDAWG

familyofun said:


> Chartering BVI? Stay far away from Conch Chrs


Thanks for the warning. I heard that they have been going down hill in the recent years.


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## familyofun

Yes, it probably does sound exaggerated but in fact I have been understated. The company gave themselves a $1500 Tip (our DD) without a breakdown or explanation (we left some dirty dishes as we had no water and they left us for our last evening with empty tanks). And, we seem to have had little recourse. Their attitude once we boarded the boat and left was like night and day from when we were booking.
Hard to take when you look forward to a vacation this much.
I only wish that someone would have taken the time to warn us.


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## sailingdog

if you paid via credit card, you have some options. if you paid cash or check, you deserve what you get.



familyofun said:


> Yes, it probably does sound exaggerated but in fact I have been understated. The company gave themselves a $1500 Tip (our DD) without a breakdown or explanation (we left some dirty dishes as we had no water and they left us for our last evening with empty tanks). And, we seem to have had little recourse. Their attitude once we boarded the boat and left was like night and day from when we were booking.
> Hard to take when you look forward to a vacation this much.
> I only wish that someone would have taken the time to warn us.


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## tempest

If you pay good money for a service, regardless of whether is cash or credit card you should feel free to demand the service or your money back. They would have not kept my $1500.00 without a damn good explanation, dirty dishes wouldn't suffice! 

Having said that, if a price sounds too good to be true..it usually is.

I have used the moorings, paid the premium and was never disappointed in their service.

Once we pulled into the bitter end, and one of the lazy jack lines had come undone. We no sooner tied off to the mooring ball, and a guy in a dinghy 
( from the moorings) had spotted it from the shore and came out to fix it for us without us even asking. He climbed the mast re-attached the line and refused a tip. 

I'm sure their are other great charter companies there but, my attitude is, why mess with success.

Sorry to hear of your troubles.


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## KindOfBlue

$1,500 for dirty dishes is not acceptable. For a cheap charter why not use Footlose? They have the same base as the moorings and they will price match the other companies. But no matter which budget company you go with chances are that you will have some annoying problems with the boat. At least with Footlose you have a corporation in the hospitality business with a customer service dept to call and talk to about your gripes.


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## Vasco

Familyofun,

I'll start by saying I have no connection with Conch other than having chartered about a dozen times with them over the years. The last time I chartered was about six or seven years ago and that was also with Conch.

A couple of things about your complaint strike me as odd. One, it is *your* responsibility to have enough fresh water aboard, not Conch's so there is no excuse for returning the boat with dirty dishes. You only mention this in your second post. Normally you get full tanks when you board and it is your responsibility to ensure that you have sufficient fresh water from then on. If Conch withheld your security deposit it has to be for good reason and returning a boat with dirty dishes is one indication that all was not well when you returned the boat. I would like to hear Conch's side of the story. Charter companies usually bend over backwards before they withhold a security deposit and Conch is no different.

If they inspected the boat closely when you returned they must have had good reason and the dirty dishes might have been a tip-off.

If the boat and linen stank when you boarded you should have pointed this out during the initial familiarization routine where a rep of the charter company takes you through the boat.

If the boat was a wreck you should have pointed out the deficiencies to Conch on boarding.

Also I find it difficult to understand you got "zero assistance" when a "piece of equipment failed to work". There is a VHF aboard and also a cell phone with no charge to call Conch. What was the nature of your call, what failed to work?

You have made a total of 7 posts on this site and all seven were to knock Conch. Also in one of your earlier posts you admit to running over the dinghy and severing the painter and this can result in damage to the shaft and alignment. I now see why they inspected the boat closely. I assume this is why Conch kept your damage deposit. I take it you elected to post a $1500 damage deposit rather than to take the insurance that is also available.

As I said earlier I have not chartered with Conch for a few years and their service may have deteriorated but I cannot believe your side completely as all the posts on this site you've ever made complain about the one charter you had with Conch. Was this your first ever charter?


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## BoxedUp

We charter with Sunsail and have been very satisfied. Boats are always clean and if anything is amiss while checking out the boat before departure, it is tended to promptly. 

By chartering one of the non-premier boats (3-5 years old) and with the discounts we get for advance booking and returning clients, the cost is not much more than the budget companies. Peace of mind when you're on a vacation is priceless.


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## BTSailing

*BVI Value and Service from Conch Charters*

We have chartered from Conch for 7 years. Usually 2 weeks for each charter, and will be picking up our next charter from them next weekend. During these many experiences, we've had had a generally positive experience, and know all of the individuals that work with the customers quite well. They are all interested and willing to help solve whatever problems that come up. Because the boats are not new, and mostly 5yrs + and some up to 10 years old, you have to expect things to break, and be prepared for a clean and serviceable, but sometimes tired boat. If you want a NEW boat and can't deal with normal operating problems, then call Moorings and pay twice as much. If you don't have enough experience to deal with fueling, finding water or provisions, typical maintenance, and need a "wet nurse" call Moorings. If you damage the boat, lose parts of the gear, run over the dingy, run aground, or fail to bring it back as you found it...clean and serviceable, you should expect to pay for your mistakes. If you go through the checkout prior to departure and sign off on the boat, then don't complain about what you get. Conch is a responsible charter company, and truly a value, but only if you are a competent charterer. Don't expect Moorings quality boats and service for Conch rates.


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## familyofun

*Stand by my words*

Hi All,
Thanks for responding to my post regarding Conch charters. It is important to have balanced commentary, especially when it involves peoples businesses, peoples vacations, reputations, etc. I have read the follow up posts and can understand fully some of the questions, etc. ie: water being our responsibility...yes, I agree with this. The occurrence was however that Peter Islands water plant was down, so we notified Conch that we were coming back with empty tanks and would need some water for that evenings cleaning, etc.

Problem was that after they saw us in to the mooring, they disappeared very quickly and without many words other than 'they are putting through our dd until they assess things'. We really did NOT have any break down of costs or even a phone call or email (not kidding!!!) discussing it! If anyone has any advice as to how we SHOULD have handled this (ie: credit card company, etc) I would love to hear it. Otherwise, I do stand by my opinion that I would not recommend Conch Charters. We are booking for this winter/spring and would be very appreciative of any recommendations. We are planning a month to month and half trip.


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## BTSailing

*Contact Conch Directly.......*

If you have a problem with Conch, why not call them directly? Brian Gandy, Cindy Chestnut, Pete Twist, Andrew Waters will all give you a direct answer at the email address on their website or call them 284-494-4868. Ask for a detail of what they charged you for and why. You will get a hard copy of the billing, I'm sure, and then you have something to discus.
All of these negative blogs without personally calling their attention to the problems directly and up front makes me think you have some other motivation than resolving a financial issue. Are you just trying to trash Conch or do you simply want to resolve a dispute?

What's up with that?


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## familyofun

*STILL Stand by my words.....*

Again, thanks for the feedback, but yes of course we did contact them directly and they refused to send us any kind of quotations for damage, summary of damages etc. This was so shocking to me that I actually contacted the tourism board and tried to follow up as to our possible recourse. Eventually, life goes on and who has time to chase these things down? I certainly ran out of steam.

As far as your comments that I am slamming Conch, I am only offering my honest opinion as to our experience with this company in the interest of enlightening other travelers and hoping that I can prevent someone else from having a similar very sad experience on their precious vacation.

I continue to stand by my words that I would not recommend using Conch Charters for various reasons. Yes we have chartered many, many times and in fact, one of our sailing party does have his own boat here in Canada, as well my husbands family used to own a very large charter boat they kept with Moorings in BVI. We've had lots of excellent, excellent experiences though not yet in BVI (other than my husbands families boat) and this was our first BVI charter. Sadly, as it goes, people feel most compelled to comment when they had a BAD experience!


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## unsinkable2

Sorry to hear someone had a bad experience with Conch. Our experience with Conch Charters was fantastic.

As a point of reference for my post: I have owned my own boat for several years and sail atleast weekly. I've chartered out of the BVI, San Diego, and the Galveston area.

Conch was recommended to me by my ASA sailing instructor several years ago. He used Conch for his annual trip to the BVI and had been using them for several years and was very happy with them.

So when we went down last April, we chartered with Conch. The staff was great, the boat was great, service was friendly and helpful. Conch's base of operations is not exactly a 5 star resort, but it was similar to other small charter operations I've used.

As it was my first time chartering in the BVI, I talked to a lot of other sailors down there about the other charter companies they were using to see if one company was better than another: TMM, Moorings/Sunsail, Footloose, and some other Conch charterers. All had generally favorable experiences. I didn't really notice a difference in quality between the companies they were using.

My wife's impression of Conch is probably the best indicator of their quality/cleanliness - she had wanted to go on a cruise instead of bareboating. When we were done, she loved it. I'd originally promised we'd do a cruise in 2011 instead of bareboating, but after our first experience we're heading to the BVI again with Conch.

To familyofun's experience, I'm sorry to hear you didnt have a great time. I can certainly understand what its like to have a bad experience with a charter company, even when most others' experiences are good. (I had a bad experience with a Charter to Catalina one time.)

I've generally found that if I treat the boat like it was my own, then I don't have a problem with the boats owner (the charter company).

If I catch a line in my own prop, I am going to have the additional cost of inspecting/repairing the bearing and through hull fitting before the boat can be safely used again.

I also expect to return the boat as clean as I'd want my own boat to be. If the staff had gone for the day and I was out of water, I'd just fill up a few gallons of water from Conch's dock myself to finish cleaning and pay for the water at checkout if they needed to charge for it.

My experience over several charters though is that if you just treat the boat like its your own, the charter company will be more than reasonable with you because they want you back as a customer.

Here's a link to my sailing blog on our last trip to the BVI, you can read about the trip, see pics of the boat we chartered, etc.

Unsinkable 2: British Virgin Islands Bareboat Charter, BVI Day 1/10


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## kenhoneycutt

*Conch was OK*

When we chartered with them. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable (much more casual atmosphere then Footloose and answered all questions).
Only complaint was the boat was a little rundown. Autopilot didn't work which is not that big a deal but since I basically handle the boat myself it made things a little more interesting when raising the main. Knotmeter didn't work either. Also had to refill the radiator occasionally with antifreeze they supplied (didnt really know what it was for at first but realized after the hot water supply quit working..had to laugh at that one). Despite the problems we still enjoyed the trip and would charter from them again unless they've really gone down hill. This year we're using Sunsail mainly to have a little newer boat with everything working along with the price being competitive (double reef week).

Bottom line I would say that being a boat owner helps when chartering older boats like the ones at Conch because you know what to expect and are more apt to forgive minor problems encountered. If I were to have the problems I had with the Conch boat on a Moorings or Sunsail boat I would be highly PO'd considering the cost difference.


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## sprtn94

Don't stay "FAR AWAY" from Conch Charters. DO understand that they are using older vessels that WILL require extra attention during checkout. I seriously doubt that Conch pocketed your DD without explanation. More probable, your withholding the cause from your post.

The charter company is responsible for providing a safe, working vessel. They should give a detailed chart briefing and conduct a good check out process. It's your responsibility to make sure that all of the above has been accomplished prior to leaving the dock. Once the docklines are slipped it is up to the capt/crew to run a good trip. The charter company isn't responsible for water rationing or decision making. If you run out of water, ice or god forbid BEER. Its your responsibilty to obtain more.


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## wensel

Just got back from an 8 day bareboat charter with Conch Charters (Dec, 2010).This was our second time sailing the Virgin Islands and our first time with Conch. We were very pleased with all aspects of Conch's service....everything was done thoroughly & very professionally. Next time we are in BVI they will be our company of choice....very good value for the dollar! I cannot agree more with the comments (BTSailing) in the previous post.


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## brak

I chartered with Conch and posted here previously. They are ok if you are careful but indeed:
- boats are old and not in a perfect shape (though you can do worse with Footlose)
- can't take their boats to Anegada, no waver, nothing - just can't go
- their "briefing" is a joke (they steer you towards most obvious anchorages and, mainly, restaurants and bars). they also actively advised us "not to go out due to bad weather" when it was barely 15 kts outside
- they clearly try to find *something* to latch on at the end of the charter to keep some of your deposit. they also treat you as a "presumed guilty until proven otherwise". 

I understand that they may be trying to protect themselves from all-to-common bad charterers, but I am a very careful skipper (so we didn't have any issues, of course and got our deposit back just fine). Still, this left an unpleasant feeling - I prefer to be treated with at least some respect. 

Bottom line - Conch is not terrible, and if I were to really want to charter in BVI and nothing else (other than Footlose) was available, I'd suck it up and go again. Otherwise - I'll try someone else.


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## Irenic

*Two-time Conch charterer*

We chartered with Conch in November 2007 on a Beneteau 463 and again in November 2009 on Bavaria 50. We are bargain hunters, so both times, they offered the size boat we needed at the rock-bottom price, and they provide 10 days for others' 7 or 8 day cost. We have had no complications with them, service was more than adequate and friendly. The boats are older, so there tends to be something--not a deal breaker--that doesn't work or needs limping along. We've never been charged, but then, we usually leave the boat in better condition than we found it. It helps to be handy and proactive during your short stay aboard. Consider it training for owning your own boat.

We will charter from them again, but likely from a little higher up in their fleet.


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## familyofun

brak said:


> - they clearly try to find *something* to latch on at the end of the charter to keep some of your deposit. they also treat you as a "presumed guilty until proven otherwise".
> 
> I understand that they may be trying to protect themselves from all-to-common bad charterers, but I am a very careful skipper (so we didn't have any issues, of course and got our deposit back just fine). Still, this left an unpleasant feeling - I prefer to be treated with at least some respect.


This is well put Sea Slacker and what a relief for me to see an honest addition to my post. I feel so ticked when I see some of the reply's that I would bet my right arm have vested interest.

I did not 'make up' any of my post. We were completely floored that they could do that - put though our D.D. And they have never sent us an invoice for what the damage was. We had left one candle on the outdoor table and some wax melted on to the table-their rant to us about the dirty dishes included a paragraph about the candle wax. We have a cabin that we rent out on the BC coast and I can not imagine ever treating our guests like they've treated us.

So, long story short...even when you try to do the right thing and warn others, you seem to have to take a lot of hits back and it isn't easy to read. Thanks for adding your two bits.


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## Minnewaska

I'm not sure you are getting hits back as much as different perspectives. For one, I would never turn in a rental with dirty dishes (which could be washed in salt water) or with melted candle wax on the table. I will trust that they treated you badly. However, the dishes and wax are going to disturb most charter companies in some way.

edit: something odd just occured to me. Didn't you say you got no explanation for them keeping your deposit, but in your last post you say there was a paragraph about the candle wax ?????


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## familyofun

*more..???*

Good Grief, 
I thought I'd already said this, but, we ran out of water on our way back and Peter Island plant was down, so we notified Conch that we would be coming in and would need water that night for cleaning, dishes etc. However, they abandoned us.

We tried washing with seawater, but the water around the marina was a bit like sewage, so we thought we should not risk it for future users.

The candle wax thing tortured me with disbelief as I had wiped up candle wax from the other candle and it was one smooth swipe of a cloth...not like it was embedded in cracks or anything like that.

And yes, we had received an email after many unreturned calls - the email told us of the dirty dishes and wax. As I said, we rent out our beloved cabin and would not DREAM of treating our "Guests" this way. We have had situations where because they had to catch an early morning ferry, they've left some dishes and, for petes sake, we get the cleaning lady to do them and pay her for her time.

My point is, as the other dear writer agreed, The Conch staff  SEARCH for something to charge you with, rather than asking 'how was your vacation?"


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## Minnewaska

Goodness sakes. An open discussion will get different points of view. I believe you were treated badly, said that already.

I also believe that your expectation of them providing water upon your return and being abandoned is unreasonable. Sorry. Relax.


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## TakeFive

brak said:


> I chartered with Conch and posted here previously. They are ok if you are careful but indeed:
> - boats are old and not in a perfect shape (though you can do worse with Footlose)
> - can't take their boats to Anegada, no waver, nothing - just can't go
> - their "briefing" is a joke (they steer you towards most obvious anchorages and, mainly, restaurants and bars). they also actively advised us "not to go out due to bad weather" when it was barely 15 kts outside
> - they clearly try to find *something* to latch on at the end of the charter to keep some of your deposit. they also treat you as a "presumed guilty until proven otherwise".
> 
> I understand that they may be trying to protect themselves from all-to-common bad charterers, but I am a very careful skipper (so we didn't have any issues, of course and got our deposit back just fine). Still, this left an unpleasant feeling - I prefer to be treated with at least some respect.
> 
> Bottom line - Conch is not terrible, and if I were to really want to charter in BVI and nothing else (other than Footlose) was available, I'd suck it up and go again. Otherwise - I'll try someone else.


I'm considering a charter in BVI in 2013, and have posted a new thread seeking advice. But I thought I would say how helpful I think this post is. It comes from a regular contributor here (not a poser from the company, or a flamethrower who registered for the express purpose of trashing the company), and it appears to be very fair and evenhanded.

I need to say that the last comment about Conch coming across as trying to find an excuse to keep your security deposit has really rubbed me the wrong way. In my mind, there should be some proportionality between the age of the boat and the invasiveness of the post-charter inspection. If you're chartering a new or pristine "premier" boat, I can expect the company to make a pretty close inspection. But as the boat becomes older and more beaten up, these invasive inspections can seem more and more unfair, because it's much more difficult to discern actual damage from normal wear and tear.

I've only chartered once (on the Chesapeake), and I can say that the company seemed very fair. The checkout skipper went over the condition of the boat with me before I left, and he actually pointed out a few damage items that I had missed. Upon arrival his inspection was very quick and not threatening at all. This was an older boat (around '97), so I would expect a newer boat would have a closer inspection.

After talking to Conch, I think I'm probably going to go with SunSail because I'm considering a week that they have a 25% discount that puts one of their "premier" boats in the same price range as Conch's older boats.


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## chef2sail

Rick, we have used Sunsail and also Moorings. Both were great. When you figure out how much extra for the newer premium boat divided by 7 or 10 days in our case, it wasn't much. Our last charter we did a catamaran. Wanted to try them and loved the extra room in the cabin. And salon as well as the tramp and space above deck. I sail a. Monohull so ths was a. New experience which also contributed to the fun of it.

Dave


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## BoxedUp

Our last 3 charters were with Sunsail and if you take into account their "reef week", early booking and previous client discounts, their rates are favorable for a pretty dependable boat in good condition.


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## SeaQuinn

We have only chartered with Moorings and Sunsail and never had a problem. 

I question the out of water and dishes issue....we returned with gallons of drinking water we had provisioned with and did not end up needing and if we had run out of water we would have washed the dishes with sea water....and left a note to say they needed to be rinsed with soapy fresh water. Or we would have heated our leftover water and wasted and rinsed with that.....or we would have gotten water from the dock when we got in in the evening ....or in the morning when staff was available.....really no excuse for dirty dishes. 

candle wax on the table? Why not set the candle on something like a plate? Was the table melted or damaged? They are expensive to replace.

My guess is there was probably a much bigger mess than what was mentioned. We did not get the company's side of the story.


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## dhop

Sorry to hear about your bad experience with Conch Charters.

I've chartered once with Moorings and twice with Conch in BVI. Yes, the boats are older but we found them in great shape and the staff very helpful. Our 52 Jeanneau cost 30% less than Moorings. The cruise briefing was very detailed (more so than the first time) in which anchorages to avoid during the large swells we experienced during our cruise and the errors on some GPS units regarding the Anagada channel marker locations.

It wasn't a perfect trip, we did have trouble with the outboard late one afternoon. We called them and although they tried to help over the phone it was DOA. (The crew didn't want to miss Foxy's, we rowed!) They met us the next morning and replaced it. We will use Conch again next time.


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## Geoff54

TakeFive said:


> I need to say that the last comment about Conch coming across as trying to find an excuse to keep your security deposit has really rubbed me the wrong way. In my mind, there should be some proportionality between the age of the boat and the invasiveness of the post-charter inspection. If you're chartering a new or pristine "premier" boat, I can expect the company to make a pretty close inspection. But as the boat becomes older and more beaten up, these invasive inspections can seem more and more unfair, because it's much more difficult to discern actual damage from normal wear and tear.


All I can say is that I have chartered from Conch twice and friends have also chartered from them and that is not my experience. Sure they check the boat over when you return but you'd expect that - at least they didn't charge us when we lost a towel.  Last time, we had a crew injury and had to go back to the base a day and a half so we could get her medical attention and they couldn't have been more helpful and understanding.



TakeFive said:


> After talking to Conch, I think I'm probably going to go with SunSail because I'm considering a week that they have a 25% discount that puts one of their "premier" boats in the same price range as Conch's older boats.


I'm a cheapskate so I always check the prices and, at the times that we want to go, I have always found Conch the best. I like Conch but if I could get a newer boat for less, I'd go for it too.

As for reliability, sure the boats are older and we have had some very minor problems but nothing serious and nothing that needed anything expect to let them know when we got back. The only time I've had a major problem with a charter boat, it was in the Abacos with a year old Moorings boat - boats can be unreliable and sometimes things break. 

If you do go with Conch, see if you can get Irene to do the briefing - she's by far the most informative.

Most importantly, relax and enjoy


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## Vasco

*Re: more..???*



familyofun said:


> Good Grief,
> I thought I'd already said this, but, we ran out of water on our way back and Peter Island plant was down, *so we notified Conch that we would be coming in and would need water that night for cleaning, dishes etc*. However, they abandoned us.


AFAIK Conch does not own or manage the fuel and water at the marina where they are based. That is done by the marina operator.


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## sixdaytk

I have chartered with Conch twice and have a third planned for May 2013. Boats were prepared, clean, and a value for the charter cost. They are not Moorings or Sunsail quality boats but are thousands less expensive. 9 days on a 44' Cat with A/C for $7k vs $11k for Moorings. Staff was friendly and helpful. If you do what you agree to do contractually they will do the same. I have two trip reports, with videos, posted on VISailing.com. I am not affiliated with any of them. Just a charter customer from California. Cheers


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