Island Spirit Yacht Charter – Phuket Base

Phuket is home to several marinas; the Island Spirit Yacht Charter base is at the Yacht Haven Marina, situated at the island’s north end, just a 20-minute drive from Phuket International Airport.

The Marina facilities are world-class, and the club facilities offer an excellent restaurant open for breakfast, lunch and dinner; there is an ATM, and they accept all major credit cards. The bathroom facilities are modern, spacious and immaculately maintained and available for our clients use.

Our meeting place at Yacht Haven Marina is at the loading zone, and your taxi will be able to take you all the way there. Our dockside team will meet you and assist with your gear, and if your yacht has air conditioning, the salon and cabins will be cool, and the fridge will be cold. If you have a large group, this is a good time to split up and delegate tasks. The Skipper and Charter Leader can take care of formalities while the rest of the crew prepare the yacht and get things stowed.

The marina lies amongst a local village area, and there are several local Thai restaurants within walking distance. Still, beyond those, you need to take a taxi to get to any of Phuket’s better-known tourist areas. Phuket Town is around an hour drive, and the nightlife zone of Patong is beyond that.

There is a large Tesco shopping center, and a Makro store (bulk buy of food items with a large selection of fruit, vegetables, and meat) approximately 20 mins drive by car south of Yacht Haven Marina on the main road to Phuket Town. For more details, check-our our provisioning info.

There are very few accommodation options close to the marina; if you plan to stay nearby the night before your charter, try Nai Yang beach, just five minutes from the airport and 20 minutes to Yacht Haven Marina. Nai Yang beach has excellent resorts, condominium-style accommodation, and a long sandy beach with affordable beach-side restaurants and bars. It’s also a favorite for local surfers.

We do our best to equip your yacht with everything you need to operate it safely and enjoy living aboard. Below is an inventory list of items included with your yacht as standard.

It is not necessarily an exhaustive list. So, for instance, your yachts’ galley is equipped with appropriate cooking utensils; pots, pans, serving trays, cheese graters, tea towels; we’ve tried hard to ensure you are not left wanting. We make up your cabins before you arrive with quality clean linens. Each berth has a personal blanket, bath towel, hand towel and fluffy pillow. If you would like additional linens, no problem, if you know in advance, book and include the fee when you make your booking, or just ask our staff assisting with your boarding. We also provide everything you need to operate your yacht and to deal with minor problems. Things like a spare anchor, toolbox, rope ties, bucket and deck brush, and spare winch handles. Of course, we’re on call to support you if required, but it’s nice to have the option to deal with the little things yourself.

We do not include the following items:

• Beach towels
• Any food or beverage, IE there is no salt, pepper, sugar, spices
• Drinking water
• Fishing gear
• Personal toiletries
• Child safety netting (available for rent)
• BBQ (available for rent)
• Snorkeling gear (available for rent)

Childrens life jackets

Comfort is the key to having a child accept wearing a life jacket, and they don’t work if they don’t wear them. If you’re sailing with a child that cannot swim, we strongly suggest that you invest in a quality, fitted life jacket for them and bring it with you. Island Spirit does have a selection of buoyancy vests suitable for some children; please book in advance to ensure availability.

Request additional items

If you want to have onboard items not listed here, please let us know when you make your booking. Most things are available in Thailand, and we’re happy to search it down and have it onboard when you arrive.

Yachts’ standard inventory

Below Deck

• Two hand towels and bath towels per cabin
• Two blankets and two pillows with cases per cabin
• Tea towels
• Clothes pegs
• Cabin fans
• Toilet paper
• Showers
• Refrigeration
• Gas stove
• Galley gear for preparing and serving meals
• 12v outlet
• 1000W 240v inverter
• Flashlight
• Stereo with Bluetooth connectivity

Above Deck

• Deck shower
• Rigid inflatable dinghy
• 6 – 8 HP outboard
• Spare 10L jug of benzene for the dinghy
• Electric windlass anchor winch
• Winch handles
• GPS plotter
• Bucket
• Fenders
• Mooring lines
• Boat Hook
• Swim ladder
• Dinghy anchor

Safety

• Charts
• Cruising guide
• Parallel rule and dividers
• Operations manual
• Buoyancy jackets
• Comprehensive First-Aid Kit
• Depth sounder
• Tide chart for your trip
• Tools & Spares
• Life ring (MOB)
• Fire Extinguishers
• Fire Blanket
• 1 mask & snorkel for prop inspection

Rental Gear

It’s nice to have some toys out there to explore the smaller nooks and crannies on your journey. A kayak can also add a great deal of independence as it provides a means for people to go ashore without needing the tender.

Island Spirit can organize additional rental equipment for your yacht charter to take your adventure at sea to the next level. Usually, you rent equipment for the entire duration of your charter. Whether you pay for rental gear when you pay for your charter or plan to pay at the base, book the items you want before arriving to ensure availability.

Snorkel equipment

Each yacht already has a full complement of mask and snorkel sets, and there is a selection of fins on the dock for you to choose from, so there is no need to rent this equipment. We also have a selection of children’s sets available in our office.

Kayaks

Two-person kayaks are available to explore the many islands, paddle to the beach, up the streams or drift among your tropical surroundings. Kayaks are a great addition to a charter with larger groups or lots of older children; it gives you a chance to escape for some peaceful exploration or a romantic getaway. Kayaks are stowed on deck (not towed) and come with paddles.

Stand Up Paddle Boards (SUP)

Step off your yacht onto the SUP and glide across the water’s surface. Explore the rivers, travel the coastlines, nooks and crannies or snorkel from your board around the smaller offshore islands and pinnacles. It’s a great way to experience the anchorages and surroundings while getting a little exercise. All our boards are over 350cm long x 80cm wide (11.5’ x31″), making it easy for beginners and children to learn quickly yet small enough for the experienced rider to enjoy. SUP rentals come with an adjustable paddle and leash.

BBQ

Rent a BBQ for your yacht and grill up some fresh local seafood. You can get various things to grill at the market, and you can often get fresh fish or squid from the local fisherman passing by. Often the fisherman are happy to swap some of their catch-of-the-day for a few beers! Just approach their boats with the dinghy and ask and see what they have on offer.

Scuba Diving

We do not allow dive gear on the yachts due to the damage caused by dive tanks. However, talk with the Charter Coordinator to help organize diving trips with local dive operators. You must carry a PADI or equivalent certification to be able to dive on organized trips. H20 Sportz: http://www.h2osportzphuket.com is the most popular dive company in Phuket and has a base in Bangtao Beach.

Arriving, Briefing & Debriefing

Communication

Use WhatsApp to communicate with the Base Manager when travelling to the base. We also use WhatsApp to send weather updates and answer any questions while you’re out on the water throughout your sailing holiday.

Special needs

Please provide information about any special needs you or your crew may have to your charter coordinator when you make your charter booking. If we know in advance, we will do our best to accommodate any special needs you may have.

Arriving at the Base

Meeting at your agreed briefing time and keeping the base manager informed of any delay to your arrival is crucial to avoid delays in boarding. If you miss your briefing appointment, you may need to wait until other clients finish and depart. Our meeting place at Yacht Haven Marina is at the loading zone, and your taxi will be able to take you all the way there. Our dockside team will meet you and assist with your gear and loading your yacht, and if your yacht has air conditioning, the salon and cabins will be cool, and the refrigerator will be chilled. If you are a large group, this is a good time to split up and delegate tasks. The Skipper and Charter Leader can take care of formalities while the rest of the crew prepare the yacht and get things stowed.

Briefing, boarding & payments at the base

It takes around 3-hours from the time you arrive until getting briefed, onboard and sailing off, over the horizon. Your yacht and area briefing is mandatory, irrespective of how familiar you may be with the yacht or the cruising ground. Only the Skipper and the Charterer named in the Yacht Charter Agreement should attend the briefing. Children and other family members should not be present at the briefing area unless circumstances make it unavoidable.

Formal boarding times are:

• Depart from the base: 15:00
• Return to the base: 09:00 (on your 8th day)

You will need to provide your credit card to place your security deposit and pay for any pay-at-the-base options and pre-ordered provisions.

Early departures

You must inform your charter coordinator when you make your booking if you plan to arrive at our base and board early. We will do our best to accommodate your travel schedule and get you briefed and off the dock early. However, if circumstances require, our crew may have access to work on the yacht up until the regular departure time before they are considered late in making the yacht available.

Getting underway & staying aboard at the base

Our base staff may pilot your yacht to and from the dock to take the worry out of docking in unfamiliar conditions. If you cannot leave the dock to get to the closest anchorage before dark, you are welcome stay at the marina overnight, at your slip, free of charge.

Arriving after hours

You can make arrangements with your charter coordinator to arrive after hours, 17:00. We will leave a package providing you with instructions and access keys at the marina office or restaurant. You cannot take the yacht out of the marina until you have completed your briefing formalities.

Returning to base

Returning at your agreed time and keeping the Base Manager informed of any delay to your arrival is crucial to avoid delays in your debriefing, not to mention catching that flight! If you miss your debriefing appointment, you may need to wait until other clients finish and depart. When you return to the base, you should take a mooring.

Our team will come to your boat and check the fuel tanks and running hours to estimate your fuel usage. If the tide allows, we can top-up the water tanks if you need additional water for cleaning and washing. They will also assist you in ferrying all your gear ashore and loading your taxi. Please be aware of your obligation to return the yacht in clean and proper condition, as detailed in your Yacht Charter Agreement, to avoid a yacht cleaning penalty.

Debriefing & payment at the base

The debriefing is essential to the process of releasing your security deposit and takes around 1-hour from the time you arrive until boarding your taxi.

Only the Skipper and the Charterer named in the Yacht Charter Agreement should attend the debriefing. Children and other family members should not be present at the debriefing area unless circumstances make it unavoidable. You will need to pay for fuel and other consumables with cash, as there is no credit card facility for accepting local payments.

Late returns

You must inform your charter coordinator or the Base Manager if you plan to return to our base and disembark late. We will do our best to accommodate your travel schedule and get you off the boat and debriefed as quickly as possible.

Your debriefing is essential to the process of releasing your security deposit. You may leave early; however, your security deposit will not be released until our team completes their inspection.

Provisioning for your Yacht Charter on Phuket

Phuket has big modern supermarkets close by the base, so provisioning is easy and offers a pretty good selection of western delights! But that makes it so easy to go overboard, often literally, at the end of your charter because it’s also so lovely to eat ashore! It’s relatively economical to eat onshore, and with no preparation or cleaning up, you’ll have more time to enjoy your holiday. Nonetheless, stocking your boat with food and beverage is crucial; it allows you flexibility and freedom to move around at your own pace.

If you are coming directly from the airport, you’ll need to consider the available space you have, taking into account luggage. If you are a large group, drop the Skipper and First Mate off with the bags at the meeting point, and send the crew off shopping for provisions after that.

How much do things cost?

Phuket offers an abundance of eating out options, from markets and street food to five-star, fine dining; it’s much like a major international city. Once you head out to the other islands, there’s still an excellent selection of resorts and restaurants, but the prices drop considerably; here’s a rough guide: Most wine-by-the-glass is box-wine and costs 120 baht to 300 baht, depending on the style of the resort or bar you’re at. A bottle of wine costs about 800 baht in a supermarket and at least twice that in a restaurant. A small bottle of beer costs about 45 baht in a supermarket and from 70 baht up to 150 baht in a restaurant. Good quality Thai food can cost as little as 80 baht per person in a local street-side or beachside restaurant, where a meal in a flashy resort can cost anything from 1500 baht per person and more.

Tips for planning your menu

When planning your provisioning, consider that Thailand has a warm and humid climate, boat galleys have limited space, refrigerators are small, and storage lockers are few, so you need to optimize what you take and how you use it. Design a menu that shares many of the same base ingredients but delivers very different tasting meals. That way, you minimize the number of items you take on board. Keep the menu simple, so you don’t spend your holiday time in the galley trying to make magic happen. Here are a few tips:

Don’t take too much fresh or cold food as your refrigerator space will be limited, and food left out will spoil in the tropical heat; salad doesn’t last long.

Buy veggies that don’t require refrigeration, carrots, cucumber, potato, onion etc.

Provision for all breakfasts and just one or two dinners aboard. Then have an array of cheese, cold cuts, nibbles & snacks along with fruit that does not require refrigeration, apples and the like.
Often, the shops on the outer islands do not have a lot of stock.
Get all the western delights before your charter because they are difficult to find once you leave Phuket.

Don’t buy ingredients to make Thai food; it’s much easier and more economical to go to a restaurant.

Important note about purchasing Alcohol

Thailand restricts the sale of alcoholic beverages; you can purchase between 11am and 2pm or after 5pm to midnight. You can usually buy it all day in the smaller local shops.

What’s onboard

Island Spirit Yacht Charter will provide all yacht charters with:

• a comprehensive first aid kit onboard

Things not to do or buy:

• Turn up with loose items because you didn’t purchase carry bags.
  Following items are not allow these items on the boat:
• Steel or coarse scouring pads
• Cif or any other cleaner
• Bleach or toilet cleaner

Things to do or buy:

• Purchase carry-bags to transport your produce
• Bring drinking water, dish soap, sponges, garbage bags
• Minimize the use of cardboard boxes; they will not be permitted onboard after loading.
• Strong garbage bags, you don’t want them falling apart in the locker and making a huge smelly mess to clean up on your last day of your holiday

Phuket Seasons & Weather

Phuket and the surrounding archipelago offer excellent sailing all year round.

The best sailing conditions are during the northeast monsoon between November and April. During this time, you’ll find tranquil anchorages in the lee throughout the entire length of the cruising grounds, from the southernmost islands of Koh Lipe to the northernmost islands of Phang Nga Bay.

The month of May ushers in the southwest monsoon’s “green season” and its trademark warm balmy tropical weather. Winds from the southwest open some anchorages that would otherwise be untenable in northeast monsoon but limits cruising to the northern area from Krabi, Phi Phi and Phang Nga Bay.

October through December

At the onset of the northeast monsoon, the winds are strongest, so we get some of our best sailing conditions in this period. Wind strength can range from 10 to 18 knots steadily throughout the day and drop away in the evening, giving way to delightfully peaceful anchoring conditions. These are Thailand’s winter months; temperatures in the evening can get as low as 18°C and in the daytime 27°C. There is a chance of scattered thunderstorms in October, but there is very little chance of rain by mid-November.

January to April

This is the best time of year for a family holiday; there is very little chance of rain, just big blue skies, warm tropical weather and some wind to go sailing on. Not so windy that your crew will be hanging on white-knuckled to the rail, but adequate to allow you to sit back and indulge in the art of sailing.

Temperatures rise through January, and by March, we’re back to a balmy 32°C in the day, and as the monsoon dwindles, winds becoming less predictable and range from 10 to 15 knots. There are very few days where there is no wind for sailing, and in the latter part of the season, we often get a westerly sea breeze providing a beam reach the entire length of the archipelago.

May through June

In May, the monsoon transitions from north to south, and daytime weather conditions become less predictable; most sailing is on sea breezes that come through in the afternoon. There is very little wind in the evening, making almost every bay a possible anchorage!

June through August

The months June through August, the “green season”, days are frequented by afternoon rain- squalls. But the locals know this can be the best time of year to experience the heart-stirring beauty of Phang Nga Bay. By this time, the winds have settled in the west, the sky clears to a deep blue, contrasting the big bright-white cotton-wool clouds, turquoise water, and golden limestone formations of the iconic Phang Nga bay atolls, much of which you’ll have all to yourself!

September and October

The monsoon begins its transition to the northeast in September when things are less predictable. These are our wettest months, though there is rarely a time where prolonged rain persists.

Nonetheless, the weather remains manageable and provides plenty of sailing opportunities. By now, the entire archipelago is bursting with rejuvenated energy; the tropical jungles are truly that, waterfalls are gushing and wildlife, having thrived through the slower season, enjoy the abundance of it all. It’s hard not to join in.

Emergency Contacts

Call 191 = Emergency Services all of Thailand

Emergency Contacts Phuket

Call 1719 = Hospital Bangkok Phuket (Primary International Hospital)

2/1 Hongyok Utis Road

Muang District,

Phuket, 83000,

Tel: +66 (0) 76 254 425

Phuket Provincial Government Hospital

18 20 Anuphasphuketkarn Rd,

Talat Yai,

Phuket 83000

Tel: Emergency 1131 or +66 (0) 76 358 888

Island Spirit Yacht Charter:

Base Manager Phuket (mobile 24hr): +66 (0) 81 978 6086 – WhatsApp +66 (0) 81 978 6086

Elite Charters Office (Office hours): +66(0) 76 273 476

Email: charter@groupislandspirit.com

Tourist Police

Offices in Phuket Town and Patong Beach Road

Tel: 1155