What Is a BVI Checkout Skipper? Bareboat Charter Approval Explained

When you submit your sailing resume to a charter company in the British Virgin Islands, they usually make one of three decisions: you are approved to bareboat, you are denied because you do not have enough relevant experience, or you fall into the middle gray area. That middle area is where a checkout skipper may come in. A BVI charter company may decide that you have some decent boating or sailing experience, but they still want to verify your skills before letting you take the boat on your own. In that case, they may assign a checkout skipper for the first few hours of your charter. You will usually pay for that time, and the skipper will assess whether you can safely operate the boat. During a checkout, the skipper may ask questions about boat systems, safety procedures, sail handling, anchoring, reefing, and general boat operations. They may also have you raise and lower the sails, reef the boat, drop and retrieve the anchor, maneuver the vessel, and show that you understand the basics of operating the specific boat you are chartering. If the checkout skipper says you are good to go, you continue the charter on your own. If they are still concerned, the charter company may require you to hire a captain for the week. The problem is that a captain may not always be available at the last minute. That is why it is better to build real experience before you come to the BVI, or to pre-arrange an instructor or skipper if you are not fully ready yet. The upside is that an instructor or local skipper can make the trip better, not worse. They know the area, understand the local conditions, help with itinerary planning, and can show you places in the BVI you may never have found on your own. #sailing #bareboatcharter #yacht #catamaran #britishvirginislands