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Review for Halcyon and Captain Andy…
Review for Halcyon and Captain Andy Barker. I am writing to express my highest commendation for Andy Barker, the captain who recently assisted with the delivery of my Hallberg-Rassy 340 from Ellös, Sweden, to Eemshaven for transport to West Palm Beach. Throughout the entire process, Andy demonstrated exceptional knowledge, professionalism, and experience. I couldn’t be happier with his performance. Our journey was not without its challenges. At one point, we lost all power on the yacht, and while many might have panicked, Andy remained composed and began troubleshooting immediately. His calm demeanor in a moment of crisis was unparalleled. Not only did he identify the issue quickly, but his approach reassured me that we were in the best possible hands. Andy also has an incredible knack for teaching. He explains complex technical matters in such a simple, accessible way. His ability to break down complicated topics made the entire experience not just informative but enjoyable. Whether it was resolving an issue with the yacht’s head or troubleshooting mechanical problems, Andy addressed every challenge with precision and efficiency. One of Andy's strongest traits is his leadership. He is firm in command yet always calm and approachable. His communication skills are top-notch, and he kept me well-informed throughout every step of the delivery. In fact, after reaching Eemshaven, Andy remained with my yacht to ensure she was safely loaded onto the transport vessel. He documented the entire process, providing me with peace of mind. I can confidently say that Andy Barker is the ideal person for this job. His professionalism, expertise, and personable nature exceeded all my expectations. I would wholeheartedly endorse Andy Barker and Halcyon Yachts for anyone in need of yacht delivery services. Andy has truly set the standard for excellence in this field. Sincerely, Jacob Starr Owner of Hallberg-Rassy 340, Umami October 27, 2024
Date of experience : October 27, 2024
Reply from Halcyon Yachts
Many thanks Jacob. A pleasure to be of service!
Superb Service
From initial enquiry to tying up at 0100 in Falmouth, Halcyon Yachts handled every aspect of the delivery of our LM 26 from Port Solent superbly, and were professional, organised, helpful and friendly at all times. We were kept updated with progress, including photos & videos, throughout the albeit relatively short passage. Halcyon certainly lived up to their reputation and we would highly recommend them. Thanks to skipper Tristan and first mate Bob who provided a useful handover (fortunately not at 0100!) and looked after our yacht superbly - we would not have known they had been aboard!
Date of experience : June 13, 2024
Many thanks Andy. A pleasure to be of service!
The Halcyon Effect
William joined us as crew to cross the Celtic Sea, Penzance to Kinsale. The weather has been unpredictable and we wanted a third crew member. He was perfect. Friendly, helpful, skilled and crucially relieved me from an 8 hour watch bang on time. 0200 relief is a big one after a long watch. Even though roly and uncomfortable he did his stint below on food prep. Admin wise, Peter and the team were great efficient and reacted quickly when we decided on additional crew.
Date of experience : July 19, 2023
S/Y Whimbrel Palma / Norway Sweden / Palma 2022
My boat called Whimbrel , it is a 62 foot Chuck Paine designed aluminum sailing sloop based in Palma . This year -2022 -i planned at least two months cruising in South Norway and the East Coast of Sweden with family and friends . Due to work pressures i could not do the positioning of the boat in either direction . Halcyon however provided the solution . This was carried out in both directions with little fuss and appropriate care and attention . I would be happy to recommend Halcyon to any owner . Regards Paul Over , Owner .
Date of experience : August 27, 2022
Many thanks Paul. A pleasure to be of service!
Owner assist to Canaries
Glenn came on board as an “owner assist” skipper in our first proper offshore from UK to the Canaries. In every aspect he excelled – not just in keeping us safe but taking every opportunity to teach us, help us fix what went wrong, and generally just making us feel like we had another of our mates on board (albeit one with much more experience!). We cannot recommend enough – thank you!
Date of experience : August 12, 2023
Yacht delivery from Madeira to Dover
We used Halcyon Yachts who provided a skipper with two crew members to deliver our yacht from Madeira to Dover. The company was very helpful and arranged the delivery in a short period of time which enabled the boat to be brought back before too much uncertainty with the weather crossing Biscay. The skipper kept us informed of his progress and even sent some photos and short video clips. The whole delivery experience was very professional and we felt confident that our yacht was in safe hands. If the need arose, we would certainly use Halcyon Yachts again.
Date of experience : October 09, 2020
Halcyon Yachts recently moved my boat…
Halcyon Yachts recently moved my boat from Oban in Scotland to North Wales.The delivery crew were excellent. Very friendly, thorough, safe and professional. The delivered the boat at the agreed time despite some difficult weather. At the end of the trip the boat was spotless and their handover was very informative. Thanks very much indeed.
Date of experience : April 25, 2022
Many thanks Martin. A pleasure to be of service!
Pete and his team were super efficient
Pete and his team were super efficient. Everyone wants their boat delivered, "yesterday". But their advice and patience, waiting for the correct weather window was the right call. They were proactive on all aspects and it was great to get the regular feedback on the actual location of the boat during this 4 day delivery trip. Thank you. Mike - Dehler 42
Date of experience : November 15, 2021
Thanks Mike. A pleasure being of service. You have a lovely yacht - happy sailing!
The perfect choice for yacht delivery!
Extremely happy with Halcyon and their team to assist me with delivery of a 44 ft catamaran from Hamble to Kip Marina in Scotland. I also completed my Coastal Skipper while en route. Flexible, professional, reliable and great value for money. I cannot recommend them highly enough.
Date of experience : May 26, 2023
Many thanks David. A pleasure to be of service.
Andy and Niall did an excellent job of…
Andy and Niall did an excellent job of getting our catamaran from Falmouth to Cuxhaven. We always felt safe and learned a lot on the trip. We can recommend Halcyon Yachts 100%!
Date of experience : April 05, 2024
Many thanks. A pleasure to be of service!
Transfer of a sailing yacht from south-west England to the Baltic Sea in wintertime....
Despite the extreme winter conditions the competent Crew with skipper Steve brought the yacht to its destination safely and undamaged. Also a friendly and communicative office at any time before and during the transfer. Would fall back on Halycons anytime. I would also like to take these likeable and experienced skipper on board to support me on an extended holiday Trip. Thanks Steve, crew and Pete!!
Date of experience : January 26, 2020
Thank you for the review. It was our pleasure!
Birchwood 340 Amsterdam to Woodbridge.
Efficient office administration. Very good skipper and crew who had to deal with an electrical failure in the middle of the night in the North Sea without any significant drama, but still delivered on time much to my relief.
Date of experience : April 23, 2024
Good Company that cares about your vessel.
I have worked with Halcyon yachts for at least 5 years, and have found Pete and his team to be most professional. I have over 100k successful miles moving all types of sailing vessels around the world. Happy to reccomend Pete and his team at Halcyon for your next vessel delivery.
Date of experience : November 10, 2021
Mark and Pete's assistance in…
Mark and Pete's assistance in delivering my Nauticat motor sailer to its new home has been absolutely invaluable. They also gave my partner and me much appreciated advice on sailing technique, helped me test every system on an unfamiliar boat, were flexible enough to include sightseeing stops (see photo for Padstow stop) and were great company throughout. Very glad I chose Halcyon!
Many thanks John. A pleasure to be of service!
Trip from Marmaris to Northern Spain on a Dufour 56
Halcyon provided me with a Yachtmaster instructor to help us on a trip from Marmaris to Northern Spain. They made the whole process very simple to set up and delivered exactly what they had said they would. We had some challenges on the trip and Dave Preston, the skipper they provided, was excellent. His experience and practical skills shone through and provided the confidence and advice that we had wanted. I wouldn't hesitate recommending Halcyon.
Date of experience : June 16, 2022
Many thanks Kevin. A pleasure being of service!
Best sailing experiences of my crewing career!
Crewing for Halcyon Yachts were my best sailing experiences. I took part in the Delivery Skipper Development Program in 2020 and logged over 3,000 nautical miles on a variety of different boats across Europe. Pete and Minka went above and beyond to make sure I got the mix of sailing I was looking for to bolster my experience after completing my Day Skipper course. I joined expert ocean skippers to deliver boats such as Moodys, Beneteaus, brand new Lagoons and even a Hallberg Rassy. I crossed the Bay of Biscay twice, the Irish sea and of course the English Channel plenty of times too! For anyone considering crewing for Halcyon - I couldn't recommend it highly enough. When I'm lucky enough to have my own yacht, I also know where I'll be coming to get assistance moving it :) Thanks Pete and team!
Date of experience : February 24, 2022
Thanks Chris. It was great to have you onboard!
We needed an additional crew member for a boat delivery
We needed additional crew for a last minute change of circumstances during a powerboat delivery. Following a telephone call in the morning, Halcyon Yachts had an experienced crew member arrive at the boat, within hours, enabling us to set off same day without delay. The whole process was absolutely seamless from start to finish. Richard and Pete were great to work with. The qualified crew member (Joseph) was extremely professional, a pleasure to have on board, his experience was vast, and his assistance highly valued for a trip over 4 days. I would not hesitate to recommend the team at Halcyon Yachts to anyone looking for crew members or skippers, and I would certainly use their services again.
Date of experience : April 11, 2024
A pleasure to be of service!
Brilliant Delivery service. Thankyou
I must pass on my thanks and give a glowing recommendation to Halcyon Yacht Deliveries who have just brought my Grenadier back to the UK from the Netherlands. We weren't allowed to fetch her ourselves due to the Dutch and English covid rules, but Halcyon managed to find a dual nationality skipper who could make the crossing. Having never used a delivery firm before I was quite skeptical, especially as our boat is old and quite quirky, but the skipper took two days extra to familiarize himself with the boat (at his cost) and the whole trip went like a dream. The boat was even washed and tidied after 6 months ashore. The price was fantastic. I would definitely use them again.
Date of experience : April 30, 2021
We were pleased to be able to help you with this yacht delivery. Have a fantastic summer on board your beautiful yacht!
Great work guys
Great work guys - not the easiest mission: A 46 year old yacht that had to come back 450 nmiles, in a pandemic, from a country not allowing UK nationals IN…. And a boat bought unseen by the new owners.. what could go wrong?? But you did it and we are so thrilled with Ithaka. Big thanks also to the Brilliant skipper Ron (yes plenty of weather on the voyage) and the marvellous crew.
Date of experience : June 29, 2021
A pleasure being of service!
Best decision to use Halycon Yachts for…
Best decision to use Halycon Yachts for our delivery from UK to Portugal in late April 2023. Five star rated skipper. Made all the right decisions to keep us safe whilst crossing Biscay. Would highly recommend this Company
Date of experience : April 21, 2023
Many thanks Karen. A pleasure to be of service!
- Yachting Monthly
- Digital edition
Yacht deliveries: How to get your yacht from A to B
- August 15, 2023
If you need help getting your boat from A to B after a purchase or for a cruise, a delivery crew might be the solution, says Ben Lowings
Perhaps your treasured yacht is in the wrong place at the wrong time? Does it need to be somewhere else, soon? Don’t have the time, crew, or experience to remedy this yourself? Well, it might be time to look into yacht deliveries.
While it sounds simple, handing over your pride and joy to another skipper you’ve never met before can be a daunting prospect, so I’ve collated some advice on what the process would look like. We’re talking about sailing your vessel from one port to another here, as opposed to loading it on a larger vessel, for which a range of choices are available.
This article concentrates on hiring a crew to sail your yacht to its destination. While it is possible to hire private individuals (more on that later) we’ve spoken in depth to three popular UK companies you’d be likely to come across in your search.
The largest is Wirral-based Professional Yacht Deliveries Ltd. PYD – set up in 1995 – which completes 180 deliveries a year. ‘We deliver most yachts around the UK, Northern Europe and the Mediterranean,’ PYD’s snazzy website declares. Another option – also with slick homepage, social media presence and international reach but with European focus: Halcyon Yacht Delivery Ltd, established in 2010, based in Falmouth. A smaller outfit is Merseyside-based Wright Marine Ltd. They’re doing good business in the wake of the pandemic.
Other operators are out there. Amsterdam-based Sevenstar Yacht Transport’s a popular choice for transporting your yacht by ship.
Some boats and passages will need particular experience from a crew
Choosing a yacht delivery company and skipper
In general, it’ll be the company that selects a skipper, so you need to pick the company you most feel happy with. They’ll forward you, the owner, the candidate skipper’s sailing CV. Naturally, you’ll be given the right of refusal. Peter Kloezeman, PYD’s operations director, says they have 40 skippers on the books who are ‘some of the most qualified in the industry. All are RYA Yachtmaster Offshore as a minimum. Our most experienced skippers have over 400,000 miles logged.’
With PYD, your delivery crew will be allocated based on whether they have experience of your proposed trip and experience sailing your make, model and size of yacht. ‘For a transatlantic [crossing] we’d allocate a skipper with extensive ocean experience,’ says Kloezeman. ‘The skipper will usually have completed the crossing several times.’ For her owners, a yacht is often a member of the family. Handing her over can be disconcerting. It’s something the industry is keenly cognisant of.
Peter Green, managing director of Halcyon Yacht Delivery acknowledges this. ‘Having your yacht delivered and entrusting it to another skipper is clearly a big decision. It’s crucial you find a delivery company or skipper that’ll care for her as you would.’ As an owner you’ll not be alone if, when departing the marina, you waggle your loved one’s anchor and whisper a few words of endearment. But it’s best to leave the delivery crew to do their work. ‘Owners must trust the company to look after the yacht as if it were their own,’ says Kloezeman.
It’s no different with Wright Marine. Simon Pendlebury, managing director, explains: ‘We look at the vessel’s particulars. Is it a classic? Pre-1900s? Does it have any quirks?’ The job’s offered out to skippers felt best suited to the role.’
As an owner you could expect a call from Wright with the particulars of the skipper and their past work. You would then be contacted by the Wright Marine skipper, who will introduce themselves.
Ben Ainslie’s yacht Rita, being delivered by PYD
Solo skipper setups
But what about selecting a skipper and contacting them directly oneself? ‘It can be the cheapest option,’ says Halcyon’s Peter Green, but ‘it’s not without risk.’ A solo skipper-for-hire, he argues, won’t have backup. A shore support team is preferable, he says. ‘If the [freelancer] has to cancel the job you could be left in the lurch.’ Green recalls one yacht left in Spain.
A panicked owner had engaged a solo skipper to bring the boat from Greece to the UK. ‘For personal reasons we assume, he decided to end the journey early and tied the yacht up in a random marina in Spain. The owner was sent an email with the address of the marina and little else. We stepped in quickly and sent a team out to finish the delivery.’
You need to check crew references. ‘Always check testimonials,’ Green says. The firms’ dedicated staff have a CV bank. The list is curated. New applicants are reviewed. Resumes of sailing experience will have been updated before they are sent on to you for information. Qualifications will have to have been recorded accurately and kept valid, and RYA course certificates do expire.
The gig economy we’ve become used to is relevant here. Hiring a freelancer is akin to paying a courier or a driver for a ‘ride-sharing’ service. One unnamed ‘lone wolf’ worked UK deliveries around Caribbean seasons. He took a boat from Plymouth to the Solent, where he picked up another yacht and brought her back. ‘Two deliveries in 24 hours.’ An adventurous seadog’s boast. Fun to sail with maybe, but there’s a risk they’re a bounty hunter with less of a plan about safety.
You’ll need to make sure paperwork, navigation and safety equipment is all in order, or ask the skipper to provide them
How to prepare your boat
You’ll be sent an extensive pre-delivery checklist. Should you plump for Halcyon, you’re likely to get a verified checklist which will also be received by the skipper who then checks this upon arriving at the boat. As an owner, you’ll need to be clear about where you’ll be if you’re not planning to be on or next to your yacht at the agreed handover time.
You’ll be expected to have settled bills at the departure berth. The same goes for bookings and customs arrangements made at the destination – although Halcyon, as with the other companies, will be able to provide as much assistance towards this as appropriate. ‘The process at PYD is the same,’ Peter Kloezeman affirms. Should you be engaging PYD, your checklist will be the starting point for PYD to ‘build an overall picture of how prepared the yacht is, depending on the intended passage.’
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Prep for an ocean crossing differs from a Channel hop. ‘PYD can supply certain equipment if it is missing from the yacht such as EPIRBs, satellite phones and communications, and jackstays,’ explains Kloezeman. ‘Ideally you – as the owner – will arrange for the yacht to be fully equipped for the intended delivery passage.’
You’ll need to have checked – or organised someone to do so in lieu of the owner, particularly if you’re getting a new purchase delivered – the engine, generators, electrical and charging systems, and batteries. Kloezeman says they ought to have been well maintained and checked before the crew arrives. You will need to have cleaned the sails, hull and propellers. ‘If there’s an issue with the yacht when the crew arrive – such as the batteries are dead or the hull is covered with growth – this will incur delays whilst these issues are dealt with, which increases the overall costs to the client.’ If you’ve engaged Halcyon, their rules echo PYD’s. ‘Check systems work and are serviced,’ says Peter Green. ‘If it’s a new yacht to you then have a survey. It’s also best to have an engine serviced.’
If you’re buying a second hand boat, get a full survey done before the delivery
Yacht deliveries insurance cover
In the UK you are legally bound to insure the vessel for the duration of the delivery for the waters to be traversed, in the appropriate coding. The skipper provides for themselves and the crew. Skipper Liability Insurance covers damage to third parties while the delivery captain is in charge. Check your skipper has it.
Prices for this product have shot up since Brexit. For UK work, it’s obtainable from Pantaenius (through its German arm). Delivery companies will check these documents and take the owner through the policy wording. Peter Kloezeman explains: ‘Liability insurance will cover the yacht for skipper/crew negligence only. The yacht needs to have its own hull policy.’
Experienced crews can help with complexities and paperwork, such as when navigating the Panama Canal
Hull insurance is standard practice. It’s rare indeed for a yacht to put to sea without some sort of insurance policy. Peter Green explains: ‘Owners should be able to lodge an appropriate claim with a reputable insurance company if something doesn’t go to plan. If something does go wrong, then you should be able to make a claim with your insurers. All reputable skippers will have liability insurance. Make sure that your insurance coverage is suitable for the trip. Inform them that a delivery company or skipper will be taking charge.’
Simon Pendlebury puts it most succinctly. ‘Unfortunately, there is no insurance product on the market which would effectively allow the same asset to be insured twice (once for owner, once for the delivery skipper).’ Mr Pendlebury confirms all Wright Marine skippers have their own Skipper Liability insurance. ‘We ask all owners to ensure the skipper is also noted on their policy.’
A good skipper will go over the boat thoroughly
Taking responsibility
The skipper must know if the vessel’s seaworthy, how much fuel, water and battery there is, and any technical issues, or temporary fixes. There’ll be phone conversations, notes taken, and usually the company, the skipper and the owner create a WhatsApp group to exchange photos. These could be anything from the thousand bits-and-bobs on a yacht. But they often feature the log impeller, notes on the chart table, and the whereabouts of the keys.
‘The collection of keys’ is top of Simon Pendlebury’s catalogue of items for your pre-delivery checklist. Alongside the delivery company documents is your vessel paperwork – registration papers, liferaft certificates, etc.
If your vessel’s been sold to you, for instance, through a brokerage, then the broker’s name and contact details must be supplied. A contract is drawn up, specifying when payments are required plus any extra advance payments such as for fuel. This, notes Pendlebury, is common when delivering diesel-thirsty motor vessels.
You’ll need to ensure passports and papers are in order. C1331 UK immigration forms and forms for departure clearing ports are vital for EU trips. Brexit has complicated things too. A skipper with good local language skills (and EU citizenship) is, if not worth their weight in gold, at least a great saving of your time.
Skippers will have their own comprehensive lists to work through
If you have contacts made through reciprocal membership of foreign yacht clubs, for instance, they’re helpful to delivery skippers trying to source items or surmount red tape. Individual skippers’ resourcefulness comes into its own here, which Kloezeman recognises. ‘[PYD’s] skippers have a good understanding of the processes involved and are well versed in presenting and obtaining the correct paperwork when required, particularly where VAT is concerned. At PYD we also have links with several other yacht management companies who can advise further on VAT and vessel, import and export from the EU.’
Of course, the circumstances vary with vessel and voyage. For his part, Pendlebury promises Wright Marine will work with you to assist in ‘ensuring all Customs arrangements are completed on time and according to countries’ rules. A lot of owners find this as valuable as the delivery itself.’
Paperwork is irksome but necessary, for as Kloezeman notes, it sometimes isn’t practical for you to be physically present for the handover. ‘We’re happy for clients to speak to the skippers on the phone whilst they’re on board if they need to discuss anything.’ PYD’s office takes over liaison between you and the skipper once the delivery has started. ‘We will keep them updated on the delivery progress. We have a GPS tracker that we send on our deliveries.’ You can expect to receive a link that updates daily.
Proper navigation kit on board will help the skipper do their job properly
Safety kit and spares
Your safety gear must be compliant with SOLAS V, insists Halcyon’s Peter Green. This includes an in-date liferaft, in-date flares, fire extinguishers, a first aid kit, man overboard recovery equipment, radar reflector and jackstays. ‘We always do engine checks before we leave anywhere,’ affirms Halcyon regular Mark Treacher (a prominent social media skipper with excellent YouTube videos).
If you’ve bought a second-hand yacht, everything should have been taken off the vessel after the point of sale. This underlines the necessity for delivery crews to keep tools. You will probably have tools of your own, but it might not be practicable to get them to the boat. The crew might have, for example, their own spare impeller (complete with service kit), not to mention suitable pliers for prising out defunct blades.
You can expect help if required from PYD, Wright Marine and Halcyon. Peter Green says, ‘We encourage our clients to send a full inventory list.’ Green also advises you to ‘make sure there is sufficient domestic equipment’ such as cooking pans, plates and cups.
This applies to vessels with these items in the existing inventory. In the situation where a yacht has been acquired recently from a broker, these items may be missing, in which case the skipper would normally purchase them and invoice you. The skipper could equally bring their own reserve stock and take it off the boat afterwards. Most delivery crews will only need a bare minimum of galley equipment to minimise on washing up. It follows that the skipper would not be buying a walnut chopping board and pricey Damascus steel cooking knife and then invoicing you for them!
Navigation will be carried out by highly experienced crew
You needn’t worry about your pristine upholstery either. Crews for these three delivery firms supply their own sleeping bags. Halcyon advises using double sheets to protect soft furnishings. Peter Green’s crews are warned to be watchful for harness clips scratching saloon fittings.
Kloezeman specifies that PYD crews ‘spend at least 24 hours checking all the systems and preparing the boat for passage, even for short deliveries.’ A good chunk of this time might well be given over to a job shown on PYD’s website: enthusiastically bubble-wrapping everything in the saloon. ‘All vulnerable areas of woodwork and upholstery below decks are encased in protective cladding,’
PYD’s ops director explains, ‘to avoid any inadvertent damage while at sea in rough conditions. It’s a long and time-consuming process but very worthwhile to ensure that the joinery stays well protected during the delivery passage. Similarly, mast spreaders are normally wrapped and taped to avoid making alloy rub marks on the main sail that can frequently occur when sailing downwind for extended periods.’
Working as delivery crew is a great way to build experience and sea miles
Become a delivery crew
On the flip side of the coin, it’s relatively easy to become a member of a yacht delivery crew, and this is a great way to build sea miles, gain experience, and sail with some highly qualified skippers.
Most yacht delivery companies will insist on delivery skippers being commercially endorsed RYA Yachtmaster Ocean or above. Unsurprisingly, many will also be RYA Yachtmaster Instructors. If you want to be a skipper, you’ll need to be highly qualified. If you want to crew, however, it’s a great way to learn, as well as sail on passages and to destinations you may otherwise never get to visit.
First mates will be qualified skippers, though requirements for qualifications vary. Crew need to be able to competently stand a solo watch at night. This means you’ll generally have an RYA Day Skipper certificate.
Yacht delivery agencies will ask for a fee to join their list and will want to see a sailing CV. You will then be notified of opportunities as and when they come up. You may also receive discounts on further training as well as equipment.
A delivery boat will be actively sailed, but shouldn’t be pushed too hard
Will my boat be safe?
You’ll find that communication before, during and after the trip is paramount. WhatsApp, a text, a request to the destination marina over VHF radio to relay all is well to you via phone, even a check call relayed by the Coastguard – all of these may be used.
PYD claims its quotations are ‘calculated conservatively’ to give an estimated passage time. The Wirral-based market leader says allowance for weather delays and boat prep is built in. ‘Skippers will sail as much as possible but will not push the yacht unnecessarily. A delivery passage is not a race.’
PYD’s rivals in Falmouth and St. Helens would absolutely agree. ‘On arrival at the destination,’ Kloezeman says, ‘the crew will usually spend around 24 hours completing the final wash and clean down before departing.’
If bad weather is encountered, crews will sail conservatively and not push too hard
Problems and damage
As an owner, you’d be advised not to worry unduly. Things do go wrong, but severe damage is extremely rare, and loss almost unheard of. Peter Green admits the element of risk can ‘never be fully eliminated’. A delivery company worth its salt will be striving to keep that quantity as close to zero as possible. ‘With any sailing journey,’ says Green, ‘there is of course some risk.’
Halcyon, PYD and Wright Marine skippers must report to you at the delivery’s conclusion on the condition of general maintenance items, any general wear and tear, any recommendations or improvements or any damage caused during the passage by the crew.
You can expect to be told straight away of incidents resulting in damage. Green points to Halcyon’s engineer support service, whereby crew can phone for help diagnosing and making repairs. ‘One of the most common problems we see is dirty fuel,’ he says. ‘If you’ve bought a yacht that hasn’t been used for a while, the risk of diesel bug increases. It’s often something that won’t come to light until the fuel tank’s been shaken around a bit at sea.’
A lot of Wright’s deliveries involve vessels which have recently changed hands. ‘As such,’ Pendlebury says, delicately, ‘defects may not be known.’ On one trip from Southampton to Newcastle upon Tyne, diesel bug clogged the injectors and the engine gave in just past Chichester. The boat was brought alongside under sail to Haslar marina. ‘The vessel required a complete polishing of its fuel and an overhaul of injector assembly but was able to resume the delivery a week later.’
Deliveries continue overnight. You will get tracking updates about the boat’s whereabouts
Avoiding problems
Making your expectations clear and having your consents in writing beforehand is key when resolving issues arising from company procedures and insurance. ‘Any pre-existing damage is photographed,’ assures Pendlebury. ‘This is then chatted through with the owner, or photos are sent to them prior to departure. This helps to prevent any misunderstandings later down the line.’
Similarly – and Kloezeman and Green would undoubtedly agree – ‘If skippers feel conditions don’t permit safe passage, they’ll seek shelter. The easiest way to avoid misunderstandings is to carefully read the contract and ask questions.’ Delivery firms emphasise that the crew’s only task is moving a vessel from A to B in seamanlike fashion. ‘Owners are welcome to join a delivery,’ says Kloezeman, ‘although the delivery crew will routinely sail 24 hours a day with only brief stops as necessary for fuel, provisions or to avoid severe weather.’
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