Weather and tides
Practical information
| Should I have some or other charter certificate to rent a yacht? | Legally speaking, not. But, we do expect that you have the necessary knowledge to sail responsibly and safely. It is up to the lessee to submit convincing evidence of his or her sailing experience. It becomes clear quite quickly from a personal interview whether the candidate lessee has the necessary experience. In case of doubt, we recommend renting a yacht with a skipper/instructor. You will also need a marine mobile telephone permit. |
| What do I take with me on board? | You need to adapt the yachtsman’s wardrobe to the weather conditions. Hard-wearing jeans, jerseys, warm underwear, deck footwear with rubber soles, gloves, boots, warm socks, toilet accessories, scarf, bath towels and kitchen towels, woolly hat, sleeping bag, pillow case, sunglasses, sunscreen lotion (even if only for the nose), pocket money, passport or identity card and insurance documents. You should pack all of this in a supple travel bag (not a hard-shell suitcase). A fitted sheet and a pillowcase. Important: A complete (pants and jacket) waterproof sailing suit. You can rent all of this from us. |
| Are there life jackets on board? | All safety equipment is on board, including a life raft. |
| Will the trip still go through if the wind blows severely? | If you are renting for a short period of time (e.g. a weekend) and the weather conditions are really severe (e.g. winds of more than 6 Bf), you can move the sailing trip to a later date. Please consult our terms and conditions in this regard. |
| Can we already board the evening before the start of the rental period? | This is possible in principle, but under reservation. It depends on the lessee of the rental period before yours. West Coast Sailing strives for quality and would like to supply you with a ship that operates properly. However, maintenance takes time, without a doubt. The lessee can board the ship almost always the night before; however, this is never contractually established. |
| When should I be back? | The yacht must be back on the last day of the rental period and you should be ready to disembark at 16H00, unless otherwise agreed. |
| When will we get our deposit back? | As lessee, you will have enough time to inspect the yacht before departure. West Coast Sailing has this right when you return. If the lessee returns in time and returns the yacht properly cleaned (the stipulated time is included in the rental period), then the deposit can be returned immediately, if there are not any damages. If the lessee returns the ship later than the period agreed upon in the contract, then the deposit will be refunded at a later stage, in case of a shortage of time. |
| What costs are not included in the rental price? | The dock charges in foreign ports. The dock charges in Nieuwpoort are included in the rental price. All consumption like diesel, gas and lighting batteries. |
| Where is the best place to park my car? | You can park for free at 100m from our pontoon. |
| Which maps are on board? | We have maps on board of the Belgian coast, up to Wight and the Thames estuary. |
| Where will my boat be berthed; who will be present on site? | Your boat’s name and berth will be stipulated on your booking confirmation. You must contact the base manager of West Coast Sailing by telephone approximately 30 minutes before arriving. You must arrange at what time you will meet each other. Your boat will be open and the inventory will be on the chart table. Always start by checking and ticking off the inventory before bringing your baggage on board. The base manager will assist you as soon as possible. |