When I chartered catamarans in Belize and in the Bahamas (Abacos), there we so many questions that the charter service didn’t explain very well and even when they did, we were still confused. One of the big questions that we were unsure about was provisioning

After spending a couple of weeks aboard catamaran yacht charters in two completely different destinations, we struggled with the provisioning question. So Should You Do Your Own Provisioning When Chartering a Yacht? For us, we decided that for a little extra effort, we did a better job provisioning for our tastes and for less money than what the charter company could do. The answer really depends on your destination, the people on board, your time factor and the availability of grocery stores and restaurants and if they are open when you arrive at the yacht charter base.

Our Chartering Provisioning Experience in Belize

So our first time chartering a sailing catamaran in Belize, we went ahead and had the charter company (Sun Sail) do the chartering for us. Sun Sail and the Moorings are the same company and in Placencia, Belize, the management company was also the same. I want to start out by saying that we were very happy with the management and the catamaran charter in Belize. We spent a week on board. There were seven people and we did a bareboat charter – which means we captained our own boat. We hired a captain for a half of a day to help us get familiar with the boat and the area, then dropped him off at the end of the first day. He did not sleep on the boat and didn’t consume much of our provisioning food or drinks. We did not hire a mate. We did a full bareboat charter with seven people after the first half day of having the captain.

The Charter Company (Sun Sail) Did the Provisioning in Belize

So as I mentioned previously, we had Sunsail provision our charter for us in Belize. None of us had been to Placencia before our trip nor had we been to Belize. This was also our first bareboat charter. Because of all of the firsts, we decided for simplicity, we would have the charter company do the provisioning.

So why did our provisioning experience in Belize not live up to our expectations?

When we were presented with the provisioning option by our broker, it was shown with a sample menu for each day that we could tweak if we wanted to. The menu looked acceptable to us and we figured we would be going out to dinner a few times during the week so we would have plenty of food on board if someone didn’t like one meal, we would have extra food as a substitute for them. We also did not have any special diets or food allergies to work around so our expectations were pretty straight forward and we did not have huge demands.

Our Provisioning Menu VS What Was Provided

So as the menu was presented to us, our expectation was that the food would be purchased based on a menu for seven people. For example, on day one. Breakfast: may have been eggs, bacon, toast with jelly, coffee and orange juice. Lunch: cold cuts, swiss cheese, mayo and mustard, chips and cookies for desert. Dinner: spaghetti with marinara sauce, garlic bread, fresh fruit and cheese cake for desert.

So when we got to the boat, the provisioning company arrived with bags full of groceries and told us what they purchased. There was no written menu for us on the boat like in the provisioning document we received months before when booking the charter. Basically, a company was contracted with, given a budget and told to go buy us some groceries. The groceries were not divided by menu or day or even presented with the menu we were given. In fact, many of the things presented in our online menu were not purchased. There were no recipes, etc. We were basically on our own to figure it out. Our expectations of having a menu for each day, with the food divided into servings of seven-ish servings did not occur. I wouldn’t expect this so much for the breakfast, but for the dinner menus where “chicken cordon blu” was an option, we expected more than chicken breasts in a pile with some cheese. No recipes to follow, and no premade, frozen dinners.

What to Expect When the Charter Company Does the provisioning?

If you learn anything by our experience, you will know to ask lots of questions. Ask detailed questions. Ask the same questions over and over again to make sure you understand what is being provided. I’m sure that Sunsail (Moorings) in Placencia, Belize will provision differently than the Sun Sail (Moorings) in the Bahamas both from a management perspective and from a local availability of food items and local tastes. Ask what is included with the provisioning service. Ask how the food will be presented. Ask if the food items will be separated by meal and by day. Will there be recipes and a list of the food supplied? Ask about portion size. If you have big eaters, then make sure there is a healthy amount of food provided especially if you aren’t planning to spend a lot of time off the boat or eat at restaurants or if where you are going doesn’t have many restaurants. You can assume that you will be catching fish or diving for lobster or eating fresh conch, but plan like you aren’t going to catch many fish so if you don’t, you won’t run out of food. We did catch some fish, bought fresh lobster from the local fisherman we met on one of the islands (cays) that we visited and we had lots of food left over. Our provisioning did provide plenty of food.

Inventory the Kitchen Items; pans, utensils and tools

Do an inventory of the kitchen pans, plates, glasses, silverware and utensils like can openers, bottle openers, corkscrews. Don’t forget to check on tongs and flippers for the grill and pans. Do you need a mixer, make sure you at least have a wire wisk. Keep in mind when planning your menu that your kitchen tools will most likely be much less fancy and probably not automatic (mixers, blenders, etc.) that your items at home. If your menu includes a cake mix, check for a way to mix the cake, a mixing bowl and a pan to bake it in. Don’t forget that you will need to grease the pan, so some type of non-stick cooking spray may be needed. We had a brand new boat in Belize and ended up purchasing a number of items and leaving them on the boat. Unfortunately, we didn’t check before we left the marina, so upon our return for ice and fishing tackle, we made a run for kitchen items.

How we did our own provisioning in the Abacos (Bahamas)

So, on our next charter in the Bahamas we booked our sailing catamaran through Dream Life Charters in Marsh Harbor (Abacos). Once again, we had an excellent trip with good management and a decent boat. Our boat did have a little more wear on it, but everything functioned well and the management was responsive to our needs.

After our provisioning experience in Belize, we decided to do the provisioning ourselves in March Harbor. We did more research. We asked better questions this time. We learned that there were several grocery stores close to the marina, either in walking distance or a short taxi ride and taxis would be readily available.

Our Provisioning Menu

We planned a sample menu for each meal on each day. We made a grocery list ahead of time. We were once again flexible and did not have any unusual demands or unique diets or food allergies. We provisioned for eight people for one week. We planned each meal around what is typically available at each grocery store. For example, chicken is a great universal food that you can good almost everywhere. You can get it frozen which works great on the boat and you can prepare it many different ways. If you want to bring some of your own specialty items like panko or Montreal Steak Seasoning, go ahead and do it, just check with the airline ahead of time to know what I acceptable and make an inventory list of what you are bringing. Put one copy in the container with your items and one with you. TSA and the local customs authority will appreciate it and it could save you having to stand in line explaining your cargo.

Don’t Forget Food Storage Items; Zip Lock Bags

Food storage bags will come in handy. You will use them for breaking down packaging and making everything fit in the limited cupboards, storage space, refrigerators and freezers. You will also use them for leftovers. If you are like us you will make more food than you can eat. Having leftovers available comes in handy for a quick snack or lunch.

Be Flexible and Revise Your Menu If Needed

Finally, be flexible with your menu items. After you are finished shopping you will need to sit down and revise your menu. Some of the items may not have been available or may have been price prohibitive. I know in the Bahamas, some US brand products that are low priced cost about 10 times more there. Other products were priced the same or lower. We adjusted our menu and provisioning accordingly.

Know Your Crew’s Food Allergies, Special Diets and Tastes Ahead of Time

It is very important to know ahead of time if any of your crew members have menu restrictions, allergies or simply don’t like the taste of certain dishes. If you know this ahead of time, it is much easier to purchase alternatives if your Plan A menu needs to change. You certainly don’t want to have peanut butter on board if someone is deathly allergic to peanuts. The sooner you know about any special needs in your group, the easier it is to plan around it. You certainly don’t want to learn of a food allergy once you are at sea. For one, the nearest health clinic may not be easy to get to and if a big part of your menu is focused around a certain food item that causes an allergic reaction, your food supply has just been diminished.

The Heavy Lifting and Sweat Equity

Going to the grocery store was the easy part. We divided to conquer. Each of us had certain items to purchase. This takes organization and leadership to keep everyone on task. I’ll have to admit that this was a little bit of a challenge to stay on task and to buy only things on our menu list. We all saw things that we didn’t think about and that looked good that we bought. The rule of never going to the grocery store while you are hungry also applies when you are doing your shopping for your provisioning.

Buying Beer, Wine and Liquor

We sort of left it up to each person to purchase the adult beverages of their choice for the week. We felt this was the best way to provision for beer, wine and alcohol. In reality, this was hard to keep separate and it because a communal bar which worked just fine for our group. None of us cared too much about keeping their drinks for themselves and we were all Ok with sharing. If your group is counting every penny or you have one person in the group that is going to take an accounting of everything they purchased, you need to know this up front and plan accordingly. We found it difficult to keep this separate due to space limitations on board. The space limitations include very limited cooler and refrigerator space. If you are going to be in an area with lots of ice availability, perhaps you can each have a designated cooler. On both of our charters, we were in remote anchorages for more than one day at a time and ice was a little of a shortage so sharing cooler space certainly helped us not run out of ice or we actually ran out of ice right when we arrived at an anchorage with a store where would could get more ice. When doing your liquor provisioning, don’t forget to buy lots of mixers. We did run out of juice and other mixers and that wasn’t always readily available on our remote anchorages or was very expensive on some of the remote islands (cays) in both Belize and in the Abacos (Bahamas).

Don’t Forget Ice

Before going to the grocery store, make sure to check the boat not only for storage (cold and dry), but also if it has an ice maker. Don’t forget to ask how much ice it makes and if it is working. We thought we could buy ice in Belize, but found out that many of the islands didn’t have power because they weren’t running their generators during the time of year (low season) when we chartered. The weather was great, we were often only one of two or three boats at some of the popular anchorages, but getting ice was a major challenge. After running out on the boat and striking out at several resorts, we ended up making a sail to the main land in order to stock up on ice.

Side Note. The coolers that were provided on that charter were cheap, Styrofoam coolers. When we were hit by a couple of rogue waves, they shifted and broke into pieces. We gathered up the pieces, but our ice was lost, not that there was much left. A nice Yeti cooler or two would have been real nice to have on this trip. We brought a couple of the soft side Yeti’s on our second charter, which worked out amazingly well.

Then Came the Hard Part – Carrying the Groceries to the Boat

We had seven people so it wasn’t the most challenging thing we had ever done, but it did take some effort. First, we had to transport the groceries from the store to the marina. In this case we had groceries from one store and drinks from another. We needed a taxi large enough to transport the people with the provisions. In our case we split into groups, but even a group of four plus a weeks-worth of groceries was a bit of a challenge – even in the small taxi van. The drinks were heavier, but close to the marina, so we actually had the liquor store load up our purchases on a cart and bring over to the marina for us, where we transferred into the wheel barrel type carts at the marina and then like a production line onto the boat.

Where to put your supplies

Once on the boat, you have to plan out your strategy. Divide the cold items from the dry items from the fresh fruits and vegetables. Next is to store them based on when you plan on eating them. Every boat is different. In Belize, our Lagoon catamaran had storage in the floor in the galley that we took advantage of. In the Bahamas, our Leopard had storage in the seats in the galley plus additional overhead storage. The freezer and refrigerator space was limited so we had to plan on the food items for later in the week in the bottom of the freezer or back of the small refrigerators with a last in first out methodology. Of course, during the week there was plenty of digging and rearranging, but when you spend a week on a boat, you have time to do it.

One Charter Option is to Have the Charter Company Provide a Cook

Even with the provisioning supplied by the charter company for our Belize adventure, we arrived with everything out on the tables (except for the cold items) and we put it away. There are chartering plans where the meals are prepared for you and where none of this really is a concern. In that case, everything is on the captain and first mate or cook and they take care of everything. You pay a premium, but don’t have to think about food or meal planning. In our case, we like to cook and eat on the boat so for us, it was just a few hours of planning and packing and we were on our way and had the food that we wanted to eat.

Know How Often Will You Be Eating On the Boat VS Off the Boat

Another topic that you will need to discuss with your group is about how often you plan on eating off the boat or being off the boat. Of course, this includes a general sailing itinerary so you know where you are going and what will be around you regarding restaurants. We planned a couple of lunches out and one dinner out, but most of our meals were eaten on the boat either while we were at sail or at anchor. I recommend keeping lunch simple and eating breakfast before you set sail unless you are sure of the weather conditions and wave action.

Plan Meals Around Your Schedule and the Weather

I found the weather reports and sailing reports to be very limited on both of our charters. Most charters have requirements to keep you within a reef or a relatively safe area with many safe harbors in close-proximity and therefore don’t require heavy duty weather reporting like you would need during a major crossing. There was a daily weather briefing every morning, but we found this to be very general information and not specific. Preparing meals while you are moving can be a challenge especially with rough seas. We found eating an early breakfast before departing (on most days worked out just fine) and simple lunches like sandwiches or appetizers like chips and salsa or cheese and crackers, fresh fruit, etc. Finally, if you are planning dinners ashore at certain anchorages, get a general weather report for the week before you leave the marina base.

If the weather for the week looks a little risky, you may not make it to all your planned anchorages which may mean more time eating on the boat. If you are sailing in the tropics in the summer time (June, July and August), you need to know about seasonal weather patterns. Many areas enjoy afternoon or evening thunder showers which can be a very nice relief to warm, sticky weather and provide fresh water to wash or rinse out your cloths, wash the boat, etc.

Making a dinghy run ashore during a thunder shower or tropical down pour may not be practical and may be dangerous. Make sure you adjust your provisioning accordingly, so you don’t run out of food if you are stuck on the boat. It’s better to have a little food left over to donate to the dock workers then to run out.

Cost of Provisioning

I know you are wondering about the costs of provisioning from the charter company VS buying your own groceries. This is an item that will vary by location. Both the cost of groceries will vary and the costs the charter company will charge you to provision. Plan on paying 25% more to have the provisioning done for you because the cost of groceries will be the same for most locations. They are going to purchase groceries at the same stores that you can go to and purchase for yourself.

So you need to decide which is best for you and how much time and effort you want to put into your provisioning. Try to read feedback about your charter company and ask great questions. How much time are you spending on the boat VS on shore at a restaurant or if you are going to be anchored in remote locations. If you have a special diet or allergies to consider, make sure to communicate this in advance and plan accordingly.

Store Hours, Weekends and Holidays

Grocery stores in the United States and Canada (and even many European locations) now have very long hours and some are now open around the clock – 24-7-365 days a year. Depending on your charter destination (home base), grocery store hours may be limited. Many stores in the Caribbean have limited hours. If you are leaving on a Sunday, the grocery stores in those area may be closed. Once again, good planning and communication with your local base operator is a must. One more thing to look into is what, if any, local holidays are celebrated during your visit. Nothing is worse than losing a full day or two of your one week charter because you don’t have access to grocery stores during holidays. Holidays may also affect your plans to go ashore and eat at restaurants. Also, don’t forget to ask about high season and low season. In high season, many popular restaurants may be booked or you may find a popular anchorage to be very crowded. In low season or off season, you may find out like we did in Belize that the resorts, hotels and restaurants on some of the islands (cays) were closed. Fortunately for us, the fish were biting and we over-stocked so we did run out of ice, but we did not run out of food or drinks.

Language Barrier

In both of our examples above in the Bahamas and Belize, we had pretty good access to grocery stores and were in areas where we could communicate, that is enough English was spoken for us to get by. Charter locations include many areas around the world where grocery stores may not be as conveniently located and language and labels on the products could be a hinderance. We didn’t have this issue.

How Are You Going to Pay for Your Provisioning?

Before you travel, make sure where you are going will accept your type of currency. For us, US Dollars were widely accepted in both locations. Other than having to watch the exchange rates, our money worked. Keep in mind that ATM machines may be limited and where ATM’s are located, there may be caps on the amount of money you can access each day. Further, you will want to call your credit card company and bank ahead of time and let them know that you will traveling out of the country. This can avoid not being able to access money to pay for your groceries. We had this happen to some of the people in our party, but fortunately for them, the rest of us were able to cover for them until they were able to access additional cash.

Bring New US $20 Bills if Possible

 I always recommend bringing new, twenty dollar bills (if you have access to US Dollars they are quite easy to convert in most locations). Twenty dollars is a good increment that most places seem to accept. Bringing one hundred dollar bills can be a problem as many counterfeiters choose to $100’s. If you happen to have the serial number series of dollar bills that are on the list, your bills won’t we accepted. Having to wait in line in a foreign bank to change money is not fun. Having to make your group sail to a location with a bank during normal banking hours is not a great way to start out your trip.

Know What Credit Cards are Accepted (and which cards are not accepted)

You need to know which major credit cards are accepted before you leave home. American Express has some great television commercials about not leaving home with it, but in reality, in many places we visited, American Express Cards are not always accepted. After cash it is my favorite type of payment because I love to accrue the points that get me free airline tickets and other free stuff, but I have many experiences where they do not accept it. Make sure you have a debit card from a major bank, new US $20 bills (cash) and a couple of different credit card options (like Visa, Mastercard and American Express). If you are from Canada or elsewhere, I recommend changing money to the widely accepted type of cash for the area you are traveling to. Change the money at your local bank a couple of weeks ahead of time to make sure that they can accommodate you and you will probably get better rates than changing at your destination or at the airport. Travelers checks can be another item that may be hard to convert and, also often can be accrued big fees. If you are planning to bring travelers checks, do you research ahead of time and know where you are able to convert them. Again, having to visit a bank in the Caribbean or other third world country can be and is most often a major hassle and something you will want to avail if at all possible.

Related Questions

Do You Need to Bring Water On-Board the Charter?

Some charter sail boats are equipped with water makers and some are not. Some of the water on-board may be suitable for drinking, but some may not be. Some water makers make excellent water that is pure and delicious. Before you travel, this is another question that should be addressed to your charter company. When in doubt always purchase and drink bottled water. Remember, especially when chartering in the tropics, the weather is warm and sticky and you will be spending a lot of time in the sun. You will need to drink lot’s of water. Make sure you plan accordingly. In our case, we planned for about one to two gallons of water per person per day. This was in addition to the juice drinks, milk, beer and wine that we provisioned.

Is Your Sun Screen Banned?

When bringing sun screen or buying sun screen at your destination, you need to check to see if your sun screen has any banned ingredients. Certain ingredients like oxybenzone and octinoxate, which are used in many popular, name-brand sunscreens on the market today. Hawaii has already banned these substances because they are believed to damage or kill the coral reef. Do you homework and check ahead of time to make sure your destination doesn’t have any restrictions

Can You Bring a Drone on Your Charter Boat?

Drones have exploded in popularity and almost every Youtube video featuring charter vacations include amazing video footage taken from drones flying high overhead. The shots are amazing and could be an awesome addition to your trip for memories for years to come. Caution! Many locations have been drones from entering their countries through airport customs. There are numerous stories (just google it) about drones being taken. Sometimes you are able to get the drone back when you leave the country, sometimes the drones are held hostage for a fine (which may be going in the pocket of the customs agent). Sometimes, the drone is confiscated and you never get it back. Nonetheless, you need to do research ahead of time. Ask your charter agent if your drone is acceptable. It can save you time, hassles and money. On our trip to the Bahamas, I researched ahead of time and saw that drones were not allowed. However, I didn’t see the customs agents really checking, so I think I could have brought one in and taken some amazing shots. For me, it wasn’t worth the hassle or losing my $1,000 investment. There is one alternative that may be better than nothing. You could buy a low cost drone for your trip. I’m thinking around $100 to $200 or whatever amount would hurt too much if it became confiscated or if you lost it (i.e. crashed it) while flying. This gives you an opportunity to take some bird-eye-view pictures without too much worry. Yes, you won’t have cinematic quality video, but the trade off might be worth it. If you do this, make sure you know how to fly the drone before leaving, have it long enough to practice and become familiar with it and don’t forget the charger, extra batteries and the photo storage device that goes into the drone.

Download our provisioning menu here (you know you want to)

Other Items to bring on a sailing charter that the charter companies forget to tell you