What’s up with the weather?
As your departure day and time approaches, it is always wise to keep an eye on the weather. For the most accurate forecasts we recommend accuweather.com. You can simply enter in the zip code for Virginia Beach (23451) and you will get hourly forecasts specifically for our area. We, of course, cannot ever guarantee a forecast, but accuweather.com is highly recommended by sailing charter companies in other areas of the country as well.
In order to hold your reservations for regularly scheduled sails, private or corporate charters… a credit card is required. We accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover Card. When you arrive to meet the shuttle, you may charge your sail to your card or pay cash. Your card will be charged in the event that you are a ‘no show’ or have not followed the cancellation policy outlined below.
Cancellation Policy
(also see Weather Cancellations above)
Cancellations must be made at least 48 hours in advance of your sail.
If you do not cancel 48 hours before your sail, you will be refunded only in the event that we cancel the sail.
We want you to enjoy your sail so in the event of heavy rain, thick fog, high winds or if threatening weather appears imminent, we will cancel. However, we will sail if it is merely overcast or even if it just looks like rain. We frequently experience summer thunderstorms at the oceanfront. Even though you might witness a heavy downpour and dark skies from your hotel room… just wait 30 minutes. These storms are usually just a short respite from the heat and a chance to go indoors and grab a bite to eat.
Since some of the finest sailing weather, great sunsets and calm seas can follow a spell of bad weather, a decision to cancel is usually made by us only shortly before your sail is scheduled to depart. In the event that you are a ‘no show’ and have not canceled or contacted us, your credit card will be charged.
Please be on time! If you are late, we are unable to make it up at the other end since we have a schedule to keep with other sails and charters. All charters originate at the Dairy Queen at 17th Street & Atlantic Avenue. You will be greeted by a crewmember, checked in, provided a parking pass to place on the dashboard of your car and your payment will be processed. We ask that you arrive 30 minutes prior to your scheduled charter time so we can get you checked in and on the shuttle on time. The shuttle will take you the short ride to the marina and bring you back to your vehicle when the boat docks. We cannot stress enough – BE ON TIME to check in! If you miss the shuttle, you will miss the boat and there will be no refund!
Sailing Tips:
Bring appropriate gear for going on the water. A lightweight jacket might be a good idea for the sunset sail, but it should not be necessary during our normally hot summer days. We have a full canvas top over our cockpit, but we still recommend sunscreen. Please do not bring tanning oil as it makes the decks slippery and dangerous. Non-greasy lotion is best. If you are going to wear a hat, make sure that it will stay on your head securely. Big, floppy brimmed hats tend to fly away easily… so make sure yours has a chin strap.Please wear boating shoes or white soled athletic shoes. If you do not have either, we welcome bare feet! Running shoes, sneakers, hiking boots and soft soled sandals with black soles will leave black marks on our decks that are hard to remove. You can certainly take your shoes off just before boarding the boat and we can store them safely for you until the end of your sail. |
