Charter FAQs & Policies

Each boat is insured by the boat owner, and insurance deductible amounts vary, but are generally based on the hull value of the boat. Every charterer is responsible for the boat’s deductible.

Superior Charter offers the option of a Daily Damage Fee which is a buy down of the cost of the deductible on the boat. As long as Charter Policies and Yacht Charter Agreement are followed, the charterer’s liability amount for loss or damage to the vessel or its equipment is limited. This fee is non-refundable. When booking online, the Daily Damage Fee is required in order to complete your booking.  If you decide to book directly through our office, you may select one of the following two options for your charter booking:

1. Daily Damage Fee (DDF). A daily fee which reduces your liability for the insurance deductible as described in the Yacht Charter Agreement. A valid credit card number on file is required to secure the insurance deductible.
2. Security Deposit. A refundable security deposit payable in cash or check. This security deposit can be applied to the repair of damages or loss of equipment or cancellation fees. This deposit does not relieve the charterer of loss or damage over the amount of the deposit, as described in the Yacht Charter Agreement.

Should you elect to assume all risk and waive the Daily Damage Fee, the daily fee will be credited towards your balance due and the refundable security deposit is due via cash or check 45 days prior to the first day of charter. The security deposit will be refunded one month after termination of the charter in the event of no loss or damages

Plans changed? Let’s see what we can do to accommodate you!

• Early Season Trip Date Change – make your change by April 15 to adjust the dates or vessel for only a $150 change fee. 
• Prime or Late Trip Date Change – make your change by May 15 to adjust the dates or vessel for only a $150 change fee.
• During charter season: Charterer is responsible for 100% of the charter cost at the time of cancellation. Charges will be applied to the credit card number taken at the time of deposit.

Okay, we’d love to help you, but let’s make sure it follows these guidelines:

• Early Season Trip Date Cancellation – make your cancellation by April 15 to receive a refund of the booking deposit, less a $150 administration fee. 
• Prime or Late Trip Date Cancellation – make your cancellation by May 15 to receive a refund of the booking deposit, less a $150 administration fee. 
• During charter season: Charterer is responsible for 100% of the charter cost at the time of cancellation. Charges will be applied to the credit card number taken at the time of deposit.

The charter season is short and very busy, and charter days are in high demand, which is why there is no refund made for cancellations during the charter season. Due to our strict cancellation policy, it is strongly recommended that trip insurance be purchased as coverage against any unforeseen travel interruptions and/or emergencies that may force you to cancel your charter. Check out trip insurance options here!

Here comes the boring, yet very important details about your reservation:

• Daily Damage Fee –  A buy-down of the cost of the insurance deductible, this is a non-refundable fee that limits your liability for loss or damage to the vessel or its equipment. It is based on the size of the vessel, with prices of $45, $55, $65 and $75 per day – Every reservation will see this fee on the invoice. Click here to view a PDF breakdown of the daily damage fee/security deposit.
• Cleaning Deposit – Charged at initial booking, Charterer will have a choice to either follow a brief checklist and forfeit deposit or to clean the boat per a detailed checklist, get inspected by staff and have the deposit refunded. Costs range from $150 – $400.
• Taxes – Because Uncle Sam needs their portion as well.
• Fees – You will only see this if you book online and it will be combined with the tax amount, this is to help pay for the fancy website that lets you book entirely online!

At the time of booking directly with our office, we will charge 1/3 the cost of the trip, plus the entire daily damage fee. When booking your trip online, expect to pay the entire cost of the trip, which will also include a convenience fee for using the online booking engine.

For those who book with our office directly, the final payment is due fourteen (14) days prior to your trip start. This payment is processed automatically by our office, and will be charged to your credit card on file unless you make other prior arrangements.  We will send you a final payment receipt so you know this transaction has been processed.

This is a commonly asked question!

Captained Charters: If you are new to sailing and looking to have an enjoyable and carefree vacation, our captained charters are perfect for you. Captained charters come with a licensed captain that will handle the navigation of your yacht during your trip. We are partnered with some of the best sailboat captains in the area. We have exceptional captains who have extensive knowledge and experience sailing the Apostle Islands and beyond. When you book your selected sailboat online, we will work with you to select the right captain for you charter!

Bareboat Charters: This option is perfect for the experienced sailor who knows how to skipper and maintain a boat. Bareboat charters do not come with a captain — You are responsible for the navigation, sailing, and maintenance of your yacht during your trip. If you love to sail but don’t own a sailboat, reserve a bareboat charter! If you’re interested in this sailing option, we require you to submit a boating resume (available online and sent via email confirmation) after you book to assess your sailing knowledge and experience before your departure date.

Online booking is easy on our website! You can select the boat size and passenger capacity quickly for both bareboat charters and captained charters. Once you have selected the sailboat you want to reserve and the dates, you will receive a confirmation email with your itinerary and booking details.

• Required Forms: Please review, sign and return the required forms (Yacht Charter Agreement & Liability Indemnification Agreement) that will arrive in your email inbox. These are important to submit immediately after your booking. We also have additional reservation documents you will need to review, before your charter that will be sent to you via email.
  • You can also view all these forms ahead of time on our Reservation Forms page!

We’re waiting in the office for you to call and ask us all your pressing questions about the boats.

• Which boat would work best for you?
• Which is our favorite?
• What we like to cook on board?
• What’s our favorite island…you get it…we like to talk about sailing the Apostles!

You can also book directly through our office if needed. So call us!  715.779.5124

The first step for any first-time charterers with Superior Charters or those who haven’t been with us for more than five years is to do some important paperwork!

• Fill out a Boating Resume – you can find it here!
• Submit the resume along with a boat request via email – those two pieces of info are super important.
• The Charter master makes recommendations after reviewing your resume and boat request – oftentimes we require some refresher training based on the following criteria:
  • Role as responsible skipper on similar size boat – your experience should be within the last three years. If it’s been longer, you’ll likely need a refresher.
  • Ownership of vessel of similar size and type – this means you know how to confidently handle similar sized vessels. 
  • Experienced crew – there is no single-handing allowed
  • And/or completion of a qualified charter certification program – we’ll want to know about your sailing school experience, so give us the low-down.

When you book a charter with us, we offer you a complimentary sleep-aboard the night before your first sailing day. That means you can arrive anytime after 7:00 pm and look in our charter welcome station and find your personalized envelope with instructions on how to find your vessel.

Inside the envelope will be a map so you can find the approved parking locations and shore-side facilities (so make sure you read carefully!) and it will also direct you to your vessel.  The boat will be unlocked with the lights and refrigerator on.  You will also be pre-assigned a time for your dockside briefing or training for the next morning. So have your equipment inventory sheet and your briefing checklist complete by the time the captain arrives for the briefing.

Want more details? Check out our handy Pre-Arrival Information!

We’ve added some great options for add-ons in case you want to make your trip really ‘over-the-top’!

• Motor dinghy – $50 per day to upgrade to ‘no more rowing!’ – Limited availability, so don’t wait on this!
• Linen Rental – $35 per person – includes bedding, towels, pillow and kitchen towels
• Priority Boarding – $125 to board as early as 4:00 pm and complete your dockside briefing – leave as early as sunrise the next morning – for those who hate to wait!
• Safety Session – $125 – Practice safe sailing following this short lesson on safety equipment and crew roles in the event of an emergency situation. Required for short-handed charters on boats over 34′ and suggested for all charters with new crew members.
• Check out – $175  – Freshen your skills and focus on docking for 2-4 hours
• Refresh & Upgrade – $275 – Spend a full day with the captain to refresh your skills or upgrade to a larger boat
• Overnight Hotel Fee – $200 – $350 – Stay on board your last evening and take your time as you pack up and leave the next morning. This option isn’t always available, so check with us!

Everything you’ll need to cook and eat with is already onboard for you to use. So convenient!

Some items you will find onboard include:

• Cookware – pots, pans, baking sheet
• Coffee maker – percolator or French press
• Serving ware and dishes
• Local NOAA Chart and navigation tools
• USCG Required Safety Gear
• Complimentary Hospitality Kit – paper towels, dish soap and sponge, head paper, aluminum foil, hand soap and propane fuel for cooking

Grab a duffel bag (because it’s easier to stow), and fill it with the essentials! 

• Layers – no matter the time of year, always be prepared for any weather with lots of layers
• Shoes – bring a set of hiking shoes for adventures on land and wear your boat shoes just while sailing
• Rain Gear – we almost always promise great weather so bring your sunglasses, but just in case, be prepared with a raincoat and pants
• Linens – bring your own sleeping bag, towels and don’t forget your favorite pillow
• Toiletries – sunscreen, bug repellent, toothpaste, hand sanitizer, you know, all the essentials
• Water – the water on board is potable, but doesn’t taste as good as the bottled stuff, so bring enough with you for drinking and cooking during your trip
• Provisions – you supply the food, drinks, and seasonings – we can suggest some local purveyors

We are able to suggest some great local purveyors that can help with all your provisioning needs.

Bayfield

• Andy’s IGA – Grocery store with wine, beer and liquor – Pretty much would have everything you could need!
• Bayfield Wine & Spirits – Premium spirits, craft beers and small production wines – Delivery available!
• Captain’s Spirits – Beer, wine, liquor selection as well as convenience food items.

Washburn

• Hansen’s IGA – Grocery store with deli, meat section and an entire wine, beer and liquor section. Online Ordering available.

Ashland

• SuperOne Foods – Large grocery store with fresh deli and bakery.  They have a separate bottle shop across the parking lot.
• Chequamegon Food Co-op – Local food co-op that offers a deli, bulk food items and great selection of specialty products.  Online ordering available.
• Walmart SuperCenter – Extended hours and online shopping with curbside pickup available.

• Pets – Unfortunately, our favorite family members are just not allowed on any of our boats
• Hard-sided coolers – They are too big and bulky to store on the boat and scratch the bejeezus out of the floors and interiors
• Fishing pole – Lake Superior has great fish…that you can buy already caught and cleaned at Bodin’s in town
• Kayaks and SUPs – There’s just no safe space to stow this gear on board and towing can cause damage
• Sticky Fly Strips – We don’t like flies either, but these sticky strips are gross and cause damage to the pretty boat interiors
• Cigarettes/cigars/E-cigarettes – There’s no smoking on any of boats – no exceptions!
• Tents – We don’t allow camping on the islands when renting our boats, who wants to sleep on the ground anyway?

We do not consider inclement weather a reason for cancelling instruction or charters. For sailing courses, instructors consider the weather forecast and often times design the class around it. As a policy, we will not sail in any conditions we deem to be too dangerous, the Chartermaster will make decisions about the weather as it happens.

For both sailing courses and captained charters, please be prepared to provide meals for your Captain/Instructor while you’re on the water! Most meals should be easy to prepare, and can be one-pot meals such as spaghetti, chili or jambalaya. We also like to bring pre-made items that cut down on prep time. Pre-washed salad mixes or prepped veggies can save time and space on the boat. Consider your limited size of your refrigerator/icebox when planning your trip. 

For privacy and safety reasons, your Captain is to be provided a private cabin on the boat you charter. Please keep this in mind as you plan accommodations for all guests. We can help you figure out the details.

At Superior Charters, we count your trip in Sailing Days. That’s why we’ll ask you what night you want to board (we offer complimentary boarding the night before your first sailing day) and what days you want to sail.  For sailing days, you can expect that however long your trip is, your last sailing day ends with you off-boarding by 4 pm with our office staff.

For Example:  A three day sailing trip could go like this – Boarding the boat on Thursday evening after 7 pm, Sailing Friday – Sunday, with off-boarding by 4 pm on Sunday afternoon.

We ask that you hand over the boat to our office no later than 4:00 pm. Handing it over means that you’ve cleaned the boat, cleared your gear off and everything is put back where it should be.

Our Off-Board Sheets provide specifics on what is expected of charterers when they off-board. If you plan on cleaning the boat, don’t forget to grab your cleaning supplies from the charter office!

We are often asked about the policy of providing a gratuity for your Captain. Although not required, our Captains are independent contractors who provide personalized service to our customers and appreciate a gratuity if you feel the experience exceeded your expectations. Industry standard is 15-20%.

Check out all the details about our different processes here!