You Pays Your Money...

…and you takes your chances. This axiom was amply reinforced during a glitch-filled cruise through the Grenadines by Practical Sailor's publisher and his family, with a charter firm previously recommended by this magazine.

Duet, a South African-built Wildcat 350, had ūmore than its share of problems.

Serious sailors often have line items in their annual sailing budgets for winter chartering. Nothing quite makes the blood flow like the anticipation of shaking off winter's chill with a sail through the islands for a week or so. But it's pricey. Throw in airfare, boat, provisioning and "incidentals," and the price of a Caribbean charter for a family of five can spike close to $10,000. Choosing a charter company that offers some semblance of quality therefore becomes an imperative—and also a dilemma for those of us in the business of purveying competent advice on how to spend your money. …