ANSWERS TO COMMON ELLIS CHARTER QUESTIONS

• All of our vessels charter out of Southwest Harbor, Maine (Out of Dysart’s Marina).
• These are all “bareboat charters”, but you can hire a Captain if you wish. 
• The online calendars are up-to-date.
• We do NOT have specific start and end dates (calendar is flexible). 
• You will be able to drive a car onto the dock to load/unload.
• There are ample places to park near Dysart’s Great Harbor Marina. 
• Charters begin/end at 12:00 noon (unless we have worked out alternative times).
• BRIEFING – You will be given a FULL tutorial on the boat’s systems and operation.
• The briefing can take 2 to 4 hours (the average is probably a little over 2 hours).
• Insurance covers you and the boat during the charter (as if you were the owner).
• We have a list of local captains available if you are not inclined to run the boat yourself.
• The full charter fee is due to book the charter.
• The security deposit is due at boarding.
• During your trip, you pay for other boating-related expenses (fuel, captains, dockage fees).
• All charter cleaning is included in the base charter fee.  
• We can refuel and pump out the boat at the end of your charter (for a fee).
• We will provide bedding as appropriate for the Yacht. 
• We provide ample galleyware for cooking/dining.
• All vessels have refrigeration.
• Grills are on all boats except Timbuktu and Jericho.
• All vessels will have fresh ground coffee and appropriate coffee-making equipment.
• Further provisions can be acquired in Southwest Harbor.
• Included are bath towels, hand towels, face cloths, dishrags, soaps, and appropriate toiletries.
• Systems include plotters, radar, paper charts & navigation tools.
• Boating and Safety gear includes a VHF, fire extinguishers, binoculars, flares, sounding device, tool kit, water hose, flashlight, first aid kit, life jackets, & a throwable device.
• Most vessels include a tender on davits (all except Marengo, Jericho, and MarvEllis). 
• All vessels have a heat source.
• We provide resources on board for places to go and information for various harbors.
• Ellis Boat Company will be on-call offering assistance as needed.
• While you are in the area, we have access to moorings (for a fee) and dock space at the local Marina (again, for a fee). 

CHARTER BOAT INVENTORY LIST

BOATING & SAFETY
Maptech charts (waterproof format)
Maptech Cruising Guide 
Flares, Fire Extinguishers, Sounding device
12 life jackets and one throwable device
Boat Hook, Fenders, Lines
Toolkit – Includes basic tools, utility knife, extra keys & safety plug
Spare filters, Oil, and Antifreeze
Washing supplies – soap, bucket, brush, chamois, rags, hose, and sprayer
Hand-operated bilge pump
Binoculars, Flashlight
Tender with Outboard (most boats)
Shorepower cables
Extra Deck Chairs provided on request

GALLEY and COOKING (For all vessels except Jericho & MarvEllis)
Fuel for all cooking systems as needed
Cooking pots/pans 
Hot Pads
Mixing Bowls
Utensils and Cooking tools, including Lobster crackers/picks
Cups, mugs, plates, bowls
Teapot or percolator, coffee, and filters
Paper towels
Hand Soap
Dish detergent, sponges, dishrags, drying rags
Garbage can, garbage bags, dustpan, and broom
Grill and Utensils (except Timbuktu and Jericho)
All boats have refrigeration

SLEEPING (For all vessels except Jericho)
Clean Linens (4 twin sheets)
4 blankets and 2 fleece sleeping bags
4 sleeping pillows with pillowcases
Additional bedding is provided on request

HEAD
Clean bath/hand towels
Hand Soap
TP and tissues
First Aid kit
Holding Tank Odor Eliminator
Toilet Brush and Plunger

PAPERWORK
Documentation and/or Registration Paperwork
Charter Agreement
Operation Manual

COMPARE THE BOATS HERE
https://ellisboatcharters.com/ellis-charter-boat-comparison-chart/

BAREBOAT CHARTER BOOKING PROCEDURES AND POLICIES

ON HOLDING CHARTER DATES: We will hold charter dates without a deposit for a period of time. For bookings made in a prior year, we will send out Charter Agreements early in the new year and request full payments to secure bookings. For high-demand vessels and longer-term bookings, we may require an expedited commitment. Once a Charter Agreement has been emailed to you, it is expected that you will promptly facilitate payment to secure the booking. If you hesitate to pay the charter fee, your dates may be released to other clients. 

ON CHARTER REFUNDS: The Charter fee is non-refundable. The Charter dates may be transferable, but only if approved by the Owner and Agent. In that regard, we will consider moving the charter dates to alternate dates, pending availability, and we would be less likely to make changes on short notice. Additionally, there may be an extra cost if the alternate dates are considered an upgrade per season or an upgrade to a different boat. If we are unable to offer alternative dates and/or you decide to cancel, we will attempt to re-book the boat with an alternative client and may be able to provide a partial refund. The amount of refund would depend on how many days we can re-book and if we have to offer a lesser fee to re-book. Additionally, we would apply a rebooking fee based on the amount of additional time spent in the rebooking process. Refunds will not be issued until we have fully assessed any losses resulting from the re-booking and may not be sent until the end of the season (October or November). 

ON THE SECURITY DEPOSIT: There will be a refundable security deposit due before the charter commences. Besides damages, the security deposit can be used for post-charter services such as fueling, filling with water, emptying the holding tank, and stain/damage removal. It will take up to 20 working days after the charter concludes to mail you the remaining balance of your security deposit. 

ON “SHORT” CHARTER BOOKINGS: Long-term bareboat charters are given first consideration when building the season’s charter schedule. Bookings less than a week, including single days, can be scheduled if it works within that boat’s calendar. The shorter the charter, the higher the daily rate.