ANSWERS TO COMMON ELLIS CHARTER QUESTIONS

• All of our vessels charter out of Southwest Harbor, Maine (Out of Dysart’s Marina).
• 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 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).
• We provide 6 hours of complimentary cleaning post-charter. 
• We can refuel and pump out the boat at the end of your charter (for a fee).
• We will provide bedding for up to 4 people.
• We provide ample galley ware 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.
• All vessels include a tender on davits and ample fenders and lines.
• 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
Chartkit – 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 plugs
Spare filters, Oil, and Antifreeze
Washing supplies – soap, bucket, brush, chamois, rags, hose, and sprayer
Hand-operated bilge pump
Binoculars, Flashlight
Tender with Outboard
Shorepower cables
Extra Deck Chairs provided on request

GALLEY and COOKING (For all vessels except Jericho)
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)

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 DATES: We will tentatively hold charter dates that are booked over the Fall and Winter without a deposit. Early in the new year, we will send out Charter Agreements and will start asking for full payments in order to secure bookings. Once a Charter Agreement has been emailed to you, it is expected that you will move forward with the booking expeditiously (within a week). Should you hesitate on signing the Agreement and/or paying 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 move the charter dates to alternate dates, but it is pending availability and we would be less likely to move dates on short notice. Also, there may be added cost if the alternate dates are considered an upgrade per season, or an upgrade to a different boat. If we are not able to offer alternate dates and/or you decide to cancel, we will try to re-book the boat with an alternate client and may be able to give you a partial refund. The amount of refund would depend on how many of the days we are able to re-book and if we had to offer a lesser fee to re-book. In addition, we would apply a re-booking fee based on the amount of additional time spent in the re-booking process. Refunds will not go out until we have fully assessed any losses with the re-booking and may not be sent until the season has concluded (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 excess cleaning, fueling, filling with water, and emptying the holding tank. It will take up to 20 workdays after the charter concludes to mail you the remaining balance on your security deposit. We provide 6 hours of complimentary cleaning post-charter.

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 or charters by the hour can be scheduled if it works within that boat’s calendar. The shorter the charter, the higher the daily (or hourly) rate will be.