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BAREBOAT YACHT CHARTER: Explore one of these glorious holiday destinations in your own sailing yacht.
FLOTILLA SAILING HOLIDAYS: Sail your own yacht with the added support of a lead boat crew.
LEARN TO SAIL HOLIDAYS: Start from scratch or brush up your skills.
MOTORYACHT CHARTER: Do you prefer power to sail?
CREWED YACHTS: Relax, let the crew do the work.
SAIL AND STAY HOLIDAYS: Why not add a few days ashore in a hotel?
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BAREBOAT YACHT CHARTER: Sail your yacht in any one of our glorious holiday destinations and explore at your own pace.
MOTORYACHT CHARTER: Do you prefer power to sail?
CREWED YACHTS: Relax, let the crew do the work.
SAIL AND STAY HOLIDAYS: Why not add a few days ashore in a hotel?
- PLAN YOUR TRIP
AIRPORT PARKING & HOTELS: Save up to 60% when you book airport parking & hotels in advance.
BOOKING CONDITIONS: Check our Booking Conditions.
CAR RENTAL: Rent a car instead of an airport transfer or if you add a week ashore.
CRUISING GUIDES: Start planning before you travel with a cruising guide or chart to your sailing destination.
PASSPORTS & VISAS: Check the passport & visa requirements of your sailing destination.
SAILING LOGS: Read our reports on sailing holidays we've been on.
TRAVEL INSURANCE: Don't travel without adequate insurance. We offer single trip or Annual multi-trip travel insurance.
TRAVELLING WITH CHILDREN: Read our handy hints on taking small children on a sailing holiday.
USEFUL LINKS: Check these websites for more information on your sailing destination.
WHAT'S ONBOARD: Standard inventory for all charter yachts.
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CONTACT: Check our details and opening hours.
REQUEST A BROCHURE: Order our latest brochure.
WHO WE ARE: Meet the Nautilus team.
WHY BOOK WITH US: How do you benefit?
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Are you thinking of buying a new yacht and putting her with a charter fleet? Speak to us about the best deal for you. Nautilus Yachting has been arranging sailing holidays throughout the Mediterranean & Caribbean since 1992 so we are ideally qualified to advise you on yacht charter management. Find out more
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Sailing Holidays in Whitsundays
With lush green islands protected by the Great Barrier Reef, calm seas and balmy tradewinds, the Whitsundays is a sailor’s paradise.
The Whitsunday Islands are tucked between the tropical coast of Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef so the sea stays calm while the balmy tradewinds are perfect for sailing. No wonder the magical Whitsundays are renowned as the finest region in Australia for sailing.
The Whitsunday Islands are part of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. Most of the 74 islands are uninhabited pristine national parks, but there are over 7 island resorts where visiting yachtsmen are welcomed ashore. Secluded anchorages are seldom more than 1 hour apart. Go snorkelling over dazzling reefs, walk on lonely beaches, hike on bush tracks or go whale watching from July to December.
Nautilus Yachting can package your yacht charter with flights from the UK or add a yacht charter to your existing holiday plans. Why not add a week’s sailing in the Whitsundays to your trip “down under”.
Sailing in Whitsundays
Lying in the tropics, close to 20° South and cooled by the trade winds for most of the year, the Whitsundays have an excellent climate. The waters are protected by the Great Barrier Reef and most islands are surrounded by a fringing reef system. Good anchorages are plentiful and varied.
Seasons tend to be dictated by school holidays rather than weather, so some of the best sailing & boating can be found in the off-peak periods. Summers are warm with frequent rain showers and winters are said by many to be the perfect climate - warm by day and cool by night.
DAY 1 : Area and boat briefing at Airlie Beach Marina. Lunchtime departure for Nara Inlet (13nm). Explore waterfalls, Aboriginal caves and ancient rock paintings.
DAY 2 : Sail across the Whitsunday Passage to Cid Harbour (8nm) or Gulnare Inlet (14nm). Quiet and peaceful with wonderful wildlife, bush walks and delicious rock oysters. Cid Harbour is a very large harbour and one of the all weather anchorages of the Whitsundays.
DAY 3 : Set sail for spectacular Whitehaven Beach (10nm) and enjoy miles of soft, white silica sand beaches.Whitehaven is one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. If Whitehaven is crowded, anchor at Chalkies which also has a magnificent beach.
DAY 4 : Cruise over to Hamilton Island for fresh supplies or to top up water tanks. Experience a change of pace in the busy marina and a choice of restaurants and bars.
DAY 5 : Reach up to Cateran Bay on Border Island for great snorkelling. Border Island is one of the outlying Islands and reef protection buoys have been installed to prevent further damage to the island's excellent fringing reef.
DAY 6 : Short sail to Butterfly Bay on Hook Island. Use the dinghy for more snorkelling or onshore visits. The reef and sand beaches here offer excellent exploring. Watch out for Sting rays when you walk on the sand flats (shuffle your feet).
DAY 7 : Take a leisurely cruise around the Hayman Island area or southwards across the Whitsunday Passage to South Molle Island or Palm Bay to celebrate the last night of a great cruise!
DAY 8 : Return to marina.
Sailing conditions
Situated on the same latitude as Tahiti, you can expect sunny tropical weather all year round, with temperatures seldom below 20°C even in the winter months. The South-east trade winds usually blow slightly stronger from March to May at about 20 knots. Lighter E-NE breezes September-December. July is the coolest time, January the warmest. Experience level 1.
Yacht charter in Whitsundays
Yachts are based at Airlie Beach Marina. Charters can also start or finish at Hamilton Island for a one-way itinerary. Charters start and finish any day (minimum 5 nights), giving you total flexibility over your holiday dates.
Click on the yacht names below to view yacht layout & specification
2 cabin
3 cabin
Catamarans
Motoryachts
Yacht charter rates are shown WITHOUT flights giving you the flexibility to book your own flights.
If you want a flight-inclusive holiday Nautilus Yachting is a fully bonded ATOL tour operator and can book flights from the UK to fit your sailing holiday. Choose from a wide choice of airlines - we are not tied to any particular airline. All flight-inclusive holidays are fully bonded for your financial protection under our ATOL 3016. Airport transfers can also be pre-arranged.
FLIGHTS TO WHITSUNDAYS:
British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and Qantas have direct flights to Sydney. Jetstar and Virgin Blue operate onward connections to Proserpine. Transfer time to marina 45 minutes.
Whether you are an experienced sailor or setting foot on a yacht for the first time, we can offer you a holiday afloat to suit you. We have given all the sailing areas a level with 'Experience Level 1' suitable for less experienced crews and 'Experience Level 3' for the experts.
This takes into account the wind strength, tidal range and currents, distances between stops and ease of mooring. Of course even experts may choose to sail in Level 1 areas as they still offer stunning scenery and great sailing.
Experience Level 1: Whitsundays
Generally light winds Force 2-4, line of sight navigation, shorter sailing distances under 20nm. You will be Day Skipper standard having sailed at least 1 week or 100nm as skipper
Experience Level 2: Thailand, Malaysia
Stronger winds up to Force 3-5 with some longer passages up to 30nm. You will be Day Skipper standard having sailed at least 2 weeks or 200nm as skipper
Experience Level 3: Seychelles, Tahiti
Stronger winds up to Force 4-7 which can lead to bigger seas on long passages between the islands. You will be Coastal Skipper standard with experience to a higher level having sailed at least 4 weeks or 400nm as skipper.
To charter a yacht bareboat or on flotilla you should be Day Skipper standard and be assisted by at least one competent crew.
At present you need an RYA Day Skipper qualification or RYA International Certificate of Competence (ICC) for charters in Croatia, Montenegro, Mallorca, Tenerife and Malta.
The RYA ICC will be ever more required by overseas port authorities but if you have skipper experience it is easily obtained in a day from RYA sailing schools in the UK such as Hamilton Sailing or Brixham Sea School
Whitehaven Beach is a definite "must-see" in the Whitsundays. The crystal clear aqua waters and pristine silica sand of Whitehaven stretch over seven kilometres along Whitsunday Island. As soon as you arrive it’s easy to see why it is the most photographed beach in Australia and has been named "Queensland's Most Beautiful Beach". At the northern end of Whitehaven Beach is Hill Inlet, a stunning cove where the tide shifts the sand and water to create a beautiful fusion of colours.
If diving is your passion, then this is your paradise. Home to tens of thousands of species of brilliantly coloured fish, coral and other marine life including whales, dolphins and turtles enjoy the diversity of your underwater playground. If snorkelling is more your style, then the warm shallow waters of the Whitsundays provide some of the most colourful fish and coral formations anywhere in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.
Hayman Island is the northern most of the Whitsunday island resorts, the epitome of tropical paradise. Boasting one of The Leading Hotels of the World, Hayman is Australia’s most awarded private island destination. The excellent snorkelling off the island’s northern beach, Blue Pearl Bay, makes it a popular spot for yachts to anchor.
"We have just returned from our family holiday to the Ionian and I wanted to let you know that we had a fabulous time. Our children thoroughly enjoyed themselves, being able to stop and swim in some very beautiful bays. Seeing a pod of dolphins on two separate occasions is also a very special memory for all of us."
Lefkas 2012 - J.R.
