Smooth Sailing

Anyone who loves being on the water has a dream cruising destination—or several—in mind. Yours might be to explore hidden grottoes in the cool azure waters of the Mediterranean, snorkel in the crystal-clear seas of the Caribbean, feel the wind in your hair in the Whitsundays or dive into the mystical oceans of the Far East. Whatever destination is on your proverbial Bucket List, finding a vessel and a reputable charter company in your area of choice and managing the details of the booking, however, can quickly hamper those dreams.

Having identified the need in the market for a one-stop, full-service global charter booking resource, Maryland-based firm 12 Knots created 12knots.com, a comprehensive, real-time search engine and booking platform for sail and power yacht charters around the world.

Unique from other booking sites, 12 Knots takes its offerings several steps further. Clients can search for listings by destination, vessel type and model, budget or via global map of professional charter companies, all of which can be further narrowed down with filter preferences. The charters offered span from crewed term charters (three days and up) to cabin (shared) charters to bareboat (DIY) charters. A personal booking manager is available around the clock to assist with any inquiry.

THE IDEAL YACHT CHARTER RESOURCE

“We didn’t set out to create this platform, but we saw the need for it, and it has evolved into one of the industry’s leading charter listing sites,” says 12 Knots founder and general manager Grigory Eliseev. Founded as a sailing school in 2009, 12 Knots had an operations base in Montenegro—a popular charter destination—and noticed that as students were learning to sail, they were also searching for charter companies with whom to put their newfound skills to use.

“At the time, searching for a charter vessel in a specific area was quite complicated; there was no single place where you could check dates, availability, prices and boat specs,” Eliseev says. “You had to call or email several companies and wait for their reply. Particularly in the Caribbean, where there are hundreds of charter operators, it took a lot of time to contact the companies and then compare the offerings.”

Eliseev and his team began compiling their contacts and accumulating a database of charter options to share with their clients. What started as a listing of 100 boats has expanded into an online database of 22,000 vessels ranging from sailboats, powerboats, motoryachts, trimarans, catamarans, gulets and houseboats. The majority—95 percent—of the vessels on the 12 Knots website are managed by professional fleet operators, while a small number of vetted privately owned vessels, mostly operating in remote areas such as the Philippines, comprise the rest of the listings.

“Our database is expanding all the time,” Eliseev says, adding that professional charter companies are providing their listings through 12 Knots as the platform continues to gain international exposure. “We are adding new fleets and new charter companies in destinations all over the world.”

THE WORLD IS YOUR OYSTER

With 12 Knots, it’s simple to search for the perfect vessel or charter type that suits your budget and your preferences in your desired destination. If you don’t have sailing experience or don’t want to charter a whole boat, the cabin charters option offers sample daily itineraries, boats and available dates, and a price per person and cabin per day.

For crewed charters, your search results will also include a list of extras you can select—from tips to provisioning and meals to crew preference—to allow a view of the inclusive price depending upon the type of boat and duration of your charter. The 12knots.com website also allows you to filter results by equipment, year built, number of cabins or berths, and more.

Offering a selection of boats from multiple fleet operators, each with at least several boats in their fleet, gives clients a great selection of vessels from which to choose in a particular area. Having the peace of mind that your vessel will be reserved—reservations are held for four days without obligation—and available for your arrival is an additional benefit.

The 12 Knots loyalty program offers discounts and booking incentives as well as a client account portal to access previous bookings or upload a client sailing résumé—something that the company requests of its bareboat charter guests to document training and experience levels.

When it comes to discovering your dream destination, 12knots.com is particularly useful in providing detailed destination-specific information, such as cruising conditions, temperatures, rainy days per month, sample itineraries, and average prices throughout the year. And finally, the 12 Knots dedicated booking manager has knowledge of the global fleet, destinations, sample itineraries, and vessel types to suit each guest and guide you in making an informed decision about your dream charter experience.

In sailing terms, 12 knots of wind is said to be the ideal condition for a perfect sail. Now, with its ever-expanding online booking system, 12 Knots provides the ideal conditions for charter bookings too.
For more information or to start booking your next vacation, visit 12knots.com.

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