Total Cost
$3495/person (including air from San Francisco, 2 nights hotel, and one dinner show).  Deduct $200 for second person sharing double cabin or single sleeping in main salon.
Payment Schedule:
$100 non refundable deposit
$1130 due February 28, 2000.
$1130 due May 31, 2000.
$1135 due July 31, 2000.

*  If you have your own group to fill a boat and would like to do it as your own charter, Spinnaker can arrange for you to have your own charter boat so you only pay the actual charter expenses.

Spinnaker provides bareboats and crewed yachts at these and  other locations in the South Pacific,  Caribbean,  Mediterranean and Indian Ocean.   Join us on any of our group cruises or  let us help you book your own private cruise with Sunsail, Sun Yacht Charters, Footloose, or The Moorings.

The Boats
The boats are the Moorings 505, 464 and 3 405's built by Beneteau.  These 40 to 50 foot yachts each have up to 4 separate cabins and plenty of space in the main saloon.  Although designed for more, we are limiting the number of people for the most comfort afloat.

Dinning
Spinnaker is supplying each boat with an "Easy on the Cook" provisioning package.  This will provide food for all breakfasts, most lunches and several dinners. Each boat is equipped with a full galley and a stern barbecue grill.

Saturday night (midway) there's a dinner show at Hybiscus Resort on Tahaa. The show with Tahitian music, dancing and entertainment is included in the cost of the cruise.

Bareboat Charter Certification
Certification is available to Basic Coastal Cruising graduates.  The cost is $185.00 extra for text book, certification & instruction.  Graduates can do their own bareboat chartering and with experience may qualify to skipper Spinnaker Sailing Vacation boats in the future.

The Text, Cruising Fundamentals, should be obtained as soon as possible to allow enough study time. The written test can be taken at Spinnaker Sailing in Redwood City any time before the cruise.  On the water requirements will be met during the cruise in Tahiti.

Students who want to obtain Bareboat Charter Certification must charter at the Basic Coastal Cruising level at least three times before the cruise.

Activities in Tahiti
There's plenty do do and see on the islands of Tahiti.  Snorkeling is always a popular activity on our bareboat cruises.  The coral reefs are spectacular as they rise from 80 feet or more to just a foot or two deep.  SCUBA equipment can be rented on any of the islands.  Tours and lessons are also available for SCUBA diving.

Onshore there are van tours and rentals and cars and jeeps for rent. Remains of ancient Polynesian temples and other structures can be seen.

Apart from the charter, we'll have enough time on the Island of Tahiti  for a day visit to Moorea.

Suggested Itinerary
10 days sailling September 10 -24, 2000.

Sunday, Sep 10 - We'll leave L.A. for Papeete on Air New Zealand at 8:45p.m. after a commuter flight to LAX.  Transfer from Papeete to Raiatea leaves at 7:30 and arrives at 8:30a.m. We'll have all day to relax.  Skippers, mates (and students)  chart and technical briefings are done in the afternoon.

Day 1 -  We should be able to leave the Moorings base before noon.  Head out the west side of the reef at Passe Rautoanui for some easy ocean sailing, then back in at Passe Papai to anchor for the night at Tahaa which is known for it's vanilla plantations and black pearl farms.

Day 2 -  Leave early for 5-hour reach for spectacular Bora Bora. Head for the East Lagoon to anchor off Motu Tupe.

Day 3 - Take a morning snorkel with rays, sharks and other fish at the Lagoonarium on Motu Tupe.  Head back around to Povai Bay for a mooring at
Bloody Maryıs.

Day 4 - Visit the town, Vaitape then anchor at Topua in time for snorkeling and picture taking.

Day 5 - Sail back to Tahaa.  Moor at Hybiscus for the dinner show of polynesian dancing, music and entertainment.

Day 6 - Back to The Moorings for more provisions if needed or stop at Uturoa, the largest city on the island and the second largest in Polynesia. It's more than 3 blocks long!

Day 7 - Sail to Faaroa Bay in Raiatea.  Explore the Aoppamao (the only navigable river in French Polynesia).

Day 8 - Depart for Huahine. Anchor near Fara on Huahine Nui. Explore the island.

Day 9 - Just hang around Huahine or go scuba diving.  Dinner ashore.

Day 10 - Head down to Bay d'Avea for the night.  Great snorkelling.

Day 11 -  Sail back to Raiatea or Tahaa.

Day 12 - Return boats before 10:00 a.m. We'll have a few hours to spend on Raiatea.

Day 13 - Explore Tahiti or Moorea. Depart Air New Zealand in evening arriving LAX the next day.

Here at last is paradise on earth. Visitors who fly into the islands and stay at hotels can experience only a part of the magic of these islands.  It is only in sailing between blue ocean and turquoise lagoons in the shadow of majestic volcanic peaks, as the ancient Polynesians did in their outrigger canoes, that one realizes the full majesty of Tahiti. Our cruising area encompasses the Leeward Islands of Tahiti: Raiatea, Tahaa, Huahine and Bora Bora.  There is more open water sailing here than most of our other cruises. Steady trade winds provide fast reaches of about 5 hours between the islands.

The four major islands have ancient volcanic centers which rise from lovely calm lagoons ringed by outlying reefs.  Passes in the reefs allow safe access in and out of the smooth sailing lagoons to blue water sailing in the tradewinds. Good anchorages are abundant among the central islands as well as on the motus, lushly vegetated islets that have evolved on the encircling barrier reefs.  These coral atolls have sandy beaches and offer a stunning view back toward those volcanic ranges.