Frequently Asked Questions

Yes for bareboat charters we have a minimum 5 night hire but if you would like to enquire about a 3 night charter please email us at info@fraserislandboatcharters.com.

For overnight skippered charters we have a minimum 2 night booking.

This is one of our most commonly asked questions and the answer is no, not at all!

We understand that booking a bareboat experience could be a little bit daunting but don’t be worried if you aren’t experienced, you’ll receive a 2 to 3 hour full briefing from a commercially qualified skipper prior to your departure.

This all depends on the size of the yacht you are hiring. Dream On sleeps 5. Indigo sleeps 6. K'gari Breeze, Alida and Aquila Sunrise can sleep 8.

They most certainly are! And we think there’s no better way to get the kids away from those screens and out into nature than being on the water.

If you are bareboating with us, you can go north as far as Rooney’s Point on Fraser Island and go south through the straits as far as Inskip Point. You can check out all our great anchorages on our interactive map.

Yes! We have hot showers available on all our sailing vessels.

Yes! All yachts in our fleet feature a full kitted out kitchen inside with oven, stove and fully stocked cutlery and cooking utensils as well a BBQ on the back deck.

Of course. We have motorised tenders available at your leisure with all of our bareboat hires to help you explore our amazing backyard.

Absolutely. Once you are out on the water during your charter, our Operations Manager Scott will be in regular contact with you and offer you advice on where is best to anchor in the current weather conditions. If you ever have any issues we are just phone call or text message away.

First of all, congratulations on booking or investigating the possibility of taking your first bareboating holiday! We want to make the process as simple as possible for you so you spend more time relaxing in paradise.

Once you’ve confirmed a booking with us, we’ll send you a host of information so you can be across everything before you start your charter.

On the day of your arrival, we’ll meet you at the Great Sandy Straits Marina at 2pm (unless another time is organised).

From there, we will let you stock the boat and go into a very detailed (up to 4 hours) briefing to ensure you are fully equipped with the tools and knowledge to sail (or motor, up to you) around Fraser Island and the Great Sandy Straits including how to fully run the boat, information on the area and what to look out for.

Following the briefing and once our commercial skipper knows that everyone is comfortable, we will drive the yacht out of the marina for you and then jump off and let you sail into the sunset!

Throughout the duration of the trip we will remain in close contact to make sure all is okay and then will meet you just outside the marina entrance at the end of your trip to drive the yacht back into the marina for you.

We recommend that you consider Travel Insurance before booking as in the unlikely event that you need to cancel your booking, your charter fee is non-refundable.

Check out Top Sail travel insurance here: https://fraserislandboatcharters.com.au/insurance/

When looking for Travel Insurance it is best to look for a policy that covers cancellation due to such events as illness, injury, adverse weather, and flight delays or cancellations etc.

You can also view our cancellation policy here: https://fraserislandboatcharters.com.au/cancellation-policy/

Yes you can. Just let us know if you’d like us to take care of that for you and we’ll send you some selections and price lists and can organise for you at extra cost.

Along with bareboat chartering we also offer a range of skippered charters, tailored to whatever your needs are. Private charters can include day trips, overnight and multi day skippered charters and corporate charters for your next business event.

The beauty of our skippered trips is that they can be completely tailored to you, we are happy to package in fully catered options so you can just sit back, relax and enjoy our magical waters.

Yes we do! We have run successful trips for those wanting to take the fishing boat with them but have the creature comforts at night on the water. We also offer half and full day guided fishing tours as an add on to any bareboat charter bookings.

When chartering with us we suggest having at least one Telstra device on board for optimum coverage so that you can communicate with our team. If you don’t have a Telstra phone, please get in contact and we will help organise an alternative solution for you. Please note that our vessels Indigo, K’gari Breeze and Coralita all come with free wifi.

There are lots of awesome swimming and snorkelling spots to make the most of on your bareboating trips including along the coast of Fraser Island near Kingfisher Bay, surrounding Pelican Bank and a number of Fraser Island creeks. Please be aware that during the height of summer there have been minimal cases of Irikanjdi so we suggest taking caution at this time.

The following extra fuel costs are charged extra:

Indigo - $10 per engine per running hour
Dream On - $10 per engine per running hour
K'gari Breeze - $15 per engine per running hour
Alida - $15 per engine per running hour
Aquila Sunrise - Fuel is paid for after filling up at the fuel wharf at the end of your charter.

Payments:

The Charterer shall pay:

• A deposit on or before confirming this agreement;
• The balance of the charter fee at least ninety days prior to commencement of the charter period.
• Provide credit card details as a security/bond and to cover engine hours/fuels costs prior to departure.

Regular Cancellations:

In the event the Charterer cancels this agreement by notice more than ninety days prior to the commencement of the charter period, the deposit will be refunded in full less a service fee of $110.00.

If less than ninety days of notice of cancellation is given the full charter fee shall remain due and payable and will not be waived or refunded unless the Operator is able to obtain an alternative booking for the same charter period. Please see below for COVID-19 specific terms.

If there are no deductions from the bond, no charges shall be taken from the specified card except relevant fuel charges.

In the event of any deductions from the bond for insurance excess or consequential credit card or banking charges, fuel costs if applicable, demurrage, repair of any damage or loss of equipment, or any accident, breakdown, recall or repossession of the Boat, the balance will be posted to the Charterer as soon as is reasonably practicable once the deduction can be calculated by the Operator.

COVID-19 Cancellations:

If a charterer needs to cancel their trip due to government mandated travel restrictions surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, Fraser Island Boat Charters will offer a full credit to be used anytime within the next 18 months depending on vessel availability.

Please note that some bookings may be impacted by a new health directive implemented by the Queensland Government which doesn't allow unvaccinated patrons entry into the state of Queensland from hotspots within Australia. Unfortunately, if this impacts your ability to travel and your booking has been confirmed after December 20 we will be unable to offer you a credit or refund.

You can keep up to date with the latest information here.

One of the best things about winter is our whales! Hervey Bay is known as the best whale watching spot in Australia (if not the world) and for good reason. Thanks to the protection from Fraser Island, the calm waters of the bay are known as the humpbacks’ chosen rest stop along their migration route. During the months of July – November whales will spend extended time relaxing and playing in our waters and towards the end of the season mothers will teach their calves how to behave. There are no restrictions on where you can travel throughout this time, however there are strict guidelines to follow in the event you encounter whales on your boating journey. These restrictions include distances between the vessel and any marine life and how you interact with these marine mammals. Click here to familiarise yourself with the guidelines.

Charterers are asked to pay a deposit in order to confirm the booking; the balance of the charter fee at least ninety days prior to your charter period with and a security bond will be held while you are on charter.

We have 240V power on board for most appliances (leave those hair straighteners and dryers at home though!) and batteries are charged by solar and a wind generator. We strongly encourage all charterers to be aware of conserving power and energy while on board so that together we can limit our impact on the local environment.

Our charter yachts have plenty of water on board, however given bareboat charters go out for an extended period of time it is best to follow general water restrictions and keep showers to 2 – 3 minutes to make sure this lasts for the duration of your trip. Click here for some water saving tips from the Fraser Coast Regional Council.

We are happy for you to experience the world class fishing of the Fraser Coast while on charters, however you would need to BYO fishing gear.

Yes absolutely. A linen change needs to be booked in at least 2 weeks prior to your charter as you will need to come back into the harbour. It is an additional cost of $200.

Yes, there is Mantra Hervey Bay, Ramada and Akarma resort close by to the marina.

Hervey Bay is a great place to stock up at with many shops and facilities near the Great Sandy Straits Marina. Some options include Woolworths, Coles, corner stores and Dan Murphys for those drinks. There are also a large variety of outlets within the Marina including a pharmacy and coffee shops (Cafe Balena).

Yes you can, as long as the amount of people on board is within the capacity of the vessel.

Please note that a skipper will bring you in and out of the marina to pick up passengers and skippers aren’t always available so this does need to be booked in at least 2 weeks prior to your charter.

Yes, there is public car parking at the marina. You can also organise secure parking with the marina staff for $10 per night.

We’re always looking for boat owners to partner with and add vessels to our fleet. If you’re thinking about chartering your boat or would simply like to know how the process works and the possible income you could be gaining, please don’t hesitate to contact us.