Thinking outside the box and a bit of insight to the charter world...

It's scary just how easy it is to fall into lock-step with the prevailing winds of opinion and the pressure to conform is something of a relentless beast. We see it all the time in the cruising community, our film work, and the charter business...

Which is why it is such a delight when we do see people doing things a bit outside the box whether it is a different slant on cruising or a novel approach to the business of filmmaking or chartering...

Having a charter business ourselves, we have been aware for a long time that the world is changing but by and large the business of chartering boats has been in something of a rut simply doing the same old same over and over again and marketing itself in a manner that is equivalent with the evolutionary state of fishing with clubs. Which is not to say that the industry does not provide a good value or level of enjoyment, but it does miss a lot of potential clients by ignoring all but the same old niche they have been mining for the last fifty or so years.

But things change and not always for the better. The current economic crunch has seriously cut a swath through the niche's ability to afford to charter and instead of looking outside the accepted niche for a different sort of client looking for a different sort of charter vacation all, efforts seem to be focused on doing the same old same and praying a lot. Which is why I like to see boats that see new niches and go after them by providing a vacation that adds value and brings in a wider range of clients. Last year a filmmaker friend and I were discussing doing a series of week long filmmaking workshop as a week long sailing trip which would include an intensive film & video workshop mixed with sailing and diving... Not just the same old same yacht charter.

One boat that seems to have a found a similar niche is Good Medicine which provides ongoing medical training (CME) program for Doctors and Dentists as part of their charter possibilities. What better venue for a class than on a sailboat in paradise?

Here in the Caribbean it constantly astounds me that no one is doing sea-kayaking, surfing or cycling charters as these sports have a base that is travel oriented and with a proven record of being more than willing to spend serious money on their sport. Truth is, there are any number of niches from rum and culinary to historical and education that are really crying out to be served if anyone would take a moment to listen...



The thing is that we need to look outside the box and see what we are missing...