Bare-Boating simply means “BARE” – Bare of a skipper and bare of provisions.

You become the skipper – We provide the boat.. 

We provide a world class boat, you choose to become the skipper, you select your crew (family / friends), and you provision the vessel for the charter holiday and experience of a lifetime – In doing so you charter the boat under a Bare-Boat hire agreement and take our yachts out sailing yourself. An inspiring experience. Our Skipper Yourself Bare-Boating option, is our most popular. 

Portland Roads – Sailing the Whitsundays offers the industry’s leading boats at the best price for those wanting to ‘do it themselves’ in paradise – Simply request our monthly Book Now Pay Now promotional offers.

Bare-boating is perfect for the experienced sailor or repeat customers to the amazing Whitsundays.
A full briefing is provided (and included in you charter pricing) to ensure you are at a competent level before departure.
Additional training can be given if you are a bit rusty…

The briefing is so thorough that even novices can give this a go – Your briefing includes Navigation, Safety, Boat Handling, Water Safety, Boat Rules, Sailing, Motoring, Anchoring, Mooring and Emergency Safety Management Systems. After your briefing, if you are still not 100% confident, we offer additional sail training, which many of our novices pre-book to maximise their holiday enjoyment and safety
You become the skipper – We provide the boat.. 

NOTE: Your Bare-boat charter does not include the following

• Airport / Coral Sea Marina Transfers (approx. 35 Minutes each way)
• Fuel, Fees (Marina, Mooring Berthing)
• Food, Provisions.
• Sail Guide / Cook
• Flights
• Marine Park Fees (EMC) etc
•  

With our Skippered Packages you leave the hard stuff to us.
With the world’s friendliest Sail Guides you will discover the Whitsunday’s and all of her secrets,
Discovering places you never dreamed possible

Our team of experienced, passionate Sail Guides know that it’s YOUR HOLIDAY
They will give you all of the information you need
You then plan the best possible experience to suit your specific and personal needs – And we’ll take you there

Your Sail Guide will give you the opportunity to take part in as much or as little as you desire.
At the end of your holiday you will have met a new friend and better still, you will gain the experience to come back again and do it all yourself – A truly fitting reward!

Many re-book the boat and ‘their personal skipper” before even leaving town, such are the memories of a holiday in the Whitsunday’s with the local expert

In a world first!
If you are looking for the ultimate immersive Whitsundays’ experience; Then go no further than our Master Reef Guide and Ngaro Experience. While many talk about saving the reef, we are actually doing something about it. 

Meet Josh; our Master Reef Guide.
Josh is one of the custodians of our planet that is making a difference EVERY DAY – He is a Great Barrier Reef Master Reef Guide, he is a Marine Biologist, a qualified Master 5 Skipper, a Certified SCUBA Rescue Diver and one of the nicest chaps you could wish to meet.

All Aboard and Anchors Aweigh – 6 Guests (crew) will sign on to join Josh on a Ngaro adventure like no other – Set sail across the Whitsunday Passage on the Ngaro Sea Trail and be inspired by his knowledge and his works to help re-balance our planet

This is a 6 Day / 6 Night holiday experience under our southern skies as you return to nature and our indigenous past in a fully immersive experience – On day one of your experience you will be hosted by Josh and his honoured guest, Auntie Sue. Auntie Sue is a local elder and descendant of Gia, Juru and Ngaro. You will start with the emotional ‘Welcome To Country, before setting sail for significant cultural sites. Josh and Auntie Sue like to mix up the story telling, with Auntie Sue talking about Josh and his First Fleet displacement and heritage, while Josh taks about Auntie Sue’s Gia and Ngrao displacement and heritage. There is no better way to experience and immerse yourself into our World Heritage Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. 

Our MASTER REEF GUIDE Experience departs every Wednesday on Portland Roads or if choosing to sail on LUCY, your charter will depart  every TUESDAY.

Upgrade with a catering package.
Upgrade to 6 Days / 7 Nights and Ocean Club access.

It is our aim (and part of our Sustainability Plan) that we will make a difference to this industry and to this planet. In doing so, we hope to also inspire you, our guests; If you leave inspired we have multiplied our efforts to make this difference 
TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

SAMPLE MASTER REEF GUIDE & NGARO ITINERARY

Day One 5:00 pm

• Welcome to the extraordinary Ngaro waters of the Whitsundays – You will be greeted by your Portland Roads team and celebrate Acknowledgement of Country – It’s now time to commence your short stay in the UNESCO World Heritage listed Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, boarding your beautiful private sailing catamaran at the 5 Gold Anchor “Coral Sea Marina”
• Choose local Airlie Beach dining options or test your skills in the galley and dine aboard
• Overnight on board at marina, with access to Ocean Club private ensuite facilities and the sundeck.

 Day Two

• Your Skipper and your First Nations hosts will join you at 9:00 am for the emotional ‘Welcome to Country” blessing, before a short boat familiarisation and safety briefing. 
• Setting sail at 9:30 – 9:45 am, we will head to the beautiful Nara Inlet on Hook Island. Your First Nations and First Fleet hosts will tell stories about the 60,000 year, 9,000 year and 230 year histories of the Ngaro Waters and Ngaro Islands. We will arrive at lunch time.
• Our First Nation Hosts will guide us on an interpretive walk to the Ngaro caves in Nara Inlet. A sense of peace, tranquility and belonging will surround you. This experience moves so many of us to tears as we talk of the trials and the tribulations of Australia’s first seafarers – our Ngaro Mob.
• We farewell our First Nations friend at 3:00 pm where they depart Ngaro waters and head back to Gia country, before kicking back into Whitsundays’ time. The balance of the afternoon is at your leisure and pleasure.   

 Day Three:

• After you have cooked up your breakfast, we will set sail for the drop off zone at Bali Hai (Black Island) We will take up a mooring at Black Island, One Foot Island, Langford Island or Stonehaven subject to the prevailing conditions. We’ll have a pre lunch snorkel at the ‘drop-off’ discovering first hand the health of the reef in our region.
• Lunch will be swinging off a mooring at Bali Hai, (or on the beach if you’d prefer), before we set our sights on trying to find the underwater art installations off the coast of One Foot Island. Before we leave this sand island oasis we will discover some of the other fantastic coral and reef works from the team at Reef Restoration Foundation.
• Back on the boat, we will now head to Blue Pearl Bay (Hayman Is.) where we will sneak in one more snorkel with millions of fish and enjoy the cut-through beach at Dolphin Point. 
•  It’s now a half hour run to our overnight destination of Butterfly Bay, Maureen’s Cove or Luncheon Bay on Hook Island. Prepare for the most beautiful sunset, cook up a storm and enjoy the balance of the day at your leisure. 

Day Four: 

• After you’ve mastered the galley and eaten breakfast, Josh will decide which direction we turn. Is it snorkelling along the north west ledges of Butterfly Bay, or a tender ride to the ever surprising Manta Ray Bay, where one look under the water transforms your ideas about aquariums.  
• We will lunch somewhere in this area, before investigating other sheer rock bays like the Pinnacles and it is your choice if you wish to hit the waters one last time for a snorkel and more information from your Master Reef Guide. 
• Now where to sleep? On deck to observe skies unrecognisable against anything you’ve seen before, or snuggled below deck, listening to the water gently lapping against your bedroom wall. With a world population of 7.8 billion people, how many are sleeping on the Ngaro Waters of the Whitsundays tonight? Josh will find somewhere between Mackeral Bay, Saba Bay to anchor for the night; and if conditions are too rolly , he will come back to the sanctity of Caves Cove or Stonehaven

 Day Five: 

• Your Master Reef Guide will share with you another day of world heritage wonder as you make your way to Whitsunday Island, and the remarkable white silica sands of the prestigious Whitehaven Beach. 
• Before you indulge your toes and your sensors in the sand, Josh will take you to the 3 lookouts at Hill Inlet, where you can observe this magical sands slowly making its way north. These coffee table book views still leave us in awe every time we see them. Be ready to have your breath taken away, as you look at a part of mainland Australia, separated 9,000 years ago by rising sea levels.  
• After lunch and the lookouts, Josh will nestle your vessel into the southern end of Whitehaven Beach. Watch as all of the day trippers head home on ferries and day boats, before you quickly discover that you are now one of only a handful of boats about to spend the night at this magical location. The afternoon is again at your leisure to simply indulge in one of the world’s  most beautiful beaches – Enjoy. 

 Day Six: 

• Waking up to this Whitehaven scene out your porthole is always special. Swim ashore, take the tender and walk the 7 km beach, flop into the turquoise waters of lay back in the sand. Take in the scene and the serenity before todays day trippers once again invade your tranquility. 
• Now the choice is yours, the vibe and popularity of Hamilton Island for the night; or the quiet, tropical, tranquility and ambience of Palm Bay at Long Island? 

 Day Seven: 

• Our last morning dawns, and it’s either to the bakery for fresh bread and brewed coffee if we are on Hamilton Island OR it is a leisurely walk along the island tracks of Long Island, or a dip in their beautiful tropical pool. 
• We’ll make our way to Goat Island or Sunlovers Bay on Daydream Island for lunch, before setting sail for the run back home to our home port of Coral Sea Marina.
• As we conclude this remarkable adventure, know that you have been a part of something historic and unique. You can walk away with memories, knowledge and a passion; You can leave behind footprints or with our help, much, much more. You can join our Big Blue Army for change. We hope that you’ll depart as a new custodian of our world heritage Great Barrier Reef.

We also offer you the ultimate Whitsunday’s holiday experience aboard your own private luxury sailing catamarans.
Sailing with us for 6 / 6  Nights through the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and around the magical Whitsunday Islands
What better way to discover Australia’s natural wonder of the world; the Great Barrier Reef !
Come with us and shake city life out of your system – We’ll help you recharge your batteries and restore the life/work balance.

With our Platinum Package, all you have to do is pick your dates, book your flights and pack your bag (a sun hat and bathers will probably suffice) – EVERYTHING else is done for you!

A private transfer awaits your arrival at the Whitsunday Coast Airport for the 35-minute scenic drive to our beautiful home base at Coral Sea Marina in Airlie Beach – On arrival you will be met by your personal Sail Guide and escorted down to one of our magnificent Lagoon 420’s; – Your personal luxury sailing catamaran and home for the duration of your stay! – It will be our pleasure to be your host.

Now it’s time to kick off your shoes and relax with a welcome drink (or two)
Decision time….. Where do you want to go?  What do you want to do?
We will give you plenty of local knowledge – but the choices are all yours.
You can choose to sail to one or as many of our 74 awe-inspiring islands as time and weather permit
We offer Sailing on the world’s best charter boats; the rest is up to you.

You can take on any other activities at your discretion.
Popular activities are Sailing Lessons, Sun-baking, Resort Swimming, Resort Shopping,
Resort Dining, Island Golf, Snorkelling, Diving, Swimming, Relaxing, Fishing, Conservation
The list goes on……
Whilst these activities are not provided by us during your charter we can and will ensure they happen on your request

If you want to raise your heart rate (just a little) by taking part in sailing any of our luxury catamarans – 
You are more than welcome – In fact we encourage it – And you’ll be an expert in no time!
Of course you can also just sit back and not lift a finger
Once again the choice is yours……..

During your holiday you will enjoy hearty, healthy and happy meals prepared for you
For anyone with a healthy appetite, don’t worry, our pantry never runs bare

When aboard you can connect to our on-board Wi-Fi network and stream your favourite tracks through our indoor and outdoor Bose sound systems, setting the soundtrack to your holiday in paradise – You will want for nothing except to re-book next year

For the ultimate holiday in the Whitsundays’ with absolutely NO HIDDEN EXTRAS,
Why not take up our Platinum holiday package?

• All meals (prepared and served)
• All drinks (limited alcohol range)
• ​Private double berth cabin with private en-suite
• Private Transfers to and from the Whitsunday Coast Airport
• All fuels and fees (incl. moorings, marinas, anchorages, Marine Park, etc.)
• Private Sail Guide / Cook (You can call her / him “Skipper”)
• Full control of your itinerary
• The boat is all yours  

Isn’t it time you pampered yourself ?

Sample Platinum Package

BREAKFAST MENU

• Eggs Benedict served on warm Turkish Bread with Fresh Boat Made Sauce (that everyone wants the recipe for)
• Egg and Bacon Breakfast Wraps 
• Scrambled Eggs with additions of your choice (goats cheese, tomato, etc)
• Crunchy Toasted Muesli with Gippsland Slow Made Yogurt (Mango, Berry, Blood Orange, Rhubarb and Vanilla)
• Seasonal Local Fruit Salad
• Fruit Toast, Toast, Crumpets and Spreads
• Cereals – Orange / Apple / Breakfast Juice

LUNCH MENU

• Prawns and Mango Salad Platter.
• BBQ Cook-up
• Cheese, Fruit and Meat Platters
• Cold Roast Chicken Platter with Seasonal Salad 
• Gourmet Open Sandwiches
• Warm Crusty rolls with Turkey, Chicken or Ham off the Bone
• Fresh platters including cheese, deli meats and fruit
• Wraps with seasonal fillings
• Lasagne
• Quiche

​DINNER MENU

• Skinless Tasmanian Salmon Fillet cooked en papillote with a mixture of fresh local ingredients relevant to seasonal choice with lemon / lime white wine sauce on a bed of spinach leaves, cracked pepper and lime zest.
• Tender Scotch Fillet Steak cooked to your liking with a Beetroot and Feta salad. 
• Fresh Butter Fried Coral Trout with Chunky Chips.
• Traditional Sunday Roast Lamb on any day you choose with Seasonal Local Roasted Vegetables.
• Homemade Beef-burgers, Gourmet Sausages and BBQ Steak with Pumpkin Salad.
• Homemade vegetable or beef lasagne with a Fresh Mixed Leaf Salad
• Thai Chicken Curry (mild) with Rice
• Lamb Back Strap on a nectarine (seasonal) Salad Stack – Hopefully served in Palm Bay’s open air restaurant.

NOTE: Deserts are not supplied but sometimes pop up on a night or two just to make a guest appearance.