Yacht Charter San Sebastian de la Gomera

Yacht Charter San Sebastian de la Gomera

On a San Sebastian de la Gomera yacht charter with Borrow a Boat you can explore la Gomera and the Canary Islands within an easy sail. With ample opportunities to see these islands, a San Sebastian sailing holiday is going to be an unforgettable experience.

Famed as the port Christopher Columbus stopped at before his crossing to the Americas, San Sebastian was founded in the 15th Century and sits on a beautiful bay that tourists today love for the watersports including fishing and, diving and of course sailing. With churches, a parador and yes, a museum devoted to Christopher Columbus, there is plenty to enjoy in a wander around San Sebastian.

The historic port sits close to Valle Gran Rey, where even today you can see the unique agricultural practices on the steep hillsides used to feed the locals. As well as the Valle Gran Rey, La Gomera is famed for its hiking, mountain biking and walking. A visit to Garajonay National Park is a must for an outdoor adventure to appreciate the rare flora and fauna of the island.

By sea on a day charter or longer, you should go to see the Los Organos rock formation on the north of the island. To the south is Playa Santiago, a fishing village that welcomes sailing yachts of up to 30m, though has plans to build a marina of its own in the coming years.

So, on your San Sebastian de la Gomera yacht charter, what else is there to do? With all seven Canary Islands within a short sail of one another, you can visit one every day over a week. Read on to find out more!

Explore San Sebastian By Renting A Yacht

La Gomera is one of seven main Canary Islands, located just to the west of the coast of Africa. Its neighbour to the north, La Palma is currently off limits thanks to its volcano erupting recently. It, like La Gomera has been famous for its nature and wildlife, but today might be enjoyable to watch from a distance to see Mother Nature in full fury.

El Hierro to the south of La Gomera is a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve and Geopark and prides itself on sustainable tourism with its unique ecology. As with all the islands it has several excellent diving spots.

Tenerife to the east is a byword for package tourism, but has worked hard to modernise from that reputation! Nightlife in certain towns can be wild, but those seeking wilderness and other-worldly landscapes such as that at Timanfaya National Park will soon find escape from the hurly burly.

Gran Canaria is the next to the east. Las Palmas, the capital is famed again for its high octane partying but that can easily be avoided. Thanks to its mountainous interior you can even escape the heat by climbing inland above the heat into rarified, cooler air with some spectacular views!

Fuerteventura has been described as a 'desert island' but has plenty to offer someone on a sailing charter holiday. Puerto del Rosario on the east coast is a very arty town, but those into surf sports will absolutely love the Playa Blanca beach.

The final Canary Island heading NE is Lanzarote. The capital Arrecife has good nightlife but as with all the islands this can be avoided, perhaps heading to marvel at the saltwater lagoon or to explore the two ancient castles perched on the cliffs.

How To Get To San Sebastian de la Gomera

Getting to San Sebastian is a bit of an adventure thanks to La Gomera lacking an international airport. Nearby Tenerife however, has. This has several flights a day from many European destinations. Take a bus from Tenerife Sur airport to Los Cristianos, and from Los Cristianos take a car ferry over to San Sebastian where you can find your way to the marina.

Marinas In San Sebastian

There are two mid-sized marinas in the town.

Marina San Sebastian de la Gomera

This is a major yacht charter hub, with charter companies offering crewed yacht charter and bareboat charter of catamaran charter, sailing yacht, luxury yacht charter and fishing boat rental.

Berth Characteristics:

335 berths

Max Length 20m (65 Feet)

Max Draught 10m (32.5 Feet)

List of additional services: Shore power, water, WiFi, shower/WC, launderette, garbage disposal, cash machine, supermarket, restaurant.

Marina la Gomera

Marina La Gomera is a major yacht charter hub, with charter companies offering crewed yacht charter and bareboatcharter of catamaran charter, sailing yacht, luxury yacht charter and fishing boat rental.

Berth Characteristics:

335 berths

Max Length 23m (75 Feet)

Max Draught 10m (32.5 Feet)

List of additional services: Shore power, water, WiFi, shower/WC, launderette, garbage disposal, cash machine, supermarket, restaurant.

Suggested Sailing Routes From San Sebastian

On your San Sebastian yacht charter you can take in most of the Canary Island chain, though at the time of writing La Palma to the north is off-limits due to volcanic activity. On your bareboat charter or skippered yacht charter you can explore La Gomera itself, perhaps seeing Los Organos or the Garajonay National Park on the north of the island as well as heading off to explore the other islands, none of which are more than a day's sail from one another.

7 Days - El Hierro and Tenerife Island Hopping: As a shakedown cruise from Marina La Gomera head to Valle Gran Rey, a 16NM hop to get into the swing of things. The next day's sail is a 35NM sail to La Estaca on El Hierro where you can appreciate the natural wonders of the island. Spend a day here. A longer sail, this time 65NM to Marina del Sur at Los Cristianos on Tenerife where you can spend another day ashore to explore the island for a day. Day 6 is another day's sailing, 25NM back to Marina La Gomera for handover the next day.

7 Days - Tenerife, El Hierro and Gran Canaria: Many would include La Palma on this trip but this is ill-advised at the time of writing. The first leg is over to Los Cristianos for the first evening ashore. Santa Cruz de Tenerife will be your next day's sail, and then a 47NM sail to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. A 70 NM leg to San Miguel on Tenerife is your next leg, where you can spend a day ashore to wander the island. The next day is a big sail too - this time to La Estaca on El Hierro where you can appreciate the beauty and cleanliness of this island. It is then a 42NM sail back to La Gomera for handover.

Best Times To Hire A Yacht In San Sebastian de la Gomera

Being semi-tropical the Canary Islands are a year round sailing destination. It does get cooler in winter but a Northern European would soon find themselves in a teeshirt come mid morning - no need for woolies and mittens here!

The quieter months can bring bigger winds but you pay a lot less and can still enjoy a winter escape sailing holiday. If you can escape during school term times it will be quieter and cheaper too.

As ever, July and August is very busy as the world seems to stop for their summer breaks. It can get hot (but nothing like Athens for example thanks to the sea cooling the air) but also quite crowded.

It ultimately depends on what you want from a yacht charter in the Canary Islands - the buzz and fun from mad crowds or a quiet escape to the sunshine from the grey skies and drizzle of home?

The Climate

The archipelago sits at the northernmost reach of the NE Trade Winds, so you are almost guaranteed a steady wind for sailing every day throughout the year. The wind can build and you can be challenged under a reef or two on the odd day but come summer it is just about a perfect Force 4-5.

The weather itself can vary from island to island. Mountains cause their own weather by forcing moist air upwards where it unloads as rain. Tenerife and Gran Canaria are two islands where you will feel the temperature drop and grey skies roll in to moisten and green the land. With these weather systems comes a changing wind direction but offshore you'll soon feel the trade winds again.

The flatter islands - Lanzarote and Fuerteventura - are more consistent in weather patterns with it cooling to around 15 degrees C in winter and heating to not much more than 25 degrees in summer. Do bring some warmer clothes but even in winter they may never come out of the bag!

FAQs:

What should I consider when hiring a Yacht or Boat?

The main points to consider are what is your budget, have you got the necessary sailing experience and qualifications to manage the boat if it's not going to have a skipper, whom you are taking sailing, where exactly you wish to go and what will the weather be like on the proposed dates of your trip.

What are the Marinas in San Sebastian de la Gomera?

There are two mid-sized marinas in San Sebastian - Marina la Gomera and San Sebastian de la Gomera Marina, both of which have 335 berths but Marina La Gomera takes slightly larger vessels of 23m, as against the other that takes yachts of up to 20m.

When are the best times to hire a boat in San Sebastian?

Being semi-tropical the Canary Islands are a year round sailing destination. It does get cooler in winter but a Northern European would soon find themselves in a teeshirt come mid morning - no need for woolies and mittens here!

The quieter months can bring bigger winds but you pay a lot less and can still enjoy a winter escape sailing holiday. If you can escape during school term times it will be quieter and cheaper too.

As ever, July and August is very busy as the world seems to stop for their summer breaks. It can get hot (but nothing like Athens for example thanks to the sea cooling the air) but also quite crowded.

Do you have to pay a deposit when hiring a Yacht in San Sebastian de la Gomera?

You will typically pay 50% up front on booking the yacht hire and the balance on arrival. You will either pay a security deposit with your credit card on departure or can get insurance covering damage in advance. In some cases (such as the recent Covid situation) charter companies may be more flexible but this depends on the individual charter companies themselves.

What happens if my Yacht breaks down?

If you are at sea and in danger, call MAYDAY on VHF Ch16 or ring the coast guard on your phone if you have reception. If you have a mechanical fault and can make it to or are on a mooring you will be able to phone a help line number given by the boat charter company.

What should I think of before I hire a Yacht or Boat in San Sebastian de la Gomera?

You should consider do you have the experience to handle the yacht charter or boat hire before you book and where do you want to go along with what the weather will be like. Dress for warm weather but do have something for tropical rains - light but waterproof.

What Qualifications Do I need to hire a boat or yacht?

If you want to sail without a skipper then you will need relevant qualifications like RYA Day Skipper/International Certificate of Competence (ICC)/ASA 104 Bareboat certificate or the US Sailing Certificate. For small 'day boats' or if you choose to have a skipper on board your yacht charter you typically don't require licences.