General Information

Location:

We are located at Bristol Marine in Bristol, RI, an ideal harbor from which to begin and end your cruise.  The town with its magnificent inventory of beautifully restored Federal and Victorian buildings boasts one of America’s most beautiful main streets and plays host to the Nation’s oldest and most elaborate Fourth of July Parade.  Fine restaurants and pubs, boutiques and antique shops line the waterfront.  Classical and jazz concerts take place at Blithewold, a splendid estate overlooking the harbor featuring an English style manor house and arboretum with an extensive collection of exotic and native plants.  

However, the greatest draw for the yachtsman has to be the Herreshoff Marine Museum, boasting an extensive collection of Herreshoff yachts and memorabilia as well as the America’s Cup Hall of Fame Museum. On display are boats ranging from some of the “Wizard of Bristol’s” earliest creations to a modern seventy-five foot America’s Cup IIAC Class boat.  

Bristol Marine offers one of the finest facilities of its type in Narragansett Bay.  There is dockside loading from your car, free overnight parking, restrooms, shower, and a free launch service to your boat. Major supermarkets are a few minutes away.  Adjacent to Bristol Marine is Colt State Park with its superb ocean front recreational facilities and bike path that runs all the way to Providence, much of it along the ocean.  Kayak rentals and lessons are available at the yard.  Bristol Harbor is the perfect spot for this type of activity.   

Procedure for Booking a Charter: 

We accept Charters as short as three days duration. As a rule Freedom charters are limited to five people. Reservations will be held for four days, pending receipt of a 50% deposit, and approval of the Bareboat Charter Application & Sailing Resume Form which you can complete and submit right from this web site. If you prefer, call or email us first to determine availability.  Once the basic requirements have been met, we will send a confirmation, contract and other details you will need to know.    

Cancellations:  Should circumstances require the cancellation of your charter less than 60 days prior to its commencement, your deposit less a $75.00 cancellation fee will be refunded if the yacht can be rebooked for the dates you had reserved.  We will do everything possible to accomplish this in the event that you are forced to cancel.  

Security Deposit:

A security deposit of $2,000 is required for all bare boat charters.  If paid by personal check, funds must be received a minimum of 10 business before the charter commences.  It may be paid upon arrival at Bristol Marine, but must be in the form of cash, certified or cashier’s check drawn on a US bank.  Following your charter there will be a thorough inspection of the vessel and its inventory, including a professional diver who will perform a complete examination of the bottom.  Provided there is no damage or loss (excluding normal wear and tear), the deposit will be refunded within ten business days.  Otherwise, any loss caused by the charterer will be deducted from the deposit.

Provisioning:

All boats are extensively equipped and include the following:

• All necessary galley/cooking utensils and service for 6 or 8. (Yes, there is a coffee pot! ) Food, ice, and other consumables are to be furnished by the charterer.
• Navigational instruments, 8/50 binoculars, a mapping Garmin GPS Plus III or equivalent, charts covering Narragansett Bay to Nantucket including Buzzards Bay, Eldridge Tide and Pilot book, and Embassy/Maptech Guide to Mass.& RI. (Charts and Guide for Eastern LI Sound available upon request.)
• Linens include pillows, pillow cases, and bottom sheets only. (Sleeping bags and/or blankets, top sheets and towels are to be provided by the charterer, or they may be rented for an additional charge. 
• Inflatable with outboard motor.
• Spinnakers are available to qualified individuals for an additional charge of $100.

Courtesy Early Boarding:
We offer courtesy boarding the evening prior to departure provided the boat’s turnaround preparations have been completed, and time and daylight conditions permit.  To take advantage, arrangements must be made with us in advance. Normally you should plan to arrive between 5:00 and 6:00 p.m. There is no extra charge for courtesy boarding which will enable you to stow your gear, become familiar with the boat, sleep aboard, and get an early start in the morning. However, we do ask for your cooperation and insist that you arrive punctually.

Checkout:
All charterers are required to complete a check-out of the vessel prior to departure.  The purpose of this procedure is to familiarize you with the details of the yacht, explain the various systems, review the inventory and answer any questions you may have. In order to do a through job and be certain you are comfortably acquainted with the vessel you should allow at least two hours for this procedure.

Directions:

From the North take Route 24 south through Fall River and Tiverton, RI to exit 2, following the signs to the Mount Hope Bridge and Bristol.  Just over the Bridge, stay left at the fork where the road splits into routes 114 and 138 (staying on route 114). Continue through the center of Bristol.  A few blocks beyond the center you will notice a green sign to Coggeshell Farm Museum on your left.  This is the corner of Poppasquash Rd.  Take this left and follow the road around the head of the harbor for a mile into Bristol Marine.  

From the South, take I-95 north to route 138 East (Kingston, RI exit).  Follow route 138 over the Jamestown and Newport Bridges.  After the Newport Bridge you will pick up route 114 all the way into Bristol center (about 13 miles). Continue from the center to Poppasquash Road and into Bristol Marine.

From Providence’s TF Green Airport, take I-95 North to I-195 East, then exit 7 onto Route 114 through Barrington and Warren into Bristol.  Poppasquash Rd. is six tenths of a mile after the entrance to Colt State on your right.

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