Taking deposits for poor boat maintenance.
Firstly, the positives: the boat was lovely to sail, and all the rigging was in good condition. Marta was welcoming and gave a quick run-through of the boat's basic operations.
However, during our first two days, two of the four toilets failed, leaving us with only two working toilets for our group of seven. We followed all the instructions, and as someone familiar with the same system on my own boat, I tried all the usual troubleshooting methods.
Upon returning, we were accused of blocking the toilets by flushing prohibited items. That evening, I stripped down the macerator system and took photos, proving they were completely clean. When I checked the exit pipe, I discovered a large amount of calcification. Despite this, Marta insisted we pay €400 to unblock the system, even though I had demonstrated that the issue was due to poor maintenance, not misuse. She acknowledged that they don't service the toilets until the end of the season.
It's unfortunate that this incident marred what was otherwise a lovely holiday on a beautiful boat. I regret having to write a negative review of my experience with Blue Coast Charters, but I feel it's important to share the potential surprises you may face on your return. It almost seemed like they were waiting for the toilets to fail just to take a bit more from the deposit.
Happy sailing!