buying an ex charter yacht

Buying An ex-Charter Yacht: What You Need to Know

buying ex-charter yachts like this lagoon is a good investment for most

Will Bruton writing for Yachting World gathered different points of view to offer good advice to those considering buying an ex-charter yacht.

For this article, he interviewed Stephen & Estelle as well as a boat delivery expert who frequently delivers ex-charter yachts and an ex-charter yacht owner to give insight to what to consider if you want to buy an ex-charter yacht.

Key Takeaways for Buying an Ex-Charter Yacht

Understand how the charter industry works to better understand what you are and are not getting.
Get an independent boat survey before buying.
Boat age directly affects the quality of the boat you will receive no matter the maintenance schedule.
If you have done your due diligence and managed your expectations, buying an ex-charter yacht is a good investment.

Learn More about Buying Phased-Out Yachts

Insights on Buying a Catamaran Out of a Charter Fleet
Should You Buy a New or Pre-Owned Yacht?
Is Buying a Charter Yacht for You?

Wanda Anglin

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How to buy a boat: your guide to buying a yacht

Duncan Kent
October 17, 2023

Buying a yacht, especially your first, can be a daunting experience. Duncan Kent offers expert guidance on how to get it right

The process of buying a sailing yacht can sometimes be long-winded and stressful, especially if it’s your first time considering boat ownership. To avoid it being too daunting the first step is to think the whole thing through very carefully and then make a proper plan.

First and foremost, decide what type of sailing you will actually do, as it will be an important indicator as to what size and type of boat you should aim to buy. If you’re still learning to sail then it’s advisable not to buy too big a boat as the bigger it is the more problems and costs you will acquire. It’s often better to buy a used boat that you can practise in and make mistakes on, as accidents can be expensive in a bigger, more valuable boat.

What type of boat?

A trailer-sailer will save on marina fees and can be big enough for cruising. Photo: Graham Snook

Trailer-sailers

Key factors to look for in a trailer-sailer are size, weight and ease of rigging, launch and retrieval. Trailer-sailer masts are usually designed to be raised manually using an A-frame and tackle, and in many cases these will be provided with the boat. Being launched from a trailer means that it will most likely have a retractable keel and rudder, as well as a removable outboard motor.

Although it is possible to trail a small bilge-keeled boat, they are almost impossible to launch and recover without a crane, given the depth of water required for them to float on and off. If you’re planning on sailing with the family, bear in mind a retractable keel, whether it lifts or swings up, will nearly always impinge on the cabin in some way.

Above 750kg/16ft LOA you will need a larger (possibly four-wheel) trailer, with a more powerful towing vehicle and a few extra crew to help you rig and launch. In return, though, you’ll have a boat that you can live aboard in reasonable comfort for long weekends, or even the occasional week-long sailing trip.

Ideally, a cruising trailer-sailer would be no more than 24ft long and 1,500kg dry weight all up. If you’re going to be coastal cruising over long distances, however, you’ll probably prefer something bigger like a ‘trailer-able’ boat. These can be craned onto a larger, double-axled trailer and taken home or stored somewhere inland for the winter, saving marina berth costs or boatyard storage rates.

Not only does this make good economic sense, but it could also enable you to tow her to a new cruising destination each season. Probably the largest boat you could self-trail would be around 28ft, depending on its weight, beam and size of the towing vehicle.

Inshore sailing makes sense in a capable, affordable yacht like the Westerly Centaur. Photo: David Harding

Inshore/Coastal cruisers

Calling a yacht an inshore or coastal cruiser can be somewhat misleading, but since the EU introduced the RCD ‘Category’ system, the designations seem to have stuck. To my mind, any yacht that is seaworthy, properly maintained and has a skilled crew, is very likely to be capable of being sailed pretty much anywhere. A larger yacht may be more comfortable at sea and able to take on more crew and provisions, but a seaworthy boat should be just what it says.

If you plan to simply potter along within sight of land, stopping overnight in a sheltered anchorage or in a marina berth, then it obviously isn’t vital to have a boat that can withstand a storm at sea. You will rarely, if ever, experience storm conditions when you’re never more than a few miles from a safe refuge. That said, some still prefer an ocean-going yacht for coastal cruising ‘just in case’, and there’s nothing wrong with that, provided you can afford the extra maintenance and running costs.

Some experienced sailors swear by lightweight, high-performance yachts for coastal and offshore sailing. There’s a certain logic to this in that a quick boat stands more chance of reaching shelter before the worst of a challenging weather system hits.

My ideal coastal cruising yacht, however, is a compromise between a boat that’s reasonably fast and fun to sail, and one that can withstand the occasional Force 8 and 3m-high waves without frightening or risking the safety of my crew or family.

An Arcona 345 is a highly capable offshore yacht, but probably isn’t large enough be a true ‘bluewater’ yacht. Photo: Richard Langdon

Offshore/Ocean yachts

A true offshore/ocean-rated yacht will be strong, seaworthy and safe but, equally, it should exhibit a sea-kindly, predictable and well-balanced motion at sea, such that the crew remain able to sail, cook, eat and sleep regardless of stormy sea conditions.

What makes a yacht sea-kindly? First and foremost is its motion through, or over the waves. Many modern, lightweight yachts with flat, shallow underwater sections tend to slam into oncoming waves rather than slice through them. This not only jars the crew’s nerves and hurls everything out of the lockers below, but it also puts increased strain on the entire yacht as each thud shakes the hull and rig relentlessly on a long windward passage. Slamming doesn’t just test the integrity of the yacht to its limits, it drags the crew’s morale down and prevents them sleeping, cooking, eating or relaxing while off watch.

As with most aspects of sailing, there are many different schools of thought with offshore yacht design, but it is generally accepted that ocean-crossing yachts should be of a higher displacement than coastal cruisers and that they should have a deeper, vee-shaped forefoot to enable the hull to slice through oncoming waves.

A so-called bluewater cruiser is simply an offshore/ocean cruising yacht that has provision for living on board for extended periods of time under a wide variety of different circumstances. Usually, they will be better equipped with items like watermakers, generators, freezers, solar panels and sat-comms, but the style and design of the yacht itself will mostly be identical to an offshore/ocean-class yacht.

Stowage is an overlooked but vital consideration when assessing a cruising yacht. Photo: Graham Snook

What to consider

Accommodation.

Does the boat you’re looking at suit the style of sailing you plan to do? If you’re only going to day sail along the coast then don’t worry about sea berths, for instance, although it’s useful to have at least one long, straight berth you can fix a lee cloth to in case someone becomes ill. Big, central double berths are great at anchor, but of little use under sail.

Separate cabins are crucial if you have kids on board, so as not to keep them awake in the evening when the adults are still up. Private heads are important too, particularly if you are planning to have friends on board regularly.

Stowage is also a vital consideration for cruising that new buyers often overlook. It’s really annoying to have to remove half the contents of a vast stowage bin to reach a single item at the bottom – so look out for easily accessible lockers, especially near the galley.

Article continues below…

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For much of the past decade, my wife Sally and I have been dreaming, planning and saving up to sail…

It’s important when family sailing to have the mainsail control lines led back near the helm, so the boat can be safely sailed singlehanded if necessary. Try sitting by the helm and operating a headsail sheet winch. Is the mainsheet nearby so you can dump the main in a gust? Is the mainsheet track positioned where young fingers can easily get trapped? Are there plenty of harness attachments? Is there stowage for larger items like dinghies?

Rig and sails

Unless you’re planning on racing, look for a sail plan that’s easily handled. Nowadays most cruisers choose sloop rigs with in-mast furling mainsails; in fact they can often be standard. You will lose a little performance, though, so if speed and pointing ability are vital then opt for a fully battened mainsail with single-line reefing. Virtually all new cruising yachts these days will come with a furling genoa.

Will a wheel or tiller suit you best? And is the mainsheet within reach? Photo: David Harding / SailingScenes.com

Wheel or tiller? Most older boats under 32ft have tillers, whereas most new boats over 26ft offer wheel steering. If you like to ‘feel’ the boat more then go for a tiller. If a wheel seems more natural then go for it but expect to lose a little of the feedback a tiller offers.

You can put a cat on a beach for a barbecue or to inspect and give the hulls a scrub. Photo: Yachting Monthly

Monohull or multihull?

Most new boat buyers start by looking at monohulls, with few giving multihulls a second thought. However, it’s worth stepping on board a few catamarans or trimarans before dismissing them. Better still, give them a try. You might find the level sailing, greater deck space and higher speeds worth the drawbacks of having a larger boat to park and reduced load-carrying capacity.

Cruising cats have increased in popularity hugely in recent years due to the extra space they offer. They also draw very little, so you can get right in close to the shore or creep up shallow creeks where fin keeled monohulls dare not venture. They take the ground easily too, so you can actually park up on a beach.

Shopping for a new boat is all part of the fun but beware of hidden costs. Photo: Messe Düsseldorf / ctillmann

New or used?

It’s great to own a brand-new yacht but there are many good reasons for choosing a cared-for used boat. Most will have had any initial faults rectified and are likely to come with all the necessary cruising kit. The downside is not knowing how well she’s been maintained. Depending on age, essentials such as the rig and engine could require expensive replacement.

Privately owned boats under five years old tend to be well shaken down, but not worn to the point of imminent repair. Older boats might well have gone through the first wear/replacement stage and have new sails, rigging and engine.

Most equipment, especially engines, lasts longer if the boat is used regularly. The exception is with charter boats, where everything will be well worn.

A charter yacht will endure ten times the wear and tear of a private one, despite being regularly maintained. Never buy an ex-charter yacht without getting a thorough, detailed survey.

Buying a yacht new

Before buying a new boat bear in mind you’ll need considerable additional kit that’s not included. Don’t get carried away with the options list while forgetting equipment essentials. A good guide is to allow a further 15-20% of the list price to fully equip her for cruising.

It’s also worth noting that the price displayed at a boat show may exclude delivery and commissioning, which can add another chunk to the bottom line.

When you find a boat that ticks all your boxes, go somewhere quiet and add up the real cost including any ‘essential’ options. If there’s anything left in your budget, tick off any ‘luxury’ items you’d like in order of preference, until the pot is empty. You might prefer to opt for a slightly smaller boat but equip it to a higher standard.

A word of warning: if you buy the biggest boat you can afford with the intention of adding goodies later, it will almost always cost considerably more than having them fitted at the factory or during commissioning.

No matter how much you like a boat, always engage a professional marine surveyor. Photo: Graham Snook

Buying a yacht used

Never make an offer on a boat before seeing it. Even if you’re not an expert it’s worth looking for obvious things before engaging a surveyor. Check for hull cracking, gelcoat blisters, evidence of collisions, squashy decks, dodgy wiring, damaged sails, water in the bilges, seized pumps and so on. If the boat is untidy and uncared for it’s likely to have been neglected in its previous life.

Get an idea of the value of that type of boat in basic form by checking prices of similar craft online. If they range from £20-£35,000, for example, start with the lower figure and add on the value of any extra equipment. For instance, if she has new sails, raise the base ‘value’ by £2,000. For a new engine, add £3,000, and so on. When you reach a figure you think is about right, offer the vendor 20% less and see what happens.

Always make your offer subject to survey, then if problems are discovered you can reduce your offer by the cost of any remedial work required. Once a deal is agreed, if she’s out of the water, retain 10% until she is launched and the powertrain is tested.

How well will the boat reverse and manoeuvre in tight marina spaces?

The test sail

I would never buy any boat without first taking it for a test sail unless it’s dirt cheap. Some sellers won’t want the hassle, but if she’s had a good survey and you’re really keen the owner should realise this and go along with it. If ashore, the launch/retrieval costs will be yours, as will the surveyor’s bill. If you agree to purchase immediately after the test sail you might not need to crane her back out again.

If buying new the broker should have a demonstrator in the water for you to sail. It might not be equipped to your specification, but it’ll be the same model.

If you’re new to sailing, take an experienced friend or surveyor along if possible. Take your family or your partner along too, to get their opinions.

From the moment you step on board keep your senses alert. How easy is it to get on board from the pontoon? How much does the boat tip over with your weight on the sidedeck? How easy is it to walk around the decks without tripping?

Take a camera and notebook and jot down anything you’re not sure about so you can double-check it later.

Checking the engine

The first thing to test is the engine. If it’s a used boat then pull the dipstick before starting it to check the colour of the oil – any whiteness could be water and is a sign of a problem. Make sure the preheat works and that it starts easily. Marine diesels often smoke a bit at first but should clear once the engine has warmed up. Check the exhaust to ensure it’s emitting a steady stream of water.

Try some simple manoeuvres ahead and astern to get the feel of how she handles under power. Some will have noticeable prop wash, especially those with a fixed-blade propeller, but you can often use this to your advantage once you know how strong and in which direction it acts.

Once on the move go up through the revs just to check there are no flat spots and that she revs to the correct level. Few skippers ever use full revs but it’s a good indicator that all’s well with the engine, transmission and prop. Return to cruising revs and go below to hear how much noise is evident, especially in the aft cabin.

Check the condition of the sails closely, especially along the seams

Inspecting the rig

Ask the owner to show you where all the sail controls are, don’t just let them sail you around. Helping to hoist sail will show how easy or difficult it is and make handling or gear problems obvious. If it’s hard to hoist a halyard, ask why. The solution might be simple (often a lack of maintenance in a used boat), but it need not be insurmountable.

Check the headsail furler if it has one, by unfurling and refurling it. If it’s stiff to furl, check the swivels for wear. It could simply be poor maintenance, or it might be something more serious like halyard wrap or failed bearings.

Once the sails are hoisted give them a good inspection, particularly along the seams and around the clew, tack and reefing cringles (metal grommets for control lines).

Laminate sails, such as these FibrePath Enduro sails from Ullman, utilise the boat’s pointing ability and rig controls. Photo: Richard Langdon

Once you’re sailing, ask to take the helm or have your experienced mate take over. You’re looking to see how well balanced she is (assuming the sails are trimmed correctly), and how reactive the steering is.

Ideally, the helm ‘feel’ should be light but positive. It should feel like you’re just there to change direction if needed, not to keep permanent pressure on to hold her on course.

If the steering is noticeably heavy, you have too much sail up or they’re not trimmed correctly, but it’s worth asking the owner or the rep about it.

All points of sail

Put in a few tacks to see how quickly she comes around and how well the deck gear functions. Try her on every point of sail – close-hauled, reaching and running, to see what she’s capable of and if she has any particular foibles.

Depending on the sea conditions, see how she handles with a bit too much sail up and if possible how she copes in strong gusts. Then find out how easy it is to put a reef in.

Check the navigation instruments are all functioning as they should and, if it’s a particularly complicated system, ask the owner or the rep to go through all the nav instruments with you. Finally, hand the controls over to someone else and go below to see what it’s like under sail. Take note of steps, grab handles or bars and fiddles, and then simulate going to the loo, preparing a meal, lying in a berth or plotting a fix at the chart table.

For ocean sailing a yacht with a longer keel is best for comfort in heavy seas

Buying a long keel yacht

The extra drag created by their large wetted area makes them relatively slow compared to more modern designs, but they provide a comfortable ride in heavy seas, with the fullness of the keel limiting leeway and helping to keep the boat on a straight course downwind with little or no adjustment to the helm. Popular for ocean cruising but poor at manoeuvring under power in tight marinas.

A fin keel should make a boat faster and more agile

Buying a fin keel yacht

Cutting away the forefoot of a long keel reduces the hull’s resistance to tacking and manoeuvring, while also lessening hydrodynamic drag and thereby increasing speed. Many have ballast bulbs at the bottom to lower the yacht’s centre of gravity (CoG). The resulting short, deep keel makes a boat much more agile.

An obvious advantage of a twin keel is its ability to take the ground

Buying a twin keel yacht

Also called bilge keels they provide low draught for shallow water cruising and allow a yacht to take the ground upright without supporting legs. One drawback is increased leeway when sailing hard on the wind, due to the reduced wetted surface, and a propensity to heel more readily, due to the higher CoG. Often kept on drying moorings which can put the keel/hull joint under repeated pressure, so check for GRP cracks.

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Buying A Pre-Owned Charter Boat

Why do we know this subject inside out?

We have been owners of several charter boats, in several fleets.
Michel, Sailonline's owner, founded and presided for 10 years of the Moorings Owners' Group, the world largest charter yacht owners association.
Michel and his partners (all with equal unmatched experience on charter yachts) have implemented hundreds of transactions involving charter boat sales - new and pre-owned - all over the world.
We operate independently of charter companies and so we are free to write and say anything we need/want to - good and bad - in order to help charter boat buyers. So we are totally unbiased.

________________________________

The general perception about the purchase of a used charter boat is this: a boat that has been on charter for 4 to 6 years and has seen anywhere from 80 to 100 charter weeks is bound to be a beat-up boat. Therefore it can never be a good idea to consider buying one. I very often heardÂÂ people state:" I will never buy a used charter boat, they must be trashed."

Well, let's face it, there is some arguable truth and logic about this reasoning. You can be sure that among the large number of second hand charter boats on the market, you will find some "lemons" or potential wrecks. However, this is proving less and less true. If you give this concept a more elaborate thought, you will understand why and how one can make an excellent purchase of a used charter boat. Smart boat buyers, familiar with the charter industry, know this very well.

Let's get into the details and explore this concept. But be forewarned: this can be a minefield. And by the way, the reward of finding this gem implies that you do some homework. You won't get something for nothing!

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly ... The shape of a used charter boat may vary tremendously. What are the factors?

It mainly depends upon which charter company's fleet the boat belonged to. If the coveted boat was not managed by a company known for extensive maintenance program, chances are your survey may yield a horror story (by the way, a professional survey is an absolute MUST ). So before anything else, do not even think about boats which were not managed by rock-solid charter companies.

Also -again, the survey will tell you that- if the boat has been damaged (grounding, hurricane, T-boned, fire, etc.) it's a no-no. You see, those boats work a lot in their charter life, so there is higher probability that such incidents will happen to them rather than to a private boat. Always bear in mind that charter boats sail more in 4/5 years than most private boats do in their entire life !

Remember also that, unfortunately, bareboat charterers are not always careful or even competent sailors. Therefore, some boats do not have an easy life, to say the least. So, do not bother with dubious vessels. With the vast choice of boats on the market, you can afford to be very picky and go only for the cream of the crop.

Now, here is where the good news come into play for you, potential buyer: Most charter companies do a very good job at maintaining their fleet, and at phasing-out their boats. For those of you not too familiar with the industry, the phase-out is the maintenance procedure involved when a charter boat leaves the fleet and is handed over to her owner. Reputable charter companies perform a thorough checkup of the yacht, major and minor components, and systematically replace damaged items with new parts, or fix them in a very acceptable manner, so they are "serviceable". All after a professional and independent survey.

It is important to understand a concept used by charter companies to define the extent of the work they will perform on a phasing-out boat. It is called "fair wear and tear" . It means that the owner cannot expect a back-to-new boat at the end of his 5 or 6-year contract. Therefore, although everything should be inspected and in working or serviceable condition, the boat will not receive new upholstery, new sails, a new engine, etc. unless they are unquestionably beyond fair wear and tear.

However, torn sails, non-working electronics, thick black smoke out of the exhaust, cracks in the rigging, large blisters in the hull, etc. areÂ not fairly worn and torn items and should be properly fixed . Get the idea?

More good news -this is important: Because you are buying a charter boat, you should inherit the complete charter equipment inventory that originally came with the boat. Plus some fixed improvement features especially ordered and designed by the charter company for better ease of use and reinforcement of failure-prone areas. This is worth a lot of money. Here is a sampling of items you would typically find. Those are usually optional and not included in a boat standard, private version (list will vary with charter company.)

Oversized fuel/water tanks, oversized winches, self-stacking mainsail system, extra cleats, oversized alternator and batteries, high-capacity and redundant bilge pumps, electric windlass, auto-pilot, GPS - and chart plotter - shore power system, Bluetooth system, inverter, bimini, dodger, perhaps even a dinghy, tools, navigation tools, docking lines, fenders, safety equipment and gear, binoculars, bedding and linens,. etc., the list is very long.

Of course, not everything will be in tiptop shape. But, at phase-out, the same way the boat is overhauled, the original equipment is replaced if it is missing. So you should get an almost complete inventory.

What Are We Getting At? At this stage, you certainly understand where we're heading. Completely to the opposite spectrum of the general belief, there are quite a few great opportunities to find used charter boats that have been completely overhauled, inspected, surveyed, etc., sitting at the dock waiting for you - IF you do your homework and research properly.

And remember: The boat owner has been involved him/her/self in the phase-out process, and most probably, he/she's made quite sure it was done properly. Why? Because charter boat owners who do not roll over to a new boat with the same company, have 2 options at the end of their contract: either keep the boat for personal use or sell her. In either case, they want to get a boat in as good a condition as possible.

With a little luck, you can even find a boat with new sails, new engine, new rigging, etc!

TIP : Look preferably for boats that are sold by their owners, and not by charter companies. The latter are usually boats that have been taken in trade against a new boat; therefore, they have not necessarily been through the phase-out process described above. The Charter Company might have taken the boat in trade and simply put her up for sale. Not what you are looking for.ÂÂ

How Do You Go About This? Know what you want, but be flexible. Large charter companies usually concentrate their fleet on a few selected builders because it allows them to negotiate better prices on large buying volume, and on carefully selected models because it makes the maintenance easier. Therefore, you might not necessarily find the exact boat of your dreams. The good news is, you will buy a boat that has usually been proven and tested by the charter company.

Lastly, in terms of size, you might even afford a larger boat than you originally anticipated since you probably will get an excellent deal, price wise (see below).

Gather your data . Go to charter companies' web sites, to charter boat owners associations, Internet forums, boating web sites, etc. They are abundant and full of useful information, tips and classifieds.

Call yacht brokers : We, at Sailonline.com, are licensed and bonded yacht brokers in Ft. Lauderdale, and we have a huge experience in locating and transacting on pre-owned charter boats, worldwide. We set up and follow the entire process, from locating the right boat, to be present at the survey, to follow-up on all items that are listed by the surveyor and which need to be fixed, etc... Read why it is extremely important for a boat buyer to be ÂÂ represented by a professional yacht broker ÂÂ (for starters, it's free to the buyer , since the entire commission is paid by the seller only!)

Once you have located a few boats in your range, start your work as for any other boat. Of course, with the help of your broker, you will start with an extensive, professional and independent survey , both for the hull and the engine (they are not necessarily the same surveyors.) View useful survey links .

As an alternative to buying a boat outright for your private use, you can (few buyers know this) buy an owner out of his existing contract with a charter company. How does it work? Some owners want (for various reasons) to sell their yacht before the end of the management contract. Let's say there are 2 years left on a management contract. You will buy the boatÂÂ and ÂÂ the contract, and you will leave the boat in the managed fleet for the remaining 2 years. Note that this is not always possible, and remains at the discretion of the charter company. There are several benefits in this:

You receive income on the charters, as defined in the contract, which will help covering the mortgage.
You enjoy the use of the boat for the number of weeks (usually 8 to 12 a year) defined in the contract.
You benefit from the boat overhaul at the phase-out at the end of the contract.

What price you should pay . Let's face it: selling a used boat, and especially a used charter boat is rarely an easy experience for the owner/seller. It can take months, sometimes more, to find a buyer and reach an agreement with him/her. I am an owner myself so it does not make me happy to say this, but it is a fact that in the used boat area, it is definitely a buyers' market.

Therefore, once you have found your boat and are satisfied with your survey and work, chances are the seller will considerÂÂ any ÂÂ reasonable and 'bona fide' offer, especially if the boat has been on the market for a while, and if the seller feels the pressure of time and money, with all the expenses running every month. If you find yourself in such a buying position, you will definitely make a nice purchase.ÂÂ

Buying A Pre-Owned Crewed Yacht Note : We are talking here about boats which were in a managed charter fleet, within a range of 45 to 60 ft. and with a permanent live aboard crew. This section is not about a privately managed crewed vessel, usually a larger unit, the management and the economics of which are completely different. If you are considering the purchase of a crewed boat, we encourage you to read the discussion on this site about Bareboats Vs. Crewed Boats ÂÂ by clicking on this link.

But mainly, what you want to know is this: It's easy to understand that a live-aboard professional crew will attend the day-to-day maintenance with a much better efficiency than a land-based staff would episodically do on a bareboat. In effect, the crewÂÂ lives ÂÂ on board, and therefore the boat becomes like their home. As a result, a good crew will (or should) maintain the boat as impeccably as they would maintain their own house. For technical upkeep, a good skipper will attend the repairs as needed, every day, or at least as soon as he gets off a charter week. Therefore, with the exception of parts on order, all maintenance items should always be under control. Similarly, all the boat log books will be updated on an ongoing basis.

Thanks to the crew's presence and handling of the boat during charters, the yacht will not be damaged, or mishandled by careless charterers. A comforting thought for the owner, since, unfortunately, bareboaters' sailing competence can often be questioned! For those reasons, a crewed boat willÂÂ usually ÂÂ be in better shape than a same-age bareboat.

The Final Word Again, remember: This is a somewhat difficult field. There are lots of un-seaworthy boats out there. So be very careful, we cannot say it enough. However, if you respect the guidelines and do the homework, we do believe your experience of a charter boat purchase can be a very gratifying one. Those boats exist, they are around. Isn't this worth a little bit of work?

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Buying a Used Charter Boat

If you are in the market for a used boat, you know it’s definitely a sellers market right now. You may be thinking about buying an ex-charter boat and there are pros and cons to going this route. This article by Will Bruton in Yachting Monthly will help walk you through what you should look for when buying a used charter boat. Charter companies keep their boats for just a few years so you may be able to get a newer boat than you thought. Read More

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Buying a Boat

Why purchase a charter boat from The Moorings Yacht Brokerage?

Purchasing an ex-charter boat has it's advantages, find out more here from one of our experienced agents.

Why should I purchase a charter boat from The Moorings?

A charter boat is a great purchase option that will see you on a late model boat from a popular brand at a significant cost savings over a new or privately owned used yacht. The charter boat will be a blank slate without a lot of customization, thus allowing you to outfit the yacht for your needs whether you plan to do some local day sailing or world voyaging.

The boat will go through a full comprehensive phase out process to ensure all systems are operational and ready to sail away. Plus the charter bases where you will pick up your boat are already in beautiful cruising locations around the world; perfect if your plans involve moving aboard and cruising.

Purchasing any boat is a financially and emotionally significant investment. A charter yacht can help ease those burdens with cost savings up front on a boat that is ready to sail away.

Are the yachts well maintained?

Yachts in the Moorings/Sunsail/Footloose fleets are maintained to a high standard to ensure proper charter operation throughout their life in the fleet. This includes pre and post charter checks, quarterly maintenance, and an annual haul out to service items below the waterline.

Beyond that, every yacht sold is eligible to go through a full phase out to address most items that are discovered during your pre-purchase survey. To read more about the phase out process click here .

How long are the boats generally in the fleet?

The typical charter term is five years. Yachts coming out of the Moorings & Sunsail are about 5 years old, and out of Footloose 6-7 years old. Occasionally a yacht may have finished charter service but not have sold yet and will be stored until sold.

If my surveyor finds something wrong with the boat who will fix it?

Most items that are found as a result of your pre-purchase survey will be addressed during the yacht’s phase out maintenance before handover to the buyer. However normal wear and tear of a five year old charter yacht is expected.

To find out more about the charter yacht purchase process get in touch with your dedicated Moorings/Sunsail Agent today!

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Buying a Charter Sailboat

By Mark Pillsbury
Updated: April 16, 2024

One summer, while living on our sailboat in Wickford, Rhode Island, I was invited for sundowners aboard Carol K , a Beneteau Cyclades 43, whose owners, Carol and Peter King, had stopped for the night during a summer getaway from their home waters of Noank, Connecticut, on Long Island Sound.

The Kings are avid sailors, and at the time organized CW ’s Adventure Charters, a series of flotillas to exotic sailing locations around the world. They always have great stories to tell, and I looked forward to seeing their boat, which had recently finished service with the Moorings fleet in Tortola, in the British Virgin Islands .

Motoring over, Carol K was immediately identifiable because, well, even without company graphics, she looked like a charter boat—sort of. There was a colored UV strip on the headsail furled on the bow, a blue sail pouch on the boom and a square floating Bimini over the cockpit, which at the time was quite popular with the charter fleet. But climbing aboard, it became quickly apparent this was no bareboat rental. From stem to stern, and especially down below, the Kings had added touches that made it abundantly clear that Carol K was their home on the water.

The Kings had owned two boats with the Moorings, each in service as a charter boat for five years. When their first contract expired, Peter says they decided to buy a second boat to put into the fleet. From the get-go, they planned to augment the monthly payments they received from the company to pay down the mortgage more quickly, and to keep the boat when its charter life came to an end. He notes that charter-boat owners are well-advised to have a plan in place for what to do with their vessel at the end of its charter contract. You don’t want to “get snookered,” he says, and end up with no economically sensible option.

During its charter years, Peter says he and his wife made a pact that if they saw the boat, they wouldn’t obsess about scrapes and scratches— they were out of the couple’s control and could be fixed during phase-out, the period when the charter company goes through the boat before either turning it over to the owner or selling it for them on the brokerage market.

Peter says that on average, their boat was in service about 18 weeks a year. And while he admits he had concerns about the number of engine hours racked up by vacationers, a properly maintained diesel has longevity. And in the end, they were happy with both the monthly payments and the maintenance plans the Moorings follows.

When it came time to take possession of the boat, the company replaced the table and refinished the sole. And then, Peter hired a surveyor to go through the boat and do a complete inspection. When the report came back, a few problems were identified, including worn turnbuckles, which were replaced. When all the work was complete, he had a second survey done, and then, on Boxing Day 2009, he and Carol left Tortola and spent the next four months sailing home to Noank.

Before leaving, the Kings installed a radar, a better plotter and a Flexofold propeller. And over time, Peter says they replaced two of the three manual heads with electric ones and removed a third to create a larger shower. Outside of that work and regular maintenance, they had no problems with the boat.

“I think it’s a pretty good deal,” Peter says when asked about buying and owning a used charter boat. Boats are often listed for thousands of dollars less than a similar model in private ownership, and a buyer can bargain hard because the charter companies need to routinely refresh their fleets. “You can get a good boat for a good price if you’re cautious and don’t get carried away,” he says.

Franck Bauguil, vice president, yacht ownership, for the Moorings and Sunsail, says his brokerage operation sells between 120 and 150 used monohulls and catamarans a year. And while these boats are not for everyone—layouts are optimized for chartering, and often the vessel will need to be picked up at the base or else there could be significant delivery costs for hiring a captain and crew—the boats have been professionally maintained and are kept in good working order.

Typically boats in the Caribbean see five peak seasons before they are phased out; in Europe, where the sailing season is shorter, and in exotic locations, where demand is less, they are typically replaced after six years. Both brands have created detailed maintenance manuals that prescribe regular service intervals.

Between trips, vessels get a general inspection, and any problems are fixed for the next guests. Quarterly, they see a more comprehensive examination. Semiannually, systems and engines are gone over, and once a year, the boats are hauled, new anti-fouling is applied, and any needed overhaul or replacement takes place.

Because boats need to be ready for quick turnarounds, Travelopia, parent company to the two brands, carries $1 million to $2 million in parts inventory so repairs won’t be delayed. “Our intent,” he says, “is to keep the boats in the best possible condition.”

Bauguil estimates that most monohulls will see their builder-supplied sails replaced at least once during their five working years. Catamarans are handled a little differently because their sails are spec’d out by Travelopia and are built for heavy-duty service.

The key, Bauguil says, is to have a thorough survey of the boat and systems.

Bottom line: While the boats see a lot of use, inspections are scheduled and any repairs are done by professional mechanics, composite specialists, electricians, etc. The same can’t always be said for private-owner boats, where the skipper might or might not know what he’s doing, Bauguil says.

A buyer looking at a used charter boat should compare the price differential for a similar privately owned model, and then factor into the budget cosmetics and other upgrades. Even big jobs, such as installing a new engine, might not be a deal- breaker when you look at the difference in price.

Andrew Thompson at Horizon Yacht Charters, another company with multiple Caribbean bases, including Nanny Cay in Tortola, and a large fleet of monohulls and catamarans, also emphasizes maintenance as part of the value proposition offered with used charter boats. A diver checks the bottom of every boat when it returns to the base to see if the boat was grounded or otherwise damaged. And customers are debriefed and asked about anything not working. Customers’ sailing resumes are carefully checked, and taking a captain is encouraged in some cases.

Most charter companies don’t actually own the boats they rent out, so maintenance and repairs are done to meet the expectation of the actual owners.

Thompson cites a comprehensive preventative- maintenance program that was created for owners with boats in the fleet and also those under private management, another side of Horizon’s business. It includes routine inspection of mechanical systems, rigging and the like, and annual deeper evaluations during the slow season. The result is relatively few insurance claims and clean survey reports when yachts reach the end of their working life.

For those hunting for a catamaran to make their escape, Horizon’s used inventory of smaller models—say under 42 feet or so—might be of interest because they include boats with both three- and four-cabin layouts. The former are preferred by most private owners, but many charter companies prefer to offer four- berth boats that can bring in more revenue. And larger yachts are nearly all configured with four cabins.

Thompson notes that when looking at used boats at online sites such as yachtworld.com , buyers might be faced with wild variations in price, depending on how an owner or company may have spec’d out a boat and how it’s been maintained and cleaned up during phase-out. Some European companies, for instance, offer boats with only minimal equipment, while in the Caribbean, a similar boat might be loaded with electronics and upgrades.

Patrick O’Loughlin, the owner of St. Kitts Nevis Surveying & Consultancy who also works for Jocelyn Maritime Training and Consultants in Tortola, has inspected charter vessels throughout the islands. He notes that most charter companies don’t actually own the boats they rent out, so maintenance and repairs are done to meet the expectation of the actual owners.

“What you do expect is more wear and tear, but what you can say, if you buy a charter boat, is it’s been well-tested. Given that most of these boats are fiberglass, they can be repaired,” he says.

When he’s representing an owner during a phase-out inspection, besides the integrity of the hull and major systems, he notes little things such as torn curtains and scratched woodwork. Owners should expect these to be corrected by the charter company before the boat is released.

He too stresses the importance of a thorough survey. “As the surveyor, I can’t really tell you in the final analysis whether to buy or not to buy—that’s not my job. But I point out all the little things I see that are not in keeping, not in sync.” And it’s those little things that are reflected in the value he puts on the boat. A potential buyer, he says, does well to heed that figure because it reflects how a particular boat measures up compared with others on the market. With a survey in hand, buyers can then make an offer based on their willingness to make repairs or live with dings and dents. When looking at charter boats, his checklist includes any cracks around the keel, evidence of a dismasting, water damage to the sole or furniture that would indicate a leak or sinking, and the engine and other systems. If he spots a problem, he then starts asking around the waterfront to see if there are any stories among the local captains that might explain the damage.

So is a used charter boat worth the look? We’ll give the Kings the final say on that one. Asked about their years owning Carol K , Peter says, “It was fun owning it.” And Carol shouts over him on the phone: “We miss it. We miss it a lot.”

Mark Pillsbury is a CW editor-at-large.

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Should I Buy an Ex-Charter Catamaran?

Post author By Hunter Frey
Post date October 18, 2020
No Comments on Should I Buy an Ex-Charter Catamaran?

I questioned 20 catamaran owners; if you were buying a used catamaran, would you consider a yacht from a charter company or only search privately owned vessels? 8 of the people said they wouldn’t consider ANY boat coming from the land of charters. Ten of the people said they would entertain the idea of buying a pre-owned charter boat and two already have purchased pre-owned charter cats and BOTH had good things to say about their experiences. Read on later in this article about specific experiences from one of the buyers.

Searching for your next catamaran can get over-whelming pretty quick. There a plenty of cat’s out there to choose from; between all the different designs, years and location of the boats, one can become bewildered with hopefully choosing the “right” catamaran. This doesn’t even include whether or not the boat was used privately, or for charter. Knowing if your potential catamaran was cared for like the daughter- you- never -had or abused like a hotel room during spring break, Mexico style, will be the difference between blissful nights on the water or living horrific nightmares. The key is to know what to look for, where to look for it and knowing when to hold, or fold. With some hard work and looking in every corner of the world, you just might be able to find your dream boat with some savings.

Tips on Questions to Ask Sellers

There are two types of used boat’s out there; the good and the bad, and have no fear, they’re every-where. When buying a used catamaran, there are two choices, either; a private owned or ex-chartered vessel. Of the two, does it matter which one you pick? There are plenty of gems and lemons in both markets; BUT the difference between having a smile or a puckered face is dependent upon you, the shopper. Why should someone buy a boat that has been retired from a charter groups’ fleet? Why not just search privately owned vessels and stay away from the head-aches that are surely to come, right? If comparing dollar to dollar, of the same boat, back to back, one privately owned, with 1,000 engine hours versus the charter fleet version with 4,000 hours, both maintained exactly the same and no major accidents, you will find the private owner version, much more expensive; on average, 30-40 percent higher in cost. Well, with a little bit of time, patience and dedicated searching, anyone out there can find their dream boat, at a very cool, affordable price. However, navigating these areas’ can be tricky and it is important to understand how to avoid the pitfalls of buying a used charter boat. To help you shop, we have included 5 tips below.

Tip 1: Engine hours are a good metric to suggest the amount of use. Typical high use after 5 year typical charter is 4,000 to 5,000. Low use would be 2,000 or less.

The reality is, charter boats tend to get beat up, period. Don’t be one of those buyers out there who got themselves an ex-charter fleet yacht, on whim, without proper knowledge. No one wants’ to own something they cannot sail. If you are a tight budget, looking for your first catamaran or simply trying to find the best buy out there, it is possible to find a sea-worthy, retired charter cat, out there in the world. Maybe the most important number is engine hours which will give you a numerical idea of the catamaran’s use like mileage on a car.

Tip 2: Which charter base? More remote charter bases means fewer charters. Or better or worse exposure to extreme weather conditions. You will find charter boats out of a location like St Vincent will have less wear and tear generally and lower hours than those coming from a location like the BVIs due to both fewer charter guests as well as less likelihood of tropical storms.

In the hunt for your new- used boat, you are going to come across many boats that are poorly maintained, beaten, abused and shouldn’t even be floating. This is true in all markets although some locations like the BVIs see much more use or some locations like the northern Caribbean or Greek Cyclades have worse storms. Knowing that a market is more prone to issues or has a certain risk factor like hurricanes can help generate important screening questions.

Worse condition from wear or damage is not always obvious. Most of the horror stories from owners, who have purchased previously used charter boats, are due them not doing their homework on the boat before buying. Once the new boat owner has taken charge of the vessel and sailed her some, that’s when the nightmare of problems, usually arise. Just because it “looks” okay, means it is kosher. Charter catamarans are big business; every company wants to have new boats in their fleet, so once a boat has served its contract term and is outdated, the charter company is very motivated to re-coup some of their investment. Catamarans in a charter fleet are typically used for an average of 5 years, pretty consistently, adding roughly more than 500% usage than the standard weekend sailor. So, with stats like that, it is very easy to understand why they have such a lower price tag. It is absolutely critical to be very thorough in your inspection of the vessel. It doesn’t take much, with 5 years of constant use, from people all over the world, some who know how to sail and some who don’t, to destroy a sailboat. If you don’t know absolutely all the in’s and out’s of the boat you are looking at, hire somehow who does. It will be worth every dollar spent.

Tip 3: What charter company? Big one like Moorings or Dream Yachts or smaller one? Does the charter company have a reputation good or bad?

All in all, the state of the boat is ultimately going to be determined by who chartered and managed the boat. Some companies have better reputations for keeping their fleets in tip top condition. Asking around other sailors if you zone in on a catamaran may help you determine the kind of history your catamaran may have. The two largest groups are Moorings and Dream Yacht Charters, but there are numerous other companies throughout the world.

You are not going to find too many extra bells and whistles on ex-charter cats. Once in a while, one goes on the market loaded down with all the goodies, but most the time, if it can be used elsewhere, it’s stripped off and headed who-knows-where. If you are looking for things such as: larger winches, bigger fuel\water tanks, self-furling\stacking and mainsail systems, additional cleats on board, bigger batteries, alternators, lines, safety gear and more, look at privately used boats. No one is going to put all of that on a charter cat and then re-sell it for cheap. Most of the above mentioned upgrades will only be found on privately used vessels.

When shopping around in the privately-used market, you will find that many of the boats have been taken care of a lot better. Many owners have re-fitted and modified their boats to accommodate them while out a sea So, if are lucky enough to find someone who was a blue-water sailor or really cared about their boat, you may come across things like; some “weak-points” are re-enforced or even built differently, plumbing is oversized, and furling sails are installed. Sometimes, even more bells and whistles are added; things like radar, GPS, dual VHF and more, for ease of operation and safer sailing.

Tip 4: Is there an exit survey available? Did the owner get one done and if so did he or she hold the charter company to fix everything?

The phase-out is the process of when the company is relinquishing the command of the vessel back to its owner or putting the boat on the market. In this process, the boat is surveyed by a professional, a full inspection & service of all equipment is done. Once fully serviced, cleaned and anything broken, misplaced or damaged, is fixed, the boat is cleared. The phase-out has to be satisfactorily completed and checked over by the owner of the vessel before it’s cleared for sale, but often lackadaisical owners will not hold the charter company accountable enough. It is important to see that the exit survey and that all items have been addressed. This area is a particularly important focus in questioning sellers.

TIP 5: When was the 5 year charter? Economic recessions also mean less charter use.

Catamarans that were chartered during the Great Recession of the late 2000’s saw much less use than catamarans from the early 2000’s. Catamarans during the current era of Covid-19 restrictions will also see less use and come out of charter with less wear and tear than came and went without pandemic travel restrictions.

To buy a boat out of a charter fleet, the first step is to figure out how much the boat has depreciated. A catamaran that has been in service for 4-6 years will have depreciated around 40 percent, give or take, depending on MANY various factors. This is according to the National Yacht Broker’s Association. Finding an ex-charter fleet catamaran that has been maintained with care and has never been in an accident, will obviously hold value better than a boat that was wrecked and fixed. Regardless, the majority of catamarans will not depreciate to less than 60% of their replacement value. In simple terms, at some point, the up-keep of the boat begins to be more expensive than the boat itself.

Story of Buyer’s Experience

Both of the boat owners that I spoke with had good things to say about their experiences AFTER buying their pre-owned charter catamarans. Both the gentlemen I spoke with seemed to have a battle plan in place prior to starting their search in the charter sector. Knowing that there were more lemons out there than gems, they were willing to spend the time. Both owners were able to find bigger boats than they had expected to be able to afford. They both agree that finding boats being sold after their charter career are much more affordable, however requires much more discretion and time to find a good buy. They both also did comment that they felt like it was consuming all their time and energy to find the perfect buy out there in the pre-owned charter world. So, please keep this in mind when considering where you want to shop.

Sally Anne, a 58 leopard, is owned by a wonderful family on the Chesapeake Bay. Having interviewed her owner, Jim, a deeply tanned man from Maine, he has been sailing his entire life. Raising his family of four, they had sailed the world and spent almost every family vacation for 18 years sailing somewhere. He managed to pull this off, just like many others, on a twin cabin mono-hull sailboat. Space was tight, but they made it happen. Jim, a former single-hull sailor, decided to buy his first catamaran in 2010 when his first grand-child was born, having chartered a cat and liked their overall performance. With the family continuously getting even bigger with more grandkids and in-laws, Jim had outgrown his first cat. Jim wanted a bigger boat with 4 cabins. His ideal “dream boat” as he called it, “what I was looking for, must have had 4 cabins; providing plenty room for the family, their gear and maybe even a guest or two. “ He even goes on to explain how important extra room in the lounge and galley areas was. “The wife needed room to entertain, cook and store everything. Every single boat we looked at only had 3 cabins, It wasn’t enough.” he said, When his wife and him started looking for their next cat, Jim was thinking that a boat somewhere in the 42’-48’ range that would serve him well. Of all the boats that Jim looked at and they actually liked, passed muster, the surveyor gave them a report that they could work with; all were way above his price range. Whenever he found something he liked within his dollar amount, there was some key feature he was searching for that he still had to go without. Most of the time, it was the 4th cabin that was getting sacrificed to cut cost. “No way was I buying a boat without my 4th bunk room.” Jim states. He explained his hunt for the magnificent vessel that I’m sitting in the cockpit on.

Finally willing to entertain the idea of owning a pre-owned charter yacht, they broke down and went fleet shopping. “It took a lot longer to find this boat,” Jim tells me. “My wife and I flew to more than 5 different countries, looking for her.” Jim goes to tell me that while on vacation sailing the BVI, in the third year of looking for the right boat, he came across Sally Anne. Three years! Jim jumps back into saying that, “pretty much every cat we looked at was just too heavily used. Most were old, worn and just over-all, had a tired feeling to them,” he says, explaining his shopping experience. With a little bit of good favor on his side, the charter group where he decided to bareboat from had a broker on site and they had a select few boats for sale. “We had almost given up looking” Jim grins while telling me this. “Once my wife and I had laid our eyes’ on her,” holding his arms out, indicating the boat as a whole, “we knew we wanted her, as long as the surveyor didn’t shoot us down, It was the few boats that did not look like it had survived being adrift in a hurricane” Jim jokingly added.

Luckily, the boat came back with a good report. When it was all said and done, Jim and his wife were able to purchase a boat that was more than 10 feet longer that they ever dreamed they could own. They also got their 4th cabin and are at home on board their latest catamaran. Jim went on to tell me that not everything was perfect. They had to replace many different items on the boat; from new lines, to new heads’ and plumbing and even had to buy a new dinghy and motor. Despite having to dump a bunch of money into his ex-charter fleet boat, Jim told me that he was still able to afford the refit and getting the boat ready for him and his family. This show’s that with some hard work and time, it is possible to find a good buy out there, if you are willing to be patient.

Bottom Line

In the end, it boils down to the purchasing basics’ of anything that is a major buy; be it a car, catamaran or airplane. There are tons of variables that any soon-to-be buyer has to take into account. Make sure to use the resources available to you. Weigh your options. Ask pointed questions, be cynical, and work with a reputable surveyor. Study and research the boat, including its history and maintenance schedule. Look at the purchase as business transaction. When it is all said and over with, you might actually find the catamaran you dreamed of, and a price you won’t lose the wife or sleep over.

Tags Buying Advice

By Hunter Frey

My name is Hunter Frey. I’m a sailor, writer and adventurer. It’s my passion to enjoy life, get the most out of it, and have no regrets. I like to share about the things I learn and experience.

On purchasing an X-charter boat

August 9, 2013

51 Comments

Don’t buy an X-charter boat is often spouted as gospel by those who frequent internet forums. Their reasoning is typically that the boats have been “rode hard and put up wet”, used and abused by their crews or bareboaters and thus will be full of problems to the potential buyer. While there may be some truth in that, purchasing an X-charter boat from a reputable company could offer some benefits.

“If you repeat a lie often enough, it becomes the truth.” Joeseph Goebbels

Before our friend Michael purchased One Love and renamed her, she was named Serendipity and was a bareboat charter vessel in the Moorings fleet. She was in the program for 5 years before being offered for sale by her owner. What many would-be buyers may not know, when a Moorings boat is sold it goes through as extensive Phase Out before the new owner takes possession. The idea is that this is when many of the vessel’s deficiencies are taken care of, and we all know that all boats have issues, new and used.

In our personal case, we had Serendipity professionally surveyed on March 7th, this being a condition of the purchase contract. The survey resulted in a CAOV (conditional acceptance of vessel) which listed 77 items that would need to be addressed before closing on the boat. The Moorings looked at that list and agreed to tend to 76 of those items, the other 1 being attributed to normal wear and tear. 76 out of 77 is pretty good, right? The question is, would they follow through?

As it turned out, the Moorings crew had tackled the vast majority of the items before we even arrived in Tortola. When we did show up at their Phase Out facility in Hodges Creek, we found numerous men at work on the boat, each tending to their own specific items.

With the BVI carnival commencing shortly after we arrived, we ended up in a bit of a time crunch. Having addressed almost all of the items on the CAOV, Michael was under some degree of pressure to sign off on the boat even though we had yet to take her out for a sea trial. It was then that we had to take another leap of faith.

After being encouraged by both the Moorings broker Richard and the chief of the Phase Out team Robert, Michael decided to sign off on the boat and then take One Love out for a week-long shakedown cruise, under the assumption that they would fix any problems that we encountered after carnival. Well, of course we found problems! That was no surprise to any of us. I should point out that Michael signed off on the boat with these questions still in the air even though he was being advised otherwise by several friends. The fact is that we simply believed that the Moorings guys would do what they said they would, making good on their promises.

Throughout the course of the week, we had been in contact with the Moorings through our broker Wiley, letting them know the items that we felt would need to be looked after. When we ultimately showed back up to the Phase Out facility first thing yesterday morning, the guys descended upon the boat like flies, each already having been tasked with certain items on our list. I should point out that while several of the items were no brainers that had to be addressed (gear oil leak from the sail drives), it could have been argued that a few of them were not on our original CAOV and thus wouldn’t be fixed. In spite of that, we received absolutely no grief from the Moorings crew, especially Robert, who had no problem getting his fingers dirty, fixing the odd issue himself while his guys tended to other matters.

I am writing this post while sitting on One Love as she remains tied to the dock at Hodges Creek. There are still one or two things to be addressed this morning and I suspect the guys will be showing up here shortly to resume work. Our experience with purchasing an x-charter boat, specifically one from the Moorings, has been anything but negative. A good thing to remember is that just because you read something on the internet does not make it true.

Multihull info.

August 13, 2009

From sailing to a rickshaw?

December 4, 2014

Doing what we enjoy

September 19, 2014
March 9, 2014

Awesome feedback Mike! I think Moorings sets the standard for phase out operations. When we looked at purchasing a Lagoon 410 back in 2005, I was amazed then at the level of detail Moorings was giving the vessel we were looking at. I say this because I looked at 10-15 boats from Fort Lauderdale all the way down to Le Marin. Nobody else came close to Moorings. So many others had filthy bilges, mold under everything, and were generally unkept. Kudos to Moorings, and we will be working with them again in 18-24 months..

Nice to hear. I am not surprised to find out that we are not alone in our positive experience.

I would like to believe you, but I was just told not to believe everything I read on the Internet… My head is spinning…. I need some rum….

LOL… don’t believe anything, unless is comes from this blog. 🙂

Easy to remember. I like it.

Congratulations to you and Moorings for getting everything fixed. The amazing thing to me is that they had this expensive boat in charter with 77 things wrong with it. Do you have any idea why they did not keep up with at least some of them along the way? Especially if all the fixes were on Moorings dime at the end. Does not give me a warm and fuzzy feeling about chartering from Moorings unless you go with the “new” boat fleet.

We were extremely detailed in our list! I am sure that at least some of the items would have been addressed anyway at the next scheduled maintenance session. Then again, I don’t know exactly how they organize that.

Not surprised. We bareboat chartered with Moorings many times and considered putting a boat in their fleet many years ago. They always delivered what they promised, which kept us coming back.

Nice to hear.

Appreciate the article Mike – I, as I’m sure some of your other readers, are dreaming of the day that we either buy a used charter boat to refit and go cruising, or potentially buy a boat and put it into charter (5 years before a refit and going cruising!). I met someone last March down in the BVI who had just bought his boat (my dream boat – the Leopard 44) through Moorings and had placed it in their fleet for a 5 year term. It was early days, but he was extremely happy with their service and the experience thus far.

Any chance you can post the list of 77 issues? We want to see how picky you are, and how serious the issues were! Also, what was the one item they refused to fix? (you say why, but not what!).

Fair winds, Dyce

The list included everything from replacing mildly chafed lines to re-bedding of hatches/windows to repairing spider cracks in the gelcoat. The item they did not agree to was replacing the shower fixtures which no longer look nice and shiny. We’ll be replacing them on our own dime I guess.

Great post captain Mike, I was hoping hear some of the nitty gritty. Your even getting refit captain experience. I’ve heard over and over that the truth is in the pudding……will this be banana cream? 🙂

Wait until I have to fix all this stuff on my own!

Still dreaming of an X-Yacht 😉

http://www.x-yachts.se/

Good post Mike!

Good info, and yes, contrary to what I believed.

Glad you enjoyed it, Wade.

Mike … Getting 76 out of 77 items addressed without issue sounds awesome. Curious as to what types of things you actually had on the CAOV (any chance list might find its way online). Did you list every deficiency you found and hoped for the best? Are their certain things just expected they will address if pointed out?

Also not asking the price paid but curious as to the percentage of the asking price that was negotiated (if thats not crossing a line) and if you believe that had an impact on what they were willing to repair?

As usual your blog is great and enjoy following you two!!!

Our friend paid 100% of the asking price. He wanted a 4600 and we knew exactly how many were coming on the market out of charter. This one was priced lower than some others and we had it under contract early. I do not think that the selling price had anything to do with how the phase out team treated us. I do think our attitude towards them had a lot to do with it. In other words, we were cool. If you act like a dick, I suspect you’d get treated differently.

As for the list, I mentioned a few items in my answer to another comment. I am not going to post the entire list but it was quite varied. Yes, I suspect they would have fixed a bunch of the stuff even if we hadn’t mentioned it.

Great review! Its nice to see someone take the time to write up something positive on buying an ex-charter boat! If I were in a position to choose either an ex-charter Leopard 46 for $400k, or a private never chartered Leopard 46 for $600K I think I know which direction I would go…

Glad to hear the guys in Tortola are treating you all right!

Kind regards, Wiley Sharp Denison Yacht Sales 561 613 8985 [email protected]

And if WE were going to buy another boat, we’d have you as our broker! 🙂

I will be interested in a review one (1) year into the process to see what (if any) large maintenance issues arise…..I like to always throw the warranty card at the dealer on a new boat…..When buying a new or used, it is more important to buy from the right broker or dealer who see’s the larger picture……I am sure your blog can slightly influence their diligence too….No dealer or broker wants negative factual based problems out there……

While a warrantee is nice in certain situations, especially on a large ticket item, taking advantage of that requires you to be in a spot where they have service people. The warrantees on many smaller items purchased in the US are next to worthless to us as repairs require shipping the item back to the US.

We owned a boat in The Moorings fleet in BVI from March 2000 until phased out and sold in July 2005. The guy we sold it to did his purchaser’s sea trials with us as we did The Moorings phase-out sea trials. Moorings immediately fixed the few items he wanted addressed and our sale was closed the same day. That guy is still sailing that boat in the Caribbean and remains totally pleased with the boat. He did have one issue arise a few weeks after he purchased the boat from us — and Moorings resolved that issue to his satisfaction. Ex-charter boats might be a can or worms but if that boat has been in The Moorings fleet (most especially in the BVI fleet) then it most likely has been well-maintained.

That’s a nice testimonial for them.

Our experience with the phase out of our 463 Beneteau was perfect at Moorings Tortola

We sold it the day phase out was completed. The new owner returned to the Moorings a few weeks later with an issue. It was taken care of. It can’t get any better. Moorings GM, Clarence Malone is the best Charter Boat Base Manager I have ever met.

Another winner. Thanks for sharing.

I’m sure that the fact that the boat is the subject of a high profile blog also helped create a bit of focus on the outstanding issues! 🙂

You would think so, right? And believe me, I tried to play that card in the hope that it WOULD influence them! I don’t think they ever checked our site out though, or really believed me. In fact, I almost had to twist their arms to go to the site and read this post! Now that they have, I suspect they’re pretty happy. 🙂

You may find they add a link to the new owners prospecting page!!

That would be nice.

[…] Click here to view original web page at http://www.zerotocruising.com ← Previous Post […]

I have also heard that if you are to buy an X-Charter boat the only place you should go to is Moorings.

One thing I did hear was that the engine hours on a multi are much higher than engine hours on a mono after a five year charter service. Is that another “heard it on the Internet” rumor that I can scratch off my list?

How many hours did your boat have?

Thanks as always!

[…] Read about the purchase from skipper Michael Sweeney’s perspective on his terrific blog, Zero … […]

Thank You for Writing this, we just purchased a moorings boat today, the survey will be dome next week, we were told by one of our friends at the Marina they saw the staff strippimg down our boat to put the god items on another one that sold a few weeks ago We are hoping that our boat gets all New items. As we will ne getting a deficiency list for sure.

Well, parts do get swapped from one boat to another. Just make sure you have a good surveyor who is not afraid to ask for things to get fixed.

We picked up a Moorings Oceanis 40 from a family that bought it from Moorings and spent a year sailing. All of the very detailed survey items were handled in phase out, down to changing rusted hose clamps in the head sinks. A year later our survey only found two items that had to be repaired, worn spreader roots and non-waterproof bilge pump float switch. I’d buy another boat from Moorings, with a thorough survey of course.

Cheers, RickG

Good comment. Always get a survey, preferably by someone familiar with that brand and model of boat.

I bought a boat from Moorings a few months ago and I can assure you that they did not do many of the things they promised and when I had system failures that they were supposed to have completed they basically said tough luck. My broker, who used to work for Moorings also promised to help and then folded and did nothing. I guess he was more worried about future dealings with Moorings than his clients.

The Moorings failure ended up costing me several thousand dollars and I got nothing from them even though the marina where I had to have it hauled clearly stated they had not replaced the parts they claimed to have replaced.

Sorry to hear that. Curious, where was your boat purchased? When you say they ‘promised” to do something, was it written into the CAOV (Conditional Acceptance of Vessel) or just something you were verbally told and if so, told by who?

You Guys sure make it sound wonderful. Charter boats sit in sun covered in salt and driven like tugboats by lazy charterers that forget they are on a sailing vacation. Also a place like the British Virgin Islands is a very small marine industry community. The brokers, boatyards and surveyors are all joined at the hip. I remember a friend buying a phased out charter boat which was surveyed,; the surveyor (like so many) never went aloft to inspect masthead or rigging. My friend bought into some heavy reapairs and a crooked keel. The crooked keel was never mentioned in the survey conducted by a Tortola surveyor. Oh my, guess the surveyor never eyeballed the keel from astern, or if he did he gave his brokerage friend “a pass”.

And purchasing a private boat would have been better how? You either hire a reputable surveyor or you don’t.

I too purchased a mooring 39i out of the Abacos and had a wonderful experience with them. They even loaned me a dingy for 10 days at no charge after we closed on our boat while we cruised the Abacos! we decided to purchase an ex-charter boat after a long and extensive evaluation between what we wanted, needed, and could afford. Bottom line is we couldn’t touch the price for a similarly sized, year, condition non-charter boat as what we wound up purchasing from the Moorings. That being said it left some room in our budget to upgrade several items to exactly what we wanted and still be way ahead on $$. I have been though the boat from top to bottom and there were several thing (mostly repairs during the boat being in charter) that were not up to snuff, but nothing major. If you understand that you will have to spend some $$ on your ex-charter boat to get it into tip top shape, you will find you are still going to be money way ahead in the end. If you are not familiar with boat and boat systems, it would definitely pay to hire a qualified surveyor for piece of mind and pocket, but don’t use one of the locals!

We contracted to buy a monohull from the Moorings in Abaco in June and it has been a real headache. After a survey and repair list was agreed on, three months later very few of the repairs have been completed, they lied to us that they were and we unfortunately wired the full purchased amount, although have not signed off completely. The surveyor was unable to get to Marsh Harbor because of the impending hurricane Erika, which did not manifest, and when he arrived he found the major repairs were not done. The Base Manager is no where to be seen, spending the next weeks in Florida. We have requested a full refund and are hoping to purchase a boat in BVI. We bought a boat from Moorings St Martin and were very happy with it. Glad to hear BVI has a good rep, unfortunately we can’t say the same about Abaco, we were hoping to base a boat a little closer to home. We are hoping that Moorings will act in good faith and uphold their decent reputation. Will update when this is resolved.

That is unfortunate. Hopefully you’ll have a better experience in the BVI.

I will add this, I wouldn’t trust work to be done ANYWHERE, by any company, on any island, without being around to oversee it.

Thinking of buying a ex-charter power cat from moorings BVI. Was interested in how long it took them to fix the 76 problems.

Thanks, jon

I don’t recall exactly. We took possession around the end of July 2013. If you check the posts following that date you’ll see where I detail what went on. We had the unfortunate situation where our phase out overlapped the BVI carnival. NOTHING happens during carnival in the islands!

I am currently considering a purchase with the moorings on Tortola. Can you tell me who you used for your survey?

Thanks. Joe

Geoff Williams. You should be able to find his website and contact info via Google.

If you are looking to purchase a yacht coming out of charter, AVOID Moorings/Sunsail…anything owned by TUI. Recent experience…my client arranged to purchase a large catamaran in the middle of 2015 (and me to assist returning to US and with acceptance checks). After survey there were a number of issues that the Moorings was to have addressed. In October they assured my client that they couldn’t get the work done in a timely manner in St. Martin, so they were moving the vessel to Tortola to get work done. In December they assured my client that all work was done and he could come down and close the purchase (this on a Friday phone call). When we arrived Sunday afternoon NOT ONE OF THE ITEMS HAD BEEN ADDRESSED!!! After another week of excuses from the Moorings we flew back to the US. Six weeks later we flew back, having been assured by the Moorings that all work had been completed. Same horrible experience…very little had been done and the quality of work that had been done was pathetic (e.g. rewiring of some components…we opened access panels and found wires wrapped together…no butt connectors, no electrical tape…just raw wires wrapped together!!!!). They said they would clean the boat before we got there…they did; used a (high) pressure washer…you can imagine what that did to the seals on windows and ports. Did they offer to address these issues – no.

I have NEVER seen a corporation take such a callous attitude towards a customer. After he finally took delivery of the vessel (still with additional promises to complete work) it was moved over to another marina there in Tortola. No surprise when we met two other couples who had recently purchased vessels from the Moorings/Sunsail – they had the same pitiful experience. This is not a one-time experience.

So, if you are planning to purchase from a TUI owned organization: 1) Have a through survey 2) Do not close on the purchase until all work has been accomplished and inspected 3) Plan on holding back at least 20% of purchase price until all work has been completed to your satisfaction. Consider asking for a project plan for work to be done and adding a penalty clause associated with work being completed on time and meeting a quality standard.

Better yet…buy from someone else.

That sucks, Rick. I could definitely see it though. I was there to “herd the cats,” and even then it took some work to get everything done.

As for your comment about buying from someone else, I’d be surprised if any charter company is better.

Comments are closed.

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21-10-2011, 12:03
Boat: Nothing yet	, or that are about to finish their , that are . Although I am not yet in the market I was wondering if it is a good or bad idea to buy ex . I would not ever consider an ex rental car because they have a reputation of being a bit 'tired', primarily because most drivers don't look after them. Do ex charter yachts suffer the same stigma/fate? Would you have any additional tests/surveys/checks done in the case of a charter yacht, or would you not even consider it? Alternatively, is my perception completely off base and ex charter actually a good idea?

21-10-2011, 12:09
Boat: Alden 50, Sarasota, Florida	here. about the only thing of which you can be certain is that charter boats are generally used more than private boats over equivalent periods so be extra cautious in terms of the most thorough due diligence you can undertake

21-10-2011, 13:32
	is a bit different than a car. The lifespan of a car is pretty much 10-15 years. A , however, is at least quadruple that. In fact, a car beat up in rental fleet can run much longer, but at some point it just doesn't make sense with becoming more an more difficult to find vs buying a newer car...today's cars can run a loong time. With boats, you have the added option of "substitution" possibility. The that came with your charter boat dies a grizzly death, put in a Beta or a . With some modification it will fit. So, I have less hesitation buying a charter yacht vs ex-rental car. That being said, a ex-charter yacht basically lives 20 years of living in the 5 years of it provides. It will need a lot of , especially on things like fabrics, , engines, rudders, keels (lots of groundings and abuse), , , anchors, windlasses, heads, etc. So there is a reason it sells for 40% of a comparable owner model boat...you'll spend and spend getting it up to snuff over the years. is easily $1500...a replacement $10,000 if you have a yard do it. You get what you pay for!! But, if you're handy and can do EVERYTHING yourself...then an ex-charter yacht aint' half bad.

21-10-2011, 13:54
	Survey Survey!! Make sure an expert i.e., a certified , looks over your potential from end to end, inside and out, and in the . Then you will have a good idea of what you will have to do to bring the boat back up to par. Go with him/her to the and ask every question that comes into your . Ask about the , about the , the , the thruhulls &c., there are no dumb questions during a survey. With a complete and exhaustive survey in hand you are in a good position to negotiate with the seller. (You can even ask the what he/she thinks the boat is worth!)

21-10-2011, 14:28
Boat: Leopard 39 Owners Version	.. way to many variables. You just have to look at all the boats and then decide which is in the best shape for the $, whether chartered or privately owned.

21-10-2011, 15:39
Boat: private yacht always moving	for 85k in 1999 it 4 years later for 125K he put next to nothing into it, just sailed the islands for several seasons.

21-10-2011, 15:57
Boat: 31' Cape George Cutter	charter companies them for 5 years then turn them over to the owners. The wear is often not too bad at this point. The good news is that they are usually well maintained; you can probably count on timely changes, etc. The bad news is that they usually have a lot of (often hard) hours on the engine (and everything else). The sails will be nearing their end, and all fabrics and will want replacing. So survey a prospective boat carefully, the needed , consider the amount of your time required, then proceed with caution. I don't see any reason to not go this if it is the right boat and the numbers pencil out. I have friends who have gone this and got a nice boat out of it.

21-10-2011, 16:08
Boat: CS36Merlin, "La Belle Aurore"	. If the is good enough so that you can get it up to scratch and it's still a deal, go for it.

21-10-2011, 16:16

Boat: a sailing boat

21-10-2011, 16:16
Boat: Bruce Roberts 434

21-10-2011, 16:17
Boat: a sailing boat

21-10-2011, 16:25
	of the world, but here in the U.S. the major rental chains take pretty good care of their cars. After almost every rental--which means about weekly--they get washed, waxed if needed, cleaned out, the , , windshield washer, and tire pressure checked. As opposed to most individual owners who probably do all of that stuff once a month at most, and more often something like once a year! Point being that, yeah they get used hard, but they also get cleaned and maintained more often than the average vehicle. I'm willing to bet the same is true of most ex-charter boats. I would not pass over a boat just because it was an ex-charter. I would check it over carefully, get a survey (of course!), and study the market to know what it should be worth--just like I would with any other boat. And then, if it is a good value for the dollar I would consider buying it and not worry one little bit about its past as a charter boat.

21-10-2011, 16:30
Boat: Research vessel for a university, retired now.	to a new or that is already closer to the standards that I prefer.

21-10-2011, 16:37

Boat: a sailing boat

21-10-2011, 17:42
Boat: Beneteau 32.5	by owner than had never been in charter. My charter boat is in much better condition. My charter boat gets used frequently and used hard by people who care less about it than I do. No doubt about that. However, it is also maintained to charter ready standards and has regular . Many boats not in charter are on the market because the previous owner interest in and did not keep up with . One non-charter boat I looked at had the through-hull fracture in the surveyor's hands. My charter boat company would never let their boats deteriorate that much. As an above post indicated, price usually reflects condition. A competitive market encourages that. That's true regardless of whether a boat has been in charter or not.

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Buying a Boat In Croatia: The Complete Beginner’s Guide

Thinking about buying a boat in Croatia? We did and this is everything we learned. This is the complete beginner’s guide to purchasing a boat in Croatia, meaning, it is for beginners, by beginners. It includes everything we learned along the way when buying a boat in Croatia for the first time.

Having spent four years traveling by van , we decided to shake things up a little and try our hand at something new. Sailing the Adriatic. It was an ambitious plan given our limited sailing experience (read: almost none) but one which we were excited to attempt.

The first thing we needed to do was to find a boat, learning to sail was a close second on our to-do list.

Looking at options to rent a boat over a few months to sail the coast of Croatia, Albania, Montenegro, Greece, and Italy, we quickly realized that it would be very expensive to rent. Much like our previous van adventures, it seemed it would be more economical to buy our own second-hand sailboat and sell it after six or seven months at sea.

Can I Buy a Boat in Croatia

Yes! In fact, Croatia is one of the best places to buy a boat, not just because it’s a great place to sail, but because a very busy and very seasonal yachting industry means a large market for boats.

Sailing and cruising are hugely popular in Croatia and it has become one of the most popular boating destinations in the world. With such an established yachting industry, buying a boat, even as a foreigner, has become a relatively typical process (even if it’s not exactly straightforward).

Given how popular sailing is here, it comes as no surprise that there are thousands and thousands of boats in the marinas that line Croatia’s coastline. Moreover, with a huge charter industry, and plenty of international owners, boat turnover is high and there are always lots of different boats for sale to suit any style or budget.

How Much Do Boats Cost in Croatia?

In terms of ready-to-sail boats that won’t require a lot of work to start sailing, you will be looking at anything from €20,000 for smaller boats from the 1980s (what we bought) up to €200,000+ for larger more modern yachts. Of course, you can also find large 50-foot-plus boats that are priced into the millions, but that sort of purchase is well beyond the scope of this post.

Regardless of your budget, you are likely to find great value for money here as there is a large turnover of yachts every season and great bargains to be had if you look hard enough. That being said, when it comes to sailboats, it’s not hard to buy a lemon, and that could be quite a frustrating, expensive, and even dangerous proposition. Make sure you carry out your due diligence when shopping for a boat in Croatia.

Why Are Boats Cheaper in Croatia?

There are a number of factors that make buying a boat in Croatia cheaper.

For one ting, the high volume of boats on the market leads to a buyer’s market.

The ancillary costs of boat ownership are also much cheaper in Croatia as a result of lower living expenses than in many other regions associated with boating. This means administration, maintenance, and other costs such as purchasing marine equipment and resources can be kept lower, offsetting the total cost of buying a boat.

How to Buy a Boat in Croatia

How to buy a boat may seem a bit overwhelming at first, but easily accomplished if you follow these simple steps.

Finding Boats for Sale in Croatia

We started researching well in advance and were glad we did. We had already decided to look for a monohull for our first boat . With a budget of around €20,000, we had to crawl the classifieds for a tidy monohull in good condition, which wouldn’t require too much additional work.

Our aim was to buy a reputable brand above 30 feet long with two or three berths, between 30 and 40 years old. After a couple of inquiries of boats within these parameters and a couple of not so flash boat surveys, we adjusted our wish list slightly.

In the end, we settled for something slightly shorter, a 29-foot Beneteau built-in 1986. It turned out to be the perfect size for the two of us, easy for beginners to handle, and plenty of space for a couple used to live in small spaces. With a slight reduction in length, there was a significant increase in the quality to price ratio of the available boats. We also had to stretch our budget by 20% to afford this particular boat which was in pristine condition with many aftermarket improvements and modern instruments and apparatus included.

We used the online marketplace yachtworld.com to find a boat that suited us. Yachtworld includes listings of both sailboats and powerboats from around the world but primarily in Europe. You can filter by region and specific country, narrowing your search down to boats for sale in Croatia. You can also use parameters like size, age, make, and price to further narrow your search.

Most yachts for sale in Croatia will be listed by yacht brokers, some of the most recognizable names in Croatia are Selymar, Bach Yachting, and Amissani. Buying a boat in Croatia that is listed with a broker provided a level of convenience and security that I can’t imagine you would be able to assure with a private seller.

We enquired about boats listed by Selymar and Bach Yachting, and ultimately purchased a boat listed by Bach Yachting. Although the broker represents the owner, we found the broker, Nina Borić from Bach Yachting, incredibly helpful, communicative, and proactive every step of the way. She supported us through the entire purchase process (and continued to support us well after the transaction was complete). We found the broker so helpful that we decided to list the boat for sale with Nina when we complete our trip.

VAT on Boats in Croatia

What does ‘Taxes’ or ‘VAT’ Paid / Unpaid mean in boat advertisements in Croatia?

As Croatia is in the EU, VAT or sales tax is applicable for personal purchases including boats.

When you are buying from a private seller they should have already paid VAT (though not always, so be sure to check) when they purchased or imported the boat.

However, if you are purchasing a boat previously used by a business such as an ex-charter yacht, they likely would not have paid VAT and it will be payable by the buyer.

VAT is 25% in Croatia so this represents a huge cost component of the final cost.

If you plan to take the boat out of the EU then you can get the VAT refunded, but it is still a large upfront cost and, of course, there may be tax implications when it comes to importing the boat somewhere else.

Choosing an Ex-Charter Boat vs Choosing a Privately Owned Boat in Croatia

We are new to sailing and have only bought this one boat, so we do not pretend to be experts on the matter. But, based on our research and limited experience, we can offer our opinion.

The pros of purchasing ex-charter boats are that they are usually well maintained with the boat, sails, and motor being regularly and properly serviced.

The obvious cons are that ex-charter boats often see more action per sailing season than privately used boats. They will be sailed all season, by people who may not be the most experienced sailors and who do not have a vested interest in taking care of a boat the way a private owner might. This means that charter boats often show more wear and tear than privately owned boats of the same age.

There is also the issue of VAT discussed above.

Purchasing a privately owned boat comes with its own set of risks and advantages too. The risk here is that you buy from a private seller that did not take good care of the boat, allowed issues to fester, and did not regularly and properly maintain their boat.

The pros are that if you can find a boat for sale that has been lovingly cared for, maintained, and updated by one (or two) dedicated owner(s), you will get the best vessel of all. One that hasn’t been flogged by renters, has been properly looked after, and has been updated by an owner who used the boat themselves.

We were lucky enough to find such a boat. The boat had only been used for a couple of months each season and had been lovingly cared for, devoutly maintained, and routinely upgraded. The addition of a powerful bow thruster, offshore navigational instrumentation, solar panels, and wind turbines, and the inclusion of extra equipment like tender, outboard, and two autopilots were great inclusions on such a small and affordable boat.

Organizing Pre-Purchase Survey and Marine Surveyor Croatia

Once you have found some boats that suit your needs and budget, the next step is to arrange a pre-purchase inspection by a qualified marine surveyor. This step is crucial in any boat purchase, but even more so if you plan to buy without seeing the boat yourself. You need to rely on your surveyor to care as much as you do when inspecting the boat for any potential defects. Luckily, there are many competent and qualified surveyors in Croatia.

To find a marine surveyor, you can ask a boat broker to put you in touch with a surveyor, conduct a Google search or ask for recommendations in sailing forums from others that have engaged surveyors in Croatia.

We were referred to a marine surveyor by Sleymar Yacht Brokers to help us look at one boat we were interested in. Initially, we were hesitant to use the recommendation of the broker advertising the boat, but after receiving the CV of the surveyor and talking with him it became immediately clear that he took his job seriously and would provide a thorough and objective assessment of the boat. In the end, he delivered a fair, measured, and detailed report that included hundreds of photos. He gave us his professional interpretation and it was clear that the boat, while a decent project for someone else, would not be suitable for beginners looking for something ready to sail.

When we found our next potential boat, we immediately re-engaged our surveyor and his next report was much more favorable. We made an offer based on his recommendation and were able to secure the boat. The surveyor later returned to conduct the sea trial to ensure the engine, sails and other components that could only be assessed at sea were in good order.

I would love to recommend this particular surveyor here, but unfortunately, he retired shortly after conducting the final sea trial on our boat.

Paying for a Boat in Croatia

As mentioned above, for security and simplicity’s sake it is better to buy a boat through a broker. A reputable broker will make sure everything goes smoothly, the contract is properly executed and proper paperwork is filed. They will hold the deposit and the balance of sale until the contract is executed and provide the new owner with a bill of sale and relevant paperwork.

When it comes time to sign the dotted line and transfer money, the easiest and cheapest way is to transfer from a bank account in the European Union directly to the broker’s holding account. If you don’t have an EU bank account the next cheapest way to transfer money is with Transfer Wise.

Following receipt of the balance, the broker will arrange the finalized contract and bill of sale before transferring the funds to the seller.

How to Register a Boat in Croatia

Before you can sail your new boat must be registered. Either in Croatia or elsewhere.

Like many things regarding public administration here, registering a boat in Croatia is an exercise in bureaucracy.

After learning the requirements of registering a boat in Croatia, we opted to register our boat in Poland instead.

The procedure to register a boat under the Croatian flag, from what we understand, works like this:

Firstly you need to gather copies of the following documents:

A completed boat registration application
A VHF registration application
Contract of sale – translated into Croatian by a court translator
Flag deletion certificate – translated into Croatian by a court translator
Passport(s) of the buyer
CE certificate
Builder plate
An OIB number for all buyers (similar to a social security number)
You need to have a signed and notarized authorization of a Croatian resident that can receive mail on your behalf.

Once you have all the paperwork, you can take it to the harbormaster’s office for evaluation.

THEN you can apply for a survey of the yacht at the Croatian Ship Register. They will need to organize a survey of the boat (out of the water).

In addition to checking the condition of the boat, they will confirm that you have all the necessary safety and navigation equipment onboard necessary for the type of navigation area you plan to register your boat for.

If your boat passes muster, you can pay your registration fees and await the registration documents which can take weeks.

The registration including the survey costs about 2,000 kunas or €250, it also doesn’t include any items you need to purchase or repair to meet registration requirements which can be costly.

The VHF license application costs around 340 kuna or about €45.

Additionally, you will need to pay an ongoing maritime registration fee of 530 kuna or €70 euros per year.

Finally, you will need to spend 1,500 kuna €200 euros or more for the translation of documents.

Alternative Registration Option: Registering a Boat in Poland

Poland allows remote registration of boats by foreigners. At €550 The cost of registration is expensive but comparable to the total cost involved in Croatian registration. Most importantly, the process is much more straightforward and far quicker.

For registration in Poland you will need to gather:

Boat Registration Application
Notarized Contract of Sale
Flag Deletion Certificate
Builders plate
If you have a survey report you can attach this to the application
A photo of the engine

Once you have organized the documents, your best bet is to use an agent to file the application, this will ensure things run smoothly and quickly.

Mitja from HinCo Yacht Services was able to facilitate this process for us.

You should receive an electronic copy of the registration and the original copies in seven to ten days.

The process cost us €550.

What Flags do I Need to Fly on My Boat in Croatia?

The most important flag is the ensign flag. The national flag from the country where the boat is registered should be flown from the stern forestay.

On the starboard spreader, you are required to fly the national flag of the country you are sailing in, in this case, Croatia.

How to insure a Boat in Croatia

Once your boat is registered you can organize insurance.

To sail in Croatia you must have third-party liability.

Organizing third-party insurance is simple.

We organized a quote online through Generali .

You may also wish to organise personal accident insurance (obligatory in some regions)or comprehensive insurance as well.

Obtaining these insurances can be complicated by a range of factors including the age of the vessel, nationality, and address of owners, where the boat is registered, and where you plan to sail.

Your best bet is to find an insurance broker in your country of residence that can help you.

Obtaining a Croatian Vignette

Once the boat is registered and insured you will need to obtain a vignette or permit at the nearest Harbour Master’s Office or its branch office before you can sail in Croatia.

It is best to visit the Harbour Master in the morning during business hours as the Harbour Master is primarily a search and rescue service.

You will need to take:

Original Registration Document (they accepted an electronic version from us but prefer the original)
Identity Card (Passport)
Skipper License
Copy of liability insurance certificate

You should also take other relevant documents such as the bill of sale in case further evidence is required.

Do I Need a Skipper License to Buy a boat in Croatia?

While no one will ask to see your credentials when you buy a boat, you are required to have a license to sail in Croatian waters. You will need a valid boating and navigation license as well as a VHF certificate of competency.

If you are already certified in another country, Croatia recognizes many state-issued marine and nautical licenses. Check out this list of international marine licenses and credentials recognized in Croatia. In some cases, you may be required to obtain a VHF qualification.

Getting a Skippers or VHF License in Croatia

You can obtain a skipper’s license or add a VHF license to your existing qualification in Croatia.

The qualifications available in Croatia are as follows.

Boat Skipper Category A

Is authorized to operate with boats up to 7m with engine power up to 15KW
Navigation areas III and IV

Boat Skipper Category B

Authorized to operate pleasure boats up to 30GT or charter boats up to 30GT without a professional crew

Boat Skipper Category C

Authorized to operate with any kind of boat up to 30GT
Navigation area I, II and all the seas globally

Yacht-Master Categories A and B

Authorized to operate with any kind of boat up to 100GT for A category, and up to 500 for B category
Global navigation

VHF Certificate of Competency

Can be used in conjunction with an existing marine license that does not have a radio component.

To obtain any of the above licenses you will need to sit an exam at one of the Harbour Master’s Offices .

Contact the relevant office to find out dates and times for examinations. Generally, the procedure is to register for the exam a day or two in advance and make payment at a post office or bank.

Many sailing schools in Croatia will help you prepare for these exams with theoretical and practical teaching. If you use a school they will also take care of organizing the exam.

I already had a marine license issued in Queensland Australia and only needed to add the VHF certificate. This required me to learn how to operate a VHF, with DSC. I had to familiarize myself with the controls, learn how to make regular radio calls and distress calls, learn the phonetic alphabet and numerals, learn how to report location using longitude and latitude and memorize Croatian VHF channels and emergency telephone numbers.

I was able to find everything out online and teach myself. The exam itself was very short and consisted of a brief interview where I was asked to make a distress call, spell my name using the phonetic alphabet, and recite the Croatian Maritime search and rescue number (195).

Keeping a Boat in Croatia

If you choose to keep your boat in Croatia you will be spoilt for choice when it comes to marinas. The country must have more marinas per capita than anywhere else on the planet (don’t fact-check me on that).

Our advice when it comes to keeping a boat in Croatia is to use one of the smaller marinas on the islands or small villages along the coast and steer clear of the large city marinas.

The marinas outside of major ports are cheaper, less busy, and with less strict regulations. On the downside, it may be slightly more inconvenient to reach your boat.

What Documents Do I Need To Have on My Boat In Croatia?

Before you start sailing in Croatia, make sure you have the following list of documents on board.

Certificate of the skipper’s competence in boat handling (licenses)
Certificate of the third-party insurance policy
Certificate of ownership or authorization for the use of vessel issued by the owner
Maritime information chart

If you are staying on anchor, outside of marinas you will also need to pay a nautical tourist tax. This can now be paid online and ranges from around €12 for smaller boats staying a few days up to a maximum of €800 for an annual tax for larger boats

If you are exiting or entering the country you will also need to check-in or check out at the Harbour Master closest to your point of entry or exit. Here you can obtain a certified crew list and passenger list.

Learn to Sail in Croatia on Your Own Boat

For us, buying the boat was only step one. Without any prior experience, we had to learn how to sail, from the beginning. Rather than going to a sailing school and paying to join a large group, we decided to find an instructor who would teach us how to sail on our boat.

After talking to a number of sailing schools, we found the most flexible, practical, and helpful to be Marlin Sailing in Zadar, conveniently located near our boat. The brothers behind Marlin, Dario and Saša, created a custom training plan for us that worked around our busy work schedule and was designed to get us from novices to novices who wouldn’t get into too much trouble in just ten days.

Rather than long days of sailing in one direction, we drilled docking, anchoring, more docking, sailing, docking, navigation, docking, securing shorelines, and docking again. They showed us the ins and outs of our engine and instructed us in emergency procedures and essential local information such as the weather patterns of Croatia and tips for surviving the busy summer.

Additionally, they advised us on necessary gear and boat improvement and even took us to the marine store, hardware, and rope store to help us with our shopping list.

What’s more, as professional instructors they taught us in such a way that our knowledge was built up every day, rather than overwhelm us with information. In just ten days they left us alone with our boat on the island of Iž, confident in our ability to begin practicing and learning on our own.

Should you be looking for beginner instruction, an introduction to sailing in Croatia, or just help with navigating the purchase process, reach out to Dario from Marlin, and tell him Eddie and Kelli sent you!

Whether or not you use Marlin, if you do decide to look for instruction or assistance, our advice would be to get on the phone with a couple of companies and feel out the one that most wants to work with you to deliver your required outcomes, and who you think will be a good fit in term of teaching style and attitude.

Hopefully, you have found this information on buying a sailboat in Croatia useful. If you have a question or a comment, please let us know below!

Want to save this guide to buying a boat in Croatia? Pin it!

Out of a love of travel we met in a hostel in Estonia, one snowy Christmas night. Eighteen months later, we quit our day jobs in search of a more nomadic life style together.

Five years later, we are still traveling. Between us we have explored more than 80 countries, undertaken countless #vanlife adventures in more than 12 countries on 4 different continents. Most recently we have been learning to sail on our little boat whisper in the Mediterranean, falling in love with sailing and the live aboard lifestyle. While we travel and work work remotely as digital nomads.

Through this website and our vlog we hope to share some of the things we learn about the off-the-beaten path destinations we visit, about van life, sail life and working remotely from the road.

We are the Vanabonds, these are our tales.

Eddie & Kelli

22 Comments

thanks a lot for your detailed information. it is very helpful. can you tell me how did you go through the sailing courses and certificates. i am interested to take a week course to see if it is something for me or not. can you. recommend a good school in croatia. tks a lot

In Croatia, I have taken courses with Academia Navelis Adriatia (ANA) on Muerter and they were quite good.

There are lots of schools in Croatia, look for one that is RYA ceritfied so you can take a standardized course.

Let me know if you have any other questions!

it was great to read through this article – very helpful. But you spent nowhere near enough time on the berth issue. Finding a berth – in my experience so far – is the largest issue to overcome. (It’s no use having a boat if you have nowhere to put it)….Would really appreciate some more help/advice on this issue.

I’m, glad you found the article helpful.

Our experience has been different, we did not have too much difficulty finding a variety of options for mooring throughout Croatia.

Nevertheless happy to try to answer any specific questions you have (you can post them here or email us directly at [email protected] ). I’ll also go back through the article and see if there’s some detail I can add to this topic.

Thanks for your comments.

Fair winds,

Great article many thanks.

Do you have any additional details on the Queensland Marine Licence they accepted in Croatia. Was it simply the RMDL (Recreational Marine Drivers Licence)?

From a fellow Queenslander.

Hi Allan! Yep just the Queensland RMDL.

To be safe and make it look official I printed a copy of the Marine licence verification certificate which cost me $7.90 here: https://www.service.transport.qld.gov.au/checkmarinelicence/public/Welcome.xhtml?dswid=5103 and showed that to harbour master along with the table of accepted licenses provided by the MMPI (Croatian Ministry of Transport) you can find it here https://mmpi.gov.hr/UserDocsImages/dokumenti/MORE/More%205_21/TABLICA%20MoU%20ENGL%2010-5_21.pdf (they were surprised to see this document and asked me to show them where I had found it)

The most important question is how much is marina per year. Maybe also insurance and other maintenance cost.

Hi Piotr, you’re absolutely right this is an important question so we gave this question its own post, check it out here https://thevanabondtales.com/the-cost-of-living-on-a-sailboat-full-time/

So how does one get the VAT refunded? I’ve seen a lot of articles on how to buy a boat abroad etc but none cover the topic of how to get the VAT refunded on a boat.

Good question,

As far as I know, if you are buying a second-hand boat from a private owner who has paid VAT, I don’t think you can get the VAT refunded.

If you buy the boat without VAT, from a charter company for example, and you are planning to take it out of the country within a short time frame (I believe 60 days) you can ‘buy for export’. You will need to sail out of the country, and likely need to pay the import fee wherever you are taking it.

This is my understanding but I would definitely check with a local broker or someone who has gone through the process before.

Hope that helps let me know if you have any other questions about the process!

What a big switch to go from van life to boat life. Congrats. You will certainly have lots of stories to tell.

It is definitely a change, but we are up for the challenge. Learning to sail is not quite as easy as learning to drive.

Wow! What an adventure this will be. A great guide for anyone wanting to buy a boat and go on a sailing adventure. Bon Voyage!

An adventure indeed. Thanks for reading!

While I have no intensions of buying a boat in Croatia anytime soon, this is quite the ultimate guide to do so.

You never know where life might take you, a year ago I would have said the same thing!

That is so good that you shared your first hand experience here.

Thanks for reading!

Wow this is such a comprehensive article on buying a boat, I love all the detail you put into it… also loved the tour around the boat..it has always intrigued me about the cost… and is it worth it, I’ll have to get back to you on that as I do like my luxury…ha ha Happy Sailings

We have only been on the boat a month but so far we think it is worth it. We will see!

Very good article! I will send you some questions privately. This article was very well thought out and gave very valuable information.

Hi Claudine, I am glad you found it helpful! By all means, send through your questions and we will do our best to help.

Find your Harbour

Members' area., other pages, your account, buying an ex charter yacht.

Thinking of buying a yacht in Greece? There are bargains to be had, especially at the end of the yacht charter season. But there are pitfalls to be aware of too.

The majority of Greek yachts listed with brokers are former charter yachts, known as Greek professional yachts . Some people shy away from them, believing it equivalent to buying a second-hand vehicle from a car hire firm. Not all charter yachts are ill-used or poorly maintained.

In fact, a lot of the professional yachts in Greece are owned by individuals rather than yacht charter companies. The owners charter them out in order to benefit from VAT and other tax advantages.

Often the owner will charter for the minimum number of days required to retain professional status and cover the annual mooring and maintenance costs of the yacht.

If you are prepared to spend time looking around you will find a big difference in the appearance of yachts of the same age, with some looking 'tired' from heavy use while others seem years younger.

Having found a yacht you want to buy you should have it surveyed by a professional surveyor. It is not unknown for a charter yacht to suffer major hull damage, be patched up by an unscrupulous owner, and then offered for resale.

"Buyer Beware" should certainly be your motto.

A survey will not only protect you from buying a boat with technical problems but it is also required by most insurance companies. You will pay 500 - 1500 Euro for a survey.

99% of Greek professional yachts are Greek-flagged. If the boat is flagged in another country then the rules of that country will apply and you need advice from a qualified broker.

If you are not a Greek citizen or an E.U. citizen resident in Greece you will need to change flag if the boat is intended for private use. You can keep Greek flag if you have a yacht charter business in Greece.

SALES PRICE

We were once advised never to pay a Greek the price he asks for anything, as he will always expect you to bargain...

This is certainly true when it comes to boats. You should be able to negotiate down from the initial asking price. A good survey may give you ammunition for this, as few used boats will be without any defects.

The surveyor should be able to advise you what the 'going rate' is for the type of yacht you are interested in.

Some brokers in Greece do not work on a fixed commission basis. They will agree a price with the owner that he/she will accept. They then try to obtain as high a price as possible from the purchaser. Their commission is the difference. The extra they add to the 'owner's price' can be quite considerable and leaves plenty of scope for negotiation.

Greek professional yachts will have been purchased VAT exempt. If you are an E.U. national, you will be required to pay VAT on the current value of the yacht in addition to the purchase price.

The VAT rate in Greece is 19% but often you can negotiate with the Seller and it is not unknown for deals to be reached where you pay only an additional 5% and the Seller handles the payment of the remaining VAT.

You may be exempted from payment of VAT if you are involved in commercial activity that includes yacht chartering.

If you are not an E.U. Citizen you will not need to pay the outstanding VAT, but you will require the yacht to be custom cleared from the E.U. This takes several days and costs about 600 Euro.

TYPICAL PURCHASE PROCEDURE

Having found a yacht, you negotiate a price with the broker and reach an agreement. You should be supplied with an inventory for the yacht so you know exactly what is included in the sale.

You need a solicitor to act for you during the sale. Your solicitor will protect you by ensuring that there are no encumbrances or debts on the yacht, and that the ownership situation and titles are clear.

The solicitor will prepare an M.O.A. (Memorandum of Agreement) stating all the details of the transaction, including terms, dates and payments, and what comes with the boat. This Memorandum should be conditional on a survey. The M.O.A. is signed by both Buyer and Seller.

You arrange a survey of the yacht and, on the basis of this, either agree the price, re-negotiate, or in some cases the wisest action may be to walk away!

You normally pay a deposit of 10-20% of the purchase price to your solicitor as soon as possible in order to have a legally binding agreement. Your solicitor will pay this to the seller after all the necessary documents have been handed over to him.

You must send the balance of the purchase price to the solicitor in time to comply with the provisions negotiated when drafting the Memorandum of Agreement. The solicitor will pay the full purchase price to the seller only after he has made sure that all legal and tax requirements have been taken care of by the seller and after all required documents have been handed over to him by the seller.

As part of the sales process the yacht will be deleted from the Greek registry. Upon deletion an official ownership certificate will be issued from the Hellenic Registrar of Shipping. The certificate will confirm that the boat is free from encumbrances and liens.

In the meantime you can arrange registration for the boat in your country.

After completion of all the paperwork you can take over your boat here in Greece or you can arrange to have it delivered to wherever you intend to keep her.

You can only sail your yacht after a Bill of Sale has been issued and officially signed by both Seller and Buyer and the Deletion Certificate has been issued. Buying a yacht can be a fairly lengthy and bureaucratic process here in Greece but many of the procedures are there to safeguard your interests and ensure the yacht is free of debts or any other financial burdens.

Do not be tempted to take any shortcuts or accept any bits of paper presented to you by an eager seller supposedly to speed up the process.

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Thinking of buying an ex-charter yacht in Greece?

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Thinking of buying a yacht in Greece? There are good bargains to be had here, especially in the autumn at the end of the charter season. But there are pitfalls to be aware of too.

The majority of boats listed with brokers here are ex-charter yachts, known as Greek professional yachts . Some people shy away from ex-charter yachts, believing it equivalent to buying a second-hand vehicle from a car hire firm. While a single private owner may keep a yacht in better condition, not all charter yachts are hammered or poorly maintained.

In fact, what most people don’t realise is that a lot of the professional yachts in Greece are owned by individuals not by charter companies. The owners must charter them out for a certain number of days each year in order to benefit from VAT and other advantages given to professional yachts.

Often the owner will charter for the minimum number of days to retain professional status and to cover the annual mooring and maintenance costs of the yacht.

If you are prepared to spend time looking around you’ll find a big difference in the appearance of yachts of the same age, with some looking ‘tired’ from heavy use while others seem years younger.

FINDING A SUITABLE YACHT

A search on the Internet will bring up numerous websites with yachts for sale in Greece.

A company that we have recently dealt with and found good are:

Seahorse Yacht brokers – http://www.seahorse.gr/

If you have bought a yacht in Greece and would recommend the broker please let me know and I will add them here.

Having found a yacht you want to buy I strongly recommend that you have it surveyed by a professional surveyor. It is not unknown for a charter yacht to suffer major hull damage, be patched up by an unscrupulous owner, and then offered for resale with no mention of the damage.

“Buyer Beware” should certainly be your motto.

If you are not knowledgeable about boats a survey is essential.

A survey will not only protect you from buying a boat with technical problems but it is also required by most insurance companies.

You will find a list of surveyors here – http://www.ydyachts.com/survey.php

Surveys cost from 500 – 1500 Euro. There can be major difference in price between surveyors so check what they offer you and what comeback you have if they miss a major defect.

99% of Greek professional yachts are Greek-flagged.

If the boat is flagged in another country then the rules of that country will apply and you need advice from a qualified broker.

If you are not a Greek citizen or an EU citizen resident in Greece you will need to change flag if the boat is intended for private use.

You can normally keep Greek flag if you intend to set up a charter business in this country.

SALES PRICE

We were once advised never to pay a Greek the price he asks for anything, as he will always expect you to bargain…

The surveyor should be able to advise you what the ‘going rate’ is for the type of yacht you are interested in.

We have heard that some brokers in Greece do not work on a fixed commission basis. They will agree a price with the owner that he/she will accept. They then try to obtain as high a price as possible from the purchaser. Their commission is the difference. The extra they add to the ‘owner’s price’ can be quite considerable.

Greek professional yachts will have been purchased VAT exempt. If you are an EU national, you will be required to pay the VAT in addition to the purchase price.

The VAT rate in Greece is 19% but often you can negotiate with the Seller and it is not unknown for deals to be reached where you pay only an additional 5% and the Seller handles the payment of VAT.

You may be exempted from payment of VAT if you are involved in commercial activity that includes boat chartering.

If you are a non E.U. Citizen you won’t need to pay the outstanding VAT, but you will require the yacht to be custom cleared from the E.U. This takes several days and costs about 600 Euro.

TYPICAL PURCHASE PROCEDURE

Having found a yacht, you negotiate a price with the broker and reach an agreement. You should be supplied with an inventory for the yacht so you know exactly what is included in the sale.

The M.O.A. will be signed by both Buyer and Seller.

You arrange a survey of the yacht and, on the basis of this, either agree the price, re-negotiate, or in some cases the wisest action may be to walk away!

In the meantime you can arrange registration for the boat in your country.

After completion of all the paperwork you can take over your boat here in Greece or you can arrange to have it delivered to wherever you intend to keep her.

HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE?

When we bought Valentine the process seemed to take forever! Brokers we have spoken to give around 5 weeks as the duration of the purchase process from signing of the M.O.A. to deletion from the Greek Registry. However, I think these may be Greek weeks and a little longer than elsewhere!

You can only sail your yacht after a Bill of Sale has been issued and officially signed by both Vendor and Buyer and the Deletion Certificate has been issued. Buying a yacht is a fairly lengthy and bureaucratic process here in Greece but many of the procedures are there to safeguard your interests and ensure the yacht is free of debts or any other financial burdens.

Do not be tempted to take any shortcuts or accept any bits of paper presented to you by an eager seller supposedly to speed up the process.

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A superyacht captain shares 3 things people who want to charter a luxury vessel should know

Vacationing on a superyacht may sound like it's all Champagne and sunbathing.
But before boarding a luxury vessel, superyacht captain Kelly Gordon advises keeping certain things in mind.
Yachting is a summer pastime with risks and nuances for clients and crew.

Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez soaking up the sun. Travis Barker and Kourtney Kardashian's wedding . Beyoncé's carefree jump into the ocean.

One of these images is likely what comes to mind when you hear the word "superyacht," a phrase generally used to describe a yacht over 80 feet in length.

While ultra-luxurious vessels are associated with all things carefree, tragic events such as the sinking of the Bayesian superyacht off the coast of Sicily on Monday is a reminder that yachting is a pastime with unique risks and nuances. It's unclear what the protocols were on the Bayesian.

For those keen on the idea of chartering a superyacht, captain Kelly Gordon, 42, told Business Insider there are a number of important factors to consider before hopping on board.

Gordon fell in love with yachting after she stepped aboard a yacht for the first time in her mid-20s.

Hellbent on reaching captain level, Gordon quickly worked her way up the chain of command. She's spent most of her time sailing the Bahamas and the Caribbean and is now based in Florida, where she works as a captain on a 108-foot-long privately owned vessel.

Gordon, who has over 12,600 followers on Instagram , shares three factors to keep in mind before boarding a chartered superyacht.

Think of the process of chartering a superyacht as buying a house

One of the most important things to do when chartering a superyacht is to work with a charter broker, Gordon says.

"The charter manager's job is to No. 1: find you a safe boat," Gordon said, adding that in her experience, "Not all programs put safety as high up on the list as it should be."

She also likes to equate charter brokers to Realtors in that they take on the role of finding you the best option for your taste.

Find a crew that is competent and prioritizes safety

Charter brokers also help match clients with a competent crew that prioritizes safety.

"I don't know that many people realize just how much their life is in our hands when we cast those lines and we go to sea," Gordon said.

Part of that is having a safety briefing, which Gordon carries out every time she welcomes clients onto a chartered vessel before leaving a dock.

A thorough safety briefing includes informing clients about the location of safety equipment and lifejackets and the procedures for events such as a fire, a person falling overboard, or the boat sinking.

"You should have a safety briefing, and if you don't get one, you should ask for one," Gordon said.

The process, she added, can be different on privately owned yachts, where passengers may be familiar with the vessel.

The Bayesian is a private yacht owned by tech tycoon Mike Lynch; it's not yet known what kind of safety protocols staff and guests were trained on.

Make sure there's a member of the crew on watch 24/7

"A lot of charter guests think when they go to sleep, the crew goes to sleep," Gordon said.

But that shouldn't be the case, she added. "You want to be on a boat knowing that someone's up, because if the weather changes or the anchor starts to drag, you need somebody that's up and ready to go and get everybody else to handle it."

Among the biggest weather risks are tornados, which can be extremely difficult to predict and prepare for whether you're on land or at sea.

"I'm from the Midwest, where tornados pop up," Gordon said. "It's hard to see a tornado coming, and if you do see it coming, the tornado goes where it wants to go."

Most often, that leaves people near the weather event with just minutes to ready themselves, which is even trickier "in the middle of the night."

While rapid changes in weather are tough to contend with, Gordon recommends researching the areas you are sailing in beforehand, like you would when visiting a new country.

"It's no different than if you're going on vacation on land," she said. "You want to know where you're going. Don't put that just all on the crew."

While the research doesn't have to be as extensive as the crew should be doing, it's important to still be "responsible for your own self as well as your family and your guests."

Watch: Why it costs $1 million a day to run one of the world's biggest cruise ships

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How to charter a Below Deck superyacht

Want to know how much it would cost to charter one of the luxury superyachts featured on US hit TV series Below Deck ? We take a look inside Below Deck ’s famous superyachts that you can charter for yourself, and find out what they have to offer charter guests on board.

Northern Sun

The star yacht of Below Deck Down Under season two, the 50.8-metre Northern Sun (originally delivered as Hokko Maru ) has lived a full and fascinating life. She was the largest yacht built by Narasaki Shipbuilding at the time and worked as an ice-class research vessel, analysing marine life and ocean currents in the North Japan Sea. As a result, she has the hardy constitution of an explorer, transformed from ship to superyacht under the stewardship of her new owners.

Northern Sun’s main deck is now dedicated entirely to entertainment, from the al fresco dining area to the main saloon with its piano and games table. Other leisure highlights include gym equipment, a dedicated library on the lower deck and an outdoor Jacuzzi, surrounded by sun pads and lounge beds. The owners’ addition of a forward seating area during her refit allows for versatile recreation, whether the mood calls for cocktail parties or quiet, waterside contemplation.

Accommodation is for up to 12 guests across six cabins, with rich, warm interiors that feature natural materials such as narra and makore wood (commonly known as cherry mahogany). The ex-explorer also – naturally – has impressive stowing capacity. She's able to carry two Laser sailboats, scuba-diving equipment, a waterski and a two-deck-high inflatable water slide, with the broker describing her as a "family-orientated" vessel.

Charter cost: Northern Sun is managed for charter by Ocean Independence with a weekly charter rate starting from $161,700.

More about this yacht

Yachts for sale, yachts for charter.

60 metre Benetti motor yacht St David is the star of the tenth season of Below Deck, returning to the Caribbean with beloved Captain Lee. A finalist at the 2009 World Superyacht Awards , St David is a full-custom yacht with both interior and exterior design by British studio Winch Design .

She has made appearances at a number of high-profile events such as the Cannes Film Festival and has been spotted at various locations around the world including the Seychelles, Red Sea and Abu Dhabi. Accommodation is for 12 guests in six cabins, with a split-level master suite that lets in plenty of light.

A palatial theme characterises St David ’s social spaces, with features including a generous skylounge and a spiral staircase that leads through all three decks and is lit by a skylight in the spa pool of the sun deck. Elsewhere, St David has expansive water toy facilities and storage, including scuba dive gear, a new 7.2m tender, new Waverunners, and an electric foiling surfboard.

Charter cost: St David is managed by Morley Yachts with a weekly charter rate starting from €325,000.

The star of Below Deck Mediterranean season seven, 49.8 metre Home is the first “green” superyacht to appear on the show. Featuring a ground-breaking combination of a super-efficient Fast Displacement Hull Form by Van Oossanen Naval Architects with power provided by a hybrid propulsion system, Home boasts reduced emissions and fuel costs for the eco-conscious charter guest.

Defined by a distinctive vertical bow and large expanses of glass, Home was penned by Omega Architects and launched by Heesen in 2017. Her interiors, designed by Cristiano Gatto in a modern “Ibiza style”, can accommodate up to 12 guests in six cabins including a full-beam master cabin with a dedicated dressing room and a private office. There is also room for nine members of Below Deck crew on board, including Captain Sandy who has returned to the helm for the seventh season while Home is cruising the coasts of Malta .

The main socialising spot is up on the sundeck, complete with a Jacuzzi and sit-up bar, a shaded lounge and protection from the elements provided by glass screens. Closer to the water, a beach club with an air-conditioned gym is situated next to the swimming platform from which guests can launch the water toys including SeaBobs, Hoverboards, E-foils, Jet Skis and a Flyboard. Home also carries gear for scuba diving, waterskiing and wakesurfing for guests to make the most of their time on board.

Charter cost: Home is managed for charter by Burgess with a weekly charter rate starting from $245,000.

Sailing under her own name around the South Pacific islands of French Polynesia on Below Deck’s sixth series, the 56.4 metre My Seanna (now Starship ) was built by Delta Marine in 2000 and refitted in 2014. The Glade-Johnson designed superyacht reappeared again for season eight, where she was filmed cruising in Antigua. She is now starring in the latest season of the show, season nine, following her recent sale .

Key features include an open air Jacuzzi surrounded by an al fresco drinks bar, a gym, a sauna room, a helipad and a spacious beach club complete with a lounge, flatscreen TV and a small galley for preparing snacks or drinks. Her opulent interiors can accommodate up to 12 guests and 11 crew and even offer a home cinema and piano for entertaining in the main saloon. There are multiple toys carried on board as well, including gear for diving and spearfishing, Seabobs and equipment for underwater filming.

“The thing that I really love about My Seanna is the spacious cabins” says Worth Avenue retail charter broker, Shannon McCoy, who has appeared on episodes of Below Deck . She describes My Seanna as a “well-appointed yacht with a good collection of toys for the guests to enjoy,” offering an excellent layout with a variety of spaces that allows charterers “to have breakfast in a different place every morning or enjoy dinner whether it's outside under the sun or in the formal dining area.”

Charter cost: Starship is managed for charter by Worldwide Boat with a weekly charter rate starting from $275,000.

Lady Michelle

Sailing under her real name, Lady Michelle was the star of the sixth series of Below Deck Mediterranean , which was the latest series from the Med spin off. The 54.8 metre Benetti superyacht is the second biggest yacht ever to feature on the show, following just behind the 56.2 metre motor yacht The Wellington from season five. During season six Lady Michelle hosted charter guests in Ibenik, Croatia with Captain Sandy behind the helm.

First delivered in 2003, Lady Michelle features accommodation for up to 14 guests including a split-level master suite with its own panoramic observation lounge. Her Stefano Natucci interiors offer indoor and al fresco dining spaces, an expansive sundeck with a hot tub and dedicated gym. There’s also a range of toys at the guests’ disposal, from Jet Skis and Seabobs to fishing gear and a waterslide.

Charter cost: Lady Michelle is managed by Burgess with a weekly charter rate starting from $325,000.

The Wellington

Actually named The Wellesley , this 56.2 metre Oceanco superyacht is owned by property magnate and hotelier Khalid Affara and named after his luxury art deco hotel in London. Delivered in 1993, The Wellesley features extended deck spaces and Donald Starkey -penned interiors that replicate the grandeur of the eponymous Knightsbridge hotel. Highlights on board include a waterfall jacuzzi, an outdoor cinema for movies under the stars and a unique private club-style lounge complete with a Winston Churchill inspired cigar room.

Describing why she makes an excellent charter yacht, James Graham-Cloete, director of charter management from TWW Yachts , says that The Wellesley is “ideal for entertaining family and friends, or hosting corporate events in utter privacy,” thanks to the fact that she “boasts some of the largest open deck spaces of any 56 metre on the water.” Graham-Cloete also adds that, on The Wellesley , “guests are invited to experience the same exceptional personal service, fine dining and attention to detail that has become synonymous with the hotel, on board a private superyacht,” while being looking after by her 14 crew members. “The crew have one of the lowest turnover rates in the industry and one of the best charter records, along with a full-time masseuse on board- making her the ultimate charter yacht!” says Graham-Cloete.

Charter cost: The Wellesley is managed by TWW Yachts with a weekly charter rate starting from €230,000.

Talisman Maiton

Built in 2006 by Turquoise Yachts , with a refit in 2012, the 54.2 metre Talisman Maiton sailed the coasts of Italy in the third series of Below Deck Mediterranean and was also captained by Sandy Yawn. Key features include a generous open plan sun deck with a forward-facing Jacuzzi and bar, al fresco dining spaces and a gym. Inside, she features six individually styled cabins for her 12 guests – including a master suite with its own private office – complemented by a sumptuous interior inspired by a combination of Asian and Art Deco influences. Her toy box is filled with snorkelling and fishing gear, Jet Skis and more for guests to enjoy while on board.

Charter cost: Talisman Maiton is managed by Burgess with a weekly charter rate starting from €273,000.

The 47 metre Heesen -built superyacht Sirocco took centre stage in both the second and fourth series of Below Deck Mediterranean and introduced captain Sandy Yawn, who has become a returning cast member on the show. Launched in 2006 with a refit in 2013, Sirocco features a dark blue hull and was designed inside and out by Omega Architects . She accommodates up to 12 guests and nine crew and offers charterers an eight person Jacuzzi, a gym, plenty of al fresco entertainment areas and a well-stocked toy box comprising Jet Skis, a waterslide and gear for wakeboarding or waterskiing. Worth Avenue retail charter broker Shannon McCoy describes Sirocco as a “very, very popular charter yacht” and with her fleet of water toys and pedigree Heesen design, provides “an excellent platform for a great time at sea.”

Charter cost: Sirocco is managed for charter by Worth Avenue with a weekly charter rate starting from €195,000.

Ionian Princess

Appropriately named for the first season of Below Deck Mediterranean , which was set in Greece, the 45.7 metre Christensen -built yacht was captained by Mark Howard during filming. Launched in 2005 and last refitted in 2016, Ionian Princess features a luxurious Greek-style inspired interior finished with high-gloss sapelle mahogany joinery and custom in-laid stonework throughout. Ionian Princess can host up to 12 guests in six cabins, including two master cabins, and also boasts plentiful dining options and a sundeck equipped with a hot tub and sunpads. She also comes with a fleet of water toys from waterskiing and wakeboarding kit to Jet Skis and kayaks. Thanks to her shallow draft, she can also access hard-to-reach hidden gems in the Mediterranean Sea that other larger yachts aren’t able to. “ Ionian Princess is ideally suited for cruising the Mediterranean, which is the most sought-after region for summer yacht charters,” says her management team at charter brokers Northrop & Johnson.

Charter cost: Ionian Princess is managed by Northrop & Johnson with a weekly charter rate starting from $175,000.

Parsifal III

Parsifal III has been the star of the sailing yacht spin off of Below Deck , captained by Glenn Shephard during filming. The 54 metre Perini Navi was launched in 2005 and was designed by Rémi Tessier . She was most recently refitted in 2020, and offers accommodation for a total of 12 guests and nine crew. Her design has seen her scoop a number of World Superyacht Awards and provides her with excellent performance capabilities at sea; when the weather is on your side, Parsifal III can hit speeds of up to 18 knots under sail. While at anchor, there is still plenty to keep guests entertained with a variety of al fresco and indoor dining spaces, a flybridge hot tub, gym equipment, a swimming platform and a fully-stocked toybox.

Charter cost: Parsifal III is managed for charter by Camper & Nicholsons with a weekly charter rate starting from €195,000.

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Breaking news, everyone’s favorite recycled good isn’t as eco-friendly as they think it is: study.

The glass isn’t always greener.

Thought you were being green by buying glass containers? Think again. This so-called eco-friendly vessel component is far less sustainable than people believe, according to scientists at the University of Amherst in Massachusetts.

“Despite glass being idealized as being the most sustainable, other packaging types may be more sustainable,” authors wrote in the study published last month in the journal Sustainability.

Unfortunately, many view glass as synonymous with sustainability as well as cost-efficiency.

The researchers surveyed 850 adult customers on their ideal orange juice packaging, finding that most preferred a $1.10, 12-ounce glass bottle that’s locally produced and labeled 100% recyclable, Food & Wine Magazine reported.

This was followed by carton, aluminum and plastic containers, per a recent press release.

“Glass was the most sought-after and most highly esteemed packaging type,” said Nomzamo Dlamini, the paper’s lead author. “But it turns out, glass is actually among the least sustainable if you look at the whole packaging lifecycle.”

The team arrived at this conclusion by comparing the packaging process for glass, carton, aluminum and plastic.

They found that while the sustainability of food packaging differs depending on the contents, vessel size and weight, and other factors, carton reigns supreme when it comes to single-serving orange juice.

Clocking in second for sustainability was plastic, followed by canned, and finally, glass, shattering perceptions that the latter is king.

Also contrary to plastic’s planet-killing reputation , the petroleum product’s “production and end-of-life impacts” are less than glass’s, and it’s lighter and therefore demands less energy to transport, per the study.

Not to mention that the steam-based sealing process employed with plastic containers requires less energy than the retort system used for glass.

Ultimately, the paper concludes that while “packaging choices contribute to environmental outcomes, the most impactful and practical way consumers can contribute to sustainability efforts is to reduce or avoid food waste.”

Yachting World

Digital Edition

Buying a yacht: hassle-free shared ownership schemes

Will Bruton
June 10, 2022

Shared yacht ownership schemes have seen unprecedented demand over the past two years. To prospective yacht owners who are short on time and want to sail regularly with all the maintenance taken care of, it sounds an appealing prospect. But how does it really work in practice?

Neatly coiled lines, highly polished stainless steel and a sense of order tends to grace berths in marinas serving professionally maintained yachts, seemingly in a permanent state of readiness for their owners. However much of a hands-on sailor you might be, there is something undeniably appealing about having everything taken care of.

Shared ownership schemes

The appeal of owning a yacht is obvious, but ownership itself can be time consuming. In today’s time-poor environment, it is far from surprising that access to ready-to-go yachts, with sailing days booked online, is proving more popular than ever.

James Walker took ownership of FlexiSail last year. A naval architect by training, he divides his time between designing yachts and running FlexiSail. He believes he now understands what an increasing number of sailors want, and it doesn’t involve full ownership and the responsibilities that go with it.

FlexiSail yachts on their moorings waiting and ready to go. Photo: Flexisail

“What we offer to the market is a clear contrast to regular yacht ownership that’s defined by its transparency. A fixed cost, everything included, nothing hidden. Anyone that’s ever owned a yacht knows that’s the opposite of what sole ownership entails. For those that haven’t ever owned a yacht, and perhaps would never consider it, we offer a way to sail very easily.”

Walker is seeing a new type of customer with a different view of how they want to enjoy their sailing time. “A lot of our new customers have no real connection to a sailing club at the start. They are looking for an experience, easily accessible, like their other pastimes. Something social, but without protocol.

Article continues below

Second hand boats: buying an ex-charter yacht

Yacht charter companies increasingly own new yachts for only a few years, selling off sooner to ensure they can offer…

Second hand boats: how to buy a ready to sail yacht

It’s no secret that if you want to buy a new yacht the wait is now likely to be two…

“We have a role to play there in breaking down the boundaries to access sailing, including training. We take a personal approach that doesn’t overwhelm. Interestingly, for most customers, they see sailing as a great way to socialise, so the yachts we’re ordering now have as many cabins as possible. Book online, turn up, and the boat is ready. Have a great weekend on the water, then hand it back and forget about it. That’s very appealing to a lot of people.”

Alternative models

Sharing the expense and time to keep a large yacht going could be the answer for longer family breaks. Photo: Ancasta

There are several shared ownership schemes in the UK. Some offer a fixed number of days on a specific boat, while others operate on a points-based system with access to multiple boats, including powerboats. Both have guarantees of use built into the contract. Some are beginning to expand to popular European charter destinations , meaning members’ days could include use of yachts abroad for holidays.

Pure Latitude Sailing has operated from Hamble for over 14 years and was one of the first schemes for shared ownership. Owner Martin Gray set up the business after seeing the success of car clubs where fees gave access to sports cars over several weekends.

“We decided against a physical share model right from the start because of its inflexibility. So, if you are going out with a friend you might take a small yacht out, but the following weekend you might be taking a group, so you can also access something with more cabins. It is also worth noting that sometimes, on a windless day, sailors admit to wanting to take out a motorboat!

“Flexibility is our core selling point and it means that no one is frustrated by not being able to access a boat because they only have a share in one specific yacht,” he explains.

Changing demographics

Martin Gray has seen a big uptake in scheme membership, but highlights that the demographic has changed a lot since Pure Latitude began. “When we started out, I would say that half of our members couldn’t afford outright ownership of a yacht of the same size and condition. Today, the majority could probably own outright if they really wanted to, indeed some have, but they see our offering as fundamentally more practical.

FlexiSaIl members enjoying social events. Photo: Flexisail

“Interestingly, there’s some psychology in it too. If you know that you have so much use paid for, you use it, especially when you know that the boat is ready to go and you are not plagued with things to fix; sailing weekends are sailing weekends, not fixing!

“Because we buy the boats ourselves, instead of relying on external owners, we can control what we offer to exactly what members.”

One characteristic of new sailors coming to shared ownership is their expectations, he explains. “Some of our members have never owned a yacht. It means their expectations are in line with something else you might rent. They expect the boat to be ready to go and in good order and, while boats are complex, that’s what we deliver.

“We are also seeing younger members come through too. They have made the decision right at the start that they would never own outright – it’s simply access they want and fun, in line with the service economy we are seeing grow more widely.

“The thirst for organised events is something else we didn’t foresee at the beginning. Racing, Fastnet campaigns and family social events are all available to members too.”

Syndicate shares

Shared ownership may mean you can have a bigger boat.

While not as simplistic as membership schemes, buying into a yacht syndicate can cut the costs of ownership dramatically.

David Watts has run Yacht Fractions since 1991 and specialises in buying and selling shares. “The obvious appeal of buying a share is the heavily reduced investment and ongoing costs. We sell shares of varying values, but a typical share might be between £15-20,000 for one third, meaning the initial investment is relatively low. It’s an accessible path to a lot more time on the water if you are already chartering a lot.”

While a lot of Watts’s business is in trading shares of existing yachts, he also advises potential buyers on what might make a great shared ownership prospect. “We recently had a customer who was buying new from the start with a view to sharing the yacht by selling two shares, to buy a much bigger and more comfortable yacht at a third of the cost and running expenses.

“It changes how you think about your budget and what’s possible. At present shares are selling very quickly and, as with the rest of the industry, supply is short.”

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IMAGES

Second hand boats: buying an ex-charter yacht
Buying An ex-Charter Yacht: What You Need to Know
UK Marine Surveyor based in Preveza Greece.: Buying an Ex Charter Yacht
Luxury charter yacht Diamond A ( ex Ultima III)
SOKAR Ex JONIKAL
Essential Considerations When Purchasing an Ex-Charter Yacht

COMMENTS

Second hand boats: buying an ex-charter yacht
The business model charter companies use, not owning yachts but instead relying on external owners, largely dictates the ex-charter yacht market, explains Estelle Cockroft. "With returns up to 9 ...
Essential Considerations When Purchasing an Ex-Charter Yacht
Key Takeaways for Buying an Ex-Charter Yacht. Understand how the charter industry works to better understand what you are and are not getting. Get an independent boat survey before buying. Boat age directly affects the quality of the boat you will receive no matter the maintenance schedule. If you have done your due diligence and managed your ...
How to buy a boat: your guide to buying a yacht
Never buy an ex-charter yacht without getting a thorough, detailed survey. Buying a yacht new. Before buying a new boat bear in mind you'll need considerable additional kit that's not included. Don't get carried away with the options list while forgetting equipment essentials. A good guide is to allow a further 15-20% of the list price to ...
Buying A Pre-Owned Charter Boat
You receive income on the charters, as defined in the contract, which will help covering the mortgage. You enjoy the use of the boat for the number of weeks (usually 8 to 12 a year) defined in the contract. You benefit from the boat overhaul at the phase-out at the end of the contract. What price you should pay.
Second hand boats: buying big charter yachts
Second hand boats: buying an ex-charter yacht. Yacht charter companies increasingly own new yachts for only a few years, selling off sooner to ensure they can offer…. "There are many monohulls ...
Buying a Used Charter Boat
You may be thinking about buying an ex-charter boat and there are pros and cons to going this route. This article by Will Bruton in Yachting Monthly will help walk you through what you should look for when buying a used charter boat. Charter companies keep their boats for just a few years so you may be able to get a newer boat than you thought.
How to buy a second hand boat: Everything you need to know
Second hand boats: buying an ex-charter yacht March 11, 2022 Yacht charter companies increasingly own new yachts for only a few years, selling off sooner to ensure they can offer the latest models ...
Why purchase a charter boat from The Moorings Yacht Brokerage?
A charter boat is a great purchase option that will see you on a late model boat from a popular brand at a significant cost savings over a new or privately owned used yacht. The charter boat will be a blank slate without a lot of customization, thus allowing you to outfit the yacht for your needs whether you plan to do some local day sailing or ...
Yachts for Sale & Ownership
Yacht Ownership. Experience the joy of owning a first-class yacht and sailing in some of the world's best cruising grounds, all while receiving guaranteed monthly income in our charter yacht management program. Or, buy a new or used boat from us for private use. The Moorings Yacht Sales offers 3 ways to buy and enjoy the finest performance ...
Buying a Catamaran Out of a Charter Fleet
When buying an ex-charter cat from a company such as The Moorings or Dream Yacht Charter, before that boat makes its way to you, the vessel is evaluated by the company and reviewed by a surveyor. Any major issues, be they mechanical or cosmetic, are addressed before the boat is sold. This is definitely something you want if you are buying an ex ...
How to buy a used charter boat « YachtWorld UK
It's a buyer's market when it comes to used boats. This gives you the time and the ability to be choosy as you venture into the used charter-boat market. Take your time, ask the right questions, and you may find the boat of your dreams. If you are considering buying any boat, it's worth reading our full guide to boat buying.
Ex-charter Boats for Sale, used boats and yachts for sale
Results 1 - 15 of 17. New and used Ex-charter boats for sale from Boatshed - The online boat trader network supplying used sailboats, used yachts for sale, pontoon boats and fishing boat for sale.
Buying a Charter Sailboat
Boats are often listed for thousands of dollars less than a similar model in private ownership, and a buyer can bargain hard because the charter companies need to routinely refresh their fleets. "You can get a good boat for a good price if you're cautious and don't get carried away," he says. Advertisement.
Should I Buy an Ex-Charter Catamaran?
Tip 1: Engine hours are a good metric to suggest the amount of use. Typical high use after 5 year typical charter is 4,000 to 5,000. Low use would be 2,000 or less. The reality is, charter boats tend to get beat up, period. Don't be one of those buyers out there who got themselves an ex-charter fleet yacht, on whim, without proper knowledge.
On purchasing an X-charter boat
Great review! Its nice to see someone take the time to write up something positive on buying an ex-charter boat! If I were in a position to choose either an ex-charter Leopard 46 for $400k, or a private never chartered Leopard 46 for $600K I think I know which direction I would go… Glad to hear the guys in Tortola are treating you all right!
Would You Buy an Ex-Charter Boat ?
That being said, a ex-charter yacht basically lives 20 years of living in the 5 years of service it provides. It will need a lot of work, especially on things like fabrics, cushions, engines, rudders, keels (lots of groundings and abuse), electronics, sails, anchors, windlasses, heads, etc. So there is a reason it sells for 40% of a comparable ...
Second hand boats: buying a yacht in Europe
If you do need a survey, the cost for a 50ft yacht would likely be £4,000-£10,000. If the build standards and technical data are available to us, it's a cheaper paper-based exercise, but where ...
Buying a Boat In Croatia: The Complete Beginner's Guide
Choosing an Ex-Charter Boat vs Choosing a Privately Owned Boat in Croatia. Buying charter yachts and buying private boats in Croatia each has pros and cons. We are new to sailing and have only bought this one boat, so we do not pretend to be experts on the matter. But, based on our research and limited experience, we can offer our opinion.
Buying an Ex Charter Yacht
This takes several days and costs about 600 Euro. TYPICAL PURCHASE PROCEDURE. Having found a yacht, you negotiate a price with the broker and reach an agreement. You should be supplied with an inventory for the yacht so you know exactly what is included in the sale. You need a solicitor to act for you during the sale.
Second hand boats: buying an ex-charter yacht
They have dealt extensively in ex-charter yachts over the past 20 years. "Understanding the two major types of ownership programmes charter businesses run is important," explains Stephen. "They are quite different. 'Guaranteed income' programmes give the owner of the yacht a cheque at the end of the month at an agreed rate.
What it's really like chartering a yacht from 'Below Deck'
Charters are cheapest at the beginning and end of a destination's season. Via Croatia's yuppiest yacht, the 160-foot, 12-cabin Agape Rose, fetches $200,000 a week in July and August. But it ...
Thinking of buying an ex-charter yacht in Greece?
The majority of boats listed with brokers here are ex-charter yachts, known as Greek professional yachts. Some people shy away from ex-charter yachts, believing it equivalent to buying a second-hand vehicle from a car hire firm. While a single private owner may keep a yacht in better condition, not all charter yachts are hammered or poorly ...
A superyacht captain shares 3 things people who want to charter a
Gordon fell in love with yachting after she stepped aboard a yacht for the first time in her mid-20s. Hellbent on reaching captain level, Gordon quickly worked her way up the chain of command.
Second hand boats: How to finance a yacht
Fast finance. Loans will start at £10,000 and run up to around £500,000, making Salt a competitor for small boats at the busier end of the market. And unlike some others, it will consider ...
Below Deck boats: how to charter yachts from the hit reality show
Sailing under her real name, Lady Michelle was the star of the sixth series of Below Deck Mediterranean, which was the latest series from the Med spin off.The 54.8 metre Benetti superyacht is the second biggest yacht ever to feature on the show, following just behind the 56.2 metre motor yacht The Wellington from season five. During season six Lady Michelle hosted charter guests in Ibenik ...
Glass isn't as green as we think: study
Tech mogul Mike Lynch and daughter reportedly found dead in wreck of yacht Baysian off Italian coast — as authorities recover 5 bodies from hull This story has been shared 35,320 times. 35,320
Buying a yacht: hassle-free shared ownership schemes
Second hand boats: buying an ex-charter yacht Yacht charter companies increasingly own new yachts for only a few years, selling off sooner to ensure they can offer… Second hand boats: how to buy ...
Mike Lynch among those missing after superyacht sinks off Sicily
Online charter sites listed it for rent for up to 195,000 euros (about $215,000) a week. One of the survivors, identified as Charlotte Golunski, said she momentarily lost hold of her 1-year-old daughter Sofia in the water, but then managed to hold her up over the waves until a lifeboat inflated and they were both pulled to safety, Italian news ...