Chartering, explained before you are asked for money
A crewed charter is booked on a standard contract with a fixed payment schedule and a provisioning float that is your money, not ours. Most people meet those terms for the first time in a signature request. Here they are in advance.
Six steps, one email address
- 01
Send the brief, not a boat name
Email the dates, the number aboard, the cruising ground and a budget range. Naming a specific yacht first is the slowest way to book — availability moves weekly and the right hull is usually one you have not heard of.
Reply inside one business day with three to five candidates and real availability.
- 02
Shortlist against the brief
You get the crew profile, the full photo set, the last survey date and the actual cabin configuration for each candidate. Where a yacht is unsuitable for your group we say so and why, rather than sending it because it pays better.
No yacht enters a shortlist without at least five photographs of that hull on file.
- 03
Agree terms and sign the contract
Most crewed charters run on the MYBA form — the standard industry contract. It fixes delivery condition, the itinerary, what happens if the yacht is not delivered as described, and how disputes resolve. Read the delivery and cancellation clauses before anything else.
We mark up the contract for you and flag any clause that departs from the standard form.
- 04
Pay 50% to confirm
Under MYBA terms the booking deposit is 50% of the charter fee, due within seven days of signing. The yacht comes off the market at that point and not before.
Funds go to the central agent's client account, never to a broker's own account.
- 05
Balance and APA, 30 days out
The remaining 50% plus the Advance Provisioning Allowance falls due one month before boarding. APA typically runs 25–35% of the fee on sail and 35–40% on motor yachts, and funds fuel, food, dockage and port charges.
APA is your money held by the captain. Unspent balance is returned in cash at disembarkation.
- 06
Preference sheet, then board
The crew send a preference sheet covering food, drink, allergies, diving, kit and pace. Fill it in properly — it is the single biggest determinant of whether the week feels tailored or generic.
Captain makes contact roughly a week out to confirm the itinerary against the forecast.
Bareboat or crewed? The difference is legal, not just comfort
On a bareboat charter you take command and the vessel stays recreational. The moment the owner supplies the captain, the yacht is carrying passengers for hire and Coast Guard licensing applies. That line decides the contract, the insurance and the paperwork.
What that means if you own the boat →| Bareboat | Crewed | |
|---|---|---|
| Who operates the yacht | You, or a captain you hire independently | The owner's professional crew |
| Licence required | Often a certificate plus a sailing résumé | None — the crew are licensed |
| Typical size | Up to about 50 ft | 45 ft and up |
| Contract | Bareboat charter agreement | MYBA or US equivalent |
| Fuel and food | You buy them | Funded through APA |
| Security deposit | $2,000–$10,000, or a damage waiver | Usually covered by APA and the yacht's insurance |
| Legal status | Vessel remains recreational | Carrying passengers for hire; crew licensing applies |
Where the money goes, in the order you will be asked for it
50% + 50%
Half within seven days of signing, half thirty days before boarding.
25–40%
Fuel, food, dockage and port charges. Accounted for and the balance returned.
10–15%
Customary for the crew, entirely at your discretion, paid at the end.
Bareboat only
$2,000–$10,000, or a damage waiver. Rarely separate on a crewed charter.
Boatmere is paid a commission by the yacht's owner. You are never charged a booking fee, and we do not mark up APA.
What charterers ask before signing
- How far ahead should I book a US charter?
- Six to nine months for peak weeks in New England or the Florida Keys, and twelve for Christmas and New Year in the Caribbean. Inside eight weeks you are choosing from what is left, though late availability does appear when another charter cancels.
- What is APA and is it refundable?
- The Advance Provisioning Allowance funds fuel, food, drink, dockage and port fees during your charter. It is typically 25–35% of the fee on sailing yachts and 35–40% on motor yachts. The captain accounts for every expense and returns the unspent balance to you at disembarkation.
- Is a security deposit always required?
- On bareboat charters, almost always — commonly $2,000 to $10,000, often reducible with a damage waiver. On crewed charters a separate deposit is frequently unnecessary, because APA covers running costs and the yacht's own insurance carries the damage risk.
- Do I need a licence to charter a yacht in the US?
- Not for a crewed charter, where the yacht's own licensed captain operates the vessel. For a bareboat charter you take command yourself, and the operator will ask for a sailing résumé and often an ASA or US Sailing certificate before releasing the boat.
- What is not included in the charter fee?
- Fuel, food, drink, dockage, port charges, and crew gratuity — all funded through APA on a crewed charter. Gratuity is customary at roughly 10 to 15% of the charter fee and is entirely at your discretion.
- Can I charter a yacht listed for sale?
- Sometimes, and it is the best possible sea trial. Several owners will accept a charter while the vessel is on the market. Ask us and we will put the question to the owner — a week aboard tells you more than any survey about whether the boat suits you.
Send the dates and the number aboard. We will do the rest.
Every charter, sale and survey enquiry runs through one address, so the whole thread stays in your inbox as well as ours.
[email protected]