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Charter a yacht bareboat for total freedom

Set sail on your own voyage of discovery . . .

"Bareboat yacht charter" means you charter a fully equipped yacht without a professional skipper and crew. If you have sufficient sailing experience you can board your sailing yacht in any of our glorious holiday destinations and sail away! The yacht is yours for the holiday to explore the sailing area at your own pace. Enjoy the unique experience of holidaying aboard your own yacht - it's the ultimate multi-centre holiday without the packing and unpacking!

Do what you want when you want . . .

Being the skipper of your own sailing yacht gives you total flexibility every day. You'll enjoy a privacy and freedom that’s hard to find in a hotel. Set sail for a different destination every day - without the clouds and crowds of the Solent! There's always another bay, harbour, and island to explore. And when you arrive, step ashore for dinner in a waterfront restaurant. You'll be supporting the local community and you'll feel like a traveller, not a tourist.

Excellent value and so convenient . . .

Your yacht provides self-contained accommodation with cabins for everyone. Every night you'll enjoy being in the best harbourside location or in your own secluded anchorage - a different place to discover every day. All yachts have a fridge and cooker onboard, so self-catering for breakfast, lunch and drinks helps keep the cost of your holiday down. At night, party animals can hit the local bars or you can relax with dinner in a restaurant on the water's edge.

Bareboat sailing collage image

Bareboat yacht charter choices

Top questions

  • What experience & qualifications do I need?

    To skipper a bareboat charter or flotilla yacht, you need to hold a practical sailing certificate equivalent to RYA Day Skipper Practical qualification or RYA International Certificate of Competence (ICC). For charters in Greece, you must now have the ICC certificate. You must also be assisted by at least one competent crew member over the age of 18.

    For charters in Croatia, Malta and the Canaries, at least one member of the crew or the skipper will also need a VHF licence.

    RYA qualifications can be obtained by RYA sailing schools in the UK or alternatively choose from one of our overseas centres in Gibraltar, Greece or Turkey.

    For Caribbean and Tropical charters, formal qualifications are not compulsory, however, you should be Day Skipper standard and be assisted by at least one competent crew. A brief sailing resume should be provided to outline your experience.

    If you don't hold the relevant qualifications then why not add a skipper?

  • What type of yachts can I charter?

    Sailing yachtWe have an excellent selection of quality sailing yachts for bareboat yacht charter ranging from 30' to 56' including all the well-known names, Jeanneau, Beneteau, Dufour and Bavaria. Most are less than 4 years old and many are brand new models. In some cruising areas we can offer spacious owner's layouts with a master cabin.

    CatamaranCatamarans offer plenty of deck space and a large cockpit, ideal for relaxed sailing holidays. The saloon, with its panoramic windows, is spacious and airy. Even if you haven’t sailed cats before, you’ll be impressed by their easy handling. Cats are very popular in the Caribbean where you spend most nights on anchor rather than on a crowded town quay or marina.

  • What back-up is there?

    All our charter yachts are fully equipped for cruising in comfort and have full safety, navigational and domestic equipment.

    On arrival you will be given a technical briefing on your yacht and cruising area. We do recommend that you check your yacht carefully before you leave the marina as any technical issues can be quickly rectified at the base before getting out on the water.

    Before you set sail you are given contact numbers for the base, including emergency out-of-hours telephone numbers, so help is just a phone call away at any time. Should any repairs be necessary during your charter, the base manager will usually arrange for these to be done in your nearest harbour.

"Just a quick note to say how much we enjoyed last weeks sailing around the Stockholm archipelago. The boat was by far the best we have ever chartered. As a cruising area it's definitely on the return list !!"

Stockholm 2015 - A & H.R
Trustpilot

Sailing Qualifications

To skipper a bareboat charter or flotilla yacht, you need to hold a practical sailing certificate equivalent to RYA Day Skipper Practical qualification or RYA International Certificate of Competence (ICC). For charters in Greece, you must now have the ICC certificate. You must also be assisted by at least one competent crew member over the age of 18.

The port authorities in Greece are now insisting on one of the following practical certificates: RYA ICC (International Certificate of Competence), RYA Coastal, RYA Yachtmaster, ASA IPC (International Proficiency Certificate) or the IYT (International Yacht Training) Passport. If you hold an RYA Day Skipper or ASA104 it will no longer be accepted and you need to obtain either an ICC or IPC from the corresponding issuing body (RYA or ASA). If your RYA Coastal/Yachtmaster or ASA105/106 certificate is more than 12 years old and does not have a photo ID, then we would also strongly advise applying for an ICC or IPC. If you are a member of the RYA or ASA, you may qualify for a discount or free certificate, otherwise, you will have to pay. The approximate cost is £50. Please use this link - RYA application for the ICC or ASA application for the IPC.

For charters in Croatia, Malta and the Canaries, at least one member of the crew or the skipper will also need a VHF licence.

RYA qualifications can be obtained by RYA sailing schools in the UK or alternatively choose from one of our overseas centres in Gibraltar, Greece or Turkey.

For Seychelles, the local authorities require an ICC for the skipper of a bareboat or flotilla yacht charter.

For Caribbean and Tropical charters, formal qualifications are not compulsory, however, you should be Day Skipper standard and be assisted by at least one competent crew. A brief sailing resume should be provided to outline your experience.

If you don't hold the relevant qualifications then why not add a skipper?

Sailing Levels

Level 1

Winds force 2-3 (4-11 Knots)combined with generally shorter distances. Good for beginner or intermediate sailors. Line-of-sight navigation but basic knowledge of charts and ability to plot your position required.

Level 2

Winds force 3-5 (7-21 Knots) with approximately 15-20nm per day. Intermediate experience required. Predominately line of sight navigation but an understanding of how to sail in open water.

Level 3

Winds force 4-6 (11-27 Knots) with mileage of approximately 20nm+ per day. Ideal for experienced skippers looking to venture out to new destinations. Day skipper standard but with experienced crew would be recommended.