African Yacht Charter

Yacht chartering is the practice of renting, or chartering, a sailboat or motor yacht and traveling to various coastal or island destinations. This is usually a vacation activity.

Companies that provide yachts for charter usually require guests to demonstrate that they have a qualified skipper and at least one skilled crew member. If the guests cannot provide their own skipper (bare-boat charter), most companies will provide a paid professional skipper. This is known as a "skippered" or "crewed" charter.

Luxury yachts are also chartered out to paying clients per day or week. These are larger charter yachts and will not only include the services of a professional captain but also the services of a full crew. The crew may include a chef, steward and stewardess, engineer, boson, first mate, deck hand and other 'exterior crew' such as scuba dive masters or luxury yacht tender operators.

The size of the yacht normally determines the cost of the charter fee. The term Mega yachts applies to larger vessels greater than 100 feet. Over the last 10 years the number of mega yachts available for charter has increased dramaticly. There are hundreds of yachts available between 100 to 200 feet. Fewer beyond that size, but still yachts up to 400 feet are available to charter.

Yacht Charter Broker

A yacht charter broker is a specialist travel agent which acts as a representative for the chartering of a yacht or boat. The yacht charter broker also commonly organises travel arrangements and other vacation details.

Yacht charter is most common in the Mediterranean and Caribbean Seas, which are also the most popular waterways for leisure boating. A yacht charter broker may specialize in the charter of crewed luxury yacht or bare-boat charter, or both.

The term 'yacht charter broker' can sometimes be confused with the term 'yacht broker'. A yacht broker acts as an agent in the sale of yachts, rather than the sale of charter time on yachts. Occasionally a person will carry out both roles but more commonly a company as a whole will carry out both roles and employ both yacht charter brokers and yacht brokers. The roles are therefore normally specialised and distinguished.

There are several industry organisations which help control the yacht broker industry. In Europe, for instance, The Mediterranean Yacht Broker’s Association (MYBA) takes on this role while the Yacht Broker’s Association of America (YBAA) is the American equivalent.

There is also an international yacht broker organisation called The International Yacht Council. The IYC is a worldwide coalition of professional yacht broker associations. The Council is made up of six member associations including the Mediterranean Yacht Brokers, Florida Yacht Brokers, California Yacht Brokers, Northwest Yacht Brokers, British Columbia Yacht Brokers and Yacht Brokers Association of America.

African Yacht Charter

Africa Yacht Charters are not thought of as often as the African safari, but have a lot to offer the ocean lover. The most popular spots for yachting are the Indian Ocean Islands, and the east and south coasts of the African continent. Beginning in Kenya or Tanzania on the east coast, many yachts travel south to Mozambique, which has one of the longest coastlines in Africa with deserted palm-fringed beaches and long coral reefs. And, the southern route around the Republic of South Africa and the Cape of Good Hope offers a rewarding trip around the tip of a fascinating continent. One of the most appealing of the Indian Ocean islands is the Seychelles Archipelago, occupying 176 square miles of the ocean, and comprised of over 100 islands that are surrounded by coral reefs and lagoons. Of these islands, Mahe is the largest, and is the main port with 90% of the population. Further south lies the huge island of Madagascar, just off the coast of Mozambique. It is the fourth largest island in the world, and has a diverse landscape where much of its flora and fauna is unique to the island. Although not as popular as the east and south coasts, there are yacht charters along the southwestern coast of Africa to Dassen Island, and also in Egypt’s Red Sea. The temperature in Africa and the islands does not vary much throughout the year, and although rain gear is always recommended, it is hotter and rains more frequently in January and February.