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Yacht Swap

Discussion in 'Yacht Swap' started by Ken Bracewell, Oct 1, 2009.

  1. Ken Bracewell

    Ken Bracewell Senior Member

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    My boss is interested in swapping some time on his US East Coast based yacht for a yacht based on the West Coast and/or Europe.
    He has interest in cruising those areas, but doesn't necessarily want to reposition our boat for a couple of weeks worth of cruising.
    Has anyone ever heard of anything like this before?
    Thanks!
    http://www.YachtRena.com
  2. Captcruz

    Captcruz New Member

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    Ken, I don't think that the concept of a swap for a short period of time is far fetched. I own ocean front property here in Florida and have been approached by a few people in Europe that would want to spent a few months in florida and I would vacation there in their place, realizing were talking two different peices of personal ownership a yacht/ real estate. I think getting the word out that your boss is interested in doing this trade off for a few weeks may drum up some interest. In today's world and economy you never know.

    cheers,

    Jordan
  3. revdcs

    revdcs Senior Member

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    I’ve come across this in the ‘bareboat’ arena with all sorts of issues and problems caused. However, if the boats are professionally crewed and a written agreement is drawn up ensuring both parties understand that the skippers have ultimate responsibility (as with a charter boat) then I can see this working well. Might want to run it past your insurers first though.
  4. Ken Bracewell

    Ken Bracewell Senior Member

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    We are insured to charter, so I don't see it as an issue.
    Does anyone have any thoughts on how to pursue this further?
  5. YachtForums

    YachtForums Administrator

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    Yes. Call you in ten minutes.
  6. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    Yes, since no two boats are alike. I have seen it happen two ways. One is they just agree two weeks on your yacht, two weeks on mine. Each party pays their own expenses on the yacht they're borrowing (food, fuel, etc.) and the crew has the final say as to what goes on.

    The other would be they agree to different terms of time, based upon what it would normally cost to charter that boat. I have seen where a 75' MY that would say charter for $15k a week and the owner has a 120' MY that would charter for $30k a week, and they'd trade 2 weeks on the 75' for 1 week on the 120'.............

    BUT, the EASIEST route, would be to just charter a yacht and pay for it on the yacht he wants, where he wants, just like anyone would charter a yacht.

    Then, to make up the price, try to do a charter or two on his yacht....... it's easier then trying to find 1 person, looking for the yacht you have, where you have it, and them having the yacht you're looking for, where you're looking to use it........
  7. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    Money is the easiest and simplest form of barter. Capt.J has the right idea. If the person you charter to happens to be the same one you charter from the only cash that need be exchanged is the difference.
  8. Ken Bracewell

    Ken Bracewell Senior Member

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    We are always available for charter, but I don't think you'll find too many owners who are going to be crazy about paying a charter commission (20%) to use another boat.
  9. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    Well, it's still considerably cheaper to charter someone else's boat, then to ship your own if you're looking at 2 weeks usage on the west coast or med. Once you do 2 weeks, you can then decide if it's worth shipping your own yacht next year.

    I ran a 75' MY to Chicago and back from Ft. Lauderdale last year. The owner ended up spending around $110k round trip between fuel ($4-5.29 gallon then), crew, repairs etc. This didn't include dockage or expenses while it stayed in Chicago. He could've rented someone elses 75' MY which was similar to his, but slightly newer for $15k per week and there every year anyways. Albeit, it wasn't his own boat...... but he could've chartered someone else's 7 weeks and still been cheaper then sending his own there.
  10. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    Unless someone knows someone your choices are a) use an agent, which means paying fees or b) placing an ad in a mag or on line, which opens you up to all sorts of scams and disappointments. With the 'someone knowing someone' scenario I see someone feeling shortchanged (and who wants to be the middleman in that for free) unless the barter is brought down to dollars.
  11. revdcs

    revdcs Senior Member

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    Ken. Your boss must be part of a number of networks – work, yacht club, golf, country club, church, fraternity, etc. Such networks usually have some sort of national relationship - or at least provide the opportunity for meeting like minded people on the other side of the country.

    Most people who own expensive property or toys tend to treat other people’s property or toys with the same high level of respect that they expect their own to be treated, especially if there is a risk of poor behaviour towards another member isolating them from their own networks.

    I suspect that within these networks – especially the yacht club – your boss could build one or more firm relationships of trust that could lead to boat sharing.

    Best wishes,

    David.
  12. scott49

    scott49 Senior Member

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    Ken My old 86' Burger is in San Diego for sale. It is nothing like your boss is use too. But it is just sitting and could use some sea time. Pm me and I will tell you were the key is. ( I am not Kidding) Just fill it up when you are done with it. Been thinking about taking it down to Lapaz Mexico or back up to Seattle to play around in the San juan islands. So if you want to bring crew you can use it, and or move to a spot to use it. Maybe He will like a little old boat on the West coast and buy it.:)

    www.motoryachtgalilee.com
  13. Eric Gardiner

    Eric Gardiner New Member

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    Hi Ken: Would your owner want to swap for a few weeks in a cliff side home overlooking the pacific in La Jolla California in summer 2010?
  14. Fishtigua

    Fishtigua Senior Member

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    We did a yacht swap one summer.

    The skipper of the Benetti 280' Nabila/Trump Princess/Kingdom wanted to borrow Dad's little old 30 footer classic for a couple of weeks out of Antigua to go down island.

    John, the skipper, is quite reliable(he even did a nice watercolour painting of our boat to say thanks) but he broke it.

    As every good sailor knows, as you pass Dominica you need to put a reef in the mainsail because the wind piles down the hillsides and blows you sideways.

    Guess who didn't? Yep, the skipper of one of the biggest yachts in the world managed to bury our little boat under. He lost the Dan-bouy life ring off the taffrail and broke other bits. Dick.

    So 6 months later we borrowed his sailboat for a few weeks on the Chesapeake. Very nice cruising with Mom and Dad.

    Then the wind came. My Gosh, I've never felt angry wind like it, and I've been through 5 hurricanes too. 3 days of blow and whistle.

    After I got the inflatalbe dinghy out of the trees and mended the windlass, we reckoned we had done about $8000 of damage to the boat.

    Thats about equal to the damage he did to ours.

    Just charter, its a lot less stressful
  15. Ken Bracewell

    Ken Bracewell Senior Member

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    Thanks for the reply. I doubt this will be of interest, as they used to be full-time residents of California and still have a couple of vacation homes there.
  16. Edmac41

    Edmac41 New Member

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    Hi Ken: of course some of us are aware of solutions to your problem. Swapping yachts is beginning to catch on, as home swapping has done for some decades now; and the old school who would tell you they'd rather (sometimes literally) share their wife than their yacht, are giving way to a generation who regard their yacht as an asset, and on which they can increase the use-value by swapping to other sailing grounds. So keep looking!