I owm a 70 foot Hatteras which I recently refitted from stem to stern. She is a 1990 model cockpit motor yacht. Completely gutted her and installed cherry panneling throughout, stainless and granite galley with cherry cabinets, gourmet gas stove. All up to date flat screens and soft goods. All systems repaired or replaced. She shows close to new! I intend to run her to the BVI this spring and attempt to charter her for about 6 weekday year to offset my dockage, fuel , maintenance costs , and air travel when we use her ourselves. I am realistic not to expect more than 6 weeks especially the first year or two. The charters would be weekly and be limited to the BVI and US Virgins. To limit mechanical usage since the islands are so close together. I have a friend that sails in the area so I am familiar with the area sailing with him. I am looking for a captain and mate, not to live aboard, but to watch over her and tend to her needs, ie cleaning etc. I need to know how I might advertise the charter opportunity without using a charter company. Also looking for insurance costs, fair captain and mate compensation, etc. Also a fair chater price. Possibly 20k per week??
So about $500.00 per day for both Captain and Mate or $3,500.00 for a charter week? Linems are high thread count and have very little personal items on board. If I run her down myself am figuring about 1mile per gal at 1000 rpm providing 10 knots. Maybe fuel and some dockage and misc expense $7,500.00? Dockage in BVI around $2,000.00 per month.
Did the refit include air con and gensets? How many hours on the mains? Do you have tender AND jet ski? The best flag screens and marble is useless if the 20 year old single genny isn't 100% reliable These are the most critical items... Personally i don't think you re going to get a lot of business without a broker. Put yourself I the shoes of a potential guest who s asked to give a sizable deposit and pay well over 20k for the week (including expenses and all) to an unknown boat owner? I wouldnt... Too risky Don't know if you're going to find a QUALITY crew down there who will be available whenever something comes up... Here in So fl it s probably easier. There may be but a good charter crew will usually be busy on one boat and commit to that boat. As mentionned onyour other thread, the crew makes the charter, you can have the best boat if the crew doesn't get what charter is all about, it s not going to work out Most policies will allow limited chartering at no or minimal cost.
10gph at 10kts? I really doubt it... What engines? I d guess 17 or 18gph. So figure 900nm, more like 2000usg with the genny. With the higher fuel cost in the Bahamas, $10k in fuel is probably more like it
You'd be better off saving the high thread count sheets for your own use and go with high quality no wrinkle sheets for the guest. Your captain/mate rate is about right. But you'd be better served getting full time people. Because as Pascal mentioned good crew are what makes or breaks a charter boat. And the crew needs to know the boat in detail for things to go smoothly. If you are going to be chartering in the BVIs you don't really need a jetski because you can't use them there. There are a number of ways to get charters with out going through brokers but some one has to work those avenues full time and you have to carry the costs. In the long run you probably would be better off using brokers. If you had full time crew you also would be prepared to except last minute bookings and day trips. These could add significantly to your bottom line and help offset the cost of full time crew. I would strongly consider bring the person you are considering as captain along with you on your trip down for at least part of the trip. It would be a very good way for you both to get to know each other and for the captain to get to know the boat. In fact you could addition both the captain and mate/stew/chef on a trip like that. You dockage figure might low depending on how much electricity the boat uses. And the cheaper docks don't always give you the best exposure for chartering.
