Own a boat but not sailing as much as you would like to?
Sad and unloved
We recently took a stroll around the marina to cast an eye over our fleet of yachts and happened to take a closer look at other resident boats in the marina at the same time, it dawned on us how many of them have been left sad, unkempt, poorly maintained or unloved.
These boats clearly deserve a better life and we realise that boat owners might not be aware of alternative ways to maximise their assets while still being able to enjoy boating as much as they wish. If these boats were put on charter, they would be in a very different state of repair.
Boat ownership
Boat ownership is an exciting prospect for many and the majority are happy with the costs and sail a great deal, either cruising or taking part in many racing opportunities around the Solent. This is not the case for all boat owners, sometimes owners find themselves in a position whereby they haven't fully understood the implications of ownership, can't or don't sail as much as they would like, or have little time for maintenance. If you fit into the latter category, then private charter ownership may be just the solution for you!
Private yacht charter requirements
Let's be frank here if you're reading this with dollar signs in your eyes then steady on, this isn't a big profit-making exercise. However, putting a private yacht on charter (especially during the week or at times when she might otherwise be sitting idle) is a great way to earn income and offset some of the costs of your own boating.
Before a boat can be placed on charter, it must be fully coded with all the safety requirements under MCA regulations. While this is an initial financial outlay the costs are quickly eaten up after a few charters. We must emphasise there are no shortcuts here, being aware of these requirements and the costs involved is essential. We can do the coding for you, or we can advise you to ensure the boat is ready for its coding survey.
Marketing and charters
Once the boat is coded, she will be added to the fleet and marketed. Before and after a charter it will be checked in and out by the fleet team and all the little snags will be fixed for the next charter guests. Boats are fully valeted and ready for each booking or indeed for the owner to step onboard.
While boat age is not necessarily a handicap; it must have been well-kept in a former life. Age can bring more maintenance and a boat in poor condition is not suitable for us.
While there is a sweet spot for chartering, generally between 35-42 ft, we do have demand in the 50ft for our more experienced charterers and smaller boats sub 35ft for either two-handed sailing, couples, or small groups wishing to go racing. Some owners will let pets on board, especially if they own a dog themselves but that is at the owner's discretion. While it may become a charter boat, the vessel is still yours and you have the flexibility to choose what it does and doesn't do.
There are no restrictions on how often an owner has access to their boat, you are free to sail as little or as often as you like and we'll put her out for charter the rest of the time. We provide a weekly charter schedule, we just ask you to call us if popping down at short notice in case we have any last-minute bookings.
''I get to keep my boat moored in Hamble. The maintenance guys ensure the boat is looking spotless. Possibly in better condition now than when he bought it! Peace of mind knowing that someone is down there every day keeping a professional eye on it, not going to sink and you not knowing about it. Great to be able to turn up and there is a full tank of fuel and fresh water in the tank – and she is ready to go.''
Owner, Mike Thorpe
Food for thought
In summary, owners who put their boats on charter earn a good offset income and the boat is far better off being cared for, maintained, and enjoyed. Most importantly, she is still yours. There is always the chance she may get the odd scrape (which is also likely if she's left moored at the marina) but there is nothing worse than a boat sitting in a marina, incurring marina fees, and rotting away without any use, this is the worst of both worlds.
If this resonates with you or you'd like to discuss your boat with us and see what we can do for you email [email protected] and the team will get back to you.
We are the smarter charter in Hamble and we would be pleased to hear from you.
WHAT CLIENTS SAY
This is truly a 5 * service. The team really looked after us both ashore on arrival and also while at sea. We were a relatively inexperienced crew but always felt the team ashore had our backs. Thoroughly recommended.
I just wanted to say Thank-you very much for the weekend charter. It was exactly what we were after (albeit cold!) plus Andy was an awesome teacher and great company. We’ll definitely be keen to book again soon!
We had a fabulous four days. Marina is ideally placed for the Solent, boat was in great condition, well equipped and a joy to sail. We were well briefed and the shore side team including the dog very friendly.
We charted one of the sailing yachts for a fantastic weekend cruise in the Solent. The boat was in superb condition and well equipped, the staff was very helpful explaining how things work on the yacht and there was also a video available with all the important information. 10/10 would recommend!
Had a fantastic week chartering Blue Otter, Alex was incredibly helpful and sent loads of information and date checking prior to booking. There was a handover video and both the handover and return were really smooth. The boat was lovely and well maintained and Lee was really helpful in recommending places to visit (and helping identify the steering issue as an autopilot takeover - doh!). Definitely will be back and would fully recommend!
Just back from a lovely week in the Solent. Great service from HPYC from first inquiry through to return handover. Very straightforward to deal with, and the yacht was in excellent condition. We've chartered from many companies in the UK and abroad and the attention to detail (and flawless inventory!) was second to none. Everything about the yacht and equipment had clearly been well looked after and was in immaculate condition. Great service, will use again.
Always very friendly service, and well-maintained yachts. Easy check-in and checkout. Will be back...
We had a great time and were very happy with everything. Your team were genuinely friendly and were very helpful when we needed it. Is a big contrast to many charter companies I have dealt with in the past.
Watching the sun go down with a glass of bubbly on the deck of a sparkling yacht was unbelievable. What a treat, and a much needed change of scenery in these troubled times. We will be back for sure
Fab service, nothing too much trouble, including my daft questions. I'll be a repeat customer for sure!
We had a great time sailing with Lee for a few days at the beginning of September. Hamble Point Yacht Charters supplied us an impeccable 45 ft Hanse yacht, which was handled with complete mastery by Captain Lee. It was a privilege to sail with Lee, who is clearly a highly skilled professional taking great pride in his work ... but who is also a fantastic character with a great sense of humour and plenty of fun stories to keep the whole family entertained. He balances the serious side of safety and learning about sailing with a whopping dose of amusement and good cheer. We sailed the Solent in some decent seas, visited Bucklers Hard on the banks of the Beaulieu River and learned lots about British nautical history. Our boys started somewhat of a fishing trend catching bass off the back of the boat in Portsmouth and we would love to sail with Lee again in the future. The man truly knows his stuff, maintained the boat impeccably and went to every effort to ensure that we had a great time. Many thanks to “Shippers” and Hamble Point Charters. We’ll be back.
Chartered bareboats with HPYC on numerous occasions most recently in Sept 2020. Always helpful and accommodating. Highly recommend.
We had a fantastic weekend sailing on Loxley B. Boat in super condition and spotlessly clean, Alex. and the team very thorough and always on hand to answer any questions. A great experience. We will be back. Thank you!
Lots of information from office with a friendly service. We selected a one of the cheaper yachts and was please with find everything work and was cleaned and tidy. We will definitely be back
This was the first time we had tried chartering and as experienced racing sailors we didn't know what to expect. Covid has closed down all our events this year so this was a chance to get afloat at least once in 2020. What a great experience and Alex and all the Hamble staff could not have been more friendly or helpful. We had a great three days and we will be back !! We would have no hesitation is recommending Hamble Point Yacht Charters.