FAQ
Yacht Charter Queries
We can usually “pencil in” a booking for you for up to a week while you confirm the details with your crew or other participants. We do appreciate you letting us know if you decide not to retain the booking.
Please contact us for up to the minute availability for any of our yachts, training or events, to make a booking, or for more information about any of our services.If you would like availability information then it will greatly help us if you can let us know
- your preferred dates
- the maximum number of people who will be on board
- preferred yacht length, type and number of cabins or preferred layout
- the skipper and crew’s level of experience
- any other particular requirements that you may have
Your booking will be confirmed when we receive a 25% deposit of the charter fee from you, along with proof of acceptable sailing qualifications for a bareboat charter and a signed copy of the charter agreement. The balance of the payment is due two weeks prior to the commencement of your charter.
We will require to have a signed and completed booking form and a signed charter agreement from you. For your first charter we will also ask for a copy of your sailing certificates or proof of experience, passport and driving licence.
For a bareboat charter our normal requirement is for the skipper to hold a Coastal Skipper Tidal qualification or equivalent experience, and for at least one other person on board to have the equivalent of Competant Crew level of experience. However, we can accept a skipper for our smaller yachts with the equivalent experience of Day Skipper Tidal if there are at least two people on board at that level and after we have had a chat with you to confirm that we are confident that your charter will be successful.If you do not have any formal qualifications but you have plenty of experience then our Fleet Manager will have a chat with you and determine whether he is happy for you to take one of our yachts.If there is any doubt about whether you are ready to skipper one of our yachts then we may suggest that you take one of our skippers with you for a day, and if all goes well he will then leave you to continue and complete your charter on your own.
Yacht Management Queries
Yachts in charter management must comply with the MCA Code of Practice for Small Commercial Vessels, otherwise known as the “Code”. A “Coded” vessel is inspected annually by the MCA and the managing agent to ensure that the yacht’s structural integrity and equipment continue to conform to the high standards required. The amount of equipment needed to bring a yacht up to coding level will vary depending upon what equipment the yacht already has, however, for a bare yacht with minimum equipment the cost could be as high as £6,000. A comprehensive inventory is essential, but we will be pleased to offer full assistance with preparation for the registration of your boat.
We will consider most yachts, but the ideal length is generally between 32 and 47 feet. A layout with three or more cabins allows for a much greater flexibility in chartering. Whilst new boats are preferred, we will certainly also consider slightly older, well-cared for yachts.
You can expect chartering your yacht to cover the majority of costs arising from yacht ownership and in some years may find that chartering provides you with an additional income. We do not make inflated claims and will happily show you the accounts of yachts on our current fleet most closely resembling the yacht that you are considering placing with us.
We thoroughly vet all prospective charterers to ensure that they are capable of handling your boat. If the charterer is responsible for any loss or damage then this is immediately rectified and the cost is deducted from the charterer’s security deposit.We pride ourselves on the standard of our maintenance. Yachts under our management follow a rigorous maintenance and cleaning schedule. Charterers are often surprised by the good condition of even the older boats on our fleet, which despite the additional usage, therefore tend to retain their value better than similar yachts of the same age that have not been chartered.
WHAT CLIENTS SAY
August 2019. We had an excellent sailing trip around the Solent, staying at a different mooring each day, sometimes in marinas, sometimes on mooring buoys. Hamble Point Yacht Charters was a perfect choice for us. Their location at the mouth of the Hamble river is absolutely ideal, giving immediate access to the central part of the Solent. The company is super efficient and very friendly, and they provided an outstanding service. The boat was in good condition, clean and eveything working. We have chartered with them a couple of times now and we will be back!
Just returned from a 1 week bareboat charter of Aeolus. The service through researching the options in October, where I popped in whilst in the area to view available boats, through the booking process and the charter itself was great. This particular boat may not be the newest on the water but is maintained to a high standard and allowed us a wonderful week crossing the channel to Fecamp and Honfleur before returning for a couple of days in the Solent. Nothing was too much trouble for HPYC and as a regular charterer around the UK and Europe the efficiency and quality of service delivered is appreciated, especially confirmation of the return of the security deposit emailed to me before I got home.
We sailed overnight to Alderney onboard Abraxas, which is a First 40.7. Initially in strong winds we made excellent progress and for the last couple of hours motored in no wind. This boat is good for passage making if you have an experienced crew happy to handle the large main sail.
Friendly welcome. All staff helpful. Relaxed atmosphere. Instructors gave clear explanations of safety equipment and how to perform tasks expected of crew. Very tolerant of mistakes made. Encouraged us to be more independent as the week went by to help build our confidence. Berthed in a number of different marinas each presenting different issues to consider when berthing. The whole experience was most enjoyable and I feel able to crew for other skippers. Excellent value.
The boat and equipment was in good order. We learnt a huge amount in a friendly and fun environment. I wouldn't hesitate to use HPYC for training or charters in the future.
We had a great charter of the yacht Appaloosa from HPYC. The boat was very clean when we boarded her, and was ready for us to board at the agreed time. The staff were very helpful and helped us straight away with any queries.....and my security deposit return was confirmed very quickly. I will definitely consider chartering from HPYC again!
When asked what they thought of HPYC and the day we provided for them: "Excellent"! Everything, as always, was excellent!
5 day solent area charter. HPYC were welcoming, professional, flexible and cheerful. We feel you may book here with confidence then relax and trust that all will be as you would wish.
Nice boat in fantastic condition even if it was quite old (2003). We enjoyed sailing in the Solent and the tips issued by Hamble Point Yacht Charters. We will come back.
I chartered a 32 ft with Hamble Point Yacht Charters for a weekend with a friend. the boat was good and Hamble point location is great to get out in the Solent quickly and and for a beer in Hamble at night. Staff at Hamble point Charter was very pro and friendly
The team had a great time on the boat. The staff were fantastic and very welcoming throughout the day. The mid-afternoon stop was also a welcome & pleasant surprise. The jet skis were fantastic, the food & drink were great too. We will most likely be coming again soon.
The yacht was in perfect condition. Josh made a great ship handover. Unfortunately, the modern yachts are no longer designed to be seaworthy. The self-tacking jib cannot be trimmed properly. But otherwise we had a great week. My crew was eager to learn and could take home many valuable experiences. I love the Solent and I'll definitely be back.
I was a bit apprehensive about doing my competent crew course .... I’m normally a feet firmly on dry land kinda girl but my trip thoroughly exceeded expectations! I went alone on an all women crew & quickly realised you are never alone on a boat.... we bonded very quickly over a refreshment the first night! I was kitted out with wellies & waterproof clothing & beds on board were chosen... surprisingly comfortable. I was amazed at the quality of food we ate ... proper full English breakfast to set us up the first morning .... which was a blessing in the wet & wind! Alex, our yatchmaster put us all at ease talking us through the course. I hadn’t realised we would moor beside such good showers every night altho I admit I didn’t shower every day ! 🤣 I learnt so much on the course, weather, wind, knots, helming, tacking, mooring! We dealt with fog, anchor chains, going up the mast (not normal!), man overboard (not literally!) & all the time Alex was very clear, professional & super friendly always encouraging us along the way. I can’t recommend Hamble point sailing enough, and a trip to the Isle of Wight.... I hadn’t realised how beautiful it was!
Thank you all for the well prepared Aeolus. Hope to charter her again next Spring and probably this autumn.
