The dream of owning a yacht appeals to many sailing enthusiasts, but the financial realities can make this dream seem out of reach or even cost-prohibitive. Companies like Moorings and Sunsail offer ownership alternatives that allow you to purchase a new yacht and place it into a charter fleet for a specified time—usually five years.
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Love this article! So well written with all the right details and information.
As a long time regular bareboat charterer, well over 30 years already, I’ve looked at ownership programs with many different charter companies. I my case, after consulting with accountants and CPAs, financially and practicality, charter boat ownership made no sense. Plus, as a Canadian, tax laws do not allow any kind of deductible tax relief.
So for me, booking the boat model and size, where and with whom I choose, is a much more flexible and cost effective way to “sail the world”. Like a rental car, you grab the key, go have fun and return the keys. End of story…
I have met many charter boat owners, mostly American, that do enjoy this formula. Most starting with smaller boats, and moving up to larger and larger boats as each program term comes to an end. With the objective of finishing up with THE boat they want to end up with in time for their retirement, etc.