TAKING OWNERSHIP
Yacht charter companies increasingly own new yachts for only a few years, selling off sooner to ensure they can offer the latest models to customers. Meanwhile some older, heavily used ex-charter yachts are listed for sale at very low prices. Does either option represent a good buy for the private owner?
Visit any charter destination around the world and you’ll find yachts that have suffered the punishments of a life for hire. Scratches and bent stanchions are par for the course on something that is used for a week or two, then handed back. But unlike many yachts on the used market, charter boats are used regularly – meaning maintenance is regular. If you’re considering buying an ex-rental boat, understanding the charter business is key.
BUSINESS MODELS
Stephen and Estelle, a community site for catamaran buyers that has evolved into a successful international brokerage, acting on behalf of both buyers and sellers. They have dealt extensively in ex-charter yachts over the past 20 years.
