Chartering a yacht might sound complicated, but there are options for how to accomplish this great type of vacation that can work for anyone, with any level of boating experience, including no experience at all.

Here are organized the options for chartering based on level of boating experience, though exact requirements will vary widely depending on charter company, location, season, size of boat, and more.

Self-Captained Bareboat Charter

The gold standard in yacht charter- you are your own captain, and you make all the decisions on where you go, when you go, and who you go with. This comes along with the most responsibility, as the boat and everyone on it are your responsibility. Who can do this? If you have owned your own boats of similar size to the boat you want to charter, or you have a well documented history of boating experience, and maybe even a USCG Master license, your chartering options are wide open, as you can usually be your own captain.

Maybe you’ve crewed with friends, or owned a boat a little smaller than what you’re looking to charter? You should check into the rules with the company you’re looking to charter from. They all have their own rules, and many of them are variable depending on a lot of factors. A phone call to the actual base you’re looking to charter from might make sense, to get the most accurate information on if you will qualify to Captain, or if you should look into hiring one, at least to get checked out.

Self-Captained, with Checkout Captain

Some bases will let a less-experienced captain take a boat bareboat once you have demonstrated your skills in front of one of their employees. How exactly this works varies base to base, but generally you have a hired base employee onboard to either watch you and check you out, or to stay with you for the first day, or more, depending on all the variables. For many people, this is the best way to get some on the water orientation to your boat, and to make sure the base is satisfied that you’re capable. Local captains are a great resource, and the chance to pick their brain could really pay off in insider knowledge of the best spots to go.

Hire a Captain

This is the option that really makes bareboat yacht charter available to literally anyone, even with no boating experience at all. By hiring a captain, the charter company knows that their boat will be in good hands, and you know that you will have a relaxing trip with all the hard navigation and weather questions taken care of by someone else. Local captains often know all the hidden places you would never find on your own, or would never be bold enough to bring a charter boat to on your own. Even if you are an experinced sailor, hiring a captain can often be the best way to get a really relaxed, personalized experience.

By-The-Cabin Charter

If you have a small group, or want to really save some money, and self-captianing is out of the question for you, booking a by-the-cabin charter might be the way to go. This is exactly what it sounds like, you book one cabin out of several onboard a boat, with other people doing the same thing. This of course means sharing your vacation with people you don’t know yet, but usually most people choosing this are fairly like-minded, and it works out well.

There are as many ways to get yourself into a bareboat charter as there are places to go, you just need to figure out what works best for you. Many people begin with one type of charter, and work their way towards another.