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One-way charter: what is the fee for bringing the boat back?
Short answer
On a one-way charter the base has to send its own crew to bring the boat home,
and that cost comes back to you as a one-way fee.
Distance, season and boat size set the figure,
and it belongs in writing before you book, not on the pontoon.
A one-way charter is one of the nicest ways to see a coastline. You pick the yacht up in one port and leave it a week later in another, with no long beat back against the prevailing wind on the last two days. For the base, though, the boat is now in the wrong place. Someone has to deliver it home, with a delivery crew, fuel, harbour dues and a day on which it cannot be let. That cost is what the one-way fee covers, and it is usually listed separately from the weekly rate.
The figure normally depends on the distance between the two ports, the length of the boat and the time of year. Some bases offer particular routes cheaply, or free, in weeks when they are moving boats between their own bases anyway. In high season many refuse one-way bookings altogether because every boat has to be back for the Saturday changeover. Read the contract for whether fuel and berthing on the delivery are included, and for the exact time by which the boat has to be handed over at the destination marina.
Ask before booking what happens if you cannot reach the destination. A spell of strong wind can hold a crew in harbour for two days, and then the boat is in the wrong place on the last morning. Many contracts put the cost of moving it on the charterer, on top of the one-way fee. Keep the final passage short, build in a spare day, ring the base as soon as a delay looks likely, and get the drop-off port, the time and the fee confirmed in writing.
Worth remembering
One-way fee
Delivery crew, fuel and berthing, agreed in advance
Relocation
Boat left in the wrong port, usually charged on top
Keep the last passage short and hold a spare day. Then the fee you agreed is the fee you pay.
Questions
What owners ask us about this
Is the one-way fee part of the charter price?
Usually not. It is shown separately and is often paid at the base. Ask for the figure in writing before you book so that check-in brings no surprises.
What if weather stops me reaching the drop-off port?
The charter contract decides. Often the charterer pays for the boat to be moved to the agreed port. Calling the base early usually finds a cheaper answer than turning up late on the last day.
Can I sail the boat back myself instead?
Only if the base agrees. Some offer a longer charter period so that you bring the boat home yourself. That is then an ordinary charter rather than a one-way one.
Related
Not sure whether you qualify?
Whether it is “One-way charter: what is the fee for bringing the boat back?” or another question: send us your residence and the flag your boat flies. You will get a straight answer in one email; including a no, if that is the answer.
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