It is the last morning of the charter. The guests want breakfast, the tenders are being stowed, and in ninety minutes the principal charterer expects to sit down with you and go through an itemised statement of EUR 60,000 of their money. If your APA file is current, this takes fifteen minutes and ends with a handshake. If it is not, it ends with a dispute that reaches the broker.
The Running APA Statement
The statement is maintained daily, not reconstructed at the end. Every line carries a date, a vendor, an amount, a currency, a rate if converted, and a receipt reference.
| Category | Spend (EUR) |
|---|---|
| Fuel and lubricants | 18,450 |
| Dockage, port and agency fees | 11,180 |
| Provisions and beverage | 11,240 |
| Guest requests: restaurants, transfers, excursions | 4,900 |
| Flowers | 1,450 |
| Laundry and dry cleaning | 780 |
| Total spend | 48,000 |
18,450 + 11,180 + 11,240 + 4,900 + 1,450 + 780 = 48,000.
Final Settlement
| Line | EUR |
|---|---|
| APA received | 60,000 |
| Total spend evidenced | (48,000) |
| Balance returned to the charterer | 12,000 |
60,000 − 48,000 = 12,000, returned to the charterer at the end of the charter, normally by transfer through the broker or management company, with an itemised statement and the supporting receipts. The guest signs the statement; you keep a copy and send one to the broker and management company.
Topping Up Mid-Charter
Monitor the burn rate daily. A common trigger is remaining APA falling below roughly 20–25%, but the real test is a forecast to the end of the charter.
Worked example. By day 4 of 7, spend is EUR 41,500 of the EUR 60,000 APA, leaving EUR 18,500. Forecast remaining spend:
| Forecast item | EUR |
|---|---|
| Fuel | 9,500 |
| Dockage and agency | 4,200 |
| Provisions and beverage | 3,000 |
| Guest requests | 5,500 |
| Forecast to complete | 22,200 |
22,200 − 18,500 = a projected shortfall of EUR 3,700. You inform the captain immediately with the figures; the captain requests a top-up (say EUR 10,000) through the broker. The crew never ask the guest for money directly.
Gratuities
- Paid at the guest's discretion, usually to the captain, never solicited and never deducted from the APA.
- Distributed per the yacht's written policy — commonly equal shares, sometimes weighted by rank. The policy should exist before the money arrives.
- Recorded: amount, date, charter, distribution. Cash tips are counted with a witness.
- Personal tax treatment varies by nationality and residence, and is each crew member's own obligation.
Onboard Notes
- Update the APA file every single evening. A four-day gap is a dispute.
- Never move APA money between charters or use it to cover an owner cost. It is held in trust.
- If a guest disputes a line, do not argue: produce the receipt, and refer the question to the captain and broker.