Your first day, the chief stew hands you a folder and says "we are a dual-use boat — private in June, chartering July and August, private again in September." You nod. Then you realise you have no idea why that changes anything. It changes almost everything.
The two models
| Private | Charter | |
|---|---|---|
| Who is aboard | The owner, family, their guests | Paying clients, usually a week or two at a time |
| Who pays crew | The owner, via the management company | The owner — charter income offsets running costs |
| Registration | Often pleasure registration | Must be registered as a commercial yacht and comply with the relevant commercial code |
| Standards regime | Owner's expectations | Owner's expectations plus the charter contract and broker scrutiny |
| Rhythm | Long quiet spells, sudden owner trips | Intense back-to-back weeks with short turnarounds |
| Tips | Occasional, sometimes none | Customary from charter guests, often shared across the crew |
A dual-use yacht does both: it is commercially registered and chartered for part of the year, and used privately for the rest. This is extremely common.
Why commercial registration matters to you
A yacht that charters is a commercial vessel. That pulls in:
- Certification and manning to a commercial standard — the crew must hold the required tickets, and the safe manning document must be honoured.
- MLC 2006 obligations in full: a written Seafarer Employment Agreement, hours of rest records, complaint procedures.
- Food safety compliance in the galley and pantry — one reason Food Safety Level 2 is a routine requirement for interior crew.
- Port and flag inspection. A Port State Control officer can and does board.
On a purely private yacht the owner sets the tone, and standards can be every bit as high — but the external scrutiny is lighter.
The charter week
- Turnaround — guests leave, the boat is stripped, deep-cleaned, laundered and re-provisioned, often in 24–48 hours.
- Preference sheets arrive from the broker: allergies, dietary needs, drinks, pillow types, celebrations, anything the guests have asked for.
- Guests board. Standards do not dip for a moment.
- Guests leave, a tip is often given, and the turnaround starts again.
The preference sheet is the single most useful document in the interior. Read it, know it, and know the two or three things on it that will get you complimented or complained about.
Onboard Notes
- "Charter boat" is not a slur and "private boat" is not a prize. Charter teaches you volume, speed and service discipline. Private teaches you one demanding household to a very fine standard.
- Never quote or discuss charter rates, guest names or itineraries. Charter guests are often paying for privacy above all.
- Tips are customary, not guaranteed, and the distribution policy is the captain's. Ask how it works before you sign — do not ask a guest.
- A yacht "going into charter" mid-season means new paperwork, new inspections and a spike in workload. Expect it.