Chartering a boat in The Bahamas: crewed, bareboat or a day with a captain

Three ways to charter

A crewed charter puts you on a sail or motor yacht with a captain and usually a chef or steward for several days. You set the broad plan and the crew handles everything else: navigation, anchoring, meals and the daily choice of beach. It is the most expensive and the most relaxed option, and it is how most visitors see the Exuma Cays end to end.

A bareboat charter gives you the boat, typically a catamaran or monohull, and leaves the sailing to you. Operators will ask for a sailing résumé showing comparable experience, and many offer a skipper for the first day or the whole trip if you are not yet confident. The Abacos are the classic bareboat ground because the Sea of Abaco is sheltered and the passages between settlements are short.

A captained day boat is a centre console or small cruiser with a local captain for a day, departing from a marina near where you are staying. It is the right choice for a single sea day, for families and for anyone who wants sandbars, snorkelling and the swimming pigs without committing to a week afloat.

Where each works best

The Exumas: clear water, hundreds of cays, the Land and Sea Park and the pigs. Best for crewed charters and captained day boats from Great Exuma or Staniel Cay. Anchorages are plentiful but marinas and provisioning are sparse in the cays, so crewed boats stock up before leaving Nassau or George Town.

The Abacos: sheltered water, marinas in every settlement, restaurants ashore each evening. Best for bareboat sailing from Marsh Harbour and for boaters who like a harbour town at the end of the day. Hurricane Dorian in 2019 damaged much of the chain; facilities have reopened but confirm current marina services.

Nassau and the Berry Islands: day charters to Rose Island and the sandbars of the southern Berries, and a traditional first stop at Chub Cay for boats crossing from Florida. Bimini: sportfishing in the Gulf Stream and the closest Bahamian marinas to the United States.

What is included and what is not

Ask every operator the same questions and compare answers. Crewed charters usually include the boat, crew, fuel for a standard itinerary, water toys and either full board or a provisioning allowance; they usually exclude crew gratuity, dockage, park fees and premium alcohol. Bareboats include the vessel, safety equipment, a dinghy and a briefing; fuel, provisioning, mooring fees and damage deposit are extra. Day boats usually include captain, fuel for the agreed route, snorkel gear and ice; lunch and drinks vary.

• Price basis: per boat, per day or per week, and for how many guests.
• Weather terms: what happens if a cold front or tropical system makes the day unsafe.
• Cancellation and deposit terms, in writing.
• Licences and insurance: Bahamian commercial operators must be licensed; ask to see it.

Seasons and weather

Winter brings cold fronts every week or two, with a day or so of strong northerly wind and choppy seas before settling; captains plan around them and sheltered anchorages matter. Spring is the most settled season for sailing. Summer is calm, hot and ideal for shallow-water boating, but it falls within hurricane season, which runs from June to November; book with clear weather terms and travel insurance in those months.

Bringing your own boat

Visiting yachts must clear in at an official port of entry such as Bimini, West End, Nassau, Marsh Harbour or George Town, where Customs and Immigration issue a cruising permit and fishing permit. Rules on fees, permit duration and what you may catch are set by the Bahamian government and change from time to time; check the Bahamas Customs guidance before departure. Mooring buoys inside the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park carry a fee that funds the park.