Renting a boat for the holidays

The first time I chartered a boat, I compared the headline prices, picked the cheapest one and felt clever for about four days. Then came the fuel, the mooring nights, the tourist tax on the sailing area, and the deposit I could have halved for a small extra fee.

Discover beautiful destinations on board a private boat

A boat is still the least crowded way I know to reach a coastline. Creeks you cannot walk to, river bends with nothing on the bank, an anchorage in open water at seven in the morning with no one else awake. You do not need to own anything to get there. You contact a company that specialises in boat hire, and plenty of them are based right in Saint-Tropez, at the doorstep of the best cruising ground in the western Mediterranean.

Renting a boat for your holidays is a great idea !

Whether you have raced dinghies since you were twelve or have never held a helm, the sensation is the same on day one: a lot of space, no schedule, and a horizon that keeps moving. That feeling of freedom is genuinely the product on sale here. The rest of this article is about buying it without overpaying.

Bareboat, skippered or a single cabin

The formula you pick changes the price more than the boat does. Bareboat means you are the captain: cheapest option, but the company will ask for your licence and often for a sailing résumé. If you cannot produce either, do not improvise. A skipper costs a daily rate and pays for itself the first time the wind turns while you are trying to pick up a mooring.

The third route gets ignored far too often. A cabin charter puts you aboard a crewed boat with other guests, and you pay for your cabin rather than the whole hull. For two people who want an open-sea week without the price of a full charter, it is by far the best value on the market. You give up privacy and route control, which is the honest trade.

Size, age, and why the older hull is often the smarter pick

Big motorboats are the expensive end, no surprise there. What surprises people is how much the hull type shifts things: a monohull, a catamaran and a yacht of similar length are three different price brackets, and the catamaran usually wins on comfort at anchor if anyone in your group is prone to seasickness.

Boats a few years into the fleet’s rotation charter for noticeably less than the new arrivals. The sails are older and the upholstery has seen a few summers. The engine, the safety gear and the survey are the same, because charter fleets are inspected either way. On a week-long family trip, I would take the older boat and put the difference into a better sailing area.

What the advertised price leaves out

Here is the list I now go through line by line before I compare two quotes. Ask the company to confirm each one in writing, because practice varies between operators and between countries.

One more thing on that list: several companies now run an online provisioning service. You order your food and drink in advance and it is waiting on board at handover. I use it for the heavy, boring items (water, beer, oil, coffee) and do the fun shopping in the first port. Anyone can manage their own supplies on a private boat, which is precisely the point of chartering one.

Where to point the bow, and when

Pick the sailing area for your budget as much as for your daydream. If you live in France, the Mediterranean is simply cheaper to reach, and that saving is real money you can put into a bigger boat. The Gulf of Saint-Tropez and Corsica lead the list, closely followed by the Balearic Islands, the Amalfi Coast, the Ionian Islands, Malta, Sicily and the Aeolian Islands. You can also spend a dream vacation in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, using it as a base and sailing along the French Riviera from there.

With a bigger budget, the Caribbean opens up, along with long-haul options like Tahiti or Thailand. Different maths entirely: the flights cost more than the boat, so the trip only makes sense if you stay two weeks rather than one.

On duration: seven days is the standard, and most companies will not take a booking under five to seven days in high season. Two weeks is common among people who charter regularly, mainly because the first two days always go on settling in. If your dates are flexible, start midweek instead of Saturday. It is the single easiest saving in this whole article, and I have never seen it cost anything in comfort.

What people ask me before their first charter

Can I really rent a boat without a licence?

In France, yes, within limits: a motorboat whose engine is rated at 4.5 kW (6 hp) or less can be operated without a licence, and that rule still applies in 2026. What counts is the administrative power rating, not the number on the cowling. Rules differ from one country to the next, so check with the rental company for your exact destination before you plan around it.

Is a catamaran worth the extra?

For a group with children, or anyone who worries about seasickness, usually yes. You get more deck space, more cabins at the same length and far less roll at anchor. For a couple who want to actually sail, a monohull gives more pleasure for less money.

How far ahead should I book?

For July and August in the Mediterranean, the good boats go months in advance. Outside those two months, you have room to negotiate, and shoulder season on the same coast is the trip I would recommend to anyone booking their first charter.

That is genuinely everything I check before I put a deposit down. Choose the formula, be honest about your level, read the exclusions, and pick your week with a calendar in front of you. The sea part takes care of itself.

Last updated: August 2026. Prices, licence thresholds and local taxes change from one season to the next, so confirm the current terms with your charter company before booking.