Behind the Scenes: How Your Sunsail Yacht is Maintained
Signs that you should invest in a Yacht Ownership Programme
Yacht chartering – once you’ve experienced it, you know there’s nothing else quite like it. Island‑hopping wherever the wind takes you, listening to the palms rustle while you sip a Dark ’n’ Stormy, discovering quiet anchorages, or paddleboarding to a hidden cave for a quick snorkel – it’s hard to beat. If you’ve ever caught yourself wondering “Should I own a charter yacht?” or “What are the benefits of a yacht ownership programme?”, read on for some clear signs that a Yacht Ownership Programme might be a good fit for you.
1. You’re curious about living aboard
If the cruising lifestyle appeals but you’re not quite ready to sell up and go full‑time, Sunsail Yacht Ownership is an ideal middle ground. With generous use each year, you can spend weeks at a time on the water, get a realistic feel for life afloat – and get paid while you do it. At the end of your time in the programme, if long‑term cruising turns out to be for you, you’ll be a far more seasoned sailor and the boat will be yours to keep. Or you might decide you love the part‑time setup so much that you trade into a new Sunsail yacht and start the programme again.
2. You charter more than once a year
If you’re already chartering regularly with friends, or your family dreams of the Med every summer and the Grenadines every winter, ownership can make a lot of sense. If you typically spend more than two weeks a year on charter, our Yacht Ownership Programme is worth serious consideration. You invest in a boat of your own and receive a guaranteed monthly payment that, over a year, adds up to around 9% (or 8%, depending on where your yacht is based) of the purchase price. During the programme you enjoy multiple weeks of sailing each year and pay no operating costs. You can also make full use of the owner points system to plan your time on the water.
3. You want to explore new sailing grounds
As a Sunsail yacht owner, you’re not limited to one location. You can sail your own boat, but you also have access to sister ships in destinations around the world. That opens up the chance to build your skills and discover completely new cruising areas. At each base, a local team is on hand to welcome you and provide a thorough chart briefing so you can make the most of each new sailing area with confidence.
4. You’d like to become a more experienced sailor
Spending more time on the water is one of the best ways to sharpen your seamanship. Ownership with Sunsail lets you do exactly that. You can plan longer passages, string together several weeks under way, and, for example, explore both the Windward and Leeward Islands in one extended trip. If you’d like to try different yacht sizes or switch between cats and monohulls, you have the flexibility to do so for a fee on upgrades. If you want to polish your skills or build your sailing CV, you can even use owner time to take one of our training courses.
5. You want a yacht, but not the hassle
If you love the idea of owning a yacht but don’t fancy the ongoing cost and admin, that’s a clear sign a Yacht Ownership Programme could be right for you. It’s one of the most cost‑effective ways to enjoy the boat you really want, with none of the usual headaches around maintenance and marina bills. Sunsail has been operating since 1974, and looking after owners’ boats is at the heart of what we do. You don’t pay anything for insurance, dockage or routine maintenance during the programme, and a dedicated team makes sure every detail is taken care of.
6. You want your investment to mean something
When you buy into a Yacht Ownership Programme, you’re not just buying a boat – you’re investing in a lifestyle. You’re putting money into time well spent with family and friends, into shared experiences and memories that last. The programme gives you the opportunity to sail in multiple destinations worldwide while receiving a guaranteed monthly income designed to offset your yacht payments, based on an initial deposit of 20–25%. In effect, we pay you to go sailing.
If any of the points above sound familiar, Charter Yacht Ownership could be exactly what you’re looking for.
