Sailing Dreams  /  Bareboat Yacht Charter

Bareboat Adventure

Your crew, your watch bill, your call on where to spend the night. We hand over a well-found boat and the local knowledge to use it, then get out of the way.

*Monohulls & catamarans only available from Saturday to Saturday during peak season

What bareboat actually means here

Bareboat means the boat is yours for the week — no skipper, no crew, no fixed itinerary. You take the handover, you plan the passages, and you decide whether tonight is a marina berth or an anchorage with nobody else in it. It is the cheapest way to charter and, for people who can sail, comfortably the best.

What we add is local knowledge rather than supervision. Every bareboat charter leaves with a passage plan for the week — honest distances, the wind you should expect each afternoon, and a fallback anchorage for every night in case the forecast changes its mind. You are entirely free to ignore all of it.

What you need to charter bareboat

A licenceICC, RYA Day Skipper, PER or equivalent, held by whoever is skipper of record. We check it before we confirm the booking.
Real experienceThe licence is the paperwork. We also ask what you have actually sailed, on what, and how recently — it is a friendlier conversation than it sounds.
A second competent handNot a legal requirement, but someone aboard who could bring the boat back without you matters more than any certificate.
A VHF certificateRequired for the radio. One person aboard needs to hold it.
A security depositHeld against the insurance excess, not the value of the yacht, and released after check-in. A damage waiver reduces it substantially.
Nothing elseNo hidden competency test, no trial sail, no assessor watching you leave the berth.

Handover day, honestly

Check-in runs two to three hours and it is not a formality. You go through engine, rig, sails, electrics, water, gas, safety gear, tender and outboard with our base team, and you sign for what you find. Take the full time — it is your one chance to spot a worn halyard or a tired anode before you are twenty miles out. In July and August handovers are Saturday afternoon, so most crews spend the first night on the berth and leave early Sunday. We think that is the right way to start a week anyway.

The three, side by side

Bareboat is one of three ways to take a Sailing Dreams charter. The difference is not the boat — it is how much of the week you want to run yourself.

Bareboat Skipper Hidden Secrets
Who sails the boat You Our skipper Our crew
Who plans the week You You We do
Licence needed Yes No No
Crew aboard None Skipper, plus chef or hostess Skipper, chef, hostess
Best for Qualified crews Most people Handing it all over

Practical notes

  • Season: April to October. Saturday to Saturday in July and August; more flexible either side.
  • Included: The yacht and its equipment, bedding and towels, tender, outboard on most boats, and the week's passage plan.
  • Not included: Fuel, final cleaning, marina fees away from your home base, tourist tax and the security deposit.
  • No licence? Take a Skipper. Same boats, same freedom over the route, someone aboard who can sail it.
Skippered charter Hidden Secrets Destinations The fleet

Available bareboat

Yachts you can take yourself

Live availability across the fleet. Refine by boat type, dates and party size in the search bar above.

Grand Soleil 44 under full sail with guests on deck
Performance monohull

Grand Soleil 44 “Mistral”

13.6mLOA
8Berths
2019Year
From €4,900/wk
Enquire →
Lagoon 46 catamaran at anchor in turquoise water with tender
Cruising catamaran

Lagoon 46 “Alisio”

13.9mLOA
10Berths
2022Year
From €7,400/wk
Enquire →
Beneteau Oceanis 54 sailing at golden hour with crew in the cockpit
Luxury cruiser

Beneteau Oceanis 54 “Tramuntana”

16.2mLOA
10Berths
2023Year
From €8,900/wk
Enquire →

Good to know

Bareboat questions, answered

What licence do I need to charter bareboat in Spain?

An ICC, RYA Day Skipper, PER or equivalent, held by the skipper of record, plus a VHF certificate aboard. We check both before confirming, and we ask about recent experience as well as the certificate itself.

How big is the security deposit?

It varies by yacht and is held against the insurance excess rather than the value of the boat. It is released after check-in once the yacht is back as it left. Most boats offer a damage waiver that reduces it substantially.

Can we charter bareboat if only one of us is qualified?

Yes. Only the skipper of record needs the licence. In practice we do ask whether anyone else aboard could bring the boat home, because that matters more than the paperwork.

What happens if the forecast turns while we are out?

Every passage plan comes with a fallback anchorage for each night and a number to call. Our base teams are on the water all season and would far rather hear from you early than late.