FAQs

The yacht exchange process is simple. Once you’ve signed up, you can complete your profile, browse the yachts available for exchange, and once you find one of interest, initiate a chat through our secure messaging system with the owner about a potential exchange. Once the member responds, you are free to communicate outside The Yacht Exchange chat if you wish. It is up to you to do your due diligence to ensure the vacation and related yacht charter company terms and fees are acceptable. Once an exchange is agreed upon, it is up to each of you to contact the respective yacht charter companies to ensure the owner time weeks are properly gifted.

For charterers (guests) looking for owner weeks to purchase they would connect with the owner and negotiate a price to charter the vessel. The yacht owner and charterer will complete the transaction and money will change hands between the parties with no involvement from TYE

You can subscribe to The Yacht Exchange via our subscription matrix by subscribing to the subscription which meets your needs  this then allows you to list your boat on our website and contact other members through our secure messaging system. You can make unlimited exchanges and there will be no extra charge by us.

When you agree to an exchange we recommend the classic exchange method, where neither member charges an additional fee. Remember, although the dates and boat size might not be of equivalent value, you are exploring a new destination, and charter experience.

Charterers can subscribe to the platform to access the owner weeks for sale that the yacht owners are offering. The subscription matrix gives the user access to the platform subscription matrix by subscribing to the subscription which meets the users needs. For charterers buying owner time from the yacht owner this will be a negotiation between the parties to establish an agreed price and the transaction.

You will need to pay for any fees relating to the charter you agree to take on, as per the contract terms of the other member’s charter company. These fees will be paid to the charter company directly. These may include (but are not limited to):

Handling fees
End cleaning
Starter pack
Outboard
Refundable security deposit
Damage waiver
Local cruising taxes and permits
Sales tax
Consumables (fuel, water)
Provisioning services
Mooring fees
Transfers
Water toys

If you are the owner of a yacht in charter management then you can sign up to The Yacht Exchange by clicking here. We require your name, email address and phone number, along with details of your boat and the charter company it is managed by. Your account can either be verified straight away if you provide your HIN, or we can contact your charter company to verify your account. You will need to choose between a monthly or yearly subscription and enter payment details to complete the sign up process.

Once we have verified a user is the owner of their boat with their charter company you will see the verified user icon on their profile. To become a verified user you either need to submit the HIN number of your listed boat or email us some proof of ownership.

HIN (Hull Identification Number) is the 12 digit serial number that uniquely identifies your boat.

In order to complete the sign-up process, you will need to select a monthly or yearly subscription and complete payment through our website. You can cancel at any point by contacting us. Your account will still be active until the date your next payment would have been due.

You will be required to submit basic information about your yacht when registering, but you will then need to go to my yachts page to complete additional information and upload a photo. The more details you complete, the better the chance that another member will reach out to ask about potential exchange.

Your subscription fee covers the cost of listing one yacht. If you have multiple boats you want to list under your profile this is possible too for an additional fee. If your charter company agreement allows you to charter various boats or locations, we suggest you add your specific yacht and then explain the breadth of the options you can exchange. 

No

No, the only limit is the number of weeks per year you have available to exchange with. You can chat with as many members and agree to multiple exchanges as part of your yearly subscription.

The handshake is an informal agreement between 2 members of The Yacht Exchange. It is a document where you can list as many details as you like about your agreed exchange to avoid any misunderstanding later on and help for a smooth and enjoyable charter. It is not legally binding but simply a helpful tool if you choose to use it. It also lets us know you have agreed an exchange so we can follow up with you at a later date to see how you got on!

No, but we would advise using our handshake form whether you are exchanging charters at the same time, exchanging for an IOU or you are just gifting a charter. The handshake is an informal exchange agreement, but the more details you list the less likely you are to have a misunderstanding further down the line.

Once you have agreed an exchange with another member, we suggest you complete our handshake form and then contact your respective charter companies to inform them that you have gifted the agreed charter. They can then email the giftee directly to confirm the transfer of the contracted week or the time frame within which the allowance must be redeemed. This way, even if you’re undecided on which exact week to book you can confidently confirm the exchange, knowing you’ll get your week in return.

We recommend a straight exchange or classic exchange that doesn’t involve the exchange of bank details or monies. You may decide to gift a charter in exchange for a future charter within your owner time charter allowance if one party hasn’t decided on their dates yet. It’s really up to you to discuss and agree the exact details with your potential yacht exchange partner. 

The Yacht Exchange is a community built on trust and respect. We are always looking for ways in which we can improve our service so welcome any suggestions you have. One way in which you can help is by completing our feedback form about your experience of The Yacht Exchange website and/or your yacht charter. Whether you’ve just signed up, completed your first exchange or now a seasoned member of The Yacht Exchange, your feedback is helpful as we look to improve every aspect. 

Yes. It’s the same process as gifting one of your charters to a friend. Some charter companies will prohibit you from selling your charters for a fee, but this fits with The Yacht Exchange recommendation that you agree a classic exchange that does not include any monies being exchanged. If you find you have any problems please contact us or put your charter company in touch with us and we’ll be happy to discuss The Yacht Exchange model to them. There are benefits of The Yacht Exchange for your charter company too. 

Your contract will be with the charter company, so liaise with them directly as you would on your own charter to resolve any issues. 

The Yacht Exchange is a community that is built on mutual trust and respect, however we appreciate you might not always see eye to eye with every member. Our secure messaging system means whilst your chat remains on our platform you have the ability to block and/or report other members, and you can decide when you want to make the next step and share personal contact details. 

The Yacht Exchange service provides an introduction to other verified users and a suggested framework by which to agree exchanges – but it is up to you to build relationships and agree the details with other like-minded members. Our service can benefit all its members, but is built on mutual respect and trust.

We don’t want to see you go but we understand there are various reasons you might need to cancel. Please contact us to let us know if you wish to cancel. When cancelling we will stop your auto-renewal payment coming out of your bank and your account will remain active until the date your next payment was due. No refunds will be made on payments already processed. 

Yes, refer a friend and not only do you get 10% off your renewal, contact us with their email address and we’ll email you a unique code that can be used when signing up. The code cannot be redeemed retrospectively after signing up.

Our team has over 40 years of experience in the sailing industry when it comes to both ownership solutions and yacht chartering about the globe. Read more on our about us page or contact us with any questions – we’d love to hear from you.