Private & crewed
Your group, with the agreed skipper or crew. Compare guest space, catering, participation and the complete hire period.
A boat. Your people. Somewhere worth sailing.
Find your kind of charter—from a harbour afternoon to a holiday afloat. Start with the area, understand the options, then meet the people behind the boats.
18 areas. Different ways to get afloat.
The Whitsundays
Make room for an island holiday.
Plan a charter here →Sydney Harbour
A harbour day with your kind of crew.
Plan a charter here →Pittwater
A different pace on Sydney’s northern waters.
Plan a charter here →Moreton Bay
Make the bay the centre of your day.
Plan a charter here →Melbourne & Port Phillip
Find your way onto the bay.
Plan a charter here →Hobart & the Derwent
See the waterfront from the sailing side.
Plan a charter here →Fremantle
Explore published charter businesses around Fremantle.
Plan a charter here →Geographe Bay
Explore published charter businesses around Geographe Bay.
Plan a charter here →Gold Coast Broadwater
Explore published charter businesses around Gold Coast Broadwater.
Plan a charter here →Port Stephens
Explore published charter businesses around Port Stephens.
Plan a charter here →Jervis Bay
Explore published charter businesses around Jervis Bay.
Plan a charter here →Gippsland Lakes
Explore published charter businesses around Gippsland Lakes.
Plan a charter here →Adelaide
Explore published charter businesses around Adelaide.
Plan a charter here →Ningaloo Coast
Explore published charter businesses around Ningaloo Coast.
Plan a charter here →Hervey Bay
Explore published charter businesses around Hervey Bay.
Plan a charter here →Port Douglas
Explore published charter businesses around Port Douglas.
Plan a charter here →Shark Bay
Explore published charter businesses around Shark Bay.
Plan a charter here →Lake Macquarie
Explore published charter businesses around Lake Macquarie.
Plan a charter here →What kind of charter fits?
Shared sailing trips
Join other guests on a scheduled experience. Ask about group size, minimum numbers, cabin arrangements and what is included.
Bareboat holidays
Take responsibility with an approved crew. Discuss your experience, the specific boat, handover and support before making a booking.
Begin with your group’s expectations.
Ask everyone what they hope to do aboard before choosing a vessel. A group that wants active sailing needs a different conversation from guests planning a catered celebration. Count adults and children, discuss access needs and agree whether the trip is a few hours, a full day or several nights. Those details give the operator something useful to respond to. A guest count on its own does not explain the experience you want.
Think about the responsibilities as well as the pleasures. A crewed trip and a bareboat holiday can visit the same broad region while asking very different things of the guests. If nobody wants to organise boat operations, say that. If taking charge is the aim, give the operator an honest description of recent experience and the people who will help. Do not leave the skipper question until after friends have booked flights.
Compare complete proposals.
Ask for the named boat or agreed vessel arrangement, the departure point, hire period and inclusions. Accommodation, meals, linen, cleaning, fuel and optional services may be handled differently between operators and formats. Compare written proposals on the same basis, with extra costs identified. Confirm the payment schedule, cancellation terms and the process for weather-related changes before committing to other travel.
A local business address helps you discover operators, but it is not a boarding instruction. Our area pages state which published suburbs are included. Some businesses operate beyond their base, so use the wider state search when you want a broader shortlist. Confirm every proposed pickup point directly. Keep one organiser responsible for collecting the answers and sharing the final instructions with guests.
Let the itinerary remain a conversation.
Tell the operator which experiences matter most—sailing participation, time together, a meal aboard or staying overnight. Treat particular stops as preferences until the provider confirms what is appropriate for the booking. The boat, operating area and conditions shape the plan. An editorial area guide helps with preparation; it does not replace the operator’s briefing or current local information.
If a charter leaves you wanting to sail more often, explore Learn to Sail and our individual course guides. Tuition and holidays can support the same ambition, but be clear about which you are buying. A day participating aboard a charter is not automatically a formal course, and a course completion record is not automatic approval to charter every vessel.
Before you make the next move.
Open a question for practical advice to help with your next decision.
What is the difference between crewed and bareboat?
A crewed charter includes a skipper or crew under the operator’s agreed arrangement. A bareboat charter places responsibility for operating the boat with the approved charter party. Ask the operator about experience, handover and support requirements.
Where does the business information come from?
Business profiles are fetched from YouSail’s published directory. YouSail remains the source of truth; each listing opens its own Sailing Directory page with published contact and service information.
Can I see live availability or book here?
No. Contact the operator using its profile to confirm current vessels, availability, prices and booking terms.
Does a local address guarantee a local departure?
No. Area pages match published business suburbs and state. The actual departure point and operating area must be confirmed for the specific charter.
Do all charter businesses offer sailing vessels?
Some offer a mixture of sailing and powered boats. Specify that you want a sailing yacht or sailing catamaran, and confirm the vessel in the written proposal.
Meet the charter businesses.
Search all charter profiles →Published records from YouSail, with company profiles here on Sailing Directory. Ask operators about current sailing vessels and departures.
Finding published businesses…
