Region · yacht charter
Americas.
The US east coast in two seasons: Fort Lauderdale and the crossing to the Bahamas in winter, Newport and New England in summer.
- Fort Lauderdale
Overview
What to expect.
The Americas page covers the US east coast, a cruising ground that runs on two seasons rather than one. Florida carries the winter from Fort Lauderdale, and New England carries the summer from Newport. Much of the fleet moves up and down the coast between the two, so the eastern seaboard can be cruised for most of the year.
Fort Lauderdale is the operational heart of American yachting, with its inland waterways, marinas, yards and crews, and the natural departure for the Bahamas: Bimini lies around fifty nautical miles across the Gulf Stream. Most winter charters cross to the Bahamas, because cruising Florida's own waters calls for a yacht permitted to charter in the United States. New England is the summer ground: Newport, the sailing capital of the coast, with Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard within a day's cruising, and New York on the way for yachts moving between the two seasons.
The seasons split cleanly. Florida and the Bahamas run from December to April, after the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show at the turn of October and November and the end of the Atlantic hurricane season. New England runs from June to September, opened by the Newport Charter Yacht Show in June, before the fleet heads south again in the autumn.
An Americas yacht charter is planned around the season and the coast, and run end to end by one advisor: the yachts and crews that fit, the embarkation from Fort Lauderdale or Newport, and a route set to the weather. The show weeks, the year-end holidays and the height of the New England summer are the first to fill.
Destinations
Where we cruise in the Americas.
1 destination curated through our network of brokers, owners and management firms.
Season
When to cruise.
- Best months
- December to April · June to September
- Prevailing winds
- Winter easterlies · summer south-westerlies
- Base ports
- Fort Lauderdale · Newport
Two seasons on one coast: Florida and the Bahamas from December to April, New England from June to September, with the fleet moving between them in spring and autumn. The Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, at the turn of October and November, opens the winter season.
Frequently asked
Practical questions.
- When is the best time for an Americas yacht charter?
- It depends on the coast. Florida and the Bahamas run from December to April, after the Atlantic hurricane season; New England runs from June to September. The two windows interlock, so the US east coast can be cruised for most of the year.
- Which areas does an Americas charter cover?
- Mainly Fort Lauderdale and the crossing to the Bahamas in winter, and New England (Newport, Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard) in summer, with New York on the way between the two. Cruising Florida's own waters calls for a yacht permitted to charter in the United States.
- How far ahead should an Americas charter be arranged?
- Six months is comfortable for a standard week. The boat-show weeks, the year-end holidays and the height of the New England summer tighten availability, so earlier is safer for those.
- How do you reach an Americas charter?
- Fort Lauderdale and Miami are the Florida gateways, a short transfer from the marinas; Boston and Providence serve New England, with Newport a short drive from Providence. The advisor arranges the transfer to the yacht.
- How do the Florida and New England seasons connect?
- They interlock. Florida and the Bahamas carry the northern winter and New England the summer, and many yachts move up and down the coast between the two, which is why the eastern seaboard can be cruised for most of the year.
- What does an Americas yacht charter cost?
- It depends on the yacht, the season and the route. Motor yachts are usually quoted per week plus expenses, with an Advance Provisioning Allowance of typically 25 to 35 percent, and the crew gratuity is customarily 15 to 20 percent. A week in the Bahamas also carries the 14 percent Bahamian charter tax. The full cost is set out before anything is signed.
- What size of yacht suits the Americas?
- The full range. Motor yachts suit the Florida coast and the crossing to the Bahamas, while both motor and sailing yachts base in Newport for the New England summer. The advisor matches the yacht to the coast and the season.
Plan your charter
Guides and charter services.
Elsewhere
Other cruising grounds.
Plan a charter
Plan a charter in the Americas.
A private advisor will return a short, curated proposal within the hour.