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From bareboat or crewed Caribbean charters to worldwide sailing vacations and luxury motor yachts, Ed Hamilton & Co. can help you plan all types of yacht charters. Take advantage of our 38 years experience and first class reputation. Conde Nast Traveler Magazine recently recognized us for the eighth year in a row as one of the world’s top travel agents.

Bareboat Caribbean Yacht Charters

Ed Hamilton & Co. is a booking agency for all bareboat Caribbean yacht charters, plus selected bareboat companies in the Mediterranean and Pacific Islands. Go to the Bareboat Yacht Charter Pages, or request literature on all bareboat companies to help you compare the many options available. We give free independent and unbiased advice on which bareboat companies and yachts best fit your requirements.

Crewed New England, Mediterranean and Caribbean Yacht Charters

Go to the Crewed Yacht Pages for information on a crewed sailing vacation, or have a broker personally select some crewed boats that fit your requirements. We can help you plan a private yacht charter in the Grenadines, find the best Caribbean charter yachts in the Virgin Islands, arrange a sailing vacation in New England, or a luxury motor yacht in The Mediterranean.

Learn more about yacht chartering and the Best Caribbean Vacation

New to the yacht charters concept? Our Intro pages compare the three different ways to book a yacht – a fully crewed private yacht charter, a skippered charter using a bareboat company or a bareboat charter.

We have been arranging Caribbean yacht charters since 1972.

No one has a better reputation when it comes to booking Caribbean charters – ask anyone. Call, Email or start selecting your yacht and cruising ground. With over 5000 pages, this site can help you find the private yacht charter of your dreams and our brokers will make it seem so easy. Let us help you turn dreams into reality.

Our Company
In 1972, when chartering was just beginning in The Caribbean, Ed sailed from England to Tortola to become one of the early managers for The Moorings. He started his own bareboat charter company two years later which eventually had a staff of over 50, operating a fleet of 55 yachts. He was involved in many different sides of the industry, including customising charter yacht designs with Charlie Morgan, teaching sailing to ASA bareboat standard, working as a charter captain, and virtually everything in between.

In 1982 he moved to Maine with his wife Barbara and started Ed Hamilton & Co., the yacht charter brokerage. In the years that followed, Ed Hamilton & Co became the largest and most respected yacht charter brokerage in the industry, selling more Caribbean charters than any independent broker worldwide. (Read a more detailed history of our company)

The majority of our staff of 8 have been involved in chartering for most of their lives.
There is no other brokerage that can claim to have more charter experience.

This year, for the seventh year running, Ed Hamilton & Co was picked by Conde Nast as the best agent for booking Caribbean charters.

It is certainly possible to book a boat without using our services, but when you talk to one of our brokers, you will soon see how we can simplify the process and really help you make the right choice.

We know these boats and crews well, and can honestly give you advice on which boat best suits your needs. Our services are free (you pay no more than booking direct), yet the security and first hand information we give you can make all the difference to the success of your holiday.

We look forward to helping you plan your vacation of a lifetime. Check out the Bareboat or Crewed Yacht home pages, or review your options while requesting literature using our informative preference forms.

Those people who already know the islands will enjoy Ed’s photographs of Tortola in the 1970’s.  We have been there from the beginning and have the knowledge and expertise to simplify the booking process and ensure the best possible boat for your budget.

BAREBOAT CHARTER COMPANY

With no timetable, no crew, and an endless supply of beaches, coves and unique islands to visit, a powerboat or sailing bareboat charter represents the ultimate get away vacation.
There are many companies offering Caribbean bareboat yacht charters, but standards vary enormously and choosing the right boat and company makes all the difference.

There are many enticing bareboat charter sites on the web, but in reality it is virtually impossible to judge a boat’s condition from a web site or a magazine ad. As an independent agency that works with all the Caribbean bareboat charter companies, we can tell you how they compare and describe each boat’s current condition.

All companies have some boats that are better than others. We book more Caribbean bareboat charters than any broker and know from first hand feedback which companies produced satisfied customers.

One source for all CARIBBEAN and VIRGIN ISLAND BAREBOAT CHARTERS

As part of our service, we send you an overview of ALL boats and companies in the cruising ground(s) you select, including prices, extra charges and specials, all presented in the same format. The package also contains company brochures and useful information on all aspects of chartering.

We then discuss which companies and boats best fit your requirements in your price range. We can give an independent opinion on the boat you are considering and describe its current condition from first hand experience.

Reasons to BOOK YOUR BAREBOAT CHARTER through us

Our services are free. By booking your bareboat charter through us, you pay no more than dealing with the bareboat company directly, yet our literature, large volume, unbiased advice and 31 years of experience provide additional security, more information and lower airfares. We can quote on-line boat availability and accept credit cards even if the charter company you choose does not. We simplify the whole booking process.

Other BAREBOAT PAGES

Call us or fill out our Request Form for literature, and see why we book more Caribbean charters through more companies than any other independent brokerage worldwide.

We hope you will try our Bareboat slide show, showing a typical bareboat charter in The Virgin Islands (bareboaters considering The Grenadines could also try our crewed yacht slide show which is set in The Windward Islands). Anyone wanting more specific information on a particular yacht can check out Layouts, descriptions and search engine for all popular bareboats or our Manufacturer’s boat descriptions, or read past charterers bareboat charter comments . Bargain hunters can look under special discounts.

The Virgin Islands.

The Virgin Islands are the most popular charter destination for good reason. A relatively small cruising ground with a huge variety of beautiful bays and beaches, great snorkelling/diving, lovely scenery and some excellent beach bars and entertainment ashore.

Hard to beat for a bareboat or crewed charter, unless you want longer sails or less people. A particularly good choice for a first time charter. The outside islands protect the area from the Atlantic swells without stopping the breeze, providing great sailing and comfortable powerboating. The climate is close to perfect. The cruising ground is primarily in The British Virgins, but charters can start in the more heavily populated U.S.V.I. The hurricane season peaks between mid August and late October.

Cruise The Leeward Islands on your own private charter yacht.
There’s no better way to see these beautiful islands

Anguilla, St. Martin / St. Maarten, St. Barts / St. Barthelemy, Saba, Statia / St. Eustatius, St. Kitts / St. Christopher, Nevis, Montserrat, Antigua, Barbuda, Guadeloupe, The Saints / Iles des Saintes, Dominica

Most charterers sail around St. Martin (half Dutch, half French), visiting Anguilla (British) and St. Barts (French). The cruising ground is about the same size as The British Virgin Islands (B.V.I.), with fewer anchorages but fewer boats to fill them.

From sleepy beaches on Anguilla to the fine restaurants and French boutiques on St. Barts, there is something for everyone and a true feeling of being abroad. Sailing conditions are more exposed than The V.I., particularly on the eastern shore of St. Martin, but distances are short. More adventurous sailors can include the rest of The Leeward Islands (Statia, St. Kitts, Nevis) which are less affected by tourism, but have more exposed anchorages.

You can start your charter in Antigua sailing one way through the Leewards to St. Martin (best this way rather than north to south). From Antigua or Guadeloupe you can also explore the French West Indies and the beautiful Isles de Saintes.

Discover the Grenadines on your own private charter yacht.

St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Bequia, Mustique, Canouan, Mayreau, Tobago Cays, Union, Petit St. Vincent, Carriacou, Grenada.

Before airports were built on the smaller islands, most Grenadines charters started in St. Lucia, requiring a 45 mile open water sail to the cruising ground, so the area was traditionally considered more suitable for the serious sailor. Though still less protected than The Virgins, charterers can now fly into St. Vincent and explore the heart of this lovely uncrowded area without the long sails. Less developed than other areas, with fewer resorts and restaurants, this cruising ground offers beautiful unspoiled islands, lovely beaches and some excellent sailing. The Grenadines are south of the normal hurricane route if you are considering a charter between August and late October.

Cruise Bahamas on your own private charter yacht.
It’s the only way to see many of these beautiful islands

Abacos, Exumas
Bareboat chartering is mostly limited to The Abacos. The cruising ground is smaller than The Virgins and very shallow (even a 5 foot draft can be a limitation) but the area is well protected by a reef and a chain of low lying islands. Marsh Harbor is the principal town, airport and harbor. From there you can cruise between Lynyard Cay and Treasure Cay, visiting islands such as Elbow Cay (Hope Town) and Man-O-War Cay, each with their own community, both ashore and on livaboard yachts. If the weather is settled, you can cross a short passage of open water and explore the northern part of the cruising ground to Spanish Cay. The weather is more like Florida than The Caribbean and temperatures can vary considerably, particularly in the winter when a north wind can sometimes make it too cool to sit on a beach. The best weather is generally in April / May.
Please give me details of suitable yachts.

Crewed yachts normally cruise in Eleuthera, The Exumas, or The Berry Islands, but we can help you plan almost any itinerery. Once away from the towns, the islands are remote and undeveloped, with coral reefs, beautiful beaches and blissfully little else.

POPULAR CRUISING GROUNDS
in the Pacific

Tahiti
The Society Islands of French Polynesia offers some of the finest sailing in the
South Pacific.

Tonga
The last Polynesian Kingdom is also known as The Friendly Islands. Visit underwater canyons, volcanos and much more.

Fiji
A unique group of over 300 beautiful islands, mostly uninhabited.

New Zealand
Sheltered waters, easy sailing, safe harbors and beautiful islands and beaches.

Australia
The Whitsunday Islands have a perfect year round climate, tranquil tourquoise waters and world famous diving.

Asia
Thailand is the new popular destination for a sailing adventure and represents good value. Mayasia is a paradise for beach lovers and sailors. Beautiful scenery and a colorful culture.

The Mediterranean

is the most popular place in the world for summertime yacht charters. Western Mediterranean countries including France and Italy are well-developed in terms of yacht charter, while Eastern Mediterranean countries such as Croatia, Greece and Turkey continue to grow in popularity for charter yachts of all kinds. Whether you want to cruise among quaint villages, anchor in colorful harbors, tour ancient ruins, or enjoy hotspots bustling with nightlife, there is a Mediterranean charter for you.

Charter rates jump to their highest levels in the world during the premium Mediterranean cruising months of July and August, but there are always good deals to be found, especially if you cruise “off-season” in the usually beautiful months of May, June, September and October. Even better, the crowds dissipate with the heat during those same times of year, so you can enjoy an even more private, personalized charter experience, too.

Sailboats and powerboats alike are available in the Mediterranean. In places like Turkey, traditional motorsailers called gulets are an option—and are considered to be one of the best charter values in the whole world. In trendier locations like St. Tropez and Monte Carlo, you can charter onboard some of the biggest, most luxurious motoryachts in the world.

No matter what kind of yacht you charter, you will be blessed with more places to explore than you could cruise to in an entire year. Outside of Greece, which boasts a nation of island groups unto itself, the majority of Mediterranean cruising is coastal. Your yacht’s itinerary may include destinations such as Spain’s Balearic Isles, France’s Corsica, or Italy’s Sardinia, Elba and Sicily, but for the most part a Mediterranean charter means hugging the coastline and cruising from city to city, town to town, and village to village. Some of the harbors boast shops and fine dining, some are filled with local fishermen and motorbikes, and still others house the remains of ancient amphitheaters and villages that you can tour on foot.