Answer: International Marine regulation generally states that once a vessel carries more than 12 passengers, even if it is being used as a private yacht, it is considered to be a passenger ship and has to comply with the SOLAS convention (Safety of Life at Sea) set out by the IMO (International Maritime Organization). This is to ensure the safety of all passengers as it is of the utmost importance.

Answer: Prior to payment, we will give you a full yacht charter agreement and corresponding invoice that clearly shows the payments due in the currency of your charter.

Answer:Given that we are an internet-based company, customers often justifiably ask us if we can assure them that the money paid to us will get to the boat owner so that there will be no risk in the process. Here's the assurance we can provide to you:

We pay the operators immediately after receiving money from you. We do not sit on the money or try to "bank it" to make money on the float. Normally the money due to the charter operator is paid the same day it's received from you. That's why we generally work with bank transfers - they're easy and secure. If you are concerned about who we are, the following should help to give you "comfort" about working with us:

We are a profitable, multi-million dollar company that has put over 20,000 charterers on the water since 2005. We are UK based, with a banking relationship with HSBC in London and Bank of America in the US. We can provide references from key industry companies if necessary All of our charters are done via a contract that provides significant protections for you. Please read the fine print, or ask your representative how you are protected against failure to deliver a boat or technical problems along the way.

Answer: No. Many crewed boats will ask you to charter for a week, usually Saturday to Saturday, but this is most rigid during high season in the Mediterranean (Greece, Croatia, Italy France etc). The Caribbean is much more flexible; the minimum charter duration is generally 5 days. In addition to this, there are thousands of Day Charter yachts worldwide that are perfect for a great day out on the water. A bareboat charter in the Meditteranean will always start and finish on a Saturday.

A bareboat is simply a boat that is rented without crew or sometimes a skipper - you will need to skipper and navigate it yourself. Depending on the country, you will need to show some type of certification or previous boating experience, such as a resumé of your experience. You can also add a skipper to your bareboat charter if you don't have the necessary qualifications but still want to do a bareboat charter.

A skipper will handle the boat for you, recommend routes, places to visit and make your holiday as relaxing as possible; if you wanted to have a go at sailing yourself but don't have as much experience, then this would be recommended as an option. You will have to factor in the skipper will take up a bed and need to be fed, however!

This is dependent on the country you are chartering in, as it differs from place to place. Generally speaking, if you're chartering a powerboat, you'll need at least a PB2 (Power Boat level 2), and if you are chartering a bareboat you will need at least a day skipper/ICCor ASA 104 or equivalent. If you have a license from your country, normally you can fill out an ICC application, and send it in through your licensing body (for instance the RYA) and you'll receive the ICC. If you belong to a yacht club, they also should be able to help you with courses and licenses. If you're renting a sailboat, the answer to this question is more varied.

You will definitely need a day skipper license in Spain/Greece/Italy/Croatia/Turkey/Thailand/Australia. In France, the Caribbean, the Bahamas, Mexico, Belize, New Caledonia and Tahiti you will be able to take the boat if you can show experience and competence via sailing resume. Any documentation of previous charters you may have will be required by your personal broker. Do not leave it to risk, however - we will review all of your documentation and qualifications prior to the charter to make sure you can get the boat!