Hiring a boat with a group of friends or family is becoming a more and more popular holiday activity. Already well established in other countries, boat chartering has become an increasingly sought-after option due to the wealth of possibilities it offers. The sector has grown by 55.6% in Spain in the first half of 2015 as compared to the same period last year, according to the Spanish Association of Nautical Companies (Anen). Sailing a catamaran along the Costa Brava or a sailboat around the Balearic Islands are just two of the many options on offer. Prices are affordable and there are infinite destinations.
According to experts, this significant growth is partly due to the crisis but also to the fact that a sailing culture is being more widely established and this is making chartering an increasingly popular option. Generally speaking, the future looks optimistic for the sector, provided that it remains cheaper and more convenient to rent rather than buy a boat. By way of example, the cost of chartering a 10-metre yacht for six people in the Mediterranean costs around 2,500 euros per week in high season. Unless you’re a trained sailor, you will have to add €1,000 to the price to hire a skipper, which, in the words of the Manager of Itacadventure and Barcelona Boat Show exhibitor Roger Falgàs, “is highly recommendable for amateurs who hold the Boatmaster’s Certificate (PER) but are not experienced sailors”.
The Managing Director of Motyvel Yacht Charter, Luis Mas, also an exhibitor at the show, informs us that “groups of friends and families are the main users of this new boating trend, which they enjoy for one or two weeks a year and at weekends”. Both exhibitors agree that the most popular boats are medium-length vessels without a skipper and the most sought-after destinations the Balearic Islands and the Costa Brava. “Although the market is highly seasonal, demand tends to increase between the months of May and June and September and October”, Mr. Mas concludes.
The biggest and most varied commercial platform
From 14-18 October in Port Vell, the Barcelona International Boat Show is set to showcase Spain’s fullest range of marine sport and leisure products: sailboats, yachts, catamarans, menorquins, motor launches, inflatables, cruisers or fishing cruisers, along with nautical products and services of all kinds from chartering to marinas, electronics, motors, paints, sails, trailers, items for fishing and scuba-diving, plus small craft.
Organized by Fira de Barcelona with the collaboration of ANEN, the Barcelona Boat Show is the biggest event of its kind in Spain and the only one to enjoy the recognition of the International Federation of Boat Show Organisers (IFBSO).
