The Base Rate is a Fiction

1. The Mandatory Extras

Charter companies break out mandatory fees to make the advertised weekly rate appear lower. These are not optional.

• Turnaround / Cleaning Fee: $250 - $400. You pay this regardless of how clean you leave the boat.
• Starter Pack: $50 - $100. A roll of paper towels, a sponge, and matches. Highly inflated.
• Cruising Taxes: Varies by region. BVI charges $16 per person per day. Bahamas charges a flat 4% tax on the charter rate plus a cruising permit.

2. The Insurance Trap

You have two choices at the base:

Option A: The Massive Deposit. They place a $5,000 - $10,000 hold on your credit card. If you wrap a prop or scratch the gelcoat, they keep it all until the repair is quoted. Read more about liability.

Option B: The Damage Waiver. You pay $50 - $70 per day (non-refundable), plus a smaller deductible ($1,000). The base wants you to take this. It is highly profitable for them.

3. The Fuel Reality

You pay for what you burn. A 45ft cat has two 40hp-50hp engines and a 9kW-11kW generator.

• Main Engines: ~1 gallon per hour, per engine. If you motor 3 hours a day, that's 6 gallons.
• The Generator: This is the silent killer. It burns ~1 gallon per hour. If you want Air Conditioning all night (8 hours), you burn 8 gallons. Over 7 days, that is 56 gallons just for AC.

Common Mistakes

Mistake	The Reality
Ignoring dinghy fuel	Outboards burn gas (petrol), not diesel. You must refill the dinghy tank separately, often at $8/gallon.
Assuming ice is cheap	Ice in the islands is $5-$8 a bag. If your fridge seals are bad, you will spend $100 a week on ice.
Booking late flights	If you arrive after 4 PM, you must pay a "sleep aboard" fee to stay on the boat at the dock ($200+).